Best 6 berth caravan with bunks

[Spice52]

Hello all

Looking for a 6 Berth caravan, single axle with rear bunks.

What’s your thoughts on a good, well made caravan?

We are looking around 2014 to 2016 a budget of £12000.

We found a Lunar Quasar, but getting put off with the poor reviews, soft floors, leaking, damp, poor quality etc.

Is the Lunar range really that bad, or are other makes, baileys, swifts etc just as bad?

Maybe folk mostly post about negative issues than the positive ones?

Surly if Lunar was that bad they would not be in business?

Or can anyone recommend a better quality and reliable make, model?

Many thanks for your help.
.

 

[Icaru5]

We have a Swift dealer special based on the Sprite Major 6TD which we are pleased with. Definitely worrth a look ...

 

[Craigyoung]

Knew you'd get there before me ;
But I'm at work ! We have the same and we are pleased with ours too , bunks are nice and spacious for the kids and plenty of room for them to do what they want as well as us .

 

[Raywood]

If you go to the magazines customer reviews you will find that Lunar are about average over the years for quality. We are on our second and yes they are not brilliant but what problems we have had have been sorted and although we would like a better quality the service has been good although I suspect that is more down to the dealer and that is where a lot of peoples problems arise rather than the caravan maker.

Lunar have had a problem with soft floors on some models I think 2013 or 2014 and 2014 models had a problem with leaks across the joint between the front panel and the roof. Those that have suffered should now have been rectified, particularly the floor problem. If you are looking at one of about that age check for this, make sure the servicing has been done as Lunar require, there is a recent clear damp report and that the guarantee is transferred to you. As with any second hand buy you need an up to date damp check.

The surveys suggest that Adria and Sprite are best for customer satisfaction with Eldiss consistently the worst. They all turn out the odd rubbish model though, so the most important things are the history of that one, that it has been serviced and is damp free and any guarantee can be transferred to you. I would not be put off by the complaints, you will find as many or more if you check any makers record.

 

[Spice52]

Ray,
Thank you very much, very helpful

 

[saint-spoon]

The surveys suggest that Adria and Sprite are best for customer satisfaction with Eldiss consistently the worst. .

I must say that we love our Adria Tamar 7 berth with fixed bunks at the back. the only downside for me is that having the heater and shower room at the back it does get hot down that end compared to the front. We use a couple of rechargeable fans to help circulate air and that sorts it out.

 

[Anseo]

I do like Craigyoung's Sprite Major 6TD layout for various reasons.
I do like my Bailey GT65 Ancona too.

I only very rarely have guests, hopefully the grand kids will come with us now that they are becoming less mummydaddy clingy; sounds wrong that - but some of you will know what I mean .

I just like space so won't change the 6 berth, I would love a fixed bed, but again I would prefer to sacrifice the fixed bed for 'space', some of as are a bit strange in what our caravan preferences are :huh: : .

 

[Mel]

Weinsberg Caravans now do a six berth with a fixed bed AND fixed bunks. Think it is a twin axle though.
Mel

 

[otherclive]

I do like Craigyoung's Sprite Major 6TD layout for various reasons.
I do like my Bailey GT65 Ancona too.

I only very rarely have guests, hopefully the grand kids will come with us now that they are becoming less mummydaddy clingy; sounds wrong that - but some of you will know what I mean .

I just like space so won't change the 6 berth, I would love a fixed bed, but again I would prefer to sacrifice the fixed bed for 'space', some of as are a bit strange in what our caravan preferences are :huh: : .

When we bought our current van we had been to the dealership to look at a fixed bed. However that van had too many areas of damage both internal and external that we gave it best. So we just wandered around the sales area and came across the Sprite Musketeer TD five berth. It struck us as so spacious with its twin dinettes and various sleeping arrangements and it was in excellent order. We don't regret our choice as it is so flexible for us as a couple, us with our teenage granddaughter or me and the granddaughter plus two dogs on all occasions. So going away from a fixed bed has been quite a bonus for us and setting up the front double is quite a quick and smooth process. I take the dogs for last wee and five minutes later I return and the bed fairy has finished.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello all

Looking for a 6 Berth caravan, single axle with rear bunks.

What’s your thoughts on a good, well made caravan?

We are looking around 2014 to 2016 a budget of £12000.

We found a Lunar Quasar, but getting put off with the poor reviews, soft floors, leaking, damp, poor quality etc.

Is the Lunar range really that bad, or are other makes, baileys, swifts etc just as bad?

Maybe folk mostly post about negative issues than the positive ones?

Surly if Lunar was that bad they would not be in business?

Or can anyone recommend a better quality and reliable make, model?

Many thanks for your help.
.

Hello Spice,

You will need to look at the manufactures plans to find the layout your looking for

As for the relative qualitative merits of each brand, the problem is non of the uk manufacturers have reliable quality assurance schemes, and this means that successive caravans rolling off the production line can vary from virtually perfect to being not fit to be sold and many shades in between. Importantly teh few that are virtually perfect prove the designs are not all bad and they can work provide they are put together correctly.

However some models are known for certain particular problems like moulded panels that crack, but that may be limited to just one model from a wide range.

Basically its pot luck with a new caravan, but if you are looking for secondhand, then the picture can change. as hopefully the inadequacies of teh original build will have been corrected through the first years warranty claims.

Often the perceived quality of the caravan comes more from the willingness of the dealer to put things right.

You are of course correct that its human nature to make song and dance about something that goes wrong, where as things that go right don't get a mention.

