Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 28/7/2024
Oh dear! Someone we know bought from Grantham and has had problems.
They seem prepared do anything to avoid honouring their pre purchase promises and warranties. If I were younger I would have gone to the County Court but at 72 it would be too much stress for me so I had to swallow the cost and distress caused by them.
Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 28/7/2024
We once had a Swift Lifestyle which had exactly that layout. Not sure of length or whether any are still around.
We have an Elddis Xplore 304 https://xplore-rv.co.uk/models/xplore-304/ that fits your bill, there is a side table that converts to a single bed but otherwise can be used as a dining table for 2, and there is a bunk above that. The main L shaped lounge converts to one of the larger double beds. Very light caravan, mtplm of 1070, perfect for 2 in our opinion, and manageable for 2 with 2 younger kids.
We have dealt with White Arches Caravans since the 1970�s. Have bought 8 new Swift caravans from them with no problems. Bought the first Archway dealer special in 1983 and had Archway models since as the upgrades added outweighed the actual extra cost. Over the years we bought 2 Elddis new, but both leaked within 2 years so stayed with Swift since.
Thank you for all replies and we have now settled on a strategy that will answer our requirements. We are going to adopt Monty's suggestion of a two berth with an awning and inner tent. In addition our daughter has offered us the use of their 6 berth caravan when we travel a short distance and take the children and they are unable to join us.
The suggestions made have been very helpful and opened up a number of new lines of enquiry, so thank you all. I think that this thread can now be considered as closed.
Peter
Hi, I'm a bit late to this but will add a couple of thoughts in case they're any use.
I sold an Avondale Dart 515-4 caravan earlier this year that had precisely the layout you were originally looking for, an overall length of 6.5m and an MTPLM of 1250kg. Avondale traded until 2008 and I think towards the end, the same caravan was renamed the 545-4 and became slightly longer and heavier, though not by much. But that layout was very popular until as recently as a couple of years ago, with all of the main manufacturers producing at least one.
I replaced my lovely Avondale with a Lunar Cosmos (a special edition based on the Quasar) which has a dining area at each end and a wardrobe and wet room in the centre on the offside. Rose loves it but, having been away in it a couple of times, I actually don't like this layout as much. It feels cramped in the middle, especially if one of us is in the kitchen area and the other wants to get to the front seats / bed.
Personally I'd always go for the 4 berth side dinette layout over a 2 berth, even if you're travelling as a couple. Having the extra seats to sit and have a cuppa in the morning before you put the bed away really makes a difference!
The only reason to really be concerned about the length of a caravan is if you're restricted for storage space. Towing-wise, it makes far less of a difference than you think it will and I doubt you'll notice any difference between towing 6.5m and towing 7m. Width and above all, weight distribution are far more significant issues.
I wouldn't be concerned about buying a caravan from a now defunct manufacturer either. Our Lunar has a chassis made by Alko, a fridge made by Electrolux, a cassette toilet made by Thetford, a heating system made by Alde and a microwave made by Daewoo, all of which were bought in and simply inserted. Really, the only things that are unique are the upholstery (which you can always re-cover) and the windows and body panels, which can always be sourced from breakers yards or made to measure.
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Topic: Small 4 berth advice
via mobile 28/7/2024 at 12:10pm
