Bessarcarr Question.

[cris_408518]

My boss thinks the Bessacarr 550 GL may well be the van for us.

It has a seating area and a huge make up bed 6'10 x 5'11 and one of the best max head rooms. We don't want fixed bed as they are to small!

We have had an original Besacarr before that was great, but we've heard indifferent reports on Swift built Bessacarr's and current Swift models.

So what's the word on the build quality, we want a van that drives out the dealers and needs no trips back apart from an annual service.

 

[trucker]

Cris, Bessacarr, Swift, Bailey, Avondale, fleetwood and any other uk make will all give you trips back before your first sevice im afraid.

If you want pure quality at a price look at german build.

Weve got a brand new Abbey and are well chuffed, however its been back once since November and is due to go back again before March holiday.

Not to go back for anything me thinks is utopia, not real world of uk caravan market!!

Kevin H

 

[cris_408518]

Only interested in twin axles and we see few T/A German vans or am I just missing something.

If we end up with a van that has trips back and forth to a dealer, god help them and the builders. We never had any problems with the Bessacarr in the past or the last Bailey apart from sticky water pumps on both that I consider just a sympton re not using the van enough.

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Kevin H,

I have had 3 Bailey Senators over the past 8 years and have only had to take one back to the dealer on one occassion other than for routine serviceing. A lot of returns to dealers in the first year of ownership are because of poor P.D.I.'s.

For the record i was at Chatsworth C.C. site in 2005 and the owner of a Hymer Nova who was parked next to us had his first Hymer replaced at 3 months old due to water ingress. Worse still his replacement caravan had water ingress in the offside corner. Another friend with a Burstner had 2 broken door locks in the first year.You cannot generalise about either British or German caravans.

Hamer

 

[cris_408518]

Have to say that I don't like the look of a lot of German Caravans. They look as though they ride high and big single front windows do nothing for me and I hate lmainate or laminate look flooring.

We just want some idea of build quality on the Bessacarr really.

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

Hi Cris,

After owning two previous Bessacarrs, bought second hand, and being very pleased with both, we took the plunge and bought a new 625GL last year.

I can honestly say, we have been very pleased with the build quailty, it hasn't been back to the dealer for any remedial work at all. OK there are a couple of things wrong, which are being rectified when it goes in for it's first annual service on 20th Jan, but nothing major!

The thing which attracted us the the Bessacarr in the first instance is the very high spec and the fact that you get plenty of roof height. Both of us are tall me 5'10 and hubby 6'6 and we can actually stand up straight!

When considering our purchase we had a look at the new Bailey Senator. OK you get alot of 'van for your money, but when you get down to quality, it doesn't compare.

I think Frank will also give the thumbs up for his Besscarr as well!! :O)

 

[Val & Frank]

Hi Cris

We have had our Bessacarr 645 since July 06, it has required one curtain rail to be fixed ( used longer screws ).

We went to the storage yesterday just to check everything is OK, and it was. We also looked around the dealers to see the 2007 vans. We can honestly say we didn't see any van we would exchange ours for.

When we first looked at a new van the Bailey Louisiana was high on our list,but the Bessacarr won because of the higher grade fixtures and fittings. (this is of course a subjective view )

We will take our van to Braemar next weekend, with the wet heating system it's really comfortable even on the coldest of days. You do lose out the end bathroom with the 645, but the bed is very good with good sized hanging space, drawers etc.We did purchase a new mattress one of the foam ones which is proving to have been a good buy.

We have the chest of drawers at the front so when it's just the two of us, we lift the top to make a decent sized table for dining etc. ( no need to take a table etc ). Build quality currently is up to expectation with no trim falling off, electrical or mechanical failures. I don't say they won't happen but currently this is a very good van. In my opinion the best looking van on the market is the Crusader Super Storm, but internal fixtures and fitting can't comment on.

Val & Frank

 

[cris_408518]

Thank's Wendy and Frank.

Wendy when fit I'm the same height as your better half and Maureen is nearly 6'.

Can't stand my feet hanging out the end of beds so the 550 gives us the big bed with the wrap round and seperate seating area. Our ideal set up would be the 625 with the fixed bed replaced by a seating area. The 550 from the plans gives more usable floor area if you discount the fixed bed.No wondering if they would build a 625 as one off ????

 

[BeemerMal]

We have been loyal to UK manufactures for all our caravanning years......but I'm afraid I will most probably go for one of the German Vans when we come to change.

Our 2005 Abbey has been into the dealers now for warranty work on 3 occasions in Eighteen months. Nothing major has gone wrong, just faults that just should not go wrong on a new van. I have also made a number of DIY repairs where the sliding door to the toilet area fell off, a drawer fell apart and the wardrobe door would not close properly. I did these jobs myself because it was simply too much hassle to keep planning the trip to the dealer and then go back to fetch it when repaired.

One thing I am impressed with though is the service we get from our dealer....who, if the truth is known, is quite frustrated about build quality and QC in general ex factory.

We caravan in Spain for a few months each year and everyone I speak to absolutely have nothing but praise for the German vans although they do come in much heavier than the UK vans.

 

[cris_408518]

There seems to me to be something missing with the exterior looks of German vans compared to their cars.

I guess the failed car designers go into the caravan trade ;-)

We dont want a Tarmacer's home on wheels and as said it has to be T/A. Having looked at a few of the web pictures some look as so they are part Ikea inside. Yet another of my hates !