Swift Caravan Panoramic Window
Can a Panoramic Window actually be classed as a window when it forms part of the caravans rigid structure and is secured to prevent water ingress?
The Panoramic window on my May 2015 Besscarr 580 split through both sides of the panel in July 2018 after travelling to a CMC site in Wales. (3yrs 2mths old).
My dealer (Couplands), using the photos I provided contacted Swift regarding making a warranty repair. Eventually Swift declined any warranty claim or responsibility. After contacting Swift directly myself, I was informed that Windows only have a 3yr Warranty and as my van was now 3yrs 2mths old it was not covered. I argue that the Panoramic window is part of the body structure as it forms part of the seal against water ingress and as such should be covered by the 7yr body shell warranty.
No one has actually inspected the damage to determine the cause, but it is definitely not caused by impact damage and in my opinion is a stress fracture possibly caused by movement / twisting of the body shell. This may have been brought on by a warranty modification carried out to the Panoramic window after the 1st service.
I have found on various social media sites that I am not the only person with this problem and vans older than mine have been repaired under warranty, usually after a lot of complaining. It also makes me wonder why the 2019 models state that the Panoramic window has been changed.
To get the damage repaired I am having to go through an insurance claim procedure which requires 2 quotes. I am puzzled and suspicious that Swift will not supply a replacement window to my local Swift Authorised repair & service centre and have informed them that Swift will only supply the panel to a Main Dealership.
I have always owned Swift caravans and have generally only had minor problems but I will be looking for an alternative manufacturer when I next change my caravan.
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Hi, just wondering how you got along with your claim for the panoramic window. We have a 2015 Swift Elegance and our panoramic window has developed a crack. We’ve spoken to the dealer we bought it from and he’s suggested we take photos so he can send them to Swift to get a cost of repair, he thinks it’ll need a new front panel as the window is bonded to the body. It’s interesting to read that there’s a 6 yr body warranty .... bet no mention of fixed windows! We’ve only bought the caravan last year
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Hils, the thread is 2 years old and the poster hasn't been active here for over 12 months so I’d not hold my breath if I was you.🙂
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I wonder if it’s possible to chat with Hils1 as we now have the same problem. Thanks, Joy
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We also have a Swift Elegance 2015 and the same problem. The crack appeared last year, during lockdown, when the caravan was parked on the drive!
We've taken photographs which we've passed on to our Swift dealer who says it has to go back to Swift and they'll let him know when they will collect. We've chased it up a couple of times with the dealer and he's come back with the factory not opening until September!
Love to hear from anyone who has had the same problem resolved, has the same problem now or anyone who knows if the factory is operating as I am incredulous that, with so many people wanting to buy caravans and motorhomes for self-contained staycations they are not taking advantage and building!
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Hi, we had the same problem with our 2015 Swift Elegance 530. Repair is not covered by the warranty as we are the second owners, Greentrees in Dereham have quoted for the repair. It took less than 4 weeks to get the part in and we now have a date booked for them to fit it. It was excluded from our insurance. If you want to contact me via Facebook please do - Joy Moore. Good luck with your repair.
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Hi Joy, tried looking you up on FB but there are quite a few ladies with the same name, my surname is Choules - so may be a shorter list, picture of a donkey!!!!
Update: Have now sent a second email to Swift as no reply to the first, the wait goes on. Our dealer says it's warranty work, Swift say it's 4 hours work which is what they'll pay him to do it but he did one before and it took considerably longer. Swift agreed to send an engineer to show him how to do it in 4, he's in Cornwall. Last time I spoke to the dealer he discovered that Swift had cancelled the engineer!
Also have looked at reviews for Swift on line. Lots of unhappy owners in the last 3-4 years. We've had 2 British vans and have played 'where has this bit/screw come from?' every time we tow. In between we had a solidly built Burstner and that's the way we'll go next. Sad because we'd like to support British companies, but......it's a lot of money for a heap of problems and poor customer support.
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Hi, I’m just reading your reviews and I’m thinking that ‘‘this is a problem now and I hope that the manufacturers solve the problem for all future new caravans and Motorhomes.
i also have a swift, and while washing the caravan I not water behind the edges of the window panel, I was shocked to find the bonding has come unstuck and the window was loose in places.
i contacted the dealer who said to put some caravan mastic around for a temporary measure, and he said he was going to contact swift, apparently it’s going take 3 months before an engineer can come to inspect the panoramic window.
hopefully I have no damp entering my caravan.
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Hi, we have a swift challenger 2013 and our panaramic window cracked down the middle of the van, it's now letting in wet , our dealer has ordered a new one, but 5months later it's still only taped up, they say they can't get the window the delivery date from swift keeps getting put back where is this window coming from lol, we haven't been able to use the van all summer, but must keep having it serviced to keep the warranty up.....I'm so disapionted with swifts after service....they charge enough
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Whilst away on holiday last week of school holidays we returned to our pitch from a day out to find the front skylight panel had cracks in it 28" in from nearside at top, approx 6" long on inner and outer plastic layers.
Sent an e-mail to our dealer, Chichester Caravans on the Sunday evening of the BH weekend. Mid morning Tuesday received a reply advising Swift have a fitter assigned to travel the country replacing these panels and will be scheduled toward turn of the year to replace it.
In the mean time, as advised have drilled holes at end of each crack and used lens repair tape (Gorilla tape also available) to cover the external crack. We can continue to use the caravan until repairs effected.
It may well turn out the new complete rear panel that has cracks around the upper lights and across the roof will be replaced at the same time.
Both under warranty.
