We bought our Bailey Arizona Senator (2006) last year after problems with damp in our previous 'van. Bought new Kia Sorento towcar after Continental breakdowns 2 years in a row. Just had 13 pin electric, Alko ATC and shocks fitted to the 'van and thought everything was sorted.
But then I CANNOT believe at it's SECOND annual service Widnes Caravans found damp in roof. TWO YEARS OLD!!! At least it should be fixed under Bailey Warranty but now having to wait for Bailey authorisation and despatch of parts. Other problems found: gas regulator needed replacing, also, WC thought that old reg was mounted to low causing flowback of gas leading to failure. Whale onboard pump needed replacing. Not too impressive for a 2 year old 'van with only light use.
Roll on Summer Hols in France and Spain. Hopefully by then all will be sorted and I can relax and recover from all this aggro!!
I have posted this before. I saw a feature on Bailey caravans. They boast that they can build a caravan from scratch in 4 hours, using pre-made fittings from their own workshops.
My observation is that if sealant takes at least 12 hrs to dry, how can you have a weatherproof van in 4 hours?
Our Bailey bought new in 2007 had its first service end of Feb and was found to have damp. Dealer really dragging their heels about reparing it, Bailey of no help either. Finally got a date in July for repair after having to do a lot of chasing up. The poor customer service off both the dealer and Bailey has put me off ever buying another Bailey caravan .
I would strongly reccomend to any Bailey owner to get a step ladder and check all four corners of the roof for cracks. They had a problem a while back with the roof skins being a couple of millimetres the wrong size which can cause them to crack, and then let damp in.
And to all Caravan owners, dont forget that your Water Ingress Warranty lasts for 5 years from the date of purchase. So keep getting it serviced by an Approved- Workshop to maintain the warranty.
We bought a 2006 Elddis avante new at the start of last year, this also was found to have damp when it was in for its first service at the end of January, the work was immediatly autorised by elddis and the parts ordered and by the end of March the van had been in and the work completed.
As well as the getting the repair done and it needing a repair so early in its life I'm also worried about how effective the repair will be and whether any damage has been done. Widnes Caravans who have just serviced it said that they think that it has been "caught in time".
The bad damp readings are:
Nearside end of front roof seal (rdg 40%)
Near main skylight (28 %)
Fan vent (40%)
Bathroom ventilator (20%)
I had just washed the 'van roof with a hose and brush, NOT a pressure washer I hasten to add, and service manager said that might have pushed-up the readings but obviously still a problem.
The 'van WAS clear of damps when we bought it at the end of May 2006 - I hired a professional damp meter from a hire shop and damp-tested it myself before buying.
'van also needed new gas regulator which Widnes said had been placed too low causing backflow problems. Replacement if set higher in locker. The regulator may not be covered by warranty as the 1st year (fully comprehensive) has expired. New water pump which should be covered by warranty. Very worrying that both items have failed after only c60 days use by us and I unknown use by previous owner.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: OH NO- Damp in our new `van
