Caravan servicing

[Buckman]

Our twin axle is due for its annual and sixth service before end of October. I phoned the dealer closest to us who are 30 miles away as they sell our brand of caravan. I was a bit shocked when they quoted £399. I then phoned the dealer from whom we bought who are 87 miles away and they quoted £284 so a big difference. The AWS technician that we sometimes use is £230.

Dropping off the caravan always means a double trip whether just down the road or further afield. If the AWS technician finds anything that requires the dealer to rectify, we still have to do the 87 mile trip. I am not aware of any issues that may require any work so its seems that the AWS technician who is less than 10 mile away from out storage depot is the answer.

Now the spanner in the works. We are booked for a short holiday mid Sept in the same area as the dealer from whom we bought and we could drop off the caravan after our holiday for its service and then later do the 180 mile round trip to collect the caravan. Seems a toss up between AWS and the dealer who is 87 miles away? Decisions, decisions!

 

[GaryB]

Our previous caravan was a twin axle and it's last service (March last year) was £325. Servicing prices vary a lot! Like you, our local dealer is only a short drive away so I just put up with the higher cost rather than trying to find someone else to do it.

 

[Buckman]

Our previous caravan was a twin axle and it's last service (March last year) was £325. Servicing prices vary a lot! Like you, our local dealer is only a short drive away so I just put up with the higher cost rather than trying to find someone else to do it.

If the increase was about £50 I would agree but a difference of £114 is quite a bit plus the off chance that we may have to take it back to the supplying dealer if there are any damp issues. We are away in the caravan this weekend and will do a damp check around the caravan and then make a decision.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Arrange the service to take place at your supplying dealer at tge end of your holiday and spend the day in the area, no additional mileage.

 

[Dustydog]

A no brainer. Same as Mr Plodd. Enjoy your holiday . Drop off first thing am. Collect lunchtime. The annual service doesn’t take more than 4 hours

 

[Paullus1959]

AWS mobile service for me after an horrendous experience with the dealership I bought my caravan from.
The guy I use has 5-star reviews and for most if not all independents reputation is key to remaining in business.

 

[Dustydog]

Very true but in Buckman’s case the Dealer knows him very well and indeed the history of his caravan including all the issues. I suspect they will be ultra careful. They know he knows CRA intimately 😎

 

[Beachball]

We always use a caravan engineer he came to look at our last van inspected it if he says it okay would go ahead with private sale and since owning the van for three years he service annually and did a damp check so for me it would be a no brainer where he is based .

 

[Raywood]

Our last service in August was £280 which seems to be about par for the course in the Glasgow area. Pity about the additional £350 to replace the battery box where the hinges had failed. I would not be prepared to drive very long distances to have the caravan serviced so doubt I could be tempted to go for a replacement at a dealer based too far away.

 

[Sam Vimes]

We face similar problems but with larger distances. Over 300 to the original dealer but nearest approved dealer 150.

First two services to the original dealer because there were warranty problems to fix at the same time. This year with no apparent problems we're trying the nearer dealer. If warranty problems get flagged we'll have to go to the original dealer. But then if the original dealer flagged a warranty problem we'd probably have two visits since they can never fix the problem until much later.

The other complication is that the workshops want the van empty. We can just about get everything in the car but it's not ideal.

Last service at the original dealer we planned with a holiday cottage stay for which the dealers workshop was on the way. Dropped empty van off at beginning and collected it on the way home

Single axle service this year £317

 

[Buckman]

We were still undecided however we booked into the dealer who is a 180 round trip, but we were going to stay at caravan site nearby for a few days prior to the service date. Only issue for a same day service it was Tuesday - Thursday and the caravan needed to be dropped off by 8am which was a bit awkward.

All the AWS chaps around us are booked up solid for the next several weeks so decided to look further afield and found an AWS in Gloucester near to our favourite CL and about 40 mile from our caravan storage site.

I phoned and asked if they can do the service on the CL. He asked where we were from and told him our town. He then said that he has opened a new workshop nearby our town and gave us the name of the suburb. I hought brilliant and asked exactly where and it turned out to be a unit at our storage location. So not even a quarter of a mile to tow caravan back and forth. LOL!

Bonus is that he is a bit cheaper than the other AWS by a couple of pounds! Win Win! Happy bunny!

 

[Sam Vimes]

Some people have a the luck 😁.

We're still faced with a 300 mile round trip.

 

[Banus]

I am lucky in the sence that my storage depot (containing approx 600+ vans), has a number of small industrial units within its boundary and one of them just happens to be a Caravan repair / service centre. Needless to say he has a captive audience and is never short of work.
I have booked him for a full brake overhaul service including inspecting and spraying all 4 corner steadies, and will pay £80 to include all parts & labour. For that he also collects the van off my pitch and returns it when the job is complete.