Just to remind you that when you buy a caravan (or any other retail product) new or second hand, your contract to purchase is covered by the Consumer Rights Act, and I strongly advise you read up about what you should expect from your seller in both what they sell and how they should look after you after they've taken your money.

Most consumers do not know about the CRA and consequently many sellers get away without offering what they are legally required to do by the Act. Read it and don't be afraid to use the rights it affords you, but remember it only applies between you and your seller, not the manufacturer.

 

[Raywood]

Oddly enough Lunar have now signed up to a quality assurance scheme. Will have to see how it works out in practice.

 

[Guzzilazz]

As anyone involved in ISO accreditation will attest it's all a paper exercise, get your stuff together for the assessor, go through the tick boxes with you and there's your certificate. It doesn't actually DO anything... I think the one I did was ISO 20000 (IT Service Management) and it was such a waste of money. It would have been better to get the staff together and talk to them about thinking about what they did and better ways of doing it...

 

[otherclive]

As anyone involved in ISO accreditation will attest it's all a paper exercise, get your stuff together for the assessor, go through the tick boxes with you and there's your certificate. It doesn't actually DO anything... I think the one I did was ISO 20000 (IT Service Management) and it was such a waste of money. It would have been better to get the staff together and talk to them about thinking about what they did and better ways of doing it...[/quoteI

OOPS

 

[otherclive]

As anyone involved in ISO accreditation will attest it's all a paper exercise, get your stuff together for the assessor, go through the tick boxes with you and there's your certificate. It doesn't actually DO anything... I think the one I did was ISO 20000 (IT Service Management) and it was such a waste of money. It would have been better to get the staff together and talk to them about thinking about what they did and better ways of doing it...

I was a Lead Assessor for Def Stan 05-21/24 which were the predecessors to BS5750 which then morphed into the ISO series. There were companies that saw it as a tick-box exercise just as some see Investors In People, but good performing companies did use it as part of their overall approach to managing quality in design, manufacture and support. There is some evidence to show that those companies that actively adopt such standards do have superior financial and product performance, but as these are likely to be good performing companies the scale of that improvement in performance is hard to gauge.

I recall one technical investigation that involved the widespread failure of pressurised air safety critical systems, which comprsied many components sourced from different suppliers integrated and installed into a system designed by the lead contractor. Without the ability to track the design and manufacture through the various procurement sources there would have had to have been a wholesale rip out and start again. So I do believe that taken seriously by a committed management leadership team such standards can bring benefit.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Ray,

That is an interesting development, and I too will be watching to see if it makes any practical difference to the end user. I specifically used the term "end user" to differentiate from Lunar's Customers who are dealers not the end user.

The BS EN ISO 9000 series of standards, relate to the way a business is run. It does not directly apply to the "quality" of anything the business makes, but the ethos of the accreditation should place a duty on the business to carefully review how their products are used and that should inform the designs for modifications and new products.

I have read all the quality pages Lunar have posted, and whilst it clearly refers to 'customers' and their needs, it does not specifically or even hint at end users! We have to hope that their reference to internal and external customers will include the extended customers of their dealers i.e. end users.During my work in QA systems, the businesses that did consider the end users needs usually did much better than those who were more restrictive in their definitions of customers.

Unlike the end users who's purchase is a retail contract.and thus covered by the CRA, the contracts manufacturers have with their dealers does not have to include rights for the dealer to return faulty goods to the manufacture. They will have their own T&C which cover those situations.

However. It is step in the right direction, but it still needs end users to vigorously pursue their rights against the dealers, and if a dealer consistently fails to respond to customers rights, the pain the CRA causes will either drive them under of force them to improve which will bring pressure on them to renegotiate their contract with the manufacturer.

 

[ProfJohnL]

As anyone involved in ISO accreditation will attest it's all a paper exercise, get your stuff together for the assessor, go through the tick boxes with you and there's your certificate...

That is I believe an over negative view of the both the approach and value of such accreditation's. I am aware of some businesses that have taken the approach that "Guzzilazz" has mentioned. Whilst such organisations may present enough evidence to satisfy the original application, the continued re accreditation is usually seriously jeopardised, as the evidence trails the assessors have to follow would have too many broken trails or dead ends, and the assessors will have real cause to be suspicious the organisation is not conforming to their obligations.

As to the value of accreditation, in some commercial circles there is a legal requirement for organisations to only trade withe organisations who have a proven QA or management systems. (e.g. Aerospace and mining). Where there is no legal requirement, it is up to the organisation to decide if there would be any commercial or ethical reasons for going for accreditation.

Part of the ISO 9000 series is that the accredited organisation must ensure have in place means to assess the incoming purchases or the supplier must have a proven QA system that will ensure the received goods conform to contract. It also encourages best practice across a range of activities.

But there are some organisations where there is no perceived value to having an accreditation,but that does not mean it does not benefit from using some of the best practices contained within the accreditation processes. To that extent "Guzilazz's" approach of just training staff without going for accreditation has some merit.

Typically small retail businesses who sell to consumers, accreditation to BE EN ISO 900* would have little practical value, Lager multi chain retailers would have more reasons to consider accreditation, especially if they sell goods with their own branding.

 

[benshepherd]

Hobby 560 kmfe. Much better quality than anything UK built. Only problem will be finding one for that price, but you could look at Dutch and German websites. P. J. JOERESSEN are supposed to be very good with UK customers. In the UK, try Ray North at Mann Motors in Leighton Buzzard - he is very helpful and a Hobby dealer.