- Sep 12, 2021
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Build quality
- Thread starter Steve1962
- Start date
We too have a Swift, a 2019 dealer special based on Challenger, our ninth caravan and not the worst by a long way,we have had the usual extra screws floating about, a repair to over door control panel, and a few cupboard doors that have needed tightening, and stiff roof blinds
Our plan is to keep this van as our last van, to that end just had new tyres fitted, mainly because sadly we don't want to risk changing it for potential problems with a new one.
The comments ref Trustpilot really chimed with me, as they contacted me recently having removed my reviews for a company and accused me of spammimg. They stated they use AI to check posts,funnily all my reviews were 1 star that were removed.
I asked them to stop sending me automatically generated response, and they then sent me another automatically generated response, IMO Trustpilot is a complete waste of time.
I feel sorry for the gentleman in the video, and he has paid a lot more for his caravn than we did, even though cost should not really come into it,it is simply not acceptable for a product to fail to perform it's intended purpose, the washer under the badge was simple lack of attention to detail at the factory.
I have concerns that caravanning will cease to exist in its present form, the rush to net zero and electric vehicles, the cost of the caravans themselves, ever increasing site costs and the demands placed on household budgets, will in my view dramatically change the way people choose to spend their time and money
In some cases the manufactures have themselves to blame and it may be too late for them when they realise the size of the problem
Our plan is to keep this van as our last van, to that end just had new tyres fitted, mainly because sadly we don't want to risk changing it for potential problems with a new one.
The comments ref Trustpilot really chimed with me, as they contacted me recently having removed my reviews for a company and accused me of spammimg. They stated they use AI to check posts,funnily all my reviews were 1 star that were removed.
I asked them to stop sending me automatically generated response, and they then sent me another automatically generated response, IMO Trustpilot is a complete waste of time.
I feel sorry for the gentleman in the video, and he has paid a lot more for his caravn than we did, even though cost should not really come into it,it is simply not acceptable for a product to fail to perform it's intended purpose, the washer under the badge was simple lack of attention to detail at the factory.
I have concerns that caravanning will cease to exist in its present form, the rush to net zero and electric vehicles, the cost of the caravans themselves, ever increasing site costs and the demands placed on household budgets, will in my view dramatically change the way people choose to spend their time and money
In some cases the manufactures have themselves to blame and it may be too late for them when they realise the size of the problem
- Mar 14, 2005
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- Jul 15, 2008
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......manufacturers don't just make caravans they make motorhomes aswell.
That market is buoyant with well monied older retired couples splashing the cash.
I have always been gobsmacked at the number of caravans individuals buy....I have had 2 caravans in 30 years.
If the caravan market was made up of buyers like me it would collapse overnight!
That market is buoyant with well monied older retired couples splashing the cash.
I have always been gobsmacked at the number of caravans individuals buy....I have had 2 caravans in 30 years.
If the caravan market was made up of buyers like me it would collapse overnight!
- Nov 11, 2009
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We spent a week just before half term in the Forest of Dean Whitemead Park. It’s a site that we have visited for over 25 years, camping or caravan. Over the years the number of pitches has increased substantially and whilst having a walk around we couldn’t help but notice that caravans were very much in the minority compared to motorhomes. It’s been a developing trend over some years now on sites we have used.
- Sep 4, 2011
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Have you noticed nowadays on TV game shows when contestants asked what they would spend winning on, the answer is Campervan. As to Caravan build quality, we have had over the years many new Caravans, Swift, Elddis ,Avondale and Bailey. But the Best have always been Swift, as we have had 8 of them up to present Caravan. The only thing we have had fail on them all under warranty has been Appliances such as Microwave which is not down to Swifts build. Plus we have had a good Dealer for 50 years.
Caravan makers can and do reduce appliance reliability by poor installation - in the early days of microwaves in caravans, a number of makers had issues with poor ventilation of the housing - many fridges and heating systems are simply not installed in accordance with the appliance makers' instructions and perform badly.
I'm with Gafferbill, we've had just 3 caravans in 42 years - those who choose to change frequently just encourage shoddy workmanship.
- Mar 14, 2005
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We are guilty of changing caravans, having had 9, but in our defence, we have changed as our needs changed, young family, teenagers, back to a couple now, although as if to prove the theme of the original thread, a couple of changes were brought on by the poor reliabilty of the caravan we had, particularly a Coachman was the worst, closely followed by a Lunar just as they went pop.
Part of me feels sad that over 30 years caravanning while the past 10 seem to be notable for the so called innovation of construction techniques, in my view little has really improved, in build quality,since our 1993 Swift Challenger, if only we had kept it!
Part of me feels sad that over 30 years caravanning while the past 10 seem to be notable for the so called innovation of construction techniques, in my view little has really improved, in build quality,since our 1993 Swift Challenger, if only we had kept it!
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- Mar 14, 2005
- 18,471
- 3,747
- 50,935
We had had a caravan industry for about century, and whilst there have been some improvements, such as insulation, and using 12V lighting instead of gas, considering the types of issues we continue to see reported today especially related to water ingress, the industry has failed abysmally to address this most pernicious failure mode. Ingress is probably the worst example of systemic design failures, but there are others also.
I would venture to suggest a reasonable person would expect a touring caravan to have a 10 year fault free life (excluding consumables like brake wear, air & water filters anti freeze fluids in systems etc ). I'm not suggesting that just means a 10 year warranty, but there should be a fault free period of ten years. Caravans are NOT highly complex items like cars, or TV's, yet customers are paying luxury prices for them.
It is within the caravan manufacturers capability to make significant improvements to the design, materials and construction/assembly of caravans to dramatically increase product quality and reliability. They choose not to invest in such work, in favour of profits where a significant part of that profitability is to charge customers inflated prices to cover warranty costs. This means you are paying them to produce products with faults!
As we move forward through the 2030's the changes to personal transport means will force the caravan industry to face some major changes. Caravans will need to become lighter and more aerodynamic which basically means smaller. It may also mean that fewer people continue to caravan, as they are faced with less capable (but more efficient tow vehicles) rising costs for caravan sites and storage. The way we will be able to caravan will change, and become less convenient. Exactly how the industry reacts and changes to meet the new challenges will remain to be seen.
I would venture to suggest a reasonable person would expect a touring caravan to have a 10 year fault free life (excluding consumables like brake wear, air & water filters anti freeze fluids in systems etc ). I'm not suggesting that just means a 10 year warranty, but there should be a fault free period of ten years. Caravans are NOT highly complex items like cars, or TV's, yet customers are paying luxury prices for them.
It is within the caravan manufacturers capability to make significant improvements to the design, materials and construction/assembly of caravans to dramatically increase product quality and reliability. They choose not to invest in such work, in favour of profits where a significant part of that profitability is to charge customers inflated prices to cover warranty costs. This means you are paying them to produce products with faults!
As we move forward through the 2030's the changes to personal transport means will force the caravan industry to face some major changes. Caravans will need to become lighter and more aerodynamic which basically means smaller. It may also mean that fewer people continue to caravan, as they are faced with less capable (but more efficient tow vehicles) rising costs for caravan sites and storage. The way we will be able to caravan will change, and become less convenient. Exactly how the industry reacts and changes to meet the new challenges will remain to be seen.
Not sure the MH market is as buoyant as it was. We traded in our MH for a caravan 2 years ago. Nice Adria MH 2016, low mileage. Got a good trade in value. Two years later the dealer still hasn't sold it.
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