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Subject Topic: No need to buy continental Post Reply Post New Topic
Personmfdaustrey
22/12/2013 at 3:24pm
 Location: Wiltshire
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I have been looking at the possibility of buying a new caravan from the continent. I do not want a basic van but all the UK specification! All I want extra is a decent sized bed. Even with continental vans I had decided I would have to forego an end washroom (there are very few), so I was surprised to see I can now "Buy British"!

The Swift/Sterling Sport 514 has a fixed double bed 198x133cm and all the mod cons, including a solar panel. Does this mean other manufacturers will follow suit? Does anybody know of any new caravans that realise the need for length?


PersonIainM
22/12/2013 at 7:35pm
 Location: West Lothian
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Just traded in a 2012 Eccles Sport 514 (Cruach Benmore Dealer special).

The van itself towed well, was well built and offered a good spec at a reasonable weight .... downsides of the 514 layout is the small washroom and difficulty making the bed up due to its location in the corner next to the washroom. Otherwise I would recommend it ... more so in dealer special spec.

We did 150 nights in ours over many thousands of miles without anything falling off, breaking or any issues with water ingress.

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2020 Volvo XC60 B5 R Design Geartronic / 2018 Swift Elegance 580

Best Wishes

Iain


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Personmfdaustrey
22/12/2013 at 9:13pm
 Location: Wiltshire
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Thanks for the recommendation. It didn't have the bed as long as the 2014 version, did it?

We looked a year ago and unless I misread the brochures the bed was only about 190cm.


Personbobthedrive
22/12/2013 at 9:55pm
 Location: Hampshire
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We are considering a Sterling Eccles Sport 514 - 2014 model.   I took a video with my iphone of one a couple of months ago.See here http://youtu.be/jVh9-1Av2Nk
I am 6ft 2 tall and like the idea of a 1.98 6ft 6" bed. We currently have a Sterling Europa but the fixed bed is no longer than 6ft 3" so it's a bit of a squeeze.


PersonIainM
22/12/2013 at 10:10pm
 Location: West Lothian
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Quote: Originally posted by mfdaustrey on 22/12/2013
Thanks for the recommendation. It didn't have the bed as long as the 2014 version, did it?

We looked a year ago and unless I misread the brochures the bed was only about 190cm.


The bed was plenty long enough for me ... it was longer than most I remember that, don't think it has changed.



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2020 Volvo XC60 B5 R Design Geartronic / 2018 Swift Elegance 580

Best Wishes

Iain


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Personmfdaustrey
23/12/2013 at 10:17am
 Location: Wiltshire
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Just checked. Could have had one of these last year. My excuse was that there was some discrepancies between differrnt brochures I saw.


PersonJack+Jon
23/12/2013 at 11:13am
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All though of course one reason to buy continetal could be that without the large front window area so beloved by UK caravanners, the more rigid structure of continental caravans may help them stay watertight for longer & avoid stress cracked panels.

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Regards, Jack+Jon.


Personbnmuk
24/12/2013 at 7:26am
 Location: n.yorks
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Quote: Originally posted by Jack+Jon on 23/12/2013
All though of course one reason to buy continetal could be that without the large front window area so beloved by UK caravanners, the more rigid structure of continental caravans may help them stay watertight for longer & avoid stress cracked panels.


My Hobby has got a huge one piece front window


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alan


PersonJack+Jon
24/12/2013 at 9:15am
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It was your choice to buy it & you had the choice big or small which UK brands tend not give. Tbf, Hobbys are not the most leak free of German caravans but for less chance of leaks you could have gone for a small front window &/or with no rear window or even no front window on some other German makes. The less windows & smaller they are the less likely the caravan is to leak as the body will be more rigid & less prone to stress cracks. Current Swifts are even worse, the front 'glass' area is even larger.

If customer requirement is for large frontal window area for the ambience it creates then long term intergrity of body will suffer.

Post last edited on 24/12/2013 10:10:04

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Regards, Jack+Jon.


Personsunshinetours
24/12/2013 at 3:47pm
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What German vans have you owned J&J?


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Personbnmuk
24/12/2013 at 5:56pm
 Location: n.yorks
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The window on mine is about the same size as uk vans, if the reference about "your choice" was meant for me I have no regrets at all, makes the van weaker, I dont think so, we get lots of people admiring the van and asking to look inside, oh my god its beutifull, and its so well made, I believe Hobby had a problem with models leaking in 2007 and that was drainage channels blocking with leaves and other rubbish, nothing to do with windows.

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alan


PersonJack+Jon
24/12/2013 at 6:44pm
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Quote: Originally posted by sunshinetours on 24/12/2013
What German vans have you owned J&J?

I've had an '88 Eriba & an '89 Burstner, both old when I got them & both were solid with no leaks, Burstner was conventional construction with small windows but its the Eriba that tends to prove the point, steel frame, so totally rigid construction & really the only caravans still around from the 70s-80s in any numbers are Eribas.

The construction method would not be suitable for larger caravans but it proves that the more rigid the structure the less likely the seals are to fail. If a caravan leaks after a year its probably a manufacturing fault but plenty of UK built caravans leak after 5yrs & front/rear panels crack which is still outrageous, most likely caused by excess body flex & the way you prevent that while still keeping structure reasonably light is to have less window area.

Not really the usual German vs UK caravan argument though, just a suggestion that a caravan with a smaller window area, particularly on the front might be less prone to leaks. As the op points out, a caravan with a German sized fixed bed is now available in the UK & in fact several UK supplied caravans do have smaller front windows so the choice is there to UK buyers.



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Regards, Jack+Jon.


Personagri
31/12/2013 at 5:36pm
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Don't think the sports have the solar panel, my 514 2013 does not have one !
Agri

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Agri


PersonIainM
31/12/2013 at 6:43pm
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They got a solar panel for 2014

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2020 Volvo XC60 B5 R Design Geartronic / 2018 Swift Elegance 580

Best Wishes

Iain



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