Changing from MoHo to caravan

teabag2
teabag2 Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited May 2018 in Caravans #1

After a number of years of motorhomes we are thinking of changing back to a caravan. Been looking at a Coachman VIP520, but concerned at comments on Coachman quality. Mainly water ingress. What are the best vans these days for quality. After a 3/4 berth with end bathroom and side dinette.

Comments

  • ForestR
    ForestR Forum Participant Posts: 326
    100 Comments
    edited May 2018 #2

    If you read this and other forums you will find problems listed with all makes of caravan some seem to have more than others particularly damp. Having had 15 caravans in over 40 years maybe we have ben lucky that only one an Elddis had many faults and serious damp problems in 5 years requiring 90% resealing. We bought our present caravan a Coachman Wanderer 15/2 to replace the Elddis in 2014 and have had no major issues up to now.

    I can only suggest you do as much research as you can on forums such as this and other surveys before you buy. I also wish you luck as modern construction methods supposedly meant to prevent damp problems seem to have had the opposite effect.

  • teabag2
    teabag2 Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited May 2018 #3

    Thanks for the comments, really appreciate them.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,431 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #4

    Some will say that German vans are better and who knows perhaps they are? I have a swift and so far (5 years) no major problems but little things like cutlery draws, and there are plenty of swifts on a site and seem popular. Next time you're on site go and ask various owners? People are pretty honest

    Oh the best time to ask is when they're packing upsmile

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited May 2018 #5

    Some will say that German vans are better and who knows perhaps they are?

    ----------------------------------------------------

    Of course they are better, the excellent build quality of German vans is renowned.---- They may not have all the bling and bells and whistles of British vans as they tend to concentrate on what really matters, build quality and longevity smile

    Everybody must make their own choice as to what is most important to them. smile

    Cheers K

  • Randomcamper
    Randomcamper Club Member Posts: 1,062 ✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #6

     

    the excellent build quality of German vans is renowned.

     

    Particularly by those who have bought them eh.....??

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice-supportive_bias

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited May 2018 #7

    I wonder why the buyers of German vans are particularly prone to this.  

    We simply must be much more gullible than the purchasers of British vans.  I can’t think of another rational reason why they should be highly rated.

    To the OP to a certain extent you pays your money and take your choice.   The good news is it would seem even for the lowest rated brands.  Satisfaction is about 75%. 

  • Randomcamper
    Randomcamper Club Member Posts: 1,062 ✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #8

    To be honest Boff, I'm struggling to keep up......

    Its only a week ago we were being told by K that Scottish was best....

    https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/information-technical-tips-advice/motorhomes/spotted-while-on-holiday/

    " We particularly liked the superior build quality"

    I guess by next week we will be onto Chinese vans or something....

     

    By the way, what make of van is yours....?

     

    wink

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited May 2018 #9

    As the thread was about Caravans, The advice to the OP was about caravans.

    If you want to discuss Motorhomes, I would be happy to take part in your thread about motorhome quality, once you have created it. 

    wink

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited May 2018 #11

    Yeah right, like that’ll stop Him T1🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2018 #12

    When UK leisure vehicles dominate the UK market by a huge margin and make and sell thousand of vehicles annually, compared to the niche other makes if poor quality,then the UK builders would have now been overtaken by other countries products as with automobile marketwink

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,149 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #13

    If only frownlaughing

  • Qashqai66
    Qashqai66 Forum Participant Posts: 551
    edited May 2018 #14

    The problem with continental caravans and motorhomes, as far as my wife and I are concerned, is that we far prefer the layout offered by UK manufacturers.  

    After three fairly awful caravans over many years we finally got a Coachman and loved it.  The one snag was that the mattresses didn't fit together properly to make a double bed.  Neither the dealer or Coachman offered a solution.

    Sadly we have sold it for health reasons and plan to buy a motorhome.

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited May 2018 #15

    laughinglaughing  Happy to help others at any time Rocky. laughinglaughing

    Cheers  K wink

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #16

    As diesel cars start to disappear guess continental vans will have to change quite substantially to reduce their weight so suitable tow-cars can be sourced.

    If I were going to purchase another van it would be up to 2 years old with full history which I would want to see, if that seemed reasonable I would employ a caravan engineer to take a look and do a few damp readings and give me a report (sort of AA/RAC style)  If all worked out well then I would start the offer stage.  

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited May 2018 #17

    Pays your money takes your chance which in my experience of five caravans and three motorhomes applies to either. We`ve been happy with our Lunars there are a few vocal posters around who are not, but all the manufacturers churn large numbers of vans out and there seems in comparison a few posts with serious problems. Unfortunately as I said recently the one consistent thread is if you do get a bad one it tends to be really bad and owners vent there fury through various forums  Motto - never buy far from home!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #18

    We've had a Bailey Unicorn Madrid from new in 2007 and had very little trouble with it, considering that we used it for more than 250 nights each year. it has just the sort of features that you're after teabag. However others seem to have had problems with newer Bailey models.

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited May 2018 #19

    I don’t think that there is any evidence that Coachman are any worse than any other British van.  The payload is low 142kg but if you like it and you think it meets your needs then why not go for it.  

     

    https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/helpandadvice/tent-survey/caravan-owner-satisfaction-awards/

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited May 2018 #20

    K, the word ‘help’ in your hands takes on many, many meanings most of them complicated😁😁. But always worth a giggle👍🏻

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited May 2018 #21

    Let me know when so that I can settle down and read K

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited May 2018 #22

    R2B.  -  Humour is a great intidote to the up tight and negative attitude often portrayed by a few on this forum when any poster dares to suggest that improvements could be made by the CMC.  

    smilewink

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited May 2018 #23

    As I said K 'let me know when'