Bailey Oklahoma and/or Vendee

[john_5040735]

Am giving some consideration to purchasing one of these vans. Any comments gratefully received - positive/negative.

Thanks in advance

 

[Award1]

Can;t comment on the Senator but I have a 2005 Provence, same van as the Vendee except its a twin dinette instead of a fixed bed. The separate shower sold it for us after previously having end bathrooms. There is an issue at present with the plastic ducting warping slightly through use of the hob, but Bailey are working on this and all new vans have polycarbonate ducting. Mine is to be changed under warranty at its 1st service.

The Tv shelf is a little small but solved this by taking a LCD one from home. You won't be disappointed in the van.

Andrew

 

[Paul_5041248]

Firstly, Andrew, as I have a Series 5 Vendee would you elaborate on the ducting issue.

John - find the Vendee is very good - changed from a Moselle to a 2003 Vendee and now to a series 5. For me, the only other option would have been the Wyoming but felt perhaps a little too long as our van is mainly used for weekends away.

Certainly the rectangular fixed bed is far better to other makes (and also the Wyoming) where one side of the mattress toards the bottom is cut off - I suppose Ok for a one legged person!

We prefer the L shape lounge.

The separate shower was a major factor and one of the reasons why the Bordeaux (another because I have two legs) was rejected.

 

[Award1]

Paul

The issue was recently on another forum regarding the plastic cover which runs around the caravan under the overhead lockers. This warps with use as the hob is apparently too close to the lockers. Below you will find the transcript reply from Bailey, who have looked at it and are now making it in polycarbonate. When your van goes in for a service ask the service manager to replace with the new material.

I've got to say though great van, but it let me down last week when the battery charger blew and kept knocking off the 12 volt, replaced by Reads in Blackburn day after holiday was aborted - great service.

The reply is::::

"Thank you for your further email.

Please find below detailed explanation from the Support Service Manager.

When first developing Pageant Series we recognized that the distance between the under locker plastic extrusion and the hob was less than the 500mm stipulated by the hob manufacturer Spinflo in their fitting instructions.(The Pageant Series 5 distance is 450mm)

As a result we carried out the normal 'Hob Tests' to evaluate the designs performance. This involved boiling 4 saucepans full of water on high flame for 15 minutes and then simmered for a further15 minutes. This plastic extrusion did not distort.

Two prototype Pageant Series 5 caravans were tested (used) by our Technical Director and the Design Manager for their summer holidays and weekends away. This amounted to a total of 54 days use. They both have young families and subsequently the hob was used virtually every day. The plastic extrusion did not distort in either of these caravans.

During our first production builds we ask all our major component suppliers to approve the installation of their products in our caravans. When Spinflo did this they carried out their own hob teat that differs from ours. They noted a slight distortion of the under locker extrusion, but approved the installations as this was not safety critical.

We have measured the temperature of the plastic extrusion when running the four hob rings with no saucepans on them for 1 hour and the plastic reaches 110 oC. This is above the softening temperature of the under locker extrusion plastic but well below its melting point of 200 oC.

We acknowledge that some consumers have experienced distortion of the under locker extrusion. As a result we are manufacturing some extrusion in Polycarbonate which has a higher softening point temperature. In order to do this we are having made a new extrusion tool because the existing tool can not be used with this material. The softening temperature of polycarbonate is 135 oC.

We will have supplies of the polycarbonate under locker extrusion by mid June. Anyone wishing to have theirs changed can either contact us direct and we will supply them a replacement or their supplying retailer who will change it for them.

I trust this is of assistance to you.

Assuring you the best of my attention at all times."

 

[Paul_5041248]

John

Sorry to hijack your topic. Thanks for taht Andrew - think I will get Bailey to supply it direct to me - then I do have a spare. Are there any other known service replacements for the Series 5 - especially Vendee.

When booking the first service (due end of August) I did complain that the struts wouuld not hold up the bed and was informed that Bailey have issued stronge struts and that they would fit them at the service.

 

[Carlton1]

John/Paul.

We have series 5 Pageant Champagne great van had a few little niggle at the start but these where put right by the dealer, the only major issue we have is the bases of the draws coming unstuck. the hot melt glue does not do the job to well. this is going to be put right on the first service.

Carlton.