Change of Policy by Bailey for Pegasus and Unicorns

At the start of October I decided to part exchange my Bailey Senator Vermont for a Bailey Unicorn Madrid. I discussed various details with the salesman including my wish for a plate upgrade of 16kg to take it to the maximum axle weight of 1500kg. The current total user payload is 155kg. Once I take off the weight of my battery and motor mover out of this, leaves me with a niggardly 100kg for everything else. 16kg is not a lot but it is 10% and better than nothing. It would stop me having to transfer quite as much stuff between van and car whenever we move site. Although I can just cope with 100kg when touring with my wife (as long as all heavy items such as awnings are carried in the car) this is a 4 berth van that was purchased with a view to my son, daughter-in-law and family also using it. For anyone travelling with a family keeping the load within limits will be extremely difficult. The plate upgrade was therefore extremely important in my decision to purchase the van. I was assured there should be no problem with this request as it was a common request.

I confirmed my purchase of the van on 15 October and was advised my likely delivery date would be early 2014. At the end of October I was advised that I could pick my new van up whenever I wanted. I again asked would it have the correct plate upgrade and was assured that the sales team were talking to Bailey and there shouldn’t be a problem.  Just to be sure I checked Bailey’s web site and was reassured to see that a plate upgrade was currently available and if I had had the van serial number I could have ordered this on line there and then. I arranged to take my old van to the dealers on 4 November so that the motor mover could be swapped to my new van ready for me picking it up on the 7^th. I quickly emptied my old van ready for the move.

Between the 4^th and picking the van up I was contacted by the sales team to say they were very sorry but Bailey were no longer giving plate upgrades. I was quoted that it was due to a change in the law and also because Bailey had just got ‘type approval’ for the Pegasus and Unicorn Ranges. I then looked at other makes of van with a view to cancelling the order, however none ticked as many boxes for me as the Bailey had. Because I had already emptied our old van and mentally moved into the new van I decided to continue with the purchase hoping that Bailey would see sense. The load allowance for a family van is so small I felt sure that they would see how their sales could be affected if they did not at least give purchasers the option to upgrade. When looking at other vans I did check that plate upgrades were still currently available, and they were for Elddis & Swift, who were also unaware of any law changes.

I have consequently contacted Bailey who confirmed that a plate upgrade is no longer available for any vans in the Pegasus and Unicorn Ranges. I was informed this was because their type approval did not allow this. I was unsatisfied with this answer so contacted the Caravan Club who were unaware of any legal changes but who referred me to the National Caravan Council for an authoritative reply. The NCC confirmed there had been no recent law changes and also confirmed that type approval would not stop Bailey from issuing plate upgrades if needed. They also said if Bailey stand by their guns that it is type approval that prevents them issuing plate upgrades then they are wrongly interpreting the rules.

I have subsequently tried to argue my case, via my extremely helpful and sympathetic caravan dealer, with Bailey, but it seems I am now stuck with my existing maximum loading. It is particularly galling as Bailey have not changed the range and there are many Unicorn Madrids out there, with the same chassis, tyres etc. as I have but with a higher maximum load capacity. Had I only thought to get the chassis number a few days before picking the van up and not leaving all that to the sales team then I could have ordered my upgrade online and been one of them.

I realize upgrades are at the manufacturers discretion but felt that all should be aware that if purchasing from the Bailey ranges above you will currently have to manage your loading within a very tight range even if your tow car is more that able to tow a heavier van. This is likely to make holidaying for long periods or with a family more difficult. I feel that Bailey should publicise this better so that when making a decision on choosing a van you are well aware that some makes will allow you to increase your payload, but Bailey will not.