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We are interested in a 2007 Swift Charisma 555 at a dealers, one owner with FSH.  We've looked at it twice and really like it. Its more than we originally planned to spend but has everything we want and more!

 Its advertised at £9750 and we asked the dealer for a good deal on it. As a first timer we have nothing needed for a caravan so today he has rang and offered it for the £9750 but to include a mover fitted, new battery, EHU, step, top of the range hitchlock and wheelock, aquaroll, wastemaster, chocks and loo chemicals. Theres no awning but looking on ebay I can find the large porch awning we'd like. I reckon we could get him down a little more as that was his first offer.

How much do people usually manage to knock off or get included in the deal?

Well that,s around £1300 of extra,s depending on make of mover

not too shabby go for a warrenty as well

Quote: Originally posted by savanne1 on 23/3/2011

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lol Fiona, the dealer said how cheap I could get a brand new polyester tent like awning, he laughed when I said I have expensive tastes and like the Isabella awnings!! I've been looking on ebay and thats the way we'll go as no way would I pay the new prices. I do like the full awning you've got on the other pics thread, silly me didnt think how useful a full awning could be as a large canopy with side panels. What make is that?

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thanks Steve, I thought 9k would be a good place to start. I hate haggling over things so will be leaving that to my OH whilst I disappear as hes like a dog with a bone once he starts.

Looking at the used price guide in Caravan Buyer 2011 they say a 2007 555 is worth £9300 so with all those bits and my OHs bargaining skills we should get around that figure.

Anything else we need other than the awning? I forgot to sat earlier that we gettwo gas bottles too.

Just a couple of points about the swift warranty.  We have a 2006 Charisma and have just had some damp work done under the warranty.  It took us 10 months to sort out.

Check the date the van was actually first registered. We bought a 2006 van, paid a 2006 price, all our paperwork said 2006, even the handbook.  However when we wanted to claim, turns out the van was first registered in Nov 2005. And the Swift 6 year water ingress warranty first came out in 2006, so they tried to reject our claim. We fought it out and they caved in the end. I realise this particular issue that wont affect a 2007 van, but the date it was actually registered  could have a bearing on how much warranty you actually have left.

Secondly, if you do go ahead make sure that the Dealer contacts Swift to get the warranty changed to your name.  Our said it was up to us to do, which we did,  Turns out that Swift actually have TWO databases (god alone knows why) a customer database and a dealer database.   It took me many phone calls and a tantrum in the dealership before I could actually get them to use some common sense and confirm the warranty was in our name in the first place. It was a case of "computer sez no".  "Well, cant you just search using the VIN number?" "no, it doesnt work like that,"  "Well, the  nice lady at Swift says you can"  Arrghhhhh.

hope this helps.........

http://www.caravanpriceguide.com/id26.html

Our first caravan was an Avondale Dart which the dealer advertised with a full and a porch awning. To get the sale they included a step , lead, used  but good aquaroll and waste container, new battery, and a new butane cylinder.

Good luck with your negotiations.