Caravan Life Expectancy

[JimD1]

Hi all,
We've just got back fom 2 weeks in Devon. While there I was talking to a couple who were caravanning full time - started out July last year. He was complaining that many components on the caravan they bought brand-new were now wearing out, and that 2 dealers who had carried out warranty work for them had both stated that the expected life expectancy of a modern caravan was approx. 8000 hours of usage. A year full -time is 8760 hours, so they were well over the 8000.

Does 8000 hours sound about right? Seems low to me, but this is our 1st year & I hadn't really considered how long modern caravans should go on for. We've been away for 60 nights this year & I don't know how much the previous owners used it - not a lot by the condition of the caravan when we bought it 2 year old at the end of last year. I'm hoping for more than 8000 hours though....

Jim

 

[Allen774]

I have seen caravans on sites made in the 70s and 80s still going strong,my wife and I lived full time in our van for three years wintering in Spain and summers in England and the only part we had to replace was a sidelight bulb.I think the 8000hrs timescale can be disregarded.
Allen

 

[hymerman1]

I have read somewhere that a British manufacture said that caravans where designed and built for leisure use, not for prolonged use, I found that British caravans where not up to the mark for my prolonged use and bought a Hymer (now on second, total of 11 years and counting) this has proven very sturdy and reliable.

 

[JimD1]

The caravan in question was a fixed bed twin axle Lunar - can't remember the exact model. From memory most of the problems experienced had been with fittings, not the chassis, running gear or structure of the caravan. Things like being onto 3rd water pump, taps wearing out, door locks & window catches needing replacement etc.

 

[xtrailman]

one site we use the wardens live in a tourer, every two years they change the caravan.
I asked why, the answer came " things start to fail after that time, cusion sag etc"

 

[graham8408]

a caravan is as good a you mentain it, just like your towing car,the safe thing to do is check and grease,an damp test,when you tour,try and get a hard standing,as grass residue will in the end result in damp,it can be a pain checking all the time but rembemer its YOUR pride and joy,a service isent too dear now-a days around £100,if you scout around,hope this has been helpful.

 

[robertholmes]

We have Swift Challenger which we bought 16 months ago and are constantly having problems with it. 48 so far and counting.
We use it at least one week every month throughtout the year with a four/six holiday in France. The major problems have been gas regulator failing, front window need replacing, wooden upright support for cupboard cracking in two, gas rings not working, fridge has never worked on gas until last week (it has been three times for this fault), light fittings burning out, fly screen jamming (this was a screw was missing, TV point needed replacing the list goes on and on.

Has anyone else had similar problems?

 

[TopCat1]

Hi,
I'm afraid that we have to accept that the British caravan industry is not the most customer friendly of industries. The warranties are confusing, restrictive and in no way designed to make life easy for the owner. You have to have your repairs carried out by the selling dealer yet most of the problems occurr when you are away from your local 'selling' dealer. The quality of fixtures and fittings leave a lot to be desired and the attention to the production quality control is basically non existant as far as I can see.
It's all very well to bring in new designs and layouts every year but unless they start to consider the owning experience the industry will go the same way as the car industry did. We already see many continental vans on our roads and sites all of which seem to have very satisfied owners. In the past they lacked many of our nice household items like ovens (their weather seems to support bar-b-ques) and had the door on the 'wrong' side. Look now though and most are supplying vans to our specifications with doors on our side. British caravan manufacturers watch out and be grateful we are too far from Japan for their van industry to be interested!