Coachman 540/4 VIP

[DavieP1]

Anyone out there had one of these vans, we just bought one and would appreciate it if people would share any experiences, tips, complaints etc

Regards

 

[AndrewWimborne]

I had a VIP 520/4 until Dec 2005. It was purchased new from Mendip Caravans. I found the van first class for the nearly 3 years we had it. Nothing went wrong and I then made the dreadful mistake of trading it in for a new Bessacarr but that is another story. I think you will be very pleased with it.

 

[Val & Frank]

Hi Andrew

"I had a VIP 520/4 until Dec 2005. It was purchased new from Mendip Caravans. I found the van first class for the nearly 3 years we had it. Nothing went wrong and I then made the dreadful mistake of trading it in for a new Bessacarr but that is another story".

I take it that you have traded your Bessacarr now for a new VIP ?? Quite honestly if you haven't please stop bleating on about it.

Val & Frank

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

I'm afraid I have to agree with Frank - sorry!!!

 

[AndrewWimborne]

Don't worry I am trying my best, legal action going on against dealer at the moment. If you consider having to go and mop out inside the windows every time it rains plus numerous other faults acceptable then you are just the type of customers the caravan industry want.

 

[Val & Frank]

You are right Andrew it is unacceptable, and you are right to pursue a claim. It's just that because yours is unacceptable not all Bessacarrs are. Is it the caravan or is it the dealer not correcting a fault??? I just get fed up of reading your personal gripe againt Bessacarrs. We love our van and it is so far faultless, albeit after only 6 months, so pursue your claim but please don't keep on about it until YOU resolve it.

Val & Frank

 

[AndrewWimborne]

I thought the idea of these forums was to express personal opinion and experiences. If you have a good van thats great, I have not and am entitled as you are, unless you are the new moderator to express my opinion.

 

[Val & Frank]

We LOVE OUR BESSACARR IT'S FIRST CLASS CONSTRUCTION AND EXCELLENT QUALITY OF FIXTURES AND FITTINGS MADE IT OUR NATURAL CHOICE. NOW YOU MAY READ ELSEWERE THAT IS NOT SO,BUT THATS JUST AN OPINION AND SO IS OURS.

SO ONCE AGAIN A BESSACARRs FOR LIFE. PRICE IS AN INDICATION OF QUALITY I REST OUR CASE.

Val & Frank

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Price is not an indication of quality. Our Bessacar had so much water ingress after 6 months it had to be completely taken apart. Our dealer had a not very old Carlight traded in and it had water ingress. Bessacar are built to the same standard as any other Swift make of caravan. When Bessacar was an independant company they were a quality caravan. you could go to the factory and order a bespoke caravan as we did. I am not saying Bessacar are good or bad caravans but they are now just another Swift. I feel the only true quality caravan left is a Vanmaster. You pay the price and get quality.

This is a forum for people to express their opinions, and if we own a caravan which someone else on the forum has or is having problems with we should be grown up enough to accept that criticism.

Hamer

 

[cris_408518]

OK.

We have been looking to buy our first ever new van as that is what my boss wants to do.

Bessacarr 550 Gl could be an option and my wife has been to look at one, whilst looking around at a dealers she met a couple who had sold their 10 month old 2006 625 due to water leaks and other build problems. Our last but one caravan was an original Bessacarr so she listened and as the other couple wandered off the chap pointed out two other Bessacarrs parked in an area away from the publics view, aparently vans awaiting serious warranty work get hidden by new stock.

As good as Franks van is, it's good to here that other stories if they are out there and to hear how people get treated by dealers and the van builders.

One or two problem vans do not make the whole brand bad and a good response re problems that are solved quickly and permanently should give peace of mind.

Another thread here asks about a new car, every report on the said car seems to relate back to the old models very poor reliability record.

Reliabilty issues need to be addressed or Manufacturers hide behind the odd loyal owners who have been lucky. Is difficult to get a balance veiw, but its a hell of lot of money at stake when it all goes wrong so I feel Andrew and Hamer have a point and Swift Group would do well to listen learn and act.

 

[Val & Frank]

Quite honestly I don't care if people like a particular make of Van. What I do get annoyed about is when someone keeps carping on about what a bad buy they have had!!!.

So now, we have all Swift Vans tarred with the same brush!!!!!. You buy a van for what price you are prepared to pay. If it doesn't work out you have to trade it back in.

Yes you lose money but if the Van is as bad as portrayed the dealer should be the one to take some of the hit, afterall he made a profit on the deal, and has to be prepared to lose some of it.

Park the van outside the dealers showground and list the faults,handout leaflets to other browsers pointing out how bad the deal was that YOU did when buying YOUR van. Any dealer would be ready to sort out the problem you perceive to have with your purchase.If he doesn't like the fact that your advertising HIS shoody dealership maybe he will take you to court to sort out the facts.

Val & Frank

 

[cris_408518]

Many years ago I worked in retail for a while, if there was a problem with the goods we were told not to argue with a customer and hand them a new replacement or the cash back and apologise.

