Bailey Pageant Series

[Hayden_374341632]

Hi,

Firstly, my wife and I are completely new to the caravanning scene. I have just noticed a new member section which I will say Hi to everyone on.

I was hoping someone may be able to tell me any good/bad points to the Bailey Pageant Series 6 as we are looking to buy one this month. Also, does anyone know if there are any marked differences between the 2007 & 2008 models as I have noticed that they are both on sale at our local dealer with a £1.5k price difference.

Anyway, I will pop over to the new member section to introduce myself!

Thanks, Hayden

 

[Ian_5040589]

Welcome Hayden,

The price difference presumably relates to the fact the the 07 model is a demo. Check it closely for any damage - you'd be amazed how much stick demos take. Bailey usually only update the van when the series number changes.

Everyone will have differing opinions on different manufacturers. Our last van was a Bailey and I wouldn't buy another one. Quality was very poor and Bailey customer service was non existant. Our current van - a Swift - is much better built and Swift utilise this forum and take interest in customer concerns.

That's my opinion for what its worth!

 

[Hayden_374341632]

Thanks for the info Ian, much appreciated. I have been looking at the Bailey mainly due to cost, it is a 5 birth with a layout that really seems to suit our needs perfectly. It is right at the top of our budget though and the comparable 5 berth Swift goes over that when you add the extra's (microwave and radio, etc) that the Bailey has. I suppose it's just a case of going along and having a damn good look at all the options to decide if the extra pennies spent is worth it.

I see your point with the 2007 model probably being a demo so I think I might skip that idea as we are really hoping for a brand new caravan.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hayden, i had a ex demo van and i would never have another ex demo again.

check out all the dealers in your area there will be alot of good deals around at the moment.

which part of the country do you live?, only asking because someone on here might know of another dealer who is selling more of a bargain.

jo-anne

 

[Hayden_374341632]

Hi jo-anne,

We are from Lancashire, near Chorley and Preston. Any idea's and comments would be greatfully received!

Now we have finally found a seasonal pitch, getting the right caravan feels like treading through a minefield! It's unnerving shelling out a large chunk of money on something we know absolutely nothing about...

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Hayden

You are on the right track. The Bailey Pageant is a clubman class and as you have seen comes packed with goodies. We had a series 5 2005 Vendee and my in laws have a series 6 Monarch. The extras they have are fantastic value for money. Our series 6 Senator Wyoming doesn't really seem to have much more kit than the Pageants. They tow very well and I never had any problems worthy of note.

My best advice to you is to think very carefully what you really want from your caravan. eg how many of you will regularly use it? For me as there are only the 2 of us , a fixed bed was a prerequisite. It's all about compromise so remember you may have to sacrifice bathroom space for bedroom space etc. Take your time and think outside the box. You'd be amazed how many people buy the wrong layout based on say taking the grandkids for one weekend a year yet as a couple they go away weeks at a time! Don't let the tail wag the dog.

Most importantly of all to me, ensure you choose a very good dealer with a strong connection to Bailey. Don't be tempted to save a few hundred pounds buying from a dealer at the other end of teh country. Ask the dealer if they can put you in touch with other customers. You will learn a lot from them.

Good luck and enjoy the new toy.

Cheers

Alan

 

[WatsonJohnG]

For what its worth my friend has a Bailey Senator and recently swapped his 3 year old caravan at Reads

That may not be very illuminating but he does work for several caravan dealers in the North West and chose Reads so that must say something

He was pleased with the build quality and service on the Pageant so he bought a Senator

I was impressed with his Bailey Pageant and we did quite a lot of mods on it that would have shown up shoddy workmanship so I bought the Senator Oklahoma 2 years ago

It has needed some warranty work

One cracked light shade and one cracked chopping board were replaced at the first service and the second service just had ticks in the Ok box for everything

We had a Jubilee Statesman for 3 years prior to that and that was ex demo and no problems.The Senator feels a better van but then its in a different range and cost more

 

[Robfooty]

I would assume that since you are after a 5 berth then it's a provence you are looking at - which is the van we have. We traded up from a 500/5 to a provence. Both vans have basically the same layout (provence has as separate shower cubicle), but we do wonder how practical 5 people in one would be. If you use the rear double with the bunk up above it anyone underneath it is extremely claustrophobic, I know I tried it.

If you are after a seasonal pitch and a five berth then why not a ranger 500/5 for example, quite a bit cheaper, only a bit smaller, plus quite a bit lighter to tow. Can't help thinking the dealer has a provence they want you to buy not the other way round. Remember it doesn't matter what you go in to the dealer asking for they always have a van on the forecourt they think you should buy even if it doesn't meet your needs/budget.

Don't get me wrong we love our provence.

 

[Hayden_374341632]

Many thanks to all who have took the time to reply, some very useful information and points made in them all.

We have come to realise that it is easy to get bogged down with all the different layouts and models each manufacturer offer and you end up changing your mind every five minutes!

Robfooty, we like the look of the 500/5 and Provence models basically because you can screen off the rear sleeping section which is handy for the kids, less noise at night etc. Plus, if we have friends to stay they have a double and so do we. Decisions, decisions...

The 2007 Provence is