British caravans
Comments
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'Bling' is a term often used in conjunction with U.K.built vans, here's an example "with customers seemingly blinded by bling when they should be looking much deeper into the van, i dont see it happening." I'm not really sure what 'bling' means in this context.
As I've quoted you BoleroBoy, could you help me out by giving some examples - it's a genuine question on my part because I genuinely don't understand what you are referring to.0 -
bling could be anything you want it to be...
could be 'extras'....the assumption that a kitchen with 3 gas rings and an electric hotplate is 'better', or that a kitchen that doesnt have a microwave is inferior. yet that 'better' kitchen may not have a decent drawer in sight, leaving sensible storage
wanting...like scrabbling around on your knees trying to find something at the back of the bottom cupboard in the dark...bling could be mood lighting...a great selling point yet, for example, the waste pipe is tiny, has a drain valve that breaks after a dozen uses and you will get seriously old waiting for the water to drain out...
bling....things that sell a van to customers yet who dont check underneath to see how well the underside is (or in most cases) isnt protected...
generally things that add 'form' to the van yet do noting for function.
of course, the salesman will focus on these items as they are (generally) whats sells a van....after layout....
but bling (in any of its form) certainly doesnt mean quality.
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I like bling, very much so, actually ,and tech, as much as possible please.
Got a Bailey (oh no!) and a Land Rover (gasp)
Both up to now (3 years) have been blooming perfect. Everything works, nothing has broken, dropped off or let me down in any way.
My next door neighbour has exactly the same caravan bought a few months before I bought mine and he has had no issues either.
How can this be when they all fall apart and leak everywhere?
They clearly don't all fall apart and the fit and finish on the LR is as good or better than any other car I have had and as a company car driver I have had a heck of a lot more new cars (of all makes )than most (ie every year I tick a box and a new one just appears, sadly no longer. I have to pay for them nowadays.)
A percentage of products built by batch production processes will have issues, that's a given. Not good it you have bought one of course but manufacturers like Bailey and Land Rover turn out thousands of units over a year and common sense tells me they are not all bad.
Had quite a few caravans and Motorhomes over the years and been happy with all of them and the latest are better then they ever were.
So, don't be put off buying a Brit car, caravan on MH if that pulls your chain.
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I like bling, very much so, actually ,and tech, as much as possible please.
Got a Bailey (oh no!) and a Land Rover (gasp)
Both up to now (3 years) have been blooming perfect. Everything works, nothing has broken, dropped off or let me down in any way.
My next door neighbour has exactly the same caravan bought a few months before I bought mine and he has had no issues either.
How can this be when they all fall apart and leak everywhere?
They clearly don't all fall apart and the fit and finish on the LR is as good or better than any other car I have had and as a company car driver I have had a heck of a lot more new cars (of all makes )than most (ie every year I tick a box and a new one just appears, sadly no longer. I have to pay for them nowadays.)
A percentage of products built by batch production processes will have issues, that's a given. Not good it you have bought one of course but manufacturers like Bailey and Land Rover turn out thousands of units over a year and common sense tells me they are not all bad.
Had quite a few caravans and Motorhomes over the years and been happy with all of them and the latest are better then they ever were.
So, don't be put off buying a Brit car, caravan on MH if that pulls your chain.
Great post ,
Not that it will placate the ones who seem hell bent on making out anything made this side of the channel LV is "rubbish" quality ,
Your post puts into context what the majority of uk owners seem to accept ps ,and over seas now
,Any forum will have the anti posts put in by the few owners of anything that has given them less than they think it should be
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We have been inside our old van today, let some air in, check out what is in there. Very happy to report that no signs or smell of any damp anywhere, and we had a really good look around. The tiny problem we had (caused by a loose screw that had rusted)
was fixed and the little damp patch has dried up lovely. No floor delamination, no sticking blinds, no mouldy cushions so very pleased as we haven't been out in it since last Summer. Our Winter project, repaint exterior and then total refurb, complete new
decor inside. Needs a new cooker hob, update kitchen taps, new gas pipes, but hope to be back in use next Spring.0 -
We have been inside our old van today, let some air in, check out what is in there. Very happy to report that no signs or smell of any damp anywhere, and we had a really good look around. The tiny problem we had (caused by a loose screw that had rusted)
was fixed and the little damp patch has dried up lovely. No floor delamination, no sticking blinds, no mouldy cushions so very pleased as we haven't been out in it since last Summer. Our Winter project, repaint exterior and then total refurb, complete new
decor inside. Needs a new cooker hob, update kitchen taps, new gas pipes, but hope to be back in use next Spring....Take care as most parts you need will be less reliable than original as now most made outside of our little island
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Just remembered, I have had a problem with my Bailey.
