I'm getting ready to take a French Le Car Chateau 4 berth touring caravan. Does anyone know anything about this caravan or the company. Will it be hard to replace parts, etc. Thanks
Have no experience of Chateau brand, but I have a Trigano Silver.
Trying to get parts or repairs done is a complete nightmare. UK dealers just go rigid, suck in their breath and say the fateful words "Oh it is French". Their eyes glaze over and they then become silent and never contact you again.
We had a scrape on May 17 2014, eventually found a dealer who could deal with it in October. It is still with the dealer awaiting parts.
Luckily we can use the van for holidays anyway, but hope it is completed before we go off in April 2015.
If you mean a Chateau caravan, usually coloured white & green, they were made in Belgium & UK spec versions were sold by Lunar caravans in UK. If its that then parts & service in UK will be no problem. A UK version will have door on left, a 'grey import' Chateau will have door on right.
If its something different then generally European built caravans use the same interior & exterior parts from cookers to chassis as UK built caravans so service & parts are no problem for UK caravan workshops but UK dealers often do not want 'grey imports' for trade ins.
So you will have no probs with service & mechanical parts in UK & body parts for any caravan even UK built can be difficult to source once caravan is few yrs old so I don't think you will have any particular problems.
Thanks for the comments - have decided to take my other option a Swift Challenger 430/4S The reason is simply because of the availability of parts, servicing and repairs. Being American the French thing was not a problem. I do have a question about Americanism. Is it bad form to fly my Stars and Stripes at campsites? My wife of 34 years is English and we also have a Union Jack
Quote: Originally posted by Peponis on 24/11/2014
Thanks for the comments - have decided to take my other option a Swift Challenger 430/4S The reason is simply because of the availability of parts, servicing and repairs. Being American the French thing was not a problem. I do have a question about Americanism. Is it bad form to fly my Stars and Stripes at campsites? My wife of 34 years is English and we also have a Union Jack
I have often seen Confederate Flags flown on campsites, but unless their owners were from south of Bristol, I doubt if they were really from the "Deep South"!!!!
Well I went to see the Swift Challenger 430/4S and I bought it. Pick up tomorrow. Couldn't find the VIN number - will have another go when I get it home tomorrow. The previous owner thinks it was a 1988 (nice to see a wooden interior instead of MDF covered with a photo of wood). This would mean no CRiS = how do you go about getting it done. How can I find out the specifications? Probably better to get the VIN first. I'll let you know more tomorrow (maybe a pic if I can figure it out). Thanks for the advice.
It isn't compulsory to register it with CRIS,all CRiS does is enable you to prove ownership if it is stolen and then recovered.
The chances of a van of that age being stolen is pretty remote.
saxo1
Ouch!!!! But I suppose you're right. However, when I get all that wood refinished and the outside scrubbed and with new stickers, thieves will come out of the woodwork waving old Dixie flags screaming yahoo Bubba!!
Quote: Originally posted by Peponis on 24/11/2014
Ouch!!!! But I suppose you're right. However, when I get all that wood refinished and the outside scrubbed and with new stickers, thieves will come out of the woodwork waving old Dixie flags screaming yahoo Bubba!!
Some how I doubt it as resale value would be very low and not worth the risk.
sorry I don't wish to burst you bubble and excitement Peponis, but I seriously doubt that the caravan has ANY visible wood to be seen in it!
I hope that you have followed advice and gone around the caravan with a damp meter to check? that era of swifts where very prone to damp
perhaps if you posted a few pics of it on here then we could date it from it appearance? the only true way to tell its age is to check the vin number which will either be by the door or on the a frame It maybe under a plastic cover of the a frame tho but it will be on the steel work
to be honest I wouldn't be buying a caravan if the owner couldn't give me the basics of how old it was
We spent one horrible weekend in an Avondale Sport that had loads of wet rot and it drove us crazy. I know it was wet rot because I helped remove the wall boards and floor. It is currently being refurbished by a young family and they are loving it. I gave it to them on something called Freecycle. I am sitting in the front lounge of Ruby (yes we named it Ruby after our last bloodhound). I can't smell anything - much less any wet rot. The man I got it from is an academic at the local University. He wouldn't know his own age much less the caravan (real academic). He never traveled in Ruby - it was sat in his front yard and his family lived in her while their house was being refurbished (6 months). They used the shower, cassette toilet, water, hob, oven, and grill. And they had the carver heater on a few times - so I know everything works. All of the doors and drawers have wood trim with thin plywood inserts. There is some particle board with a paper thin covering with a wood pattern on the surface and that is okay. The most important thing is my wife's loves it and I'm sure the dogs will love being out and about. Look out Brighton this weekend.
smelling damp isn't a guareentee! please get hold of a damp meter they are only about £20 and go around and check it over, as for the man being an academic yes my father was too, and had been caravanning for around 30 years by the time he sold the last caravan, he was adamant that it was solid! the damp meter was screaming and he wouldn't accept that there was a problem at all!
I know from experience that people will tell you just about anything to sell a caravan so I hope you saw everything working before you parted with your money?
but more importantly did you check the tyres over? check the date on them, they only last 5 yrs max regardless of how they appear, also when did the brakes and gas get checked over?
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: French Caravans
