Bailey front caravan window problems
we have a 2015 unicorn 111 Cadiz, bought from new and on our 3rd centre front window. A mark keeps appearing on the inside of both panels, almost like a cluster of scratches. Bailey now willing to replace window for last time as ‘good will gesture’ however not got to the root of the cause!!!! Inevitably this will continue to happen!!!! They have told us.... turblance from the car, driving too fast.... both of which I believe not to be the cause. Anyone else having problems? Thanks in advance, we are banging our heads off a wall!!!!
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Knighty ... I can assure you, you are not alone. We have suffered this problem on at least one other of our vans, think it was a Pageant, but we are on our 3rd big window too on our Unicorn Seville. Have been told the same as you, wrong tow cars & going too fast ... so as usual it's "our" fault ..... not the poor quality plastic used in the manufacture of these windows!. My opinion is the outer pane has too much "flex" & under duress when towing, esp at motorway speeds, the two panes will touch causing the marks you have.
I noticed when we did a few short non motorway journeys, window was fine. The mark always showed up after a prolonged journey at higher speeds. I try to keep below 60 of course but when passing a line of lorries, speed can creep up & this is when its more likely to happen. Also had one window rejected due to imperfections in the plastic, causing distortion when looking out of the window when on site ... it looked awful. I checked my friends window on his Pegasus, & his outer pane & it didn't seem to have the "flex" mine has?
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It is a known problem on the large front window with "touched" panels we are hopefully having our replaced during our this years service,our dealer has advised that a photo and serial number is req to put in a claim
I understand there are numerous makes of c/vans that suffer the same problem,and the usual excuse is that the c/van was towed to fast or that the tow vehicle is the causing it by being "wrong"shape
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We too now have the same problem on a Madrid. We have never towed this too fast or done anything that could have caused it. Bailey will not replace it. The van is only 30 months old and the dealer is asking for nearly £1000 to replace. Bailey have admitted it’s a known problem but as it is out of warranty ( only 2 years on windows) they refuse to help !
We will never buy a Bailey again
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total disgrace on a known issue...result for this lack of sensible goodwill, hacked off customers and lost business...
Bailey really in the Vanguard on this forum of late.
the public reaction to consistent poor quality and 'someone else's fault' customer service must be damaging the brand.
at least Swift get stuck in on their own forum and publish the company's position on certain issues.
other forums also have representatives from suppliers (Truma, Dometic etc) who are happy to engage directly with customers on specific issues...
would Bailey, who could do with an official Champion (other than JVB) on this forum, engage in this way?
would the club allow this?
it really would be great to have a technical presence form those who gladly take our hard earned....
i know there are other avenues for customers to explore for warranty work and technical advice, but some dealers and manufacturers make it feel like you're trying to get blood from a stone....
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BB, remember the short lived 'Ask the expert' section on here? Wouldn’t that have been a great opportunity for the club to have invited a Bailey (or any other) spokesperson along to address issues raised on this forum? Whether the likes of Bailey would have accepted the invitation is another question…
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i do TW, not very well implemented......
customers want experts available when they want to discuss them, not have a 'doctors surgery' where experts are in.y in residence for a small time each day (week, month......).
the Truma/Dometic customer support folk pick up queries posted in the technical areas (and other places) and may even open a 'help desk ticket' back at base if necessary.
a few smartly answered auerie and few well pleased customer reactions would do the world of good....
but it has to be in the blood....some companies just don't do 'that sort of thing'....
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I do not believe that it will not be replace under warranty ?Is that what the dealer has told you? Your caravan is about the the same age as our Pegasus I suggest you contact your dealer and push them there is a number and bar code at the top of the frame that can be seen with the window open (on our pegasus)so I would think yours is the same send a e-mail to Bailey with a picture of the "touched"widow and number
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This is a recurring problem - you might remember similar happened around the same time as the 'window delamination' issues were prevalent (around 2009 I think?). Perhaps those who suffered at that time can shed light on the results they achieved?
With all the technology available to manufacturers, and caravan designers (sic?) you would think this couldn't happen again.
Do they never learn?
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I think there is some truth in what caravan and window makers are saying ,the problems of "double skinned "widows touching and some delaminating has been arround since they were first introduced, but has only been publisized since the proliferation of internet ,which has given it like many other "problems"a more public forum, which in the past would for the few, amongst the thousand who did not have the problem would only have had, if they wanted , the LV magazines to vent their frustrations,
And with most tow vehicles these day getting more and more "air smoothed"the big white box behind is getting a much bigger buffeting and as for speed a strong headwind?or how many can honestly say they have never exceeded 60 mph either overtaking another vehicle it may only take once to bring the two plastic window paynes together
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Our 2010 Coachman was one of the vans that suffered. Apparently, the window manufacturer (Myriad, I think) started making the 'glass' thinner with the result that the air pressure when towing caused the outer skin to bow inwards and touch the inner skin resulting in scuff marks. This typically affected the bigger centre window and prodding it with a finger demonstrated how very flexible it was.
