Coachman Caravans

[VIP2006]

has anyone any comments on the Coachman range of Caravans, as I am interested in buying the VIP 520/4

advice and comments would be appreciated

 

[Janey1]

Shiraz,

We have just taken delivery of our new caravan, a VIP 530/4. This is our second Coachman, our first being a Pastiche 500/5 which some theiving scum decided HE wanted.

Although we have only ever had these two caravans, we have looked at dozens. We have found Coachman to be absolutely superb vans; they are very high-spec, even the entry-level ones and the build quality is second-to-one. They use quality materials throughout and things like locker hinges, taps etc. are very sturdy and well made. We also considered the 520/4 but fancied the fixed bed layout.

I would wholeheartedly recommend a Coachman to anyone

 

[Icemaker]

Shiraz, i'm sure you will have read my reviews on coachman before, We have had three coachmans now the first being a 2002 pastiche 520/4 we bought i new and found it to be absolutely faultless, it was used every three weeks for weekends and for 6 week long holidays each year the van had to accomadate two adults two teenage kids and two small dogs so every thing was tested to the limit and nothing ever broke or failled to work. we swapped this van for a vip 520/4 after glossop rang us and said they had one that somebody had failled to get finance for, we got this van purely becouse it was so cheap for a new van (the other people had paid the deposit). this was a 2003 model and again the build quality and standard of fit was absolutely spot on, again nothing ever broke in the 9 month we had the van. now i know people are gong to think if i was so happy with coachmans why did i change so often, well it was down to the fact that the vip had come so cheap and then when i started to use the vip i found that i just could not get along with the van i found it to be too dark inside and very old world, i hated the bronze awning rails as they made the van look tacky and i thought that even though we got the van cheap it was very poor value for money compared to the pastiche which is a few grand less and almost as well equiped. So off we went in search of another pastiche but i found a laser 520/4 again new but a 2004 model and the 2005's had been released, this van was everything i had ever wanted it was bright and airy it had all the kit you could wish for (it was a glossop golden model) it looked smart from the outside it was warm and inviting on the inside and although it was quite heavy it towed behind my galaxy superbly, infact the only bad thing about this van was the a/c unit which is totally useless in this country and should be on the options list not standard fit. anyway we had a superb first trip in this van but on our second trip out whilst travelling through bradford to harrogate we where hit in the side of the van by some moron in a transit who "did not see us", this resulted in the van having to have a complete new front and side plus work to the roof and chassie now i don't know about you but i was not too happy to have a van so new that had required so much work i could see future problems so we chose to sell as quick as we could. unfortunately we ended up losing quite a bit of money as the van was so new and had buy a lower spec van which is why we now have a ace celebration 590, this ace has already been back to the dealer twice for repairs and the list of faults is now twelve long, mainly those stupid new plastic cupboards that will not stay open they are utter c**p, and now swift have started putting them in the other ranges, how stupid. anyway ive had the ace for 4 month now and we are sick to death of the very poor build quality so next year when coachman release the new laser fixed bed models we are off to get one, cant wait to get back in the best built british van money can buy, you will never regret buying a coachman just think hard before buying the vip its not really worth the extra over the pastiche and if you can get to glossop caravans you will get a golden dealer special for the same money as a standard van.

 

[VIP2006]

Shiraz, i'm sure you will have read my reviews on coachman before, We have had three coachmans now the first being a 2002 pastiche 520/4 we bought i new and found it to be absolutely faultless, it was used every three weeks for weekends and for 6 week long holidays each year the van had to accomadate two adults two teenage kids and two small dogs so every thing was tested to the limit and nothing ever broke or failled to work. we swapped this van for a vip 520/4 after glossop rang us and said they had one that somebody had failled to get finance for, we got this van purely becouse it was so cheap for a new van (the other people had paid the deposit). this was a 2003 model and again the build quality and standard of fit was absolutely spot on, again nothing ever broke in the 9 month we had the van. now i know people are gong to think if i was so happy with coachmans why did i change so often, well it was down to the fact that the vip had come so cheap and then when i started to use the vip i found that i just could not get along with the van i found it to be too dark inside and very old world, i hated the bronze awning rails as they made the van look tacky and i thought that even though we got the van cheap it was very poor value for money compared to the pastiche which is a few grand less and almost as well equiped. So off we went in search of another pastiche but i found a laser 520/4 again new but a 2004 model and the 2005's had been released, this van was everything i had ever wanted it was bright and airy it had all the kit you could wish for (it was a glossop golden model) it looked smart from the outside it was warm and inviting on the inside and although it was quite heavy it towed behind my galaxy superbly, infact the only bad thing about this van was the a/c unit which is totally useless in this country and should be on the options list not standard fit. anyway we had a superb first trip in this van but on our second trip out whilst travelling through bradford to harrogate we where hit in the side of the van by some moron in a transit who "did not see us", this resulted in the van having to have a complete new front and side plus work to the roof and chassie now i don't know about you but i was not too happy to have a van so new that had required so much work i could see future problems so we chose to sell as quick as we could. unfortunately we ended up losing quite a bit of money as the van was so new and had buy a lower spec van which is why we now have a ace celebration 590, this ace has already been back to the dealer twice for repairs and the list of faults is now twelve long, mainly those stupid new plastic cupboards that will not stay open they are utter c**p, and now swift have started putting them in the other ranges, how stupid. anyway ive had the ace for 4 month now and we are sick to death of the very poor build quality so next year when coachman release the new laser fixed bed models we are off to get one, cant wait to get back in the best built british van money can buy, you will never regret buying a coachman just think hard before buying the vip its not really worth the extra over the pastiche and if you can get to glossop caravans you will get a golden dealer special for the same money as a standard van.

