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Me and OH got our first 1993 eccles Jade last year and after a year and a bit of caravanning and getting to like it we took the plunge to buy something newer! Would have like something bigger but as we only bought our car a year ago we did not want to get rid of it, we had to get something lightweight. This restricted us so I narrowed it down to a bailey range or an avondale 470-2 as we wanted the end bathroom arrangement.

I take possession of it this evening and am really excited but now feel apprehensive as I typed in Avondale into the search facility on this site and found lots of moans about cracked panels. Mind you the baileys had lots of moans about poor quality and leaking roofs. My van is a 2003 Dart so apparently around the time of the problems, so I hope mine is o.k. I did not notice any damage to anything when I looked round it.

Please tell me there are some satisfied Avondale owners , epecially of the Dart range!! 

Do Avondales de value quicker too. The Baileys for sale seemed to be a little more than ours for sale and yet new there is not much difference?   

Hi....we have an Avondale Dart Mayfair 556 2004  And we love it to bits!!!!!!! 

When got it last year, after reading about the problems with the panels, I got a teensy bit paranoid...everytime we went away with it, I checked it over when we got there and when we came home.  Hubby found this highly amusing!!

If a crack was going to appear it would have last year...we towed it all over the country....over bumpy roads and campsites.

Now, I think lifes too short to spend my hols going over the van with a fine tooth comb!  Time better spent going over a glass of wine methinks!!! LOL

Enjoy your van..we do, infact...WE LOVE OUR ANNIE AVONDALE!!!!!!!!

Hi   we have the Avondale Argente 640/6 2006 and absolutely love it, no problems what so ever,apart from the damage we caused our selfs which has resulted in needing a new side panel and shower.

If there had been any problems I think they would of happened by now and been repaired.

Hope you have many happy outings, I'm sure you will

thanks guys. I did check it again the otherday when we parted with our money. Its now ours and I could not see any cracks at all on the panels.Its 2003 so like you say the cracks would hopefully have appeared by now. Fingers crossed.

I have now put all our bits and peices in the van and its ours. I love it already!!

We have a 2007 Avondale Osprey and its fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi         

        I wouldn't worry, as brian has said you only hear of the so called 'Bad ones', I was just the same with our new Burgundy, at one time Bailey seemed to be the best thing since sliced bread, then as soon as we order one BINGO, there are posts to the contrary.  

 In my view as with Bailey, Avondale sell thousands of vans, would they still keep selling them if they were that bad.

Quote: Originally posted by Bob™57 on 21/6/2007

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My Avondale has lasted 22 years...it can't be that bad

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Thats cos they use to build em back then Bob  The Avondales and Baileys have had front panel problems Bailey over a fairly extensive period Avondales restricted to more or less one seasons production which has now been fixed as far as I am aware the problems on all these vans normally shows up in the first two years so you should be OK 

Quote: Originally posted by romany on 21/6/2007

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Quote: Originally posted by Bob™57 on 21/6/2007

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My Avondale has lasted 22 years...it can't be that bad

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Thats cos they use to build em back then Bob  The Avondales and Baileys have had front panel problems Bailey over a fairly extensive period Avondales restricted to more or less one seasons production which has now been fixed as far as I am aware the problems on all these vans normally shows up in the first two years so you should be OK 

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Quote: Originally posted by Bob™57 on 21/6/2007

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Quote: Originally posted by romany on 21/6/2007

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Quote: Originally posted by Bob™57 on 21/6/2007

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My Avondale has lasted 22 years...it can't be that bad

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Thats cos they use to build em back then Bob  The Avondales and Baileys have had front panel problems Bailey over a fairly extensive period Avondales restricted to more or less one seasons production which has now been fixed as far as I am aware the problems on all these vans normally shows up in the first two years so you should be OK 

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Thank you...I would hate to think that all the cracks on the front panel were recent  

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adjust the angle of your reversing mirrors then you won't keep hitting it

adjust the angle of your reversing mirrors then you won't keep hitting it

I have a better idea...I just don't look at it