We are under no illusion we bought a heap of crap comprised of common poor quality parts thrown together by cowboys in a circus masquerading as a caravan when we bought this flagship offering from Swift.
Fortunately we have a superb dealer whose Service Manager gives us the requisite support each time something goes wrong and requires resolution under warranty.
At least Swift do the right thing, in the end. I do wonder if they have a Cost Of Quality metric.
2015 Sterling Continental 570.
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I’m really sorry to hear that yet another Swift owner has incurred problems. It’s difficult to understand how and why they consistently get away with turning out such shoddy workmanship and products. It’s well documented 40% of their products have faults of one kind or another. So why do people keep buying them? It’s scandalous! Obviously the quality control team has moved from British Leyland to Hull.
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Why is it that so many of the of the fixtures and fittings in nearly all UK made LVs are imported from it seems, mainland Europe ? But it seems as if the UK market is recieving seconds. rather than what is fitted to LVs made over there,?
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That's sounds rather speculative. Any evidence?
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Answer what?
I ask again, what evidence is there or is it simply, as Rocky would say, "Frank down the pub". If you make such a sweeping statement, you must surely be able to back it up with something more substantial than a few unassigned words🤷🏻♂️.
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No, JV, you are side stepping my question.
Let's put it another way. What evidence is there that the UK receives 'seconds'? How do you know, for instance, that the panoramic windows used in the UK aren't made to a UK spec which is perhaps flimsier than others in order to keep weight down?
OK, I know you can’t answer as you just repeated hearsay but I leave you to ponder alternative reasons.
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No nead unless you can give a different reason? But like most of your very dubious questions? They are more trying to get , as happens when you post to others in the same way, an effort to make you seem as if you would know an answer.
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So you still refuse to answer.🤷🏻♂️
I give up🏳️
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Yes, Easy, I should have known better than to expect a sensible and factual reply. I see you understand👍🏻
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An update.
Put off getting the cracked rear panel replaced until the front panoramic window could be replaced at the same time.
Swift have realised these windows are an issue and have a dedicated resource travelling the country to replace them. The 'van was booked in on 4 Jan to have the window done by the travellers first, then off for the rear panel.
Swift travellers turned up, no parts available, no date of when they will be available. Lens repair tape replaced with gorilla tape by dealer.
Rear panel replaced with application of new graphic, as image.
Dealer does a great job, let down by Swift on parts.
Just goes to show this caravanning lark is not plain sailing. Over time we've accepted the poor quality, but all the time the warranty is in place, invaluable to have a dealer that looks after us in that respect. Have decided to run this into the ground and claim against the warranty as required. On collection another owner mentioned they had traded their Sterling Continental 570 in due to faults and got a newer Swift caravan, that has even more faults. Best stay with the devil you know. No point pouring good money after bad.
Will await panoramic window, we can still have adventures as not on a timetable, it's not stopping us using it, fortunately.
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Possibly Wolfie, although judging by the amount of complaints the brand gets, change that to probably!
The OP wrote:
I have always owned Swift caravans and have generally only had minor problems but I will be looking for an alternative manufacturer when I next change my caravan.
No doubt all the new, shiny 2022 models will be available for the expectant customers at the forthcoming event at NEC, queuing up to hand over their hard earned for more of the same. Until customers ditch the brand, nothing will change.
It amazes me that so many caravan owners tow with German, Japanese or Korean vehicles, presumably for their quality and reliability and yet they’re happy to risk purchasing a UK built caravan.
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Hi,
I have a 2015 Swift elegance 570 and yesterday the panoramic window developed a crack. Nothing hit the van we are on a Caravan club site and this crack just appeared. So early days. Has anybody actually had a successful warranty claim. My van has a 10year body warranty. I am of the same as one of the other reviews that this forms part of the body shell. Would be interested to hear updates from people who have had this problem. Thank you
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As our 2 posts on this thread, we have had a successful warranty claim met for a cracked panoramic window.
Oddly the last of the 2 posts sort of states wot is below:
These are an acknowledged fault. Swift have a dedicated resource travelling countrywide to replace them. They haven't quite got the parts and the resource to arrive at the same time, yet.
Given you are in West Sussex, did you buy through Chichester Caravans? If so their Chi site service manager is adept at sorting a claim. Trust you have full service history.
We have a date for end of April for the job to be done. The dealer is storing our 'van until then to save the couple of hundred miles of wasted trips if again the parts and the resource don't tie up.
As our first post on this thread, Swift get there, unfortunately the pace is glacial.
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Hiya all
Folowed this thread with great interest.
I have a Swift Challenger 480 SE (2013). While it was still under warranty I had a successful claim and Swift replaced the Panoramic in 2018, took a while, though. There was evidence of a previous 'bodge' which was remedied during the works by their own technician and the 'van looked like it had just come out of the factory, hooray.
Swing forward to now (July 2022) and the Panoramic is showing signs of becoming detached and the window has a very definite bow in it despite the 'van not being towed at any time during the Covid lockdowns. I have been in touch with Swift customer services and, of course, they are denying liability because the 'van is out of warranty. My argument is that it was Swift's own work, completed while in warranty, that is failing and the Panoramic fitted was not fit for purpose. I am still in conversation with Swift, but don't hold out much hope.
I have an independent quote from my excellent dealership, Caravan Tech in East Sussex, which shows that a replacement will cost £958 (inc VAT). I am afraid though that the window will need to be replaced again within the NEXT five years. Can't be right, can it?
Is there any hope that I could remove and replace the window myself, given that there is no warranty issue? What does anybody say?
I might keep it stuck in with black gaffer!!
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