Bailey Olympus 460/2

[brian_c]

We currently own what we would term the best caravan we have ever had. It is A Bailey Ranger GT60 series 6 460/2.
The best because it is the first one we have had from new. January the 27th brings it to two years old and we have no issues with it at all.
So to the point of my post: Whilst having a browse around what is fairly local to us Yorkshire caravans of Bawtry we were tempted into the new Olympus 460/2 and we liked it very much.
We only half listened to the salesmans enthusiastic comments and the brilliant deal he could do for us.(His Words) Not actually having thought of changing.
However I do like the fact that the Olympus is more suited to winter use with it's grade 3 insulation and I like the thought that The
Alu-tech construction addresses the problems of water ingress better than traditional construction.

So my question to anyone who uses an Olympus is would you recommend the model?
I must also say that whilst damp is serious for caravanners who have had issues with it. I have only worried about it since getting the new Bailey, up until then all our vans have been rather old and not that costly so had I been faced with serious damp I would have attempted DIY repairs in a laid back unconcerned way.
Unfortunatly with new vans and the money laid out that would be out of the question. ( I suppose better vans bring their own stresses)
So Best regards to all. Brian

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Brian
See what I wrote about the Unicorn a while back.. My view but 12 grand is 12 grand.
Quote:-
We had a very close look at a Unicorn Barcelona S2 last week . This is the direct model replacement of our S6 Senator Wyoming. Mathematically I need to find £12k to upgrade. So what do I get for the £12k that floats my boat Sadly imo not a lot Alu -tech construction must be good but the free water ingress guarantee is only 6 years. I'd have to pay a few hundred more to get 10 years. Alde central heating may be better but is heavier, and arguably more costly to run. Is it really better than our Truma warm air system The rear end bathroom on the Unicorn is a great disappointment. Smaller window, cramped toilet position where knees will hit the side of the vanity unit, much smaller shower cubicle. Everyone knows putting a circle into a square loses space. This is just what Bailey have done, a retrograde step imo. The wardrobe in an effort to offer more hanging space has sacrificed shelving. Not for us. Less windows in the bedroom making it slightly less airy than the Wyoming. Massive fridge freezer. No thanks. Why do I want to lug around a heavy unit full of frozen food. The Wyoming fridge is more than adequate. As a result of the change the lovely "sideboard" area has been lost. No onboard water tank. That's a mystery to me . All year caravanning makes an onboard tank mandatory. The pull out table flap above the chest of drawers is vastly smaller than Wyomings. Not at all comfortable to sit at. Smalle rkitche sink. Couldn't see the drainer. Loss of conventional front locker seems a backward step. The magnificent front window wasn't for us . It results in loss of locker space. We concluded Bailey had it spot on with the S6 Senator range but felt compelled to reinvent the wheel. Well that's our view but our £12k can now be spent on better things until hopefully Bailey reinvent the wheel again

 

[Gafferbill]

Brian......... for me your post lists a great many reasons for keeping a good caravan for many years to come and enjoying your trips away with it.
You have met a salesman, who is obviously very good at his job and who has his eye on a profit he can make from selling you a new caravan.
If you sold your current van the person buying it second hand would get the best deal...... in my opinion!!

 

[dougie201]

Hi Brian,

We have the Olympus 534 series 1 2010 model and we have had no problems with the van at all. It has given excellent service from day one and would def recommend the Olympus. We use our van all year round and the grade 3 insulation in excellent, caravan is toasty warm even in minus degree conditions.

Dougie.....

 

[dougie201]

Duplicate Post

 

[brian_c]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Very valid points regarding the price of changing. I am coming around to thinking that perhaps better to stick with what we have and get a good deal of use from it. Although my point regarding worrying over future damp issues would still be in my head with any new van even the new alu tek ones. It's strange that the only time the thought of damp problems has bothered me is when we have bought a new van. Like I said in my opening post I never had any fear of getting the tools out and going for it with any job required over the years with the old vans, that even included installing gas appliances, electrics etc although now I would leave any gas work to those qualified to carry it out. The GT60 we have now still carries another 3 years water ingress warranty provided of course I have servicing carried out by an accredited workshop. Which I intend having done.
It just highlights the dangers of browsing around the dealers showrooms when you don't actually need anything, The couple I bought my previous caravan from only called at the dealers to get a battery for the clock and came out proud owners of a brand new Abbey.
Thank you all again for your posts. Best regards Brian

 

[NigelHutson]

Brian,
You have a caravan now which you're very happy with, and you know it's watertight. In that case, I'd personally stick with it. As you say, it's still got water ingress warranty, and you have it serviced regularly. You could buy a new caravan that is full of problems and leaks from day one. Alutech or non-Alutech, water ingress isn't good on any caravan, let alone the hassle of you having to get it sorted out.
We have a 2010 Lunar, and I keep seeing new caravans with more modern designs and the odd little extra bit here and there which makes me think "change". But, like you, on the whole we're more than happy with ours and we know it, so common sense prevails!
Enjoy your caravan.
Nigel.