British caravans
Comments
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I've had a UK caravan and I've currently got a German one. There is no comparison in build quality.
We hear of the damp Hymer when this discussion crops up but I'm not convinced it's as big a problem with that make as that single example implies.
I think it's a shame that confidence in home built vans is low. I personally wouldn't buy a British van again but not because of build quality. They just don't make what I want
...The Hymer that I posted about, was in the UK,so as most of that companies LVs are sold "over there" it is an unknown figure ,compared to the thousands,of uk built and sold uk vans
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I've had a UK caravan and I've currently got a German one. There is no comparison in build quality.
We hear of the damp Hymer when this discussion crops up but I'm not convinced it's as big a problem with that make as that single example implies.
I think it's a shame that confidence in home built vans is low. I personally wouldn't buy a British van again but not because of build quality. They just don't make what I want
My sentiments exactly.
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Dont think its a sweeping statement its easy a t hird of people who have had to return caravan back for warrinty work and I know if I upset a third of my customers I would be out of business
Your dead right Mick the standard and build quality of caravans in the UK is poor to say the least.The makers know they can sell every van they make so to them its no big problem if people complain.If they were makeing cars they would be out of business
along time ago.Quality control appears to be none existant and after sales "service" also leaves a lot to be desired and as the quality declines the prices get ever higher but we still keep buying them.v9
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We bought our Bailey new in 2009. Under warranty we had a new centre front window, an new extractor fan as original gave up and a replacement hatch door that began to leak! Since then we've had to replace the shower wall last year as it cracked down one
corner - at a cost to us.Should all this have happened - probably not. Were Bailey good - yes, there wasn't an issue with the warranty work but it took ages to get the parts. Nothing else has gone wrong so far and it has done a fair few miles.
...The parts you mention ,window /fan /hatch frame are bought in from abroad,which can course a wait
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I've had a UK caravan and I've currently got a German one. There is no comparison in build quality.
We hear of the damp Hymer when this discussion crops up but I'm not convinced it's as big a problem with that make as that single example implies.
I think it's a shame that confidence in home built vans is low. I personally wouldn't buy a British van again but not because of build quality. They just don't make what I want
...The Hymer that I posted about, was in the UK,so as most of that companies LVs are sold "over there" it is an unknown figure ,compared to the thousands,of uk built and sold uk vans
AFAIK, the uk is Hymer's 2nd largest market after Gemany.
so plenty of Hymers (and Carado, Knaus, Carthago, Laika, Dethleffs, Pilote, Rapido etc, etc) sold in the uk....
the forums would be full of 'damp' stories if there were major issues with any of these (or other brands)....
agreed, the std conversion warranty on a new Euro van is 2 years (in the uk, the 3rd year warranty is a dealer backed policy) but most have a ten year total leakproof warranty, which seems be the one thats most important.
items like fridges, heaters etc are supported by europe wide call out, to your home if required.
there is no need to physically go to a dealer to get (say) a Dometic or Thetford issue resolved...unless you specifically want to.
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I'm not sure where Swifts 10 years damp warranty fits into no incentive. Without doubt very many people believe unreservedly that German workmanship is better than our own, without realising that Ford, for example, fit UK built engines into German Fords. The German belief is perpetuated by claims, for example, of better fuel consumption ahemm VW. Our three year old Swift has suffered a few problems with generic and often foreign built components, the omnivent power controller, ATC led lead, shower mixer, eye level cupboard plastic framing, with just one fault that can be laid at Swift's feet, The headboard came partly unstuck, which was fixed with two screws in less than 10 minutes by our dealer. I'm always sorry to read preconceived notions of quality in any form of media, when they are flimsily supported by small sample sizes and a weak understanding of engineering. Many British people have an ingrained desire to criticise the U.K. and UK manufacturing, while an American, for example, is very unlikely to critics the US. In reality the U.K. Is one of the worlds major centres of design and innovation, it's a pity that more people don't sing our praises - like. 10 year water ingress warranty.
