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Topic: caravan adviser

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rosimary

22/7/2016 at 7:26pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Lunar Quaker 464 Toyota avensis estate

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Hi,
Just about to purchase 09 swift challenger safari 530
this van has 5 berths with end dinette. any feedback on this van? intend towing with mondeo estate 2 lr TDCI
thanks

Rob and Tina

22/7/2016 at 8:50pm
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Motorhome

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I can't help with any feedback on the van but I thought the Challenger 530 was a 4 berth. Have you checked the weights of the caravan against the kerb weight of the Mondeo?

Rob

madz

24/7/2016 at 2:42pm
Location: east midlands
Outfit: swift 530

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Hi we have a 2009 Swift Freestyle 530 5 birth double dinette with a centre washroom; so basically the same van but a dealers special.

We tow with a 1.9 diesel Mondeo saloon (cast iron engine version), it tows beautifully the car barely knows the van is there. I would check on your specific model of Mondeo as there are two versions of ours one version of the saloon is lighter and is nearer 100% towing ratio. However as yours is an estate I would imagine you will have no problem.

We have owned the van for 2 years now and absolutely love it, the front seats are long enough to use as single beds if you don't feel like making up the double on arrival.

The rear double bed with the addition of a poundland memory foam topper is very comfortable. The only issue is that one of you needs to climb over the other to get out of bed. We haven't used the rear bunk. Beds set up very easily.

We found the bathroom perfectly position for us and the shower is really excellent. Water heating is very good, although the pump is a little noisy, this seems standard for most modern Swifts.

Cupboard space is good although I miss the drawers under the wardrobe that our old van had. The front chest of drawers are ok but not deep enough for T-shirts, the rear cupboard do make up for this.

The heating is excellent and can be used to blow hot or cold air (a blessing this week)

Issues we have had
we did get some damp from a failed window seal on the front right (offside) which was repaired under warranty, we also think the seal on the external radio aerial wasn't quite perfect so added some sealant to that.

Our fridge did fail in the first 4 months of our having it, again replaced under the warranty.

The flat front meas you struggle to put a TV on the front window ledge, however it balances nicely on the chest of drawers. The slide out top on the drawers is great.

Tables store really nicely away and the removable drainer and chopping board is a nice feature.

So from our experience I would say go for it we absolutely love the van and find it very comfortable. Check the fridge is working and that you have a full damp check around the window seals especially.

Grampian91

24/7/2016 at 11:13pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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1.9 diesel Mondeo? You mean the old MK2 1.8 from 1996 to 2000?

No 1.9 diesel Mondeo.

madz

25/7/2016 at 8:38am
Location: east midlands
Outfit: swift 530

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you are correct its a 1.8 and tows the van beautifully and has done for the last 2 years. I should add we aren't packing the caravan up to the full weight capacity so as to keep with a reasonable matching weight.

The caravan is as I have said really lovely and I recommend it.

Post last edited on 25/07/2016 08:45:02

rosimary

29/7/2016 at 8:30am
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Lunar Quaker 464 Toyota avensis estate

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Thanks very much for this detailed info.umfortunately destiny decided for us in that our storage owner refused van because adjacent vans had no motor movers and couldn't.manoever out!! Had to reclaim deposit. This went OK as subject to storage check.now after lunar cosmos H

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