Alko stabiliser shortages
Hi, I'm buying a new Bailey Unicorn. Dealer has informed me it's in but alko stabliser not yet fitted due to supply difficulties. Dealer suggests it's fine, just have to inform my insurance. When the part is available it can be fitted. Anyone else having similar issues? I'm not keen to take delivery to be honest. Advice appreciated. Thank you.
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A bit confused why the stabiliser is not fitted as it is an integral part of the Alko chassis.
So just too confirm, do you mean the hitch stabiliser or the Alko ATC or, possibly, the wheel lock?
If either the hitch stabiliser or the ATC then I personally would not accept the van until it has been installed, especially the hitch stabiliser.
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As mentioned, not sure which bit you are not getting but if it is a reflection of the car industry you are probably referring to the electronics bit of the ATC which can be fitted to the chassis at a later date.
Hard to resist collecting your new caravan but just imagine that one in a million chance and how you would feel if you lost control of the caravan before it had been fitted.
To me it is a bit like a car being sold without the ABS system, I wouldn't accept it.
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Like others I'm guessing that you mean the ATC (Automatic Trailer Control) unit. It can't be the stabiliser as that is an integral part of the tow-hitch. If the dealer is saying "it is fine" it implies that the caravan has a tow-hitch which has the stabiliser built into it.
Personally I wouldn't be too concerned. An ATC unit is an item that is easily retro-fitted once the dealer gets them back in stock. Up until 7 years ago when I bought my latest caravan (and having caravanned continuously since the late 1980's), my caravans never had one fitted and I never had any problem with controlling my trailer (caravan). I'm not sure that all caravans sold today have one fitted as a matter of course.
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Having had the “tail wag the dog” on my Nissan navara by my bailey unicorn and feel the caravan pull it back, i personally can vouch for the ATC system.
The questions are;-
why accept something incomplete
how long will it take to arrive and be fitted
and, how gutted would you be if it was needed and you didn’t have it to save you.
we have loads of safety equipment that we never use, but are very thankful that’s its there should an emergency arise
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I recognise the disappointment and the draw to get hold of your new caravan but I am surprised to hear that some members would accept a new caravan with bits missing. I wonder how much has to be left off of a new caravan before it is worthy of being rejected.
Other items to consider!
The electronic anti snaking device is listed in my insurance schedule so I imagine my insurers would have something to say (probably financial) about it not being there
When will the part get fitted? Once they have your money and you roll off of the forecourt the pressure is off for the dealer.
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That’l be why the dealer said to inform the insurance company.
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Double post
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I have towed thousands of miles without ATC without issue. Our current 'van didn't have ATC fitted, but our previous 'van did. The many many 'vans previous to that didnt either.
If your outfit is correctly matched, loaded correctly, and you drive within the legal speed limits.you should be absolutely fine.
However yes inform your insurers if you have been given a discount for having it. In the event of an accident it could give wriggle room.
(Highly unlikely the 'van has been supplied with a 'basic' none stabilizing hitch.
I certainly would allow the dealer to retrofit a unit when they get one. Meanwhile enjoy your 'van.
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.... I've driven 1000s of miles without ABS on my cars, but it's something I wouldn't be without now ... not that I've triggered it very often. And if the ATC on my caravan has triggered I've yet to notice.
As above, I'd let the dealer keep the caravan until they got the parts to fit .... a caravan taking up space on their forecourt/site might encourage them to pull their finger out.
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I disagree.
Atc and abs are two completely different technologies designed to cope with two entirely different situations. Abs is not like atc and is certainly not compulsory yet on on caravans.
I maintain the OP should just enjoy their caravan untill it can be fitted.
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Atc and abs are two completely different technologies designed to cope with two entirely different situations
Are they that different? I just picked ABS as an example of modern electrickery on modern cars. But they are both passive preventing the proverbial from hitting the fan when it might have all gone wrong.
But .... I still suggest that NOT taking the caravan might encourage the dealer to get on with it as & when he gets the parts.
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Yes they are different.
ABS is considered essential on a modern motor vehicle and therefore compulsory on modern motor vehicles.
ATC is optional. If it was considered essential it would be standard.
I have had too many caravans to recall since we started in 1984 and only had one with ATC.
I consider it a 'nice to have' but not an essential. A bit like 'lane keep assist' or 'collision avoidance' on modern cars, to use other modern car technologies by way of example.
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..ABS is considered essential on a modern motor vehicle and therefore compulsory on modern motor vehicles.
but it used to be optional .... like screen washers used to be. Wasn't the Granada/Scorpio the first to fit as standard?And as I've not suggested that towing a caravan without ATC is impossible, but as said many time above, leaving the caravan at the supplying dealer might focus their mind when it comes to them fitting it.
But we're all speculating because the Op has yet to confirm what they're not getting in their new 'van.
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I didnt actually say that you said it was impossible to tow without ATC, so please dont suggest that I did.
You did however come across as suggesting it was virtually essential to have it.
I'm merely suggesting (as others have done so, Im not sure why you singled my post out to disagree with) that based on my very extensive towing experience without ATC it is not essential at all so there is no reason for the OP not to enjoy their 'van in the meantime.
As for pressure on the dealer well yes it may help but I suspect they are in the hands of Alko or one or more of their component suppliers so good luck with that.
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I’m in the “nice to have, but not essential” camp. I had it on my caravan, but after two fruitless attempts by the manufacturer at rectifying a problem with it I removed the unit altogether. I still have the hitch stabiliser and the car’s TSP to rely on and I can’t say that it hasn’t done as good a job.
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Like other members, I have towed many caravans many miles and only one of them, not my current one, had ATC.
The only times it operated were a nuisance because it applied the caravan brakes while crossing an uneven "level" crossing!
I have never experienced any instability with or without ATC .
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How have you come to that particular conclusion?
The original post asks about whether the dealers suggestion that they will be fine as long they inform their insurers is or is not is reasonable.
Some of us have suggested the OP will be fine if they go along with what the dealer suggests. Which logically means its not required, ergo we have provided one answer to the OP.
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When we had it we had it trigger and pull the van back when we passed around a particular mini roundabout, virtually every time. So I knew it did something. Even when the the LED on the fairing had failed (twice in three years).
Since passing in our current 'van (without ATC) there is no sign of instability so idea why it would trigger at that particular location.
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Based on another thread on here my money is on ATC being missing.
Hence I think it reasonable to assume the 'van is being supplied with a stabilising hitch but not ATC.
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