I suppose it might help the op to point out that water ingress only becomes a major problem if repair work is not carried out soonest & the caravan continues to absorb water into it's structure for several years.
Caravans are supposed to be serviced annually from new by supplying dealer, manufacturer approved workshop or mobile engineer. This should include a damp check & is required to maintain 6yr water ingress warranty offered my most caravan makers. If excess levels of damp are found the caravan should be repaired asap.
If the op is paying top money from a dealer then the caravan should include a full service history with all bills & records of work carried out from new. The op should also ask to see the dealer workshop facilities to ascertain the dealer is capable of carrying out service & warranty work as may be required.
Provided all the above is as it should be then the op can buy with reasonable confidence.
Thank you for all your advice, it has been gratefully received. I am concerned about upsetting people so am going to say no more other than some of you have been extremely helpful and very friendly - I do love this forum site!
Oh and we are continuing to look for a caravan........
Quote: Originally posted by Julia Coops on 16/2/2013
Thank you for all your advice, it has been gratefully received. I am concerned about upsetting people so am going to say no more other than some of you have been extremely helpful and very friendly - I do love this forum site!
Oh and we are continuing to look for a caravan........
Definitely final word (and I absolutely should have mentioned this before) if you*are* going to buy second-hand, buy a German van.
They're not magical, and eventually they will also leak - BUT, you can bet your house, husband, kids, and your soul that a German van will resist water ingress for far longer than the UK equivalent.
That is because of the [1] the type of mastic used, and [2] the shape of the aluminium extrusion used to join the thing together.
Briefly, if you look at a UK van (and I'm talking anything older than a couple of years, when they started using acrylic capping's or alutech construction) you will notice that the aluminium strips are basically an 'L' shaped profile.with a long side and a very short side.
You will also notice that (for some bizarre reason) the 'L' shape is positioned so that the very short side is used to try and bridge the gap between the side panel and the roof panel.
Because the 'L' is tiny, it's not wide enough to cover the joint, and you will always see the sealant join (easiest to see at the front, on the curve from window to roof - but it's the same joint all the way along the van)
Because the sealant is not covered by the aluminium extrusion, it dries out in the sun and quickly degrades, and when it's dry it crumbles when subjected to towing shocks - and, of course, when it crumbles it allows rain to penetrate.
When you look at a German van (or any 'Continental' caravan, like an Adria, for example) you will notice that [1] the aluminium 'L' profile is much more pronounced, and [2] that the strip is applied so that the roof/wall joint is completely covered by the wider part of the profile.
This (especially with the more pliable mastic used) prevents drying out and weathering - and is a large part of the reason why German vans have such a good reputation for resisting water ingress.
It's common sense simplicity - but no UK manufacturer has ever copied it.
All of which makes a second hand German caravan a much better second-hand bet - think Hymer, LMC, Dethleffs, Knaus, Hobby (possibly) or Geist (which were LMC caravans made for the UK market)
They tend to be heavier - but if you avoid the really big models, they're not *that* much heavier. The also have longer A-frames that aid stability, and always use shock absorbers for a better ride.
Right, here endeth the lesson - let us know how you get on ;)
------------- Getting Old, Staying Active (much to Mrs Folder's dismay..)
We have a 2006 470/4 we have had plenty of use out of it over the years we bought it because it had a really good washroom with a big shower as we tend not use site facilities contrary to the negative comments our van hasn't suffered any water ingress problems panel stress cracks have been an issue with quite a few makes and I would say bailey vans are no better or worse
Far from being a " starter van" we intend to keep it indefinitely because no other van offers anything else that we might require , its light weight certainly helps when moving it about it is easy to work on I have serviced it myself from new and have had only one fault that might have been repaired under warranty ( the door lock fixed for & 20 ) I agree about checking for damp though as I have seen the disappoint when my parents bought a van that was as watertight as a string vest and took almost a total rebuild before we got it sorted
We're new to vanning, and bought an 07 Ranger 500/5 from a dealer last year.
Simple economics said we had approx 8k to spend on a van, not 13k. No loan for the extra 5k needed.
We actually paid £8450, but we expect to lose a grand a year, so IMO, £7450 is a price we would expect to pay for an 07 van this year. I would also expect this to bottom out perhaps in 5 years time, were I would expect the value to drop by less than a grand a year.
We love the van. Only a family of three, but the layout allows us to have the grand parents stay with us on occasion, (2 doubles and a single), or allows our DD to have the end bedroom all to herself.
Since we've had it, one of the light fittings broke, (replaced myself from Bailey at a price cheaper than it would have cost me to drive to my dealer and have it replace under warranty). To the best of my knowledge it has no damp. I'm sure some Baileys do have damp, but so do ALL other makes, it's not just common to Bailey.
Kitchen space is a little tight, (we came from a trailer tent with oodles of space), but once we've got used to it we get on just fine.
Obviously you are doing your homework with the van,
Just take your time and find what fits with you,
My caravan is the "entry" level coachman and to be honest its bob on for everything we need, if you want low weight like the ranger why not look at some lunars,
Not keen on the shower toilet arrangement and I think this will affect resale prices when everyone latches on to the seperate shower design,
I know what you mean about being apprehensive first timers. We're looking at a Swift Charisma 560 4 berth 2006. Its from a local dealer (whom I know) damaged repaired with full PDI report and a 12 month warranty plus extras £5500. Wondering whether to get an independent engineer check it over. My wife is definitely starting to get cold feet about the whole idea, expense of caravanning. Think we need some reassurance, wise words...anyone?
Quote: Originally posted by Nutkins on 23/2/2013I know what you mean about being apprehensive first timers. We're looking at a Swift Charisma 560 4 berth 2006. Its from a local dealer (whom I know) damaged repaired with full PDI report and a 12 month warranty plus extras £5500. Wondering whether to get an independent engineer check it over. My wife is definitely starting to get cold feet about the whole idea, expense of caravanning. Think we need some reassurance, wise words...anyone?
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Topic: Bailey Ranger 500/5
