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We love our Geist its a 565, we had an Eldis (we had this for over 6 years with no damp problems) before and the German build just seams better, I think if you are buying new they are now only available direct from Newcastle or Lincoln. Ours has status Arial included we had an external aerial added. Some times they include a microwave in the upgrade package but we had an alteration to the bunks instead as we didn’t want a microwave.

We bought ours from Camper UK at Lincoln they have really looked after us, when we have had a problem they have been brilliant. The deal was not as good as another dealer further north, but the service has been far superior.

The Geist website is good too as not only can you see a layout of the caravan but also you can view inside which gives a better idea. The table is a bit of a pain on ours as its storage place is under the bunk – but on site we keep it in the wardrobe. The other thing we found is the bottom bunk lifts for the storage and nothing to hold it up - we now have a made to measure wooden prop!

Speaking personally, if there were only UK caravans to buy, then I wouldn't own one at all.

If a German van leaks and rots within six or seven years, then you have been unlucky.

If a UK van isn't leaking after two years - then you have enough luck to have probably scooped the national lottery on three consecutive weeks!

That's the simple truth - but a truth that many UK caravan owners put their fingers in their ears and whistle Rule Britannia to avoid hearing.

Buy your Geist - they have a UK spec and German (LMC) build quality.  Alternatively, buy a 'Germ,an spec' van and add the extras - it's easy.

But, whatever you do, buy a German caravan - when you go out to it after storing it all winter and find it as dry as a bone, you'll be glad you did.

Quote: Originally posted by Returnee on 06/5/2009

If a German van leaks and rots within six or seven years, then you have been unlucky.

If a UK van isn't leaking after two years - then you have enough luck to have probably scooped the national lottery on three consecutive weeks!

That's the simple truth - but a truth that many UK caravan owners put their fingers in their ears and whistle Rule Britannia to avoid hearing.

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We love our Geist - the quality of the build is very superior in my opinion. We looked at loads of other caravans and set our hearts on a German van.  We have the 520 dl and it has fixed bunks  (full size) at one end.  The kids have loads of room - theres even a small table and two chairs (which also converts to a bed). Good luck with your search.

But I think a Geist is the same width as the wider UK vans? And would a site say no to Geist as it is UK Company (only the van manufactured abroad) so are you getting the best of both worlds?

And our Eldis we had for 6 years without a leek (from outside) – apart from one from the shower –easily fixed by the dealer – so I agree I would not make a generalisation, as the Geist also had a leak from the shower with mould under bunk but again easily fixed by dealer.

Quote: Originally posted by CaddyClan on 06/5/2009What complete TOSH. For goodness sakes.<<

No, not TOSH (or even, for those who don't habitually shout. 'tosh')

Look - first thing - I don't care if you don't believe me.  I've been in caravanning long enough to know the truth - and long enough to know that there is a die-hard core of UK  caravan fanatics who would never admit that their vans leak, not even if they were standing with their fingers stuck through the wallboard.

I also realise that it's a lost cause trying to convince the fanatics that UK caravans leak like sieves - after all, they read all the tales of woe about damp UK vans that get posted on the 'net, and they *still* won't face reality, so it's probably best just to leave them to their own devices.

However, the OP asked for help - and, not wanting to see them join the ranks of the, 'my caravan is as rotten as a pear' club, I thought I'd try and point them to something a lot better.

 

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To generalize and say 'to have a UK caravan that doesn't leak within 2 years you have been lucky' is such crap. Sorry, but it is.<

 

Yeah, right.  So all the people who post here about their damp 1 & 3 year old UK vans are just making it all up, then?

Can you point to any posts complaining about damp in 2 year old German caravans, btw?

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One thing to consider carefully before buying a European van is that more and more sites will not accept continental vans (they seem to be associated with travellers and therefore at a higher risk of theft) and some are too wide for standard UK pitches. We were at a site just last weekend that saw some people being re-sited as the hardstanding they had booked just wasn't wide enough to accomodate their [oddly enough] German van.<<

 

Ah - the old, 'Don't buy a German van 'cause you'll look like a Pikey' ploy.

You forgot to get hysterical about the upholstery not meeting UK regulations (while forgetting to mention that German safety standards exceed those in the UK)

All I can say is that my van certainly doesn't look 'Pikeyish' - but, after three years, it still looks new - and is as dry as the day it left LMC.

Unlike 90% of UK vans.

