We recently bought what is supposed to have been a 1992 Coachman Mirage VIP, but is actually either a 440/5 Mirage or Coachman. the VIP is a totally different model. There is a difference in size between the two although both are Coachmans. Serial number is 90 CM09 2301. MTPLM 1000 kgs.
Does any one happen to have an owner's handbook for this caravan? I am quite happy to pay for a copy of the book and postage. Thanks.
I have just run a check on the caravan and we have been had! According to the serial number the caravan is confirmed as a 1990 Coachman 440/5! Two years older than advertised as a 1992 Coachman Mirage VIP.
If we had known this we probably would have gone for a genuine later year model 1992/1993 as I now think we overpaid at £1395 even though the caravan is in very good condition. A more relaistic price woudl have been £1200.
I have spoken with the seller to try and reach an agreement for some sort of compensation and to keep the caravan but he is adamant that he is not going to give us any compensation. This caravan was advertised on ukcampsite if yu want tor ead the advert.
Although a private sale the law quite clearly states that when you buy goods from a private individual, for eample by answering an advert in the local newspaper or at a car boot sale, the law says the goods must: MATCH THEIR DESCRIPTION This means they must be as described by the seller. This includes any description on the label. For example if a seller says a car has a 1800cc enine, it must not have an 1100cc engine!
It goes on about the conditon of the goods with which we have no problem.
As for refund policy I am not rejecting the goods because they are faulty but because of false description. I can possibly get compensation because the seller knowingly made a false statement about the goods in order to persuade me to buy them. A fair price for a caravan of this age would be in the region of about £1200 as no electric / gas heater only Carver gas heater, no blown air heating and no oven. VIP has full blown air central heating, a one piece GRP roof and blinds on windows.
As the seller does not want to budge I guess that the next step is a request in writing by recorded mail and if still no joy, court!
Why can't people be honest instead of creating hassles? less stressful all round!
I owned a Coachman Genius in the early/mid 90s from new, they and all models above the basic Mirage had Boat shaped roofs, and the range went in the order of Mirage, Genius SE, then top of the range was the VIP. There were no blown air units fitted as standard, or ovens fitted until you went for the VIP, although the Genius did have the blinds and flyscreens fitted as standard, along with double glazing and thicker insulation than the Mirage. It also had sprung upholstry, whilst the Mirage had standard foam cushions.
Julia
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For the sake of £395, I don't think I would go down the court route. If you're happy with the van, I'd cut my losses and just enjoy!
Did you see it before you bought it and agree to buy? Has this only come to light after buying the caravan. The time really to query the make/model has come and gone.
I bought mine and should have gone to specsavers! Got it home and put on the drive, it was raining in after two days.. plus loads of other really dangerous things wrong, for eg. all the gas pipes had perished, the list goes on... The mechanic who came out to put it right said I should take the chap to court, but I wanted that particular make of van! Private sale, previous owners didn't want to know.... Yes a very expensive mistake, I paid £900 and it was worth about £500. However, 9 months on and a lot of money thrown at it and it's put right now and it's lovely.
That is the very one. In addition on some other websites he has it advertsied as a 1992/1993 model so obviously knew what he was doing.
Anyway a lesson learnt. I am sure that there are many honest sellers out there.
It might be worth having a chat with Trading Standards as they love to get info on persons that might be 'of interest' to them. It may prevent the person carrying out the same trick with anyone else.
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Topic: Any one help ref a Coachman
According to the serial number the caravan is confirmed as a 1990 Coachman 440/5! Two years older than advertised as a 1992 Coachman Mirage VIP. 