A swoopy decal about six inches long has slipped out of line on the front.
Dealer going to stick a new PAIR on (just in case the other one goes) at the next service and both decals have been provided by Bailey free of charge.
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Just remembered, I have had a problem with my Bailey.
A swoopy decal about six inches long has slipped out of line on the front.
Dealer going to stick a new PAIR on (just in case the other one goes) at the next service and both decals have been provided by Bailey free of charge.
..
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Just remembered, I have had a problem with my Bailey.
A swoopy decal about six inches long has slipped out of line on the front.
Was this one of the false eyebrows that adorn the front of the unicorn 2 gone askew?
At least you can't accuse Baileys of not having a sense of humour with that front
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well, bling is fine, provided that the basics have been covered first...
we have plenty of bling, mood lighting, a spare bed that swings down out of the roof, a tv that rises up from behind one of the sofas, all great NEC 'selling points'....
but buyers need to look in the cupboards and under the beds for swarfe, unclipped electrical runs, pipework just 'bent' round a corner instead of being jointed properly, external lockers only six inches deep (cant get anything decent through it, even though the locker behind could cope), gas lockers that defy you to get a bottle in there, fridge doors fitted the wrong way round and hinder your access, mastic runs that look like theyve been put on by an apprentice (quite likely), leaking locker doors (a very popular one on one forum), these are the elements that need to be nailed down, within the cost of the van, well before a dimmer switch ever gets fitted.
but....these items dont sell vans....dimmer switches do....and the other things are left to be cleared up further down the line, still as long as the dimmer switch works, i guess thats ok...
as a customer, id rather the industry got the basics right.....i guess theres an (incorrect?) assumption that ALL manufacturers 'should' have mastered these and the bling is the icing on the cake.....if only that were so...
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Every one keeps saying about ten years water ingress warranty but I was informed that bailey give you six free then you pay for the other four not sure about other manufacturer's
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Every one keeps saying about ten years water ingress warranty but I was informed that bailey give you six free then you pay for the other four not sure about other manufacturer's
...Not if you know how to hagggle at point of sale,its all down to do your homework first
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It would be nice for people to told this but would not expect a bailey to last that long
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Of course None of what you have mentioned would happen any where but the uk of course(like the cracking locker doors on hymer novas
)Yep my locker door cracked they are weak point no doubt and cost a lot to replace. However once I ordered one it was delivered from Germany inside 10 days. Just like every other part I have ever needed to buy Never said my van was perfect They have
now changed the locker door.0 -
Every one keeps saying about ten years water ingress warranty but I was informed that bailey give you six free then you pay for the other four not sure about other manufacturer's
So it's an insurance backed warranty. Bailey probably make money flogging it like currys with extended warranties.
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Every one keeps saying about ten years water ingress warranty but I was informed that bailey give you six free then you pay for the other four not sure about other manufacturer's
So it's an insurance backed warranty. Bailey probably make money flogging it like currys with extended warranties.
..Baileys own according to paperwork
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Iv'e had four caravans, one from new bought in 2008, a Sprite with the big front window which Iv'e had replaced eight (8) times in eight years, seven at their expence and once at mine.
..Another problem that is still to be rectified by the Dutch manufacturer
Yes I know there made abroad, couldn't care less where there made but it would have been nice if swift had actually tested them before chucking em on, mk 1's panes touch causing a smear, mk 2's same outcome, mk 3's problem solved !! apart from there far too heavy for the design and will stress at the hinge point and crack, 'oh no sir something must have hit when you were towing' yeah right.....haven't mentioned the water ingress at year three but I guess I'm lucky after a read on the Bailey forum on caravan talk.
