AM I DOWN HEARTED?

[Edward_5065872]

Owing to health problems,{arthritis} my wife and I decided to sell our 5yr old coachbuilt motorhome and buy a caravan,so that we had the use of a car once on site.We decided to buy an Ace Award Tristar,manufactured by the Swift groupe. We duly collected it on the 31-03-05,and seeing as this was the first caravan we had owned, we parked it on the drive for a short time, so as to become familiar with the workings etc.We eventually placed it on a permanent site on the east coast with the intention of using it most weekends,as were both retired,but to take it off site to tour when needed, which we did visiting cornwall,somerset, for a few weeks.Iv'e had to return the van to the dealers twice in the short time we've had it,once for 1week,and again for 2 days I could'nt leave it longer as we had booked to go away.The repairs were;Gap above van door;strong draught from all around fridge;igniter kept on ticking once fire had been lit on gas,rang the dealer,who advised me to take the battery out,which I did, so I could'nt use the fire on gas again.The reason I put the fire on gas ,was becausewhen the fire was on 230volt if you changed the setting in any way it would go off and refuse to come back on.During the night their was an almighty crash,one of the roof light globes had fell off,on inspection the cellotape which had been holding it in place had given way;The Tristar is a fixed end bed,with storage below,which you can access from the rear outside locker to save lifting the bed,the only thing different with our van was that when I opened the locker,I noticed we had got an on board water tank no one had mentioned.The locker door has a lock in each corner, you only had to open one lock and the door came open,so rain was entering where it did'nt catch,I'd fitted a carpet in this storage area so that when we went touring things would'nt slide about,thankfully the carpet soaked the water up before it came into the living area.Battery locker 2locks ah' 1 dos'nt.As I'ved already said the vans been back to the dealer twice and is waiting to go back again, another 200plus miles round journey,the fire's still not working on 230volt and if I take the duck tape off the locker door I've still got the on board watertank.Am I down hearted I'll leave you lovely campers out there to make up your own minds.One things certain I'll get to spain this winter be it caravan or not

Happy and safe travelling Edward.

P.S.Swifts assured me the van was given its customary P.D.I. before leaving the factory? .and reffered me back to the dealer

 

[GrahamW]

Edward

Yet another example of how poor the industry is in general. The comment about the PDI is typical of someone who is reluctant to take ownership of a problem and sort it out to the satisfaction of the person who, after all, is paying their wages. All I can say is its a good job they dont work in my industry they would be out of work within the week.

"Jumps down from soap box"!!!!!

 

[Surfer]

Can you confirm that it is a supposedly brand new caravan. As you mention PDI from Swift I am assuming that it is a brand new caravan, if so, take a copy of the PDI form which should have been ticked by Swift or the dealer and a list of your complaints to the local Trading Standards as you have recourse under the sale of goods Act regarding the outfit not being of a reasonable standard and repairs not been done in a reasonable time. That should wake up the dealer. We did the same with a 2004 Lunar Lexon and got results!

 

[Edward_5065872]

Hy' Ian

Yes it is a new caravan purchased from the dealers 2005 year stock.The dealer agrees that things are'nt right,and asures me they will be put right. I like to take people at face value and trust things will be put right a.s.a.p.before creating bad feeling and taking it further.As stated I previously owned a coachbuilt motorhome which my wife and I purchased new in August 2000,we had more problems with that than we have now which then involved the trading and standards,so I don't want to go down that road just yet. Swifts attitude annoyed me more any thing else,when I pointed out to their customer care representitive that the next journey back to the dealers would add up to in excess of over 600 miles I had already travelled,and the cost of diesel,she was quick to point out that it was the purchasers responsibility to return the caravan to the dealar at their own cost.I forgot to mention before, that when we went to the van last weekend the gas would'nt come on at all.After again ringing the dealer and telling him,on his advice I disconnected the regulator and found that gas wasn't coming through.I tried to purchase a new regulator without success.I again rang the dealer who said he had got one , if I could collect it.I phoned my son who lives a few miles waay from the dealer, so he collected it the same day and brought it to me the next day.My wifes at the coast now with our 7yr old grandson and her sister and her grandson,so I was anxiouse to get it sorted.

Regards Edward