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19/5/2012 at 10:49am
Location: South Wales Valleys
Outfit: Elddis Avante 482 Outwell Montana
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Hi, it's very rare for me to passionate enough about anything to want to write about it unless I've been wronged or ripped off but today I wanted to share my positive experience of caravan dealers. We are seasoned campers, we have been sleeping under canvas for many years and last year we took the big decision to buy our first caravan, big investment for us, took alot of saving and a considerable amount of worrying but in Feb 2012 we saw a van we liked in Newport Caravans, anyway we bought it, an Elddis Avante 2003, the dealer gave us a free starter pack inc all the essentials like battery, water/waste containers, steps, Hitchcock, wheelclamp etc...
The van came with a 12 month warranty, we needed a complete novice introduction to the van on collection and the dealership had a lovely fella spend an hour with us showing us how to connect the water pump etc... In our household (me, my useless man and two Bichon mutts) I am the only driver so that was a concern too but a little coaching and even though I get some strange looks as a female behind the wheel its been fine. During the time we had the van we have had a kitchen tap leak, took it into the dealer they replaced the tap, the old status aerial wasn't picking up any signal, they changed it for a snazzy Status 530 and each time we have felt like their one and only special customer.
Now it's out of warranty after the winter storage 'Colin' the caravan had a few issues like freezer door wouldnt stay closed, the bathroom tap was leaking from below, a small crack has appeared on the rear bumper of the van above the number plate and the awning light was flickering. We booked it it, prepared ourselves for the £250 bill thinking that the posh bathroom tap is at least £60 on its own at least.
We collected it yesterday, all job fixed, including a full external wash of the van and our bill £40 and some pence. Again Mark the Director was there moving and hooking up vans, came over for a chat and even noticed we had changed our car (blinking caravan has made me a Chelsea tractor Land Rover Discovery driver).
I feel so relaxed about my caravan maintenance, I don't worry about it, they have superb customer services and I am pretty lucky to have them only 10 miles down the road.
I can't wait to change my van and upgrade it in Newport caravans when my piggy bank gets enough pennies in it. Absolutely marvellous dealership, promise I don't work there just thought after all the sad and unfortunate stories about bad ones I would share a positive story.
Toodleoo
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Cheers,
Domino (Donna)
I love camping more than I love Take That!
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19/5/2012 at 11:42am
Location: Stoke-on-Trent
Outfit: Compass Kensington + Octavia 4x4
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Fantastic to hear your story and well done Newport Caravans!
Andi
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19/5/2012 at 6:50pm
Location: Llangennech Nr Llanelli S Wales.
Outfit: VW Touareg & Swift Charisma 635
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The aftersales is much improved since they were Mendip then.
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19/5/2012 at 8:22pm
Location: South Wales Valleys
Outfit: Elddis Avante 482 Outwell Montana
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Sorry scarletsfan didn't even know they were called Mendip before, must have been before my new caravan adventure. That name does ring s bell though.
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Cheers,
Domino (Donna)
I love camping more than I love Take That!
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20/5/2012 at 8:03pm
Location: pyle bridgend s. wales
Outfit: swift alpine sport
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hi,i called in there last week whilest staying at tredeger park caravan site,needed a few parts to do running repairs,they could not have been more helpfull,as they were quite busy at the time,we left with our bit,s and pieces and we both had the same throughts how good the service had been,when i am ready to change van they will be my first port of call.
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its easy enough to be pleasant when the world rolls along like a song.but a man is worth while if he can smile when every thing goes f------ wrong.
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20/5/2012 at 11:06pm
Location: south wales
Outfit: range rover vogue elddis odysey 634
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they were not mendip caravans.
newport were on a diffrent site
at the same time as mendip were on this current site.
when mendip went through newport caravan took over the site
and moved there from about a mile away.
the owners did work for mendip but left at least 18 months
before they closed and opened newport caravan
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andy&ros
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21/5/2012 at 7:17am
Location: Newport Gwent
Outfit: Adria Adora 542DL FordSMax
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Not quite accurate.
Mendip Caravans were on the existing site plus they had a workshop outside
Crickhowell known as Abergavenny Caravans.
They were taken over by Discover but kept most of the the staff.
When Discover were in trouble Newport Caravans appeared around the corner on
the riverbank as a caravan service business and storage facility(which seems to be
still there).
They (Newport Caravans) took over the Discover site with some of the original
personnel.
The existing setup is certainly far friendlier and the workshop etc appears to be of a
high standard.Some of the staff appear to be new or newer and they seem to be a
dealership again.
Unfortunately due to my very bad experience with Mendip i am still wary as
Scarletsfan seems to be.
No wishing to be negative but why did the caravan mentioned in the post above have
so many problems in the first place.
Terry
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21/5/2012 at 8:58am
Location: South Wales Valleys
Outfit: Elddis Avante 482 Outwell Montana
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Blinking eck, seriously confusing all this name and location swapping.
Worrying that dealerships are going under, would hate that to happen as a bit of a trek to the alternatives.
I'm surprised you think that there have been lots of problems. I hear taps go all the time with frost cracking the ceramic inside and micro switches breaking yearly for some unlucky owners. It's a nearly ten year old van so a freezer magnet and some taps is pretty awesome I think. I was more concerned about the dreaded damp, I checked the damp report before purchasing and had it done again at year one and even bought myself a damp meter. NOWT. Marvellous.
A blocked kitchen sink because a clip inside the cupboard had moved causing a kink ( which by the way was caused by me probably shoehorning my kettle, toaster and bin into the space ) isn't really a disaster, if I or more if my man was capable of even lifting a screw driver then we could have done that ourselves but working out which way the toilet cassette fits in is like the krypton factor every time we go away! Useless doesn't even begin.....
Maybe next time in several years I'll be able to purchase a new one, they are a Swift dealership I understand and I love nosing at them when I'm there, will be sad to see Colin go but I sure would love a fixed bed so there's no more bed making at night!
I'm really surprised, if a ten year old car had cost me £40 in 15 months I'd be chuffed to bits.
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Cheers,
Domino (Donna)
I love camping more than I love Take That!
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21/5/2012 at 8:11pm
Location: North Devon
Outfit: Lunar Stellar Peugeot Partner Tepee O
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Newport Caravans was set up by the former General manager of Mendip caravans in Newport. He had previously worked at the WSM headquarters of Mendip caravans. His partner in setting up Newport caravans was the former service manager at Mendip WSM.
They both left Mendip at the time it was sold to Discover leisure and set up Newport caravans.
When Discover shutdown its Newport operation they took over the premises and have traded there since that time.
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Dave
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31/5/2012 at 8:27pm
Location: Newport South Wales
Outfit: 2010 Sprite Alpine 4
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I agree wholeheartedly with all the comments about Newport Caravans. They do make each and every customer feel special and nothing is too much trouble. I am in there quite often and almost always come away with something I need. We had an issue with our water pump which had seized and only discovered it hours before setting out for our holidays last year. I popped the van over there and they fitted it and only charged me for the part. In fact Mark Massey, one of the owner/directors fitted it for me.
Full marks Newport Caravans and long may this continue
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04/6/2012 at 11:39pm
Location: S Wales The Badland
Outfit: Swift Challenger 530
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Another vote for Newport Caravans.
They do a good job & treat people fairly.
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SamP
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Topic: Newport caravans
