Caravan designers
My wife and myself were looking around a display of new season caravans. One was a four berth end bathroom tourer. We advised the dealer sales person that in the loo area it was shame the manufacturers had not fully utilised the wall facing opposite the
toilet. This wall was totally blank and yet the wall behind the toilet set and been adorned with a towel rail. My wife highlighted that a lady "sitting" would have to contend with the towel hanging down behind her and in contact...He thought it a fairly frivolous
point to raise judging by the reaction on his face...However, he must have submitted the issue at the factory as, yes ,youv'e guessed it, on the following year the new model had the towel rail mounted on the previous year' model "blank" wall..It shows you
that seasoned caravanners can spot a change needed on new models so common designers check your ideas with the common people before committing to the production line.
Comments
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Never had a caravan without some silly errors and they were six different makes. Currently the front locker can foul the jockey wheel but we have had thw water heater switch under the bed if it is down, four toothbrush holders in a five berth and many more.
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So 20% of caravaners have false teeth! Seems a bit low considering the demographic of the CC.
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I have been in correspondence with the manufacturer of the van we have on order,after noting a couple of things that are not user friendly ,and when at the show this week was advised that they had been taken "on board" for the next production run ,as
others had also mentioned the subject,0 -
The best I know of them taking customers advice was told to me by a neighbour. He was on a site when a director of one manufacturer asked his neighbour what he thought of his caravan. Unfortunately for him he picked the rubbish one so probably avoided that
in future.0 -
Also applies to motorvans. We were looking at the Bailey Autograph Approach 625, a two berth van. You can either make the bed as a transverse double, or two singles. If a double somebody has to climb out over the other. However, if you go for singles they
are only 5'10" and I am a bit longer than that, as is the average person. Why didn't they make the van a few inches longer.0 -
Also applies to motorvans. We were looking at the Bailey Autograph Approach 625, a two berth van. You can either make the bed as a transverse double, or two singles. If a double somebody has to climb out over the other. However, if you go for singles they
are only 5'10" and I am a bit longer than that, as is the average person. Why didn't they make the van a few inches longer.steve, it seems to be a uk theme.....proper beds are a bit of an afterthought, with lounges, kitchens and washrooms taking priority.
continental customers spend more time outside so kitchens are smaller as are lounges and to a degree washrooms....however the bed is king.....usually permanent and king sized with a proper mattress....
our singles are 2m long and 80cm wide...and can be used as a double thats 2m 10cm wide.....(i saw one bailey van with a dinette 'double' at just over a metre wide
)even our 2nd bed, a dropdown double is 1.60m wide....
so, are uk vanners shorter/narrower than their continental cousins....?
ok, there are some pretty tall german and scandanavian folk but there are some pretty 'broad' and tall folk in the uk.....
so, why dont the designers actually put a couple on that lovely 'dinete double' and see how they (dont) fit....?
what about washroom doors that cant be opened because the kitchen is in the way......or kitchen doors that cant be opened because the washroom is in the way?
....or kitchen 'cupboards' that hide a single pathetic 3" deep 'drawer' behind it that cant be slid out until the door is fully opened, which you cant do because the washroom is in the way.....
or a MH drivers seat that cant be slid back fully (or rotated to be ised as an armchair) due to the washroom behind it?
yes, all our vans are compromises but im sure most on CT could do as well as some 'designers'....
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A lot of the problems are that most manufacturers try get a quart into a pint pot because buyers want all things ,but do not want or need to be driving something the size of a bus which would give the manufacturer the space,there is a Dutch couple with a
Pilot next to us now and we have noticed the habitation door is very narrow and the hav toe enter and leave sideways ,0 -
In our caravan the plughole in the shower tray is just inside one edge, about midway on the nearside. The oppositie edge to the slight, offside, tilt caused by heavy items, cooker, fridge etc. So water never completely drains from tne shower tray, you
have to get on hands and knees and swoosh it into tne plughole. Rotating the tray 180 degrees before fitting would have eliminated this niggling little problem.0 -
In our caravan the plughole in the shower tray is just inside one edge, about midway on the nearside. The oppositie edge to the slight, offside, tilt caused by heavy items, cooker, fridge etc. So water never completely drains from tne shower tray, you
have to get on hands and knees and swoosh it into tne plughole. Rotating the tray 180 degrees before fitting would have eliminated this niggling little problem.For a change they actually allowed for that in our tray. There are two plug holes.
