Hello. Any advice appreciated on this problem. Yesterday I completed a handover of a new Swift Conqueror at a reputable Shropshire dealers premises. The handover was 99% complete when I walked along the side of the van and notices a ding in the bodywork above the external gas point. I reported to the technician and salesman. The salesman said he would photograph and send to Swift also saying that they might say it was within normal tolerance. I am waiting for a response from them today. I did then think what has it got to do with Swift as I purchased from the dealer who carried out their pdi checks and did not find the mark (paint layer not broken) neither did they find drawer and door badly aligned but that is minor. Any advice appreciated. I have not at this stage connected the caravan to my tow car and it remains with the dealer.
Ding in brand new Swift
- Thread starter travellerone
- Start date
I would not expect a ding in a new van. Well done for spotting it and recognising that the dealer is responsible. It’s certainly not within spec. Like new cars sometimes get minor blemishes and the trade have ways of refinishing them so they disappear without affecting the life of the vehicle. Caravans can be treated similarly but by a professional.
Parksy
Moderator
When you ordered your new caravan did you tell the sales person that you'd rather not have a pristine caravan like everybody else, but would much rather pay the full price for one that is dented and with badly aligned doors and drawers?
Thought not!
There's no such thing as 'normal tolerances', this dealership clearly haven't carried out the PDI check that you paid them for.
Reject the caravan and demand what you paid for, a brand new pristine caravan which has had the correct checks that you have been also charged for correctly carried out.
Thought not!
There's no such thing as 'normal tolerances', this dealership clearly haven't carried out the PDI check that you paid them for.
Reject the caravan and demand what you paid for, a brand new pristine caravan which has had the correct checks that you have been also charged for correctly carried out.
Just on a technicality You cant reject goods you have not yet accepted But you are well within your rights to refuse to accept substandard goods. Until the goods are to a standard that you have ordered, the strongest position you have is to refuse to accept them.
Just as Parksy has pointed out you have not ordered a faulty caravan, so why accept one. The Consumer Rights Act says you are entitled to goods that match the description and what a reasonable person would expect that to mean. and new in the context of manufactured goods means pristine and blemish free.
The analogy with the finish of a car is good in this case.
Just as Parksy has pointed out you have not ordered a faulty caravan, so why accept one. The Consumer Rights Act says you are entitled to goods that match the description and what a reasonable person would expect that to mean. and new in the context of manufactured goods means pristine and blemish free.
The analogy with the finish of a car is good in this case.
Firstly there seems to be no evidence as to how the damage occurred so it could have happened in the dealers and in the circumstances Swift would not be interested.
You are entitled to a damage free product and might be entitled to reject this although personally I doubt that that small a problem means that nit is not of merchantable quality. As you say your contract is with the dealer and therefore under the Consumer Protection Act it is up to them to put it right. If they feel Swift are responsible it is for the dealer to chase Swift for the cost. I would go back and quote the act and speak to someone in authority rather than the salesman.
You are entitled to a damage free product and might be entitled to reject this although personally I doubt that that small a problem means that nit is not of merchantable quality. As you say your contract is with the dealer and therefore under the Consumer Protection Act it is up to them to put it right. If they feel Swift are responsible it is for the dealer to chase Swift for the cost. I would go back and quote the act and speak to someone in authority rather than the salesman.
As far as the customer is concerned, they neither legally need to know nor have any practical, interest in how or when the goods became damaged. The point is they are being offered to him in a damaged state. The matter is firmly in the sellers court, and they must resolve it, whether that s with the manufacturer, the transport company or in house. It does not concern the customer how they do it as long as the caravan is fault free at hand over.
I would as others have stated reject the van. Do you have the van number as the dealer may just fill/paint the fault and say it is a 'new' van.
Thanks to all for the advice I will be contacting the dealership later and will make it clear that I am not prepared to accept the caravan with damage. They have fitted a mover which complicates slightly. I have the vin number.
Parksy
Moderator
The dealers agreed to fit your motor mover to your new caravan, Traveller One.
When they provide a new caravan that is in a condition that you are legally entitled to expect they will be able to fulfil the agreement to fit the mover to your new caravan.
If they had done their job and checked the caravan properly during the PDI as their contract with you said that they would, then they wouldn't have wasted their time in fitting the mover to this faulty caravan.
It's not your problem.
When they provide a new caravan that is in a condition that you are legally entitled to expect they will be able to fulfil the agreement to fit the mover to your new caravan.
If they had done their job and checked the caravan properly during the PDI as their contract with you said that they would, then they wouldn't have wasted their time in fitting the mover to this faulty caravan.
It's not your problem.
Id either reject it or if you can live with the dent, look for a sizable discount.
Hope it gets sorted.
Kevin
Hope it gets sorted.
Kevin
Thanks to all. I contacted the Swift Dealer and they offered the following options;
Repair - I declined.
