Swift, Bailey or Coachman?
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Shocking that wheels do fall off, and they do.
I recon that I have driven close to a million miles in various cars. Never had a wheel fall off, or go loose, or need tightening up after a few hundred miles In fact this is virtually unheard of in the car world.
So why is it acceptable in Caravan world to have to check and tighten wheel bolts all the time. I have no doubt that ALKO will catch up with this new fangled technology and start making wheel nuts and studs that dont come loose.
Just one of the shocking engineering issues with all caravans.
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A lesson in saying what you mean, JV.
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🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Similar experience with our Knaus Starclass. The one big issue we had with our previous Bailey was with a leaking shower tray - which twice had to be resealed and on the latter occasion required the whole of the bathroom furniture to be removed for the floor to dry out at a cost to me of over £500.
Butt-jointing the shower tray with the walls and hoping that it was never going to move and that silicone was going to stay there forever and seal it was never going to work.
Knaus, on the other hand, don't bother sealing the shower tray with the walls. Instead, the tray has about an 8" upstand which fits inside the shower walls. Just a clever but simple design alteration which solves the problem once and for all.
Similarly with the curved bits at the end of the two single beds - not just butt jointed and screwed together as in the Bailey, but assembled with a proper 'finger' joint which is actually quite a work of art.
Both just simple examples of how the quality of constructions shines through and the van isn't any heavier - indeed 10kg lighter than the Bailey but with a 360kg payload.
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I think our journey to buying a van from “over there” was slightly different perhaps to others. In 2003 we paid the princely sum of £1500 for an Avondale Perle Argos 1990. We bought this more or less on a whim, I was basic no hot water, no cassette toilet not even a mains charger, but it was warmer than a tent. Deciding we would like to upgrade we started to look arround at new(er) caravans. We had no knowledge and therefore no preconceptions. A few trips to Harringtons (remember them AD?). It soon became clear I could before I even entered a caravan by brand list the faults I would find. As I remember Avondale and Elddis were the worst but all makes had sticking draws and cupboards that didn’t shut and gobs of silicone sealent all over the place. Then we happened to loOk inside a 2nd hand Burstner and the difference was quite simply night and day. We searched a few more out continental brands and to my eyes the quality was a different league. Which is why we decided not to buy a British van. We bought our First Hymer privately on a flip of a coin it was that or a Burstner at a dealers, and we didnt regret it.
I hope that the quality of uk assembled vans has improved but i fear it hasn’t. It’s ok saying the problem is with the workers, but if they are employed on short term contracts low wages and no training what do you expect?
Everyone i am sure works hard for there money and a Caravan is not a minor purchase. Each person should be free to make there own decisions but also should have access to information that allows them to make an informed decision.
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Could I add another pitch for German caravans. Most of my working career was in either Germany or Belgium so we have never had an English caravan. Therefore I cannot comment on their build quality except to say that my parents had a 1972 Cygnet (CI?) and my sisters still use it to go to France every year. We changed from tents to caravans in 1984 starting with a Tabbert. Since then we have had 3 Knauses (changed to meet family requirements) and now currently have a Fendt. The Fendt is 14 years old and still as dry as a bone. I can't remember ever having any problems with any of the caravans except caused by me being cack-handed as I get older - the hinge on the freezer door for example when I was to hasty in opening it! Yes the Fendt had to have a new axle last year but we have covered about 10,000 miles all over Europe every year since retirement and an unavoidable pot hole in France plus putting the offside wheel into a ditch on a campsite in Finland did not help. In my defence, the ditch was not obvious, covered in grass and on my blind side!
However, with any question on caravan build quality, everyone will have their own experience either good or bad and every manufacturer will have their 'Friday' moment.
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It is all down to perspectives, when comparing what some think off different makes and the "faults" or not, that some have ,with their purchases on can only "advise" on one make that we now have ,and when one considers that over 65,000 have been made with the alutec body, it as anything ,down to percentages ,that have been a problem to those who own them?
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In respect of what comparisons?,, in the UK it seems the the vast majority of owners want the lightest of LV , with all the latest bells and whistles installed ,that does not need a large tow vehicle,or is under the magic?3500 kg, whereas the majority of LVs from over the channel, and the few in comparison in this country who own them, is said want a higher"quality? are willing, it seems to pay a premium to own them in weight ,price ,and normally it appears ,less bells and whistles,?
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I think in the past, it was styling and layout that put many off David, it certainly put me off. Judging by the few that I’ve seen, they’ve come a long way in that regard. If I had a few more ‘bob’, (I’d have also needed another tow car) I’d have gone for one. I’m happy enough with the Swift, but a quality build? Quality materials? No.
If the OP comes back, it’ll be interesting to hear what conclusion he’s come to.
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Often, posts like this eventually turn out to be a "my caravan is better than yours" type, because whatever we own, we love and cherish it, whether it's the dog's whatsits or a pile of damp, cracked, twisted, tin can on wheels.
To add my twopence worth, I've owned caravans for more than 30 years and have tried all 3 of the OP's preferences and all bought secondhand and from reputable dealers, so hopefully with faults rectified. Sad to report that each one let me down in one way or another, along with other marques, which meant when it was time to retire and purchase a brand new model, I turned my back on the UK built market. A decision I have not regretted for one moment.
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We had three German motorhomes prior to returning to caravanning and bought a swift.We have had it for five years and it has been pretty problem free and we have enjoyed using it.The one thing I did miss though was the sheer QUALITY of the German vans.I saw the Coachman VIP and it seems to have that same quality feeling.Just one very small thing.The bracket on top of the hob is very solid,fits beautifully,makes removing it to clean the top of the stove very easy and is absolutely level.
I looked at the 2020 Swifts but didn't like them much this time round and while I liked some things about the Bailey Unicorn I didn't much like the colour scheme,the draws stuck and it just didn't seem to have that same quality feel.That is just my personal opinion.
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I think my caravan a bailey must have a cooker somewhere as my wife always manages to cook me something unless she nips out to the local takeaway
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My advice would be to pick a good, local dealer and take whatever they offer. This will be the biggest factor in your pleasure of ownership.
I made the decision to pay the extra and buy a new Coachman after my Bailey in the mistaken belief the quality was above the competition; its not. Absolutely not.
My local, trusty dealer sold Adria, but have just been made redundant from British manufacturing, I felt like I should support British manufacturers. What a waste of sentiment that turned out to be. They say no good deed goes unpunished and boy, did I take some punishment in getting this 'van sorted.
Saying all that, a very good friend of mine bought a Hobby and so too did his Father-in-law. Both new, both different models. They are now Swift owners. Hence my opening comment. Damp was the main issue there I believe.
You pays your money, you takes your choice, you hope for the best. Good luck with whatever you decide.
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You say you would look at a German built van, two berth with a full cooker. So why not look at a Knaus 480 two berth starclass, with every thing you would require, and also well built. We have a starclass 565 which is the best built van we have had slnce our ABI 20 plus years ago
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We too have now gone down the Knaus route (after 5 years ago what we were told was the strongest lightest dryest caravan ever made was actually the worst caravan ever made - although plenty of other owners of the same caravan considered that theirs was the worst!) and, yes, the Knaus build quality really is in a totally different class!
I just wish I'd ignored all the hype 5 years ago and gone German then!
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I think the original question was out of swift bailey and coachman who is better, I think people realise other makes are available, but it has been amusing reading the rants lol.
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The thread is more than 12 months old.
I wouldn't describe people quoting their experiences and giving their views as either amusing or rants.
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