Elddis caravans, are they really as bad as the reviews?

[ProfJohnL]

Anyway, just had our caravan serviced by the local mobile guy & his most common problems are with Elddis’s. He reckons they’ve got worse since Hymer took over, which I find strange.

Whilst Hymer did buy Elddis only a few weeks after Thor Industries of the USA bought out the entire Hymer group. If you look into the history of Thor their record of investment and customer satisfaction into businesses they own is not rosy, and it is my suspicion the purse strings were drawn in.

I also find the timing of Hymers aquasition of Explorer Group, and their absorption into Thor was too close to be a coincidence, and I suspect this was a planned approach to give Thor a foothold in both the EU and the post Brexit UK in one bite.

On a slightly different angle, the COVID pandemic severely distorted the UK caravan market. As many commentators suggested the pandemic over inflated the demand for both new and second hand caravans. The problems with parts supplies prevented manufacturers from meeting the demand for new caravans, which added even more pressure onto the secondhand market. Prices rocketed, and even vans with faults were selling.

The upshot is now coming back to haunt dealers. Warranty claims for secondhand caravans are having to be feilded by the dealers with no support from the manufacturers.

In addition where new caravans were involve, the parts supply issues the industry had during COVID and the aftermath, means many of those caravans may not have been properly finished, or may have used poorer quality components which are failing prematurely. Again the Dealers are picking up a lot of extra costs associated with trying to handle manufacturers warranty claims.

Post COVID has also seen a lot of caravan purchases made during COVID now hitting the secondhand market, driving retail values down. All the financial pressures are predominantly pressing on dealerships.

Now we have additional taxes and energy costs imposed by government.

I am not surprised that dealers are closing.

Unlike a similar but not so severe financial crisis in the 1990's there are where Dealers fought back by amalgamating into larger groups, there is less financial incentive to combine.

Sadly I suspect we will see more dealerships close.

I don't think you can point to a single failure as the cause for this state of affairs, BUT lack of product quality has to be a significant factor, along with the intransigence of caravan manufacturers failing to put customer satisfaction closer to the top of their business goals

 

[Buckman]

Whilst Hymer did buy Elddis only a few weeks after Thor Industries of the USA bought out the entire Hymer group. If you look into the history of Thor their record of investment and customer satisfaction into businesses they own is not rosy, and it is my suspicion the purse strings were drawn in.

Wasn't it just over 2 years between take overs? I think Hymer took over in 2017 and Thor in 2019? However negotiations may have been in the pipeline for a long time? Not that it matters.

 

[jimmyg352]

So Hymer/Elddis are actually American?
I’m oot.

 

[JTQ]

So Hymer/Elddis are actually American?
I’m oot.

Owned by an Americal company, I believe in turnover the biggest American RV company.
Still building in their original countries.

 

[trevormonty]

Some continental caravans continued to use that configuration where the roof curves over the rear and forms a horizontal joint with the ABS panel. Rather than having a full height ABS panel that then has the horizontal joint with the roof on the roof itself.

My 2009 Adria is same construction. With ABS panel being rear wall water ingress isn't as bad as it would be if panel was on roof where water can pool at cracks. eg Eddlis and Swifts.
No ingress yet but I might do quick check for cracks in panel.

 

[otherclive]

My 2009 Adria is same construction. With ABS panel being rear wall water ingress isn't as bad as it would be if panel was on roof where water can pool at cracks. eg Eddlis and Swifts.
No ingress yet but I might do quick check for cracks in panel.

Adria continued that design feature and it still features in their 2025 models. So do Knaus with Sudwind and Sport. Dare say probably Hymer and Defleths too. Wonder why UK builders departed from that style. Form over function or cheaper/lighter? Who knows.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Go on Clive, I dare you to tell us...........

 

[otherclive]

Go on Clive, I dare you to tell us...........

Prof how can I possibly add to all the erudite comments that you have posted wrt the design and build quality of some British caravan makes. But somewhere in the depths of history I sense a drive to reduce build cost, and facilitate the build for the work force. Oh and also for an element of aesthetic glitz.

 

[JTQ]

There is also build, so purchasers "have" to keep rebuying, which probably that smart move some of our Continental builders are now starting to pick up on.

Not a lot of point building them like they did for ours we purchased new16 years ago.
Way better needing clients to "offload" it and buy another every couple of years.

 

[ProfJohnL]

There is nothing wrong with trying to reduce build costs, and in some cases in general engineering, that can be achieved as well as actually enhancing the quality and reliability of a product, but looking at the UK caravan industry over the last 50 years or so,apart form bonded insulation, it's difