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Subject Topic: New Caravans and Quality Issues
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09/8/2015 at 10:18am
 Location: Swadlincote
 Outfit: Coachman 545 VIP. 2015.
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That's as maybe - but Coachman are responsible for the dealers they appoint and sending vans out with faults to the dealers in the first place is not a good move.

The claims that Coachman make about build quality in their brochures and online are quite prominent - but the bottom line is they are put together quickly and cheaply by at best semi skilled operatives and sent out to dealers who aren't too fussy either.

The end result is something which is far below the expectation that people expect.

For my part I am more than capable of sorting out these issues on my purchase and will quite soon have it as it should be - but for someone who can't do that then they are not in such a good time.

Whilst the paying public are prepared to accept shoddy and inferior goods, then that's what you will get - but worse still that will be what the manufacturers aim for - whilst the advertising people keep making up fabulous text to tempt us all

But from what I have seen this is fairly typical of most of the manufactures and I have not come across a dealer that I have used twice except to buy accessories etc

Still - the update on my van is that I have now been away in it twice for a local shakedown and I have it in acceptable order to use on my family holiday in Tenby in 2 weeks time.

I run a successful small business myself and am well aware of the sort of margin that the dealers make on a £25k sale - they have no excuse for not checking everything properly and making sure that we get what we paid for and expected

The reason that I have not named the supplying dealer is that any claim I might have will be against them as that's who I bought it from and not Coachman - although they were the people who didn't get it right in the first place

If you accept second best - then you get what you deserve

If more people spoke out and took action when required - then you would get a much better end result



Perhaps I should bring this whole discussion back into context - I really like my new van - but am disappointed that the finished product was not to the faultless standard that I was assured of and expected and perhaps more importantly paid strong money for

There is a saying " you only get what you pay for "

My point is that I don't think I got value for money one anywhere near.


09/8/2015 at 11:10am
 Location: Worcestershire
 Outfit: Buccaneer Cruiser
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It is not just Coachman, the problem lies across all brands and are quality issues. If they did a quality check on a caravan before it left the factory, it would be helpful.
You pay approximately £500 over and above the cost of the caravan for delivery and the PDI check however I am guessing that the dealership pockets the money and leaves it up to you to discover PDI faults.


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09/8/2015 at 11:35am
 Location: east midlands
 Outfit: swift 530
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I'm with the original poster here although we haven't bought a brand new van. We have however just swapped from our 22 year old van to a van which is a couple of years old.

We had very few issues with the 22 year old van, minor fuses and screws, plus a failed pump in 2010. We did miss a reseal and so got some damp in 2012 which we repaired and sorted but had that not happened there would have had no issues. When it left us oven, pump, fridge

The new van which we have had a year so far the fridge has died and must be replaced under warranty, we have damp under the right window another warranty job. The work can't be done until late September so no fridge for the summer months and since hubby was ill last summer we didn't really get to use it much, so this year is our first big summer with the van.

This trip the shower door has broken. It was serviced just before we left but now the hitch is sticking. Last trip the motor mover failed.

The cupboard door locks stick. The pump is noisy (I'm told that's normal in newer vans. The shelves don't have lips on them as they did in the old van. The toilet on the old van used to open the cassette valve with the flush, now its manual

On the plus side the van looks lovely, the furnishings are very comfortable and well sprung, love the heating and the cooker that is electric and gas. It tows beautifully. I do I miss my cocktail cabinet though.

I like my new van but its not come on 22 years in quality from the old one and I can't see this one lasting 22 years.





09/8/2015 at 11:37am
 Location: east midlands
 Outfit: swift 530
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Oh forgot to add the water tastes horrible in this van. So now we have to get a bottle of water from the onsite tap for a cuppa, a definite move backward.


09/8/2015 at 1:11pm
 Location: Swadlincote
 Outfit: Coachman 545 VIP. 2015.
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Well compared to the man with the Eldiss - then I got off lightly

When you get problems like he has the give them 3 chances to sort it out - make sure you write to them immediatey telling them if not sorted in a timely manner then it's straight to court

Then make sure you do it - it will have the desired effect

But of course what we really want is value for money and no hassle

Also all the people who just sit back and say they don't have a problem need not be too smug - next time it could be them

In my case I have already sorted 99% of my problems in just 2 weeks and i am reasonably satisfied that all will be good then

But value for money - No way


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09/8/2015 at 1:51pm
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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I would agree new caravans and also motorhomes are, in terms of sheet metal very poor value for money, the profit margins in the trade must be huge. The reason of course is that caravans and motorhomes are a tiny niche market catering for those who are prepared to pay whatever it takes to have what they desire.

While one cannot accuse anybody of running price cartels it is much easier to avoid cut throat competition in a small marketplace than a large marketplace. The UK caravan/motorhome industry is a cosy little club that the large continental manufacturers have not seriously bothered to penetrate, so why should anybody bother to try any harder? Customers can have what they are offered or they can leave it.

Basically though, fixing caravans is carpentry not rocket science and I'm not alone in achieving value for money caravanning by fixing up what others have just thrown away. A box to sleep in at the end of the day is still that matter how much or little it has cost the owner.


09/8/2015 at 4:14pm
 Location: Swadlincote
 Outfit: Coachman 545 VIP. 2015.
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At this point I think that I should say some good things about my Coachman VIP

Basically it is a very high spec high end caravan - aimed at the mature end of the market - most owners will be 55+ and usually just 2 people.

