After a stressful weekend we have no van and a holiday in France booked and paid for this August. I think maybe we've just been unlucky with the van but are really now wondering where do we go from here. We went to a reputable dealer for piece of mind after viewing several private sale vans all with problems. Going to up our budget to 10k in the hope a newer van will have less potential problems.
Anyone else had a similar bad experience? We definelty arent going to give up (got all the stuff now and OH did the CC towing course this weekend too) but do feel deflated tonight.
We know we want to stick with a 4 berth fixed bed, preferably under 7m and laden weight less than 1400kgs. Any ideas on van models to look for would really be appreciated.
------------- Thistledown Easter
Nantcol June
Domaine du Verdon Castellane and Etoile d'Argens Frejus Aug
There are less pitfalls with newer vans, but newer van can have damp too, 10k on a dealers forecourt still ( especially in this caravan crazy world) would still make a van four five years old, another thing we found newer vans seem alot heavier than older vans, we love swift and sterlings they are great quality, but that comes at a cost in £'s and Ibs, they are heavy, but we just love them, we had a Bailey but would never go back now.
But all that aside, I'm sure this time it's all going to work fine this time, I'm so sorry your first van left you feeling like this :( xx
------------- "I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.
Ive got this tee shirt that says..i saw 1000000000s vans before i bought this one.True what you said about private buying some vans out there are skips however,just because you are going to a reputable dealer i would still be on my guard for faults.The vans hes selling might be checked for damp but check the other things to and get a warranty evan if it is for 3 months..
The Swift Charisma 535 ticks your boxes, Savanne - they have one at Grantham Caravans here. The problem is that it's a bit of a journey to travel. It's on for £8,995 and it's a 2006. If I spot anything else, I'll post it up.
Or this Lunar from LadyBailey. I know we live in Polesworth but we had our van from LadyBailey. This Lunar is virtually the same layout as ours - it's brilliant, but might just be a little too expensive.
Having read your other thread, and having friends going through similar problems, make sure you get any other van independantly inspected prior to purchase. Good luck with your new search, and enjoy your holiday.
Like Jeff we looked at what seemed like a million vans ( ok it was about 15) before we got ours, and agree a charisma is a cracking van :)
------------- "I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.
As said on the thread re us selling our van - you won't go wrong if you go to Chris Jones Leisure. He's as honest as they come. There'll be no hidden nasties & if you do have a problem he'll sort it out. I'd travel down there again in a heartbeat if he has a suitable van when we're ready to buy another...
Get a foreign one, Hobby or whatever, they tend to be more solid. Or get a cheapie off ebay. '80s 'vans seem more solid. The one I got was under £400, its dry, I got the chassis serviced, 2 new tyres & a few bits & pieces & still less than £600. If I get 5yrs out of it & scrap it, job done. Its not even worth insuring, so more savings.
If all yer do is go down south France in't summer, which is what I do, thats all you need, you don't need heaters etc. How I look at it is that it saves messing about with a tent & its better in a storm.
Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 12/6/2011
....This is the sort of thing you might be after. How good is this compared with what yerve seen before?
That looks a good find Tentz. It's the sort of layout Savanne is after, is just under her budget and weight seems OK. She probably won't see it now though until she gets back from Corfu.
The Swift Charisma 535 ticks your boxes, Savanne - they have one at Grantham Caravans here. The problem is that it's a bit of a journey to travel. It's on for £8,995 and it's a 2006. If I spot anything else, I'll post it up.
Or this Lunar from LadyBailey. I know we live in Polesworth but we had our van from LadyBailey. This Lunar is virtually the same layout as ours - it's brilliant, but might just be a little too expensive.
Post last edited on 12/06/2011 22:13:07
I've read your posts (Savannah1) about your damp Bailey with interest, and hope you get sorted. 1st things 1st try enjoy your holiday tomorrow. The caravan is really not the end of the world, either refund or warranty fix your not £1000s out of pocket, so bear that in mind. Easier said than done when what you thought was your perfect van is not so..
Anyway reason for my reply, talk about chalk and cheese thsoe two adverts! Why don't all websites feature nice big, well taken photos like that second one? Instead of pokey little images that are next to useless. Webspace/design etc is cheap! BIG pics sell.
Good luck with whatever you end up with. That Lunar looks lovely!!!!!!!!!
David PS if you don't get sorted in time with 'the perfect van' before your France trip, buy something cheap, have one holiday out of is, sell it on! Our little van cost us £1500 and is fab! OK, not for you with 4 of you, but something similar, buy, use, sell on!
I'm still here!! thanks for all the replies. our flights at 6am, leaving here at about 2. booked extra leg room seats so planning to sleep on the plane then by the pool when we get there.
Chris Jones Leisure has a 2007 Charisma 535 under 10K, I've emailed him tonight to say we are away but if still for sale when we come back will go and see it and any others he has.
The Lunar in Davids link looks good too but prefer the Swift but its definelty a model to add to ones to look for.
We like foreign vans (having seen the build quality after usinf the inlaws Burstner MH for three years) and started our search looking for an Adria. Loads of options out there for us so will start the search in ernest once back with a tan and recharged batteries (hopefully!)
------------- Thistledown Easter
Nantcol June
Domaine du Verdon Castellane and Etoile d'Argens Frejus Aug
From 2006 Swift vans have a six year water ingress warranty - I know this because we've just had work done under ours for our 2006 van. If you do get a swift, make sure the policy is transferred to your name and service history is bang up to date so its not invalidated. Costs nothing to transfer it.
Ours has same upholstery as one youve mailed about, different layout though. Makes it feel very cosy inside.
We have the exact same Lunar model in DSBs link to Lady Bailey. We bought ours from Peter Roberts Caravans nr Huddersfield but again too far for Savanne to travel.They found us our 'van and we had complete trust in them but i do I feel for her and did think 'there but for the grace of God go us all'.
She'll be on the aeroplane now and hopefully she'll have a good holiday and can come back refreshed to start her search again. I remember reading how excited she was when she got he 'new' van - around the sme time we got ours!
the charisma you was on about at grantham used to belong to us, it was a cracking van, the only reason we changed vans was for a bit bigger van with a different layout, we looked after the van (we are non smokers and have no pets ) and used it on a seasonal pitch, hope it goes to someone who will love it like we did
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Topic: Once bitten, twice shy?