Hi Folks thanks for the reports and I am to order a VIP520/4.

Icemaker - with regard to prices the Pastiche 520/4 is only 400 pounds cheaper than the VIP 520/4 and this I am given to understand is for upgraded upholstery. We prefer the VIP for its coachlines. this a matter of preference for us.

Thanks for your advices.

 

[RayS]

I've had two Pastiche 520/4 - fist one changed after accident damaged - and agree with the other comments. Very good build quality, only faults have been with bought-in items - e.g. Carver water inlet housing which is a very poor design but common to many other makes of van.

You may have to watch the nose-weight of your towing vehicle, as both the Pastiche and VIP of that size will need to be up around 80 kg minimum. Neither of my vans have stablisers and are rock steady under tow. The current van has been occupied 400 nights in the last 3 years and has covered around 18,000 miles.

Suggest you look at pastiche as is considerably cheaper than VIP. If not going for fixed bed model, work out where you are going to put the shaped cushions from the front seats when making the bed. Pastiche has only one pair, which stay at front, but VIP has two. Money saved will buy you a mover which is almost a necessity on these vans - around 1500kg - try Powrtouch. It will have to fit in front of axle as spare wheel is underslung and the wheel wont go into the front locker even if you take the gas out.

I've replaced the opaque roof light in the wash room with a mini- Heki (may be standard now) and this is a great improvement. Also, if there are only two of you, take out the bunk fixings and you will save about half the weight of the mover.

Hope this helps and that you enjoy the van as much as we do.

 

[VIP2006]

Hi Ray thanks for your comments. We have decided that the VIP520/4 will cover our requirements. I am a puzzled about the price difference you give as being large between the Pastiche and the VIP of the same layout for we have been quoted a figure of 15995 for the VIP and 15599 for the Pastiche. 400 pounds difference. I have a Powrtouch mover fitted to my present van and will be contacting them nearer the time of delivery so that the can dismantle and refit to the VIP. if they say that it needs upgrading and the cost is'nt to great I will not hesitate to have the work done. thanks for you info etc. and happy vanning.

 

[RayS]

Hi Ray thanks for your comments. We have decided that the VIP520/4 will cover our requirements. I am a puzzled about the price difference you give as being large between the Pastiche and the VIP of the same layout for we have been quoted a figure of 15995 for the VIP and 15599 for the Pastiche. 400 pounds difference. I have a Powrtouch mover fitted to my present van and will be contacting them nearer the time of delivery so that the can dismantle and refit to the VIP. if they say that it needs upgrading and the cost is'nt to great I will not hesitate to have the work done. thanks for you info etc. and happy vanning.

Sorry, I was working from memory and not this years list. The gap has got much smaller over the years. I'm sure you will be delighted with it and wish you many happy outings.

 

[Icemaker]

shiraz, it seems ray and myself where both going of list prices that we had seen when we purchased our last coachmans, at glossop in 2004 the price difference was 1800 pounds which is why i said it just was not worth it. I have just been on coachmans site to get some info on the new lasers and found that they have as you quite rightly say reduced the price difference between the models, whether this means the vip is cheaper or the pastiche is dearer i'm not sure but it looks like the vip has become cheaper as i have seen them at 17000 before now. looks like coachman have been listening to customers as they have also made the a/c unit on the laser an option as oposed to standard, great news for me as i never used it.

hope you enjoy your new van, i know you will not be dissapointed with it. Gary .

 

[VIP2006]

Sorry, I was working from memory and not this years list. The gap has got much smaller over the years. I'm sure you will be delighted with it and wish you many happy outings.

Thanks Ray - Glad that my sums were OK - if they had not been a cancellation was in the offing. the only reason that we went for the VIP was its exterior colour was black, as against the red of the pastiche. other than that both vans are very similar so much so we asked what didi you get for the 400 pounds difference.

Thanks and I am sure we will have many happy outings.

our tally of vans is

1.Cosalt Piper 1200CT

2.Eldiss Mistral Special

3.ABI Award Transtar

4.Vanroyce gave up touring.

5. Cosalt Static

6. Pemberton Elite Static

7. Pemberton MOnte Carlo gave up static back to touring

8. Compass Shiraz 482

9. Coachmann VIP

 

[VIP2006]

Hi Gary and Ray.

Could not understand about the price difference as we asked the salesperson what did you get for the 400 pounds difference between the Pastiche and the VIP having the same layout.

When I got your posts my heart fluttered a bit and if you had been correct we may of cancelled. the reason we bought the VIP was that the 2006 model comes with black exterior markings and the upholstery is reckoned to be upgraded as against the pastiche which has for 2006 red markings.

if you see me on site next season plse speak for we are not VIP people.

 

[RayS]

Hi Gary and Ray.

Could not understand about the price difference as we asked the salesperson what did you get for the 400 pounds difference between the Pastiche and the VIP having the same layout.

When I got your posts my heart fluttered a bit and if you had been correct we may of cancelled. the reason we bought the VIP was that the 2006 model comes with black exterior markings and the upholstery is reckoned to be upgraded as against the pastiche which has for 2006 red markings.

if you see me on site next season plse speak for we are not VIP people.

Of course you are VIP Shiraz - all caravanners are (but some more so than others). Hope you enjoy the new van as much as we do ours - something over 450 nights in 3+ years, so I think any serious faults would have me looking seriously by now (although for this occupancy a fixed bed is very attractive and the combined loo/shower of the Coachman offering is not very appealing).

 

[AndrewWimborne]

I have just traded in my coming up to 3 yr old Vip520/4. It is now empty and waiting for its final trip with me next sat to Highbridge. It has been a super van and as already has been mentioned it is quality. The exterier looks like new having cleaned it today and the inside is perfect, You will not regret getting one.