Happy new years all, I am from Christchurch New Zealand and own a Swift Corniche 17/3 ( 2001 ) - I have had it about a year now it's our first caravan, and we have just found out it has the dreaded rot around the front windows, thanks to the info on your great website and Wizards page I am going to have a go at fixing it myself as it is very expensive here in NZ to get it done, been quoted $5000 (about 2500pounds ) to get it done, is there some way i can load up pics of my step by step work as i go?? - so maybe you all can give me tips and pointers in case i am doing it wrong? - I have already strated the stripping process and the good news is that the rot does not seem to have gone above the window line or past the centre of the 2 outer windows, i plan on replacing the whole front timber frame around the windows as well as the front shelf which has also rotted out a bit -- once again thank you for the really informative website you have :-)
Hi, Auckland here.
To post pictures on here (apart from the 3 you can load on your profile) you need to upload them to some site like Photobucket. copy the link to the photos and click on the button at the top of the "reply" box (the one with a tiny landscape on it to the left of the smiley button) and paste that link. There is a tutorial Here
It suprises me how older UK caravans are worth exporting to NZ. I sold a '97 ABI on ebay last yr & the bloke who bought it exports older ABIs to NZ as they are popular there. It's funny to think that old caravan that was towed away from Essex 9mnths ago is now being enjoyed on a campsite on the other side of the world.
a new caravan is quite pricey here, and the english caravans are lite, and alot flasher thank the nz made ones - they do have their problems but once fixed they are great!! - we would rather fix ours than buy another one as it has a lot of room in it plus cafe seating and it was a third of the price of a new one
In the weeks before and after Christmas caravans seem to appear as if by magic and you see them everywhere. Just drove back to Auckland from the bottom of the North Island and at times I was in a convoy of 8 or more.
As for UK caravans sold in NZ, it's not so bad these days, dealers importing new vans and decent quality used vans but in the early days of UK imports you could find some shocking examples at ridiculous prices. I remember seeing vans with side walls detached from the floor, rotten rear ends, grab handles falling off etc. Shipping and conversion to comply with NZ standards (we have to have the equivalent of an MOT on caravans here and they are registered with their own number plate etc), plus the scarcity and perceived "luxury" meant that a caravan that would possibly have sold on Ebay in the UK for let's say 1000 pounds, would be sold here for the equivalent of 10-12,000 or in many case, much more.
Fantastic place NZ My daughter lives just out side of Cambridge, I remember driving back from New Plymouth midnight.Those roads.... Go over the edge and you have gone for ever if you are not missed,2 guys went boar hunting,Came across a car up in the trees, He was sat at the wheel,just a skeleton he went off the road,He had been sat there for 3 years.
Post last edited on 08/01/2017 18:18:11
------------- Roughing it in style at Calloose caravan and camping holiday park nr St Ives.(seasonal pitch)
Its not a hangover, its wine flu!
Well i am still having problems uploading photos hahahaha - but the good news is I completed the fix of our caravan yesterday!!! All rotten wood was removed and replaced, new seals (and a good amount of mastic under them not just the little bit that comes with the seals) I used 45mm W4 mastic right over the sandwich panel to go under the seals, the wood was upgraded from the 21mm x 21mm battens to 85mm x 21mm, it only added about 6g to the towbar weight which we can compensate for with the loading of the caravan, all was bonded with Sika 11fc which is antifungal and repels water, a new front shelf was made from marine ply, and best of all the parts in total cost me $500nzd (250 pounds) so I saved about $4500nzd (2200 pounds sterling ) which is what it would have cost me if I had taken it to a shop, and I believe it is now also alot stronger - I have water tested it and it is also bucketing down today lol and it's as dry as a bone
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: Hi from New Zealand