Our centre window was changed under warranty and the replacement had a bigger gap between the skins and felt more rigid. We had no problems with the replacement.
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It's not just the max towing speed. You could possibly add another twenty mph if you had a headwind, so there should be a margin above the basic theoretical top speed.
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And at the risk of repeating myself - if the requirement changes then so does the solution. If the 'boxes' get bigger, and the tugs get 'smoother' in profile - the solution should be to review the specification of the window and adjust accordingly..in this case make it stiffer, with thicker panes.
If the manufacturer(s) don't do this then they deserve to have complaining customers queuing to obtain a resolution. And the customers have every right to protect their investment and seek recompense for inadequate design and quality.
Sorry - rant over...I'll put my 'calm' head back n place
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We have a U3 Barcelona - bought new in 2015 - and have, so far, never experienced this problem. However, I have always towed with a towing cover fitted and am beginning to wonder if it is helping to spread the load on the window and prevent this happening?
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We have a 2016 Madrid and it’s happened to us with a towing cover always used. Bailey want nothing to do with it. Told us to buy a new window at £817 plus fitting or go to a breakers yard! It’s a joke this is a known problem. We will never buy a Bailey again. Having now to look at legal route !!
Has anyone else gone down the legal route .
Shame on Bailey and Miriad windows for being so unhelpful
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Is this a case of the warranty being with the dealer? or with Bailey?
There always seems to be lively discussion about this...
Similarly are there more rights, and for a longer period, under the current Customer rights legislation?
If you are going the 'legal route' I'm sure you'll find out !!
Good luck - and please keep us all posted.
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Tinners, I think the Manufacturer will be Polyplastic, Myriad are the importers and suppliers to the Van makers. I dont have a Bailey but an Autotrail original V Line 600 van conversion, this had almost black tinted windows which deformed badly in the Sun. We are on our 3rd set of opening windows. Yes, Myriad/ Polyplastic were the suppliers/ manufacturers. Many owners got fed up and had automotive glass side windows fitted instead at their own cost.I havnt had that done....yet. but might consider it if this set fail....plus my warranty has run out.
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Thanks for the clarification, Ray. I couldn’t quite remember.
I'm now glad our PVC has the original glass windows even if the rear ones don't open!
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It was Polyplastic. We had delamination on a Coachman. Polyplastic, apparently, replaced German van windows but refused UK ones. Cost us £600 for a small middle window. The replacement was fixed by the dealer of the next van we bought almost immediately. Old dealer didn't want to know and now gone bust. Wonder why?
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We had the problem on our Pageant Sancerre (I think it was around 2009). Polyplasic incorrectly calculated the distance between the two plastic 'layers' on the double glazing unit. If the problem was identified, the window was replaced. It must have cost Polyplasic an arm and a leg! Dealers all over the country had got new front Windows stacked up ready to replace where the two panes had rubbed together. The replacements all had a larger gap between the panes.
David
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I've just had a close look at the big front window on our 2015 Barcelona and there's a distinct 'curve' on the outside pane - i.e. the gap between the panes is greatest around the centre by quite a wide margin. I don't see how the panes could touch and needless to say we haven't had any problems such as the OP reports.
Having said that, the window was changed just after we got the van because of minor 'aberrations' in the plastic which gave a distorted view out when viewed from a certain angle. I wonder if we got a modified window?
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That sounds just like the modified window that was fitted to our Coachman under warranty, R&R. It had a distinct bow in it.
Is it etched with the CRIS number? Often the replacements are unetched.
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You're right TW - it doesn't have the CRIS number etched on it. I have also tried pushing in on the window (carefully, of course) and it seems very rigid. I can't see how the panes would ever be able to touch.
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That’s it then, R&R, you’ve got the ‘new and improved’ window. 😁
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To add insult to injury, the cost of replacement parts from manufacturers is hugely inflated by their markup.
If Bailey want £817 for the window then we can be sure that they paid a lot less. As a percentage of Baily’s new van price (which includes the dealer’s markup too) it’s impossible to believe that just one window comprises of 3%, or even less when construction costs are deducted. I’d guess that Baily could supply a replacement for less than half of what they are asking you for. Given that the rubbing is clearly a design fault, selling you a replacement at cost, even if out of warranty, might be a reasonable compromise. But “no” you’re not a valued customer, just a cash dispensing machine, to be exploited for being gullible enough to buy their faulty goods.
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