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JC Good post, Its seems a British hobby to knock anything made in this country, although other countries look at us with envy for inovation and good products,as you say no company would put out a 10yr warranty, not just Swift also Bailey and now others, if there was not confidence that it would not be achievable,and some will say that uk LVs are to "chinszy"but then if the designs were not to the the majority of uk taste then they would not sell in their thousands, and are now being sold overseas in higher numbers,and imho it is the fault of the great british buying public that want every latest (normally short term) "fad"and "gadget" that pushes so many changes to models and still trying to keep them light enough to keep within reasonable weight limits,
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do AS sell more vans in Germany than Hymer, Hobby, Knaus sell in the UK?
all foreign manufacturers will give a ten year damp warrenty and some have been for years....
no one is knocking uk build, and price is a huge influencer, but you only have to open a drawer or cupboard on an Autotrail to get the idea.....could not be more cheaply thrown together....
i know because i was at an AT dealers last weekend....not looking for one of these, though.
someone posted upthread about getting what we deserve, and for £50k to £60 for a mid range uk coachbuilt, we should be demanding more.
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As i said in my post if the uk buying public did not insist in all the latest bells and whistles in their LVs,and still tow with a 1.6cc 1500kg car or keep under 3500kg then there would not be a need for uk makers to use materials that european makers need not, as most of their LVs are "heavy"already in comparison,but then Bailey have broken into the Australian market,so they cannot be that "flimsy"
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do AS sell more vans in Germany than Hymer, Hobby, Knaus sell in the UK?
all foreign manufacturers will give a ten year damp warrenty and some have been for years....
no one is knocking uk build, and price is a huge influencer, but you only have to open a drawer or cupboard on an Autotrail to get the idea.....could not be more cheaply thrown together....
i know because i was at an AT dealers last weekend....not looking for one of these, though.
someone posted upthread about getting what we deserve, and for £50k to £60 for a mid range uk coachbuilt, we should be demanding more.
Write your comments here...
You obviously feel strongly that your opinions are valid as you make a point that Homer, Hobby & Knaus have 10 year water ingress warranties. In fact they don't, and it's only taken me a few minutes on the web to learn that Hymer is 6 years, Hobby is 5 years
and Knaus is also 5 years. Still why let the truth stand in the way of an ill informed belief. You have kindly illustrated my point that knocking British manufacturing isnt substantiated by informed opinion.0 -
My Bailey Unicorn cadiz is only three months old but the Dometic fridge has burned out already. I took it to the approved repairer who questioned me about how often I use my caravan because he says it is only supposed to be for occasional use! in only three
months the fridge is broken.0 -
My Bailey Unicorn cadiz is only three months old but the Dometic fridge has burned out already. I took it to the approved repairer who questioned me about how often I use my caravan because he says it is only supposed to be for occasional use! in only three months the fridge is broken.
...Do you have the tall Dometic(not uk made)fridge 9330 as there seems to be a problem of fair number that have a faulty "gas valve" it stops thermostat working on 240v that courses over cooling,we had dometic to our van when on site a couple of weeks ago the engineers also changed two others on the same day,
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My Bailey Unicorn cadiz is only three months old but the Dometic fridge has burned out already. I took it to the approved repairer who questioned me about how often I use my caravan because he says it is only supposed to be for occasional use! in only three
months the fridge is broken.The "approved repairer" does not know his job so I would not let him anywhere near my caravan.
There is a known fault on some Dometic fridges.
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In the last 20 years I have bought 4 new vans,2 UK and 2 German.If or more likely when I get rid of the present Lunar it will be the last UK van I buy and I cant for the life of me think what on earth caused me to part with a rock solid Fendt for this van
that has leaked every year so far but fortunatly still under warranty...Did you not realise where they got the name Leaky Lunars from.
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My Bailey Unicorn cadiz is only three months old but the Dometic fridge has burned out already. I took it to the approved repairer who questioned me about how often I use my caravan because he says it is only supposed to be for occasional use! in only three months the fridge is broken.
Write your comments here...