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It must quite difficult to design something that everybody likes. Sometimes I think I want something, and then decide I don't like it. We went to look at a new 2-berth caravan which had a fixed bed at the front, which sounded like a good idea. But we only
live in the awning in summer and would miss the lounge too much in winter. The search continues... But I agree with the other posters that there are some glaring oversights that could be so easily put right.0 -
A lot of the problems are that most manufacturers try get a quart into a pint pot because buyers want all things ,but do not want or need to be driving something the size of a bus which would give the manufacturer the space,there is a Dutch couple with a
Pilot next to us now and we have noticed the habitation door is very narrow and the hav toe enter and leave sideways ,perhaps they are on the large side and its an optical illusion....
i dont know of any manufacturers that have 'smaller' habitation doors....in fact, the contrary is true, wth wider doors becoming the norm on new vans, no doibt reflecting the growing size of the users....
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Everybodies wife and everybodies husband could design caravans better than the designers.
So why don't they???....I've never figured that one out!
perhaps everybodies wife and everybodies husband could figure that one out?
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It must quite difficult to design something that everybody likes. Sometimes I think I want something, and then decide I don't like it. We went to look at a new 2-berth caravan which had a fixed bed at the front, which sounded like a good idea. But we only
live in the awning in summer and would miss the lounge too much in winter. The search continues... But I agree with the other posters that there are some glaring oversights that could be so easily put right.Can I ask what,make that was as we tend only (or at least try) to use the van as a bedroom on wheels and dont do winters so a 2 berth might suit us if it had a fixed bed
Write your comments here...I think Coachman do a fixed bed at the front, central kitchen and end bathroom. It looks very odd as there is nowhere to sit.
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It must quite difficult to design something that everybody likes. Sometimes I think I want something, and then decide I don't like it. We went to look at a new 2-berth caravan which had a fixed bed at the front, which sounded like a good idea. But we only
live in the awning in summer and would miss the lounge too much in winter. The search continues... But I agree with the other posters that there are some glaring oversights that could be so easily put right.Can I ask what,make that was as we tend only (or at least try) to use the van as a bedroom on wheels and dont do winters so a 2 berth might suit us if it had a fixed bed
Write your comments here...I think Coachman do a fixed bed at the front, central kitchen and end bathroom. It looks very odd as there is nowhere to sit.
Nowhere to sit ???? ,what about the great outdoors
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Hymer have an interesting feature in their new Van 314 SL. It is a very compact motorhome so they have had to think outside the box when it came to washroom facilities. The wash basin isn't, it doesn't hold water. It is more like a shelf that acts as a conduit
straight to the waste tank. This means that you have to keep the tap running whilst having a wash.
Great idea or daft idea, what do you think?0 -
Also applies to motorvans. We were looking at the Bailey Autograph Approach 625, a two berth van. You can either make the bed as a transverse double, or two singles. If a double somebody has to climb out over the other. However, if you go for singles they
are only 5'10" and I am a bit longer than that, as is the average person. Why didn't they make the van a few inches longer.that's strange, we have the Bailey Approach 625 2012 model, the singles are 6ft long. We did look at the new model but felt it didn't have such an open feeling as the earlier model, never noticed the beds being shorter.
They have changed quiet a few things but still not put a wall cupboard in the bathroom on the 625 model despite numerous having one in other models.
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A lot of the problems are that most manufacturers try get a quart into a pint pot because buyers want all things ,but do not want or need to be driving something the size of a bus which would give the manufacturer the space,there is a Dutch couple with a
Pilot next to us now and we have noticed the habitation door is very narrow and the hav toe enter and leave sideways ,perhaps they are on the large side and its an optical illusion....
i dont know of any manufacturers that have 'smaller' habitation doors....in fact, the contrary is true, wth wider doors becoming the norm on new vans, no doibt reflecting the growing size of the users....
Write your comments here...they are definitely not large people,
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MJH2014
Thanks for that I have had a look but in spite of what I said we do want somewhere the spread out at least a bit and short settees rather than sitting up at the table was what I had in mind, perhaps its not possible with a rear washroom and fixed beds to get the length down much
Coachman still have aluminium sides ?where as most are now grp
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I wonder if manufacturers ever read these pages? If so ladies and gentlemen, I am convinced that there's a serious market for a two-berth with fixed double or two single beds and two proper, comfortable
seats. My old back can't cope with a whole evening on the bed-settee! Come on chaps, I'm sure it's possible?0 -
Also applies to motorvans. We were looking at the Bailey Autograph Approach 625, a two berth van. You can either make the bed as a transverse double, or two singles. If a double somebody has to climb out over the other. However, if you go for singles they are only 5'10" and I am a bit longer than that, as is the average person. Why didn't they make the van a few inches longer.
that's strange, we have the Bailey Approach 625 2012 model, the singles are 6ft long. We did look at the new model but felt it didn't have such an open feeling as the earlier model, never noticed the beds being shorter.
They have changed quiet a few things but still not put a wall cupboard in the bathroom on the 625 model despite numerous having one in other models.
Write your comments here...our friends have 740 which has a fixed bed at rear,and with both cab seats turned can.make into at least 2x6ft beds or seating for 8 people in front area
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Also applies to motorvans. We were looking at the Bailey Autograph Approach 625, a two berth van. You can either make the bed as a transverse double, or two singles. If a double somebody has to climb out over the other. However, if you go for singles they are only 5'10" and I am a bit longer than that, as is the average person. Why didn't they make the van a few inches longer.
that's strange, we have the Bailey Approach 625 2012 model, the singles are 6ft long. We did look at the new model but felt it didn't have such an open feeling as the earlier model, never noticed the beds being shorter.
They have changed quiet a few things but still not put a wall cupboard in the bathroom on the 625 model despite numerous having one in other models.
I am just going on the lengths on Bailey's spec sheets. Although there are now two Approaches, Advanced and Autograph. There is no 625 Advanced, but on the 635 they are 6 ft long. We are not really in the market at this stage, although have been investigating for the future. Currently we have a U2 Cadiz with single beds of 6' 5" and 6' 0". I could manage in the 6' 0" but not in 5' 10". Just to add the reason for favouring the Autograph over the Advance is the Alde heating. So if we were in the market at the moment, Bailey would probably loose a sale, just for the sake of 2 inches on the beds.
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It must quite difficult to design something that everybody likes. Sometimes I think I want something, and then decide I don't like it. We went to look at a new 2-berth caravan which had a fixed bed at the front, which sounded like a good idea. But we only
live in the awning in summer and would miss the lounge too much in winter. The search continues... But I agree with the other posters that there are some glaring oversights that could be so easily put right.Can I ask what,make that was as we tend only (or at least try) to use the van as a bedroom on wheels and dont do winters so a 2 berth might suit us if it had a fixed bed
Write your comments here...I think Coachman do a fixed bed at the front, central kitchen and end bathroom. It looks very odd as there is nowhere to sit.
the 470 looks pretty much like the slightly bigger 520 except that the front lounge has been turned into a fixed bed, which of course, is perfectly possible with the 520 (ie leave the bed made up).....
both also have a central dinette which 'could' accommodate four at a push and would become the only lounging area in the 470, other than the bed.....not particularly comfortable at a guess.....
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