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I think the window problem arose on several makes. The problem is that it tends to show up after a fair bit of use and whatever testing the caravan firms did would probably have missed this.
Not sure why you paid for the eigth set. The last ones supplied were clearly faulty and you are entitled to free replacement.
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The big single windows as fitted to several makers entry level vans, have had as known in the trade a problem with "kissing", and several attempts to understand why have not been conclusive ,its is thought possibly caused by speed and or the effect on the large area by the shape of the tow vehicle ,we had three replaced on one of our vans and the fourth needed when we changed vans,all under warranty
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Not sure why you paid for the eigth set. The last ones supplied were clearly faulty and you are entitled to free replacement.
apart from there far too heavy for the design and will stress at the hinge point and crack, 'oh no sir something must have hit when you were towing' yeah right...
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So it's an insurance backed warranty. Bailey probably make money flogging it like currys with extended warranties.
Why would you need an extended warranty for a curry? Food poisoning shows up quite quickly.
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Our caravan was made in Hull around 33/34 years ago. Couple of years ago I traced one of the brothers who owned the company back then. He was a mine of information, and dead chuffed that we loved it so much, and that it had little wrong with it. One of the
great things about old vans is that they are so simple really, and if you have a bit of DIY and crafting background, there is just so much you can do for yourself, without waiting around for dealers and manufacturers haggling, insurance companies wriggling,
and of course you can have things just how you want them. Down side is of course spare parts, not always easy to get a perfect replacement. But at least we don't have to wait months for someone else to find a slot to do a simple repair. Bit like old cars really,
good thump with a big hammer sorts a few things!
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Great thread, and like the comments about 'bling sells' and no-one is encouraged to look underneath.
What really irritates me is how none of the caravan magazines ever give serious reviews of new models. They bang on about lovely upholstery and soft close cupboards but never ever mention important stuff like weights, and safety, and BUILD QUALITY.
But of course, they can't - because all print magazines these days depend upon advertising revenue and they cannot possibly 'bite the hand which feeds them'.
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Maybe we need a tv show maybe top caravan lol
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Great thread, and like the comments about 'bling sells' and no-one is encouraged to look underneath.
What really irritates me is how none of the caravan magazines ever give serious reviews of new models. They bang on about lovely upholstery and soft close cupboards but never ever mention important stuff like weights, and safety, and BUILD QUALITY.
But of course, they can't - because all print magazines these days depend upon advertising revenue and they cannot possibly 'bite the hand which feeds them'.
..So very true and they then would not get a "long term test van" for all the freebie holdays while on "test"
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Great thread, and like the comments about 'bling sells' and no-one is encouraged to look underneath.
What really irritates me is how none of the caravan magazines ever give serious reviews of new models. They bang on about lovely upholstery and soft close cupboards but never ever mention important stuff like weights, and safety, and BUILD QUALITY.
But of course, they can't - because all print magazines these days depend upon advertising revenue and they cannot possibly 'bite the hand which feeds them'.
you've picked all this up pretty quickly
our magazine reviewers 'darent' print what they really want to as its all too cosy....they just leave out the bad bits.
one MMM review on the AS Corinium MH was highlighting the fact that all the models in this range were 'available' to all license holders on a 3500kg chassis.....the stats page showed a 273kg 'payload' but this did not include the 'obligatory Pack' (around
30kg) nor ANY water (tank around 100 ltr).so, fill it with water, add the pack to the spec, now down to 143kg payload.....add OH (mags use 75kg for people, sorry...), now down to just 68kg before you put anything in it....clothes, shoes, books, sat system, food, wine, bikes, chairs, tables, bbq,
etc, etc...however, the price panel did say that a weight upgrade would be available (presumably onto the heavy chassis)....price £4k
there is a german site called Promobil who really do carry our extensive testing on a range of Euro vans....
would be good to see a typical UK caravan in their hands for a week
rather than someone off on a jolly as JVB says....0