In recent times we've had a TV digi Box fail and was changed by Currys in five minutes for a better model at no extra charge.

A traffic module for a Satnav failed and we got sent a new

 

[Val & Frank]

Being new to caravanning we purchased a brand new caravan from a local main Bailey Dealer on Higher Purchase, after five trips away during our first year and getting the Caravan Bug especially our two children (aged 3 and 6) love going away in the caravan, We stored the caravan for the winter and booked up trips nearly every other week for next year. Then came the caravan's first annual service where a water ingress problem was found with damp readings of up to 80% caused by stress factures in the Front ABS Panel / Roof joint

Don't BUY a Bailey Now do you see what I mean tarred with the same brush

Val & Frank

 

[cris_408518]

Well so far we have two people with good Bessacarrs ( at the moment )

and two failed and a first hand example of another that failed.

And the three failures all reckoned they got a raw deal it seems.

I see your point Frank, but wonder about your reaction when you find yours is leaking, after all I believe you have not had it long and not gone to far with it yet.

I have to say that if my wife goes for the Bessacarr I know what will happen if it leaks and it will be sorted very very quickly.

 

[AndrewWimborne]

A very interesting discussion, just what this forum is all about. People must accept other peoples viewpoint without getting all defensive. My only point in all this was that I have owned 10 new Caravans in my time and I was fortunate enough at my last change to be able to go for a genuine top of the range van. I do feel having spent all that hard earnt money that I am allowed to show my disappointment to the manufacturers, the dealers and other users, as you can see I am not alone. The caravan was riddled with problems. I still do not understand how caravans can be still built to such poor standards. I have got exactly the same problems now with my van that I had 25 years ago with my first van. My last two cars Kia Sorrento's have given me no problems at all.As a matter of interest I am hopefully now following legal support about to get a satisfactory resolvement to this issue. So Frank you will not have to write in capitals to try and defend your point any more!!!

 

[cris_408518]

Andrew not that it is a lot of compensation but with modern adhesives I can see no excuse for caravans leaking providing the right care is taken when being put together.

Adhesives used for similar materials used in truck building come with a 2O year guarantee re bonding/sticking I understand providing they are used in date and in the right way. Good luck with your case and I hope you get a good result and compensation for your trouble.

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

We took our 625 to be serviced last month, and to have the fridge recall thing dealt with.

We have had a few irritating things crop up with our 'van over the twelve months we have had it, but nothing that needed it to be returned to the dealers. The majority of "problems" were loose screws etc. the microwave, which I loathe, had come adrift from it's anchors, and the bottle holders needed repositioning, and that was about all!!

As a matter of interest, and I was quite suprised, that our dealers are now not having anything to do with the Swift group as they are such a difficult company to deal with!

Where do I get my next new Bessacarr!! :O(

 

[Hamer_5041128]

We took our 625 to be serviced last month, and to have the fridge recall thing dealt with.

We have had a few irritating things crop up with our 'van over the twelve months we have had it, but nothing that needed it to be returned to the dealers. The majority of "problems" were loose screws etc. the microwave, which I loathe, had come adrift from it's anchors, and the bottle holders needed repositioning, and that was about all!!

As a matter of interest, and I was quite suprised, that our dealers are now not having anything to do with the Swift group as they are such a difficult company to deal with!

Where do I get my next new Bessacarr!! :O(

I have had 11 consecutive new caravans from Golden Castle caravans at Staverton Airport site. Excellent company and they sell the complete Swift range. I have just purchased a new Swift Conqueror 655. As usual excellent pdi and as usual shown that everything worked at the one and a half hour handover.

Hamer

 

[David.O]

We took our 625 to be serviced last month, and to have the fridge recall thing dealt with.

We have had a few irritating things crop up with our 'van over the twelve months we have had it, but nothing that needed it to be returned to the dealers. The majority of "problems" were loose screws etc. the microwave, which I loathe, had come adrift from it's anchors, and the bottle holders needed repositioning, and that was about all!!

As a matter of interest, and I was quite suprised, that our dealers are now not having anything to do with the Swift group as they are such a difficult company to deal with!

Where do I get my next new Bessacarr!! :O(

Wendy

Try Drayton Caravans and get a Coachman.

David from Suffolk

 

[DavieP1]

When i just logged in i found 17 comments to MY original question which i found quite exciting and thought i'm going to get a lot of good comments and information here.

Then i open it and find a handful of you guys arguing about who's van is best.

GROW UP!!!!!

THIS IS MY THREAD AND IF YOU WANT TO ARGUE GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND DO IT IM LOOKING FOR INFORMATION WHICH IS HELPFUL HERE NOT TO LISTEN TO THIS

THANKS TO ANDREW FOR HIS SENSIBLE COMMENT FIRST OFF

 

[Moderator3]

Please do not post in all Caps!

 

[VIP2006]

Best van I have had since stating vanning in the 70's with the exception of the Vanroyce!