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After a couple of months of searching on the internet and requesting brochures and reading posts from you guys, I was sure that we were going to buy a Brand New Geist as our new caravan.  Our Ace Transtar 2006 is lovely but a tad small for the five of us. 

(I feel bad posting this after reading another post from someone who's just purachsed a new Geist, sorry... :(

But we went to the Geistdirect place in Lincoln yesterday and I can't believe how dissapointed I was.  I had been harping on to my husband for weeks about superior build quality and german manufacturing and how it would knock ours into the shade and he had a look and said "Well I agree with you it's a great design, but to be honest, the Quality's not all that".  I had to agree with him, the AK495 we looked at was shabby.  The laminate was peeling around the bunkbeds and the concertina door for  shutting off the kids room was so flimsy that we felt it would break after being rattled about on a few journeys, it also was a struggle to get it's magnets to hold it shut.  The wardrobe doors were a nightmare to open and then even worse to close, very poorly made.  I have to say the space and the layout were great as was the width of the bunkbeds.  We were actually interested in the AK595 twin axel but they didn't have any in.  But we did look at a few other vans to see if the AK495 was just a dud but had to agree they were all of a similar standard.  Just not that impressed.  I had a look at a few used vans of other manufacture sitting there and found them to be far more substantial and finished to a higher standard.  I must admit the salesman chap wasn't too hot either, told us we were looking at brand new vans and we spoted on the plate they were 2007, now either they're second han or they're just not shifting....

But...... while at the Lincoln show on the same day, we looked around some 5th Wheels on a stand by Niche Marketing.  I had previosuly ruled 5th wheels out as we don't want an American truck to tow with and our Hilux cannot legally tow them.  But this company deal in 'Lite' versions and I was soooooo impressed with them.  Really beautifully built and so little to do to set them up once on site.  So now I am going to do a little more investigating on these.  Any info, reviews, ideas?

Thats a shame you we're disappointed with geist, Have you had a look at elite caravans in Northampton they sell loads of geists and they had a 595 yesterday when we picked ours up. (I had to stop OH buying that one the week before!)

I have to say when we picked ours up yesterday I was really impressed, It felt really well finished off and everything seemed better made inside than our previous swift,  cannot wait to get up there tonight to have another play.

Good luck in your search though.

We have had our Geist since 2006 and none of the laminate is pealing, the dividing door/ curtain Lincoln improved for us by adding another catch.

It’s a shame you were disappointed - we are still really happy with ours and especially the way they have looked after us at Camper UK.

Did you talk to them about want you were concerned about with quality? It may just be that the catches on the wardrob door needed adjusting, we had to have ours done.

J

Quote: Originally posted by canvasquivers on 25/6/2009

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Go for a Bailey!!!!!

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the OP wants a good, well built van. a van that wil last for years lol

have a look at burstner vans they are well built

What about a Coachman Caravan? if its build quality you are after then they are one of the best

Adam

Bailey or try another Geist

 Bailey customer service is nearly on par with john lewis after the dealing i have just had with them.

John Lewis customer service is the best in the country.

Explorer group cs is pooh!!! this is from experience.

Quote: Originally posted by gazmister123 on 25/6/2009

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P.S. I love those fith wheelers too but where do you put the dog if you have no boot?

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Quote: Originally posted by Niall24 on 25/6/2009

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Quote: Originally posted by gazmister123 on 25/6/2009

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P.S. I love those fith wheelers too but where do you put the dog if you have no boot?

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Tie it to the bumper good exercise....    ;) heheheheheheh

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Quote: Originally posted by Evertonian Boy on 25/6/2009

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Also, what licence do you need for a 5th wheel rig, hard enough getting large MH on sites in UK, let alone trying these big boys?

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  The fifth wheel we looked at was only 27ft long which when hitched to the truck is the same length as a big caravan, as there is an overlap and no A-frame to take in to consideration.

ooooo decisions decisions.....

Quote: Originally posted by TheFarmersWife3 on 25/6/2009

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  I must admit the salesman chap wasn't too hot either, told us we were looking at brand new vans and we spoted on the plate they were 2007, now either they're second han or they're just not shifting....

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I pointed this out a couple of weeks ago - in the middle of a Geist-worship thread.

LMC, who make Geist, made major design changes to their caravans last year ( from 08 model year which began production in 2007) - the Geist's are basically the former LMC 'Dominant' range which is no longer made by them.

There's nothing wrong with Dominant's (in fact, they're a tried and tested design) but unless LMC are still producing dominants for Geist (not very likely) then ALL the Geists currently being sold as 2009 models are at least one year old (and probably older)

There are obviously quite a lot of unsold Geist's from previous years - and, if they are being touted as 2009 caravans, then I think that is quite dishonest.  It's easy enough to stick an '09' chassis plate on a 07, or 08 unsold van - but that doesn't make it 'new'

Interesting that Geist Lincoln no longer display Geist vans in their showroom (now devoted entirely to motorhomes) and the number of Geist vans (of any age) is quite small  (no Geist flags or bunting, either)   It's only my opinion, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them disappear from the market before too long - even Geist UK in Gateshead have very little 'new' (or as 'new' as they can be!) stock

Quote: Originally posted by oliver67 on 25/6/2009

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eriba is better but what do i know lol!!

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blinking good vans, all ally tig welded frame but they dont have the layouts, you see 25 year old eribas on the road, how many 25 year old british vans do you see, have spotted a cheltenham, thomson t-line and not a lot else