Their Conqueror 650 demo (he told me that it had been on site since Sept 17) - I declined.
A new unit which was due to arrive June time but they would work on getting sooner - I agreed they should research the timeline and come back to me.
I did consider asking for a discount but knew that I would always see the ding every time I approached the door so rejected in my mind. Plus it would have needed to be a discount with three zeros to persuade me.
Repair - I declined.
Their Conqueror 650 demo (he told me that it had been on site since Sept 17) - I declined.
A new unit which was due to arrive June time but they would work on getting sooner - I agreed they should research the timeline and come back to me.
I did consider asking for a discount but knew that I would always see the ding every time I approached the door so rejected in my mind. Plus it would have needed to be a discount with three zeros to persuade me.
Good result . Surely they could get another one from another outlet before June . And you want your mover transferred or a new one put on your new one when it arrives.
Result!!
This begins to show the power the consumer has when they stand up for their rights. Well done. You see the business needs to understand they should not short change customers.
This begins to show the power the consumer has when they stand up for their rights. Well done. You see the business needs to understand they should not short change customers.
Travellerone, I think you have done the sensible thing, A dealer near to Bicester, had a problem, with dents in their, New Caravans, a few years ago. It turned out to be the Peacocks they had in the yard as Guard Birds, but in sunshine would attack their reflections, .
When I introduced a ding, to our van.
I covered my small ding with a reflective orange "thing". On both sides. For uniformity.
When I introduced a ding, to our van.
I covered my small ding with a reflective orange "thing". On both sides. For uniformity.
As you said "I completed a handover of a new Swift Conqueror " do we assume from this he holds any of your funds other than the deposit?
If so, I would be very uncomfortable with that situation and require the balance be immediately returned, hopefully leaving the deposit paid on a Credit Card.
With the fragility of businesses and particularly this one you don't want them holding funds you could well not get back should they falter.
If so, I would be very uncomfortable with that situation and require the balance be immediately returned, hopefully leaving the deposit paid on a Credit Card.
With the fragility of businesses and particularly this one you don't want them holding funds you could well not get back should they falter.
I am waiting for a response from the Swift dealer and have emailed them that should they not supply me with a revised delivery date of a replacement van by Thursday this week I will require a refund of monies paid. This dealer is a major player and I am not too concerned regarding their financial viability. I am trying to be fair and balanced as I think that works better for both parties. My concern is that I hear a lot of 'how busy they are' when they should be putting maximum effort into looking after existing customers.
JTQ said:
If the OP has the damaged caravan then there should be no problem and if any part of the purchase was on credit then again there is protection but at the same time I do agree you should be wary if not.
Today I revisit my local Swift dealer for handover of a second factory fresh ding free 650 Conqueror. As this is a retirement 'gift' to us both I hope all is 100%. The dealer tells me that they have sourced a van that was due in for another customer who was looking for a summer delivery !!
Anyway if all goes well today we will be chugging across to Porthmadog tomorrow
Fingers crossed.
Anyway if all goes well today we will be chugging across to Porthmadog tomorrow
Fingers crossed.
Hopefully, anyone thinking of buying a new caravan will read your post and be a lot wiser as to their rights in this circumstance. Well done you, for standing your ground!
This debacle would have left me with no faith in future dealings with this dealer.
Fingers crossed that all has gone well for you and enjoy your retirement with many years of happy and safe caravanning.
This debacle would have left me with no faith in future dealings with this dealer.
Fingers crossed that all has gone well for you and enjoy your retirement with many years of happy and safe caravanning.
All went well with one minor exception. Our first weekend was fantastic helped of course by 28'c on the North Wales coast. Very pleased with Swift so far but a shame they could not include at least one usb charge point in the front binnacle. Now the minor issue missed on the PDI by the dealer was a 1/4" crack in the fibre glass at one of the rivet points at the hinge on the front locker door. The dealers body guy said he could carry out an invisible repair and plate the back of the hinge making it stronger than when new, he thought the rivet gun had too much pressure or the hole was not correctly drilled ?. All in all looking forward to a great summer
Glad it all went well, and that you enjoyed the break. A bit different from a chap who was on his own with the new caravan's first outing at a site near to Slimbridge. After series of problems, he finally lost patience with it when the washroom pipe work burst and developed a major flood, which could have been even worse had he been on a serviced pitch. He packed up and was going straight back to the dealers. it really isn't good enough in this day and age to have such poor quality goods supplied. Whilst we would like a new caravan we both feel that better the devil you know ( end enjoy).
Welldone in the way you went about in resolving your problem with the dealership, you can't beat North Wales when we have weather like this,
TRENDING THREADS
-
-
-
-
-
Feeding cable into caravan for 5G antenna while parked up only
- Started by tim2000s
- Replies: 41
-
Facebook
Twitter