Whilst almost 25 ft long it is not for a family - 50% of it's length is a bedroom and bathroom - the rest is a luxury living space for 2 people

I am now on my second short trip in it and am beginning to really enjoy the van - and so I should for the price.

To bring the discussion back to my first post - is it worth the high price and why should there be so many little issues with it.

I accept that many people don't want a new van - my discussion is for people who do want one or have bought one.


09/8/2015 at 4:27pm
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport 636
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Quote: Originally posted by Compressorman on 09/8/2015
That's as maybe - but Coachman are responsible for the dealers they appoint and sending vans out with faults to the dealers in the first place is not a good move.

Not strictly true. Coachman have to, by law sell their product to any business who applies for an account and meets credit criteria etc.

It is the purchasers responsibility to select where they shop, the manufacturers are not allowed to restrict supply to dealers.


09/8/2015 at 5:00pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
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New vans to me have no character and the built quality is bad.

-------------
Animals have feelings..

JEFF................


09/8/2015 at 8:03pm
 Location: east midlands
 Outfit: swift 530
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Quote: Originally posted by Compressorman on 09/8/2015
At this point I think that I should say some good things about my Coachman VIP

Basically it is a very high spec high end caravan - aimed at the mature end of the market - most owners will be 55+ and usually just 2 people.

Whilst almost 25 ft long it is not for a family - 50% of it's length is a bedroom and bathroom - the rest is a luxury living space for 2 people

I am now on my second short trip in it and am beginning to really enjoy the van - and so I should for the price.

To bring the discussion back to my first post - is it worth the high price and why should there be so many little issues with it.

I accept that many people don't want a new van - my discussion is for people who do want one or have bought one.



Glad you like your new van although I agree with you paying for a new van should give you at least a year if not more of trouble free vanning. Certainly at the premium you are paying little niggles should be minimal



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09/8/2015 at 10:18pm
 Location: Teesside
 Outfit:  Mitsubishi ASX4
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Quote: Originally posted by Billy x on 09/8/2015
A box to sleep in at the end of the day is still that matter how much or little it has cost the owner.



Maybe that is how you view your £300 caravan. I presume you are also happy to live in a run down old flat, after all its just a place to sleep in.

Personally these days I like my creature comforts. As an example, at home my central heating is active 365 days a year, and will always keep the house at a pleasant temperature. Now I have the same in my caravan. Its great to wake up on a cold morning to a warm caravan, with the water heater ready to provide enough hot water for a decent shower.




09/8/2015 at 11:44pm
 Location: Wirral
 Outfit: Swift Freestyle 520 on seasonal pitch
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If I spend 20 grand on something, I expect faultless, no excuses, no Mr nice guy.


10/8/2015 at 12:11am
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I also agree with the OP and a couple of posts have proved what was said about some people accepting poor quality as the norm.
Even suggesting its the buyers fault for choosing that dealer rather than the simple fact of poor quality from the maker

-------------
It is a wise man who has something to say.
It is a fool who has to say something.


10/8/2015 at 10:07am
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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My solution freeat is not to have cold mornings to wake up to, none so far in the last couple of mnths in southern France. Why anybody wants to go caravanning in muddy fields in UK is beyond me, but each to their own, I suppose.


10/8/2015 at 12:56pm
 Location: Teesside
 Outfit:  Mitsubishi ASX4
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Yawn, been going camping/caravanning/motorhoming abroad for the last 45+ years, all over Europe, US, Canada, New Zealand, you name it. However there is some wonderful countryside here in the UK.


10/8/2015 at 6:07pm
 Location: East Herts
 Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail
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Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 09/8/2015
Quote: Originally posted by Billy x on 09/8/2015A box to sleep in at the end of the day is still that matter how much or little it has cost the owner.



Maybe that is how you view your £300 caravan. I presume you are also happy to live in a run down old flat, after all its just a place to sleep in.

Personally these days I like my creature comforts. As an example, at home my central heating is active 365 days a year, and will always keep the house at a pleasant temperature. Now I have the same in my caravan. Its great to wake up on a cold morning to a warm caravan, with the water heater ready to provide enough hot water for a decent shower.






I can see both sides of this one. Firstly, if I were paying £25k for something, I would expect absolute perfection. If it wasn't as I expected, I would be fuming! Secondly, I am with Billy. Our caravan cost us £500 plus a few tweeks to personalise it and a couple of new tyres. Everything works, and it has everything that any new van has, except an oven and a motor mover. We bought a £25 electric free-standing oven, which does everything we need, and the van is small enough for two of us to manouvre into position, if we can't use the car to do it. We are now into our second year with it, and consider it has already paid us back what we spent on it.

We have gas heating which is good, but we also have a cheap fan heater. There is a mains socket near the bed into which I plug the heater, so that if it feels cold when I wake up I just switch the heater on and in 5 minutes it's warm. What more could we want?

Just because someone is prepared to accept a cheap old van for holiday use, doesn't mean they would be prepared to accept second-rate for their permanent home, by the way.

Each to his own I say! Would I buy a new caravan if I could afford it? I'm not sure that I would at my age. £25k buys a lot of good hotel accommodation, and I would get waited-on.


-------------
Best Regards,
Colin



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