 

 

 

 

Quote: Originally posted by eddie marris on 06/5/2009

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I exchanged a 6 year old Sterling in 2007 which was as dry as a bone and we were given a great trade in against our current Bailey Senator. We looked at all types of vans and went more for the after sales support which to date I cannot knock after some 8 years. Regarding the German vans being to wide I think that cannot be true as you cannot tow over 7 foot 6 Inch wide, which most new vans are anyway.

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Some German vans are too wide to meet UK regulations unless they are towed by something with GVW over 3500kg's (which rules out even Land Cruisers, etc)

Some people do tow them with pick-up's and 4x4's - but it is illegal to do so and would probably void car insurance in the event of a collision.

And, yes, the wider one's *do* look a bit 'Travellerish' - but they are not the ones generally used by leisure caravanners.

Quote: Originally posted by CaddyClan on 06/5/2009

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Returnee - oh blimey you are fixated on German vans aren't you. Reminds me of people who things their breed of dog is the absolute BEST. <

 

Mmmm - 'dogs' and 'UK caravans' seem to fit well together, somehow.

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Just because your 3-year-old Lord Munsterland has been a good'un (just as our 5-yr old Bailey is as good as new AND dry as a bone) doesn't mean that ALL German vans are the same just as it doesn't mean ALL UK vans are.

No - but my point was, a leaky German van is as rare as a dry UK one.

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Perhaps the reason you don't see many complaints about German vans on here is because....ummmm....we don't live in Germany?<

Or (shock, horror) because they don't tend to leak?

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 I wonder how many forums in Germany will see complaints about UK vans? LOL<

 

Well, not many!  UK vans are almost unknown on the Continent.  They sell a few in Holland (the Dutch still have some kind memories of our help in WW2) but, generally, UK vans are a laughing stock among a consumer base who expect their caravans not to leak

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. Perhaps you should conduct a poll - see how many UK van owners there are v German van owners and see how they compare. <

Good idea - although, these forms speak for themselves, I think.  Not many German vans featured in the Fix It Club.....

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90% of UK vans leak like sieves eh? - care to share your evidence? Lucky me - I'm in the top 10% then...as are our friends, my parents-in-law, brother...

 

Actually, I'd be prepared to wager quite a decent sum that your caravan would make a damp meter very nervous indeed.

'90%' of UK vans leaking after 3 years? - that's probably being quite generous.

Now, enough, already.  I'm not prepared to join in another pointless argument about UK v German caravans.

Your dry '94 van is good news for you - and extremely bad news for me, because you are obviously going to scoop this Friday's  £110 million Euro jackpot and there is no point in me entering ;)

I stand by everything I've said - I've been caravanning for over 25 years and I know a bit about how UK vans are sealed, how they last, and the terrible effects that leaks have on them.

However, when all is said and done, it's your choice, your money, your prerogative to buy a UK van if you want to.

For myself, I'd no more spend 15K - 20K on a UK caravan that I would saw off my fingers with a bread knife - but everyone is different.

Let's leave it there -  and just hope for a great summer (and, for your sake) a dry one ;)

You might find the results of the 2005 Caravan Club Quality and Reliability Survey interesting  - see:  http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6C84E378-4F81-4B65-B85B-D709DF784D2E/0/newsqualityandreliabilitysurveymay05.pdf

I am a 100% satisfied owner of a bone-dry and totally fault-free 2006 Burstner S500TS caravan.  Also a previous owner of a Lunar Saturn that was damp new and continued to be for most of the 14 years I owned it, despite having significant repairs from new and being largely re-built at the Lunar factory in an attempt to cure the damp problems near its 3rd birthday - never again.

Cheers
Andrew

Your dry '94 van is good news for you - and extremely bad news for me, because you are obviously going to scoop this Friday's  £110 million Euro jackpot and there is no point in me entering ;)

It’s a shame to see someone’s question about German built caravans turn in to a slanging match.

Can’t we all just say what we like about our caravan to help another person? Fair enough to put another point but it has got quite personal and argumentative.

 We love our Geist and it is the best decision we could have made for us. but equally we had 6 very happy years with our eldis, and were happy to sing its praises too. We are all different and all want different things from our caravan, so if someone asks for our views so they can decide shouldn’t we accept we have different views?

Geist caravans have the door on the right side for UK, and I am sure I have seen other caravans that are the same.

J