 

[Buckman]

I am lucky in the sence that my storage depot (containing approx 600+ vans), has a number of small industrial units within its boundary and one of them just happens to be a Caravan repair / service centre. Needless to say he has a captive audience and is never short of work.
I have booked him for a full brake overhaul service including inspecting and spraying all 4 corner steadies, and will pay £80 to include all parts & labour. For that he also collects the van off my pitch and returns it when the job is complete.

I wonder if it is in Powick?

 

[Beachball]

We were still undecided however we booked into the dealer who is a 180 round trip, but we were going to stay at caravan site nearby for a few days prior to the service date. Only issue for a same day service it was Tuesday - Thursday and the caravan needed to be dropped off by 8am which was a bit awkward.

All the AWS chaps around us are booked up solid for the next several weeks so decided to look further afield and found an AWS in Gloucester near to our favourite CL and about 40 mile from our caravan storage site.

I phoned and asked if they can do the service on the CL. He asked where we were from and told him our town. He then said that he has opened a new workshop nearby our town and gave us the name of the suburb. I hought brilliant and asked exactly where and it turned out to be a unit at our storage location. So not even a quarter of a mile to tow caravan back and forth. LOL!

Bonus is that he is a bit cheaper than the other AWS by a couple of pounds! Win Win! Happy bunny!

Great news you can get the caravan serviced .

 

[Buckman]

Great news you can get the caravan serviced .

That would be extremely difficult if the servicing is being done at our storage compound?

 

[Beachball]

That would be extremely difficult if the servicing is being done at our storage compound?

Not at our caravan storage we had no problem getting a AWS chaps to service our caravan

 

[Buckman]

Not at our caravan storage we had no problem getting a AWS chaps to service our caravan

I think you have misunderstood my post. The AWS person I contacted in Gloucester has an undercover unit at our local storage so no need for us to travel.

 

[Banus]

I wonder if it is in Powick?

Sshhhhhh, it’s our little secret👍. Ever thought of a career in espionage? Having said that there were quite a few clues there.

 

[Buckman]

Sshhhhhh, it’s our little secret👍. Ever thought of a career in espionage? Having said that there were quite a few clues there.

Are you aware that an AWS tech from Gloucester has recently taken it over after the last AWS chap left.

 

[Beachball]

I think you have misunderstood my post. The AWS person I contacted in Gloucester has an undercover unit at our local storage so no need for us to travel.

I read your post again #15 probably i need go to specsavers it a unit near your local storage sorry about that

 

[Banus]

Are you aware that an AWS tech from Gloucester has recently taken it over after the last AWS chap left.

Only recently returned to caravanning after a 20 year hiatus and not even sure what a AWS was!! After a bit of Googling, now getting up to speed with organisations etc.
All I know is that the guy I'm booked in with to do my brake service is called Dan and appears to be knowledgable, friendly and a thoroughly nice chap but don't know how long he has been there.

 

[Dustydog]

How were the damp readings😁

 

[davyayr]

Our twin axle is due for its annual and sixth service before end of October. I phoned the dealer closest to us who are 30 miles away as they sell our brand of caravan. I was a bit shocked when they quoted £399. I then phoned the dealer from whom we bought who are 87 miles away and they quoted £284 so a big difference. The AWS technician that we sometimes use is £230.

Dropping off the caravan always means a double trip whether just down the road or further afield. If the AWS technician finds anything that requires the dealer to rectify, we still have to do the 87 mile trip. I am not aware of any issues that may require any work so its seems that the AWS technician who is less than 10 mile away from out storage depot is the answer.

Now the spanner in the works. We are booked for a short holiday mid Sept in the same area as the dealer from whom we bought and we could drop off the caravan after our holiday for its service and then later do the 180 mile round trip to collect the caravan. Seems a toss up between AWS and the dealer who is 87 miles away? Decisions, desill a warranty claim possible, it's a no brainer. Go mobile caravan tech.

Our twin axle is due for its annual and sixth service before end of October. I phoned the dealer closest to us who are 30 miles away as they sell our brand of caravan. I was a bit shocked when they quoted £399. I then phoned the dealer from whom we bought who are 87 miles away and they quoted £284 so a big difference. The AWS technician that we sometimes use is £230.

Dropping off the caravan always means a double trip whether just down the road or further afield. If the AWS technician finds anything that requires the dealer to rectify, we still have to do the 87 mile trip. I am not aware of any issues that may require any work so its seems that the AWS technician who is less than 10 mile away from out storage depot is the answer.

Now the spanner in the works. We are booked for a short holiday mid Sept in the same area as the dealer from whom we bought and we could drop off the caravan after our holiday for its service and then later do the 180 mile round trip to collect the caravan. Seems a toss up between AWS and the dealer who is 87 miles away? Decisions, decisions!

If still covered by any warranty, then its a tricky one. As your asking, then I assume any warranty has expired.
No warranty then I would go local.
My recently purchased caravan is 12 yrs old. Serviced etc before we collected.
Previous caravans we owned were damp tested, gas safety checked and electrical safety cert checked by local independent(s).