Your problem doesn't lie with Baily's poor workmanship, but with Dometic, as supplied internationally to caravan manufacturers. 'Only designed for occasional use' - clearly the repairer needs further training. Domestic themselves told me that their fridges should be serviced annually, not just a habitation check, but a full service. Somehow Dometic seem to have positioned themselves, and some of their repairers on another planet. Perhaps we should lobby manufacturers to install refrigeration from other companies while Dometic (made in Germany, by the way) improve their designed in reliability.
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Re: Dometic fridges, I noticed that in the manual of ours it says an annual service and more often if used regularly on gas mmh bit of an open ended comment With what constitutes regular use and service intervals
However we do have friends who are very experienced caravaners who believe that the purpose of winter covers on a fridge is cut down drafts in the caravans I am unable to convince them otherwise. Finally how many caravans do you see not necessarily just
British where the fridge vents are fouled by the open door?0 -
Finally how many caravans do you see not necessarily just British where the fridge vents are fouled by the open door?
Same on certain motorcaravans and its a very important point if you like caravanning in hot climes. The fridge simply doesn't work as well as it could.
Good example of designers not actually using what they design.
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Finally how many caravans do you see not necessarily just British where the fridge vents are fouled by the open door?
Same on certain motorcaravans and its a very important point if you like caravanning in hot climes. The fridge simply doesn't work as well as it could.
Good example of designers not actually using what they design.
Or taking any notice of the installation instructions.
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Many of the complaints are regarding the fittings and equipment. Certainly the equipment and a lot of other things are just the same on continental caravans as British ones so they have to have the same problems whatever people may think. The bodywork may
be a different thing though and that seems to be where continentals win but at the moment but often at the expense of weight. Continental caravans can be heavy and rule them selves out for many.0 -
Everytime I have ever bought a caravan it has always been a British one. It has simply never crossed my mind to buy a continental one. The door and the awning would be on the wrong side and that alone is enough to put me off continental models. British products are usually best because of the higher standards here than elsewhere. 'Made in England' usually means top quality.
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Incidentally, wasn't it a British car that won the towcar of the year award? If I remember rightly, it was the latest model Range Rover at a cost of £60,000. However, yesterday's Saturday 11 hour shift earned me £60 in delivery fees, so that means I would have to work another 1000 Saturdays to raise the necessary amount to buy it! Nevertheless, if I had the money, I would definitely go for it!
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Everytime I have ever bought a caravan it has always been a British one. It has simply never crossed my mind to buy a continental one. The door and the awning would be on the wrong side and that alone is enough to put me off continental models. British products
are usually best because of the higher standards here than elsewhere. 'Made in England' usually means top quality.Write your comments here...hardly top quality Malcolm in my experince.
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Incidentally, wasn't it a British car that won the towcar of the year award? If I remember rightly, it was the latest model Range Rover at a cost of £60,000. However, yesterday's Saturday 11 hour shift earned me £60 in delivery fees, so that means I would
have to work another 1000 Saturdays to raise the necessary amount to buy it! Nevertheless, if I had the money, I would definitely go for it!Write your comments here...£60 for 11 hours work is that illegal as its below the minimum/living wage @ £5.45 an hour.
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Incidentally, wasn't it a British car that won the towcar of the year award? If I remember rightly, it was the latest model Range Rover at a cost of £60,000. However, yesterday's Saturday 11 hour shift earned me £60 in delivery fees, so that means I would have to work another 1000 Saturdays to raise the necessary amount to buy it! Nevertheless, if I had the money, I would definitely go for it!
Write your comments here...£60 for 11 hours work is that illegal as its below the minimum/living wage @ £5.45 an hour.
Write your comments here...They get round that by making me work on a self-employed basis, MichaelT. It's possible for me to survive because I'm now over 65, only just, which has qualified me for a state pension that adds to my earnings.
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So you are going to be 85 by the time you've saved up for this Range Rover by which time it won't be 60K any more but more probably around 90K unless Brexit gives us South American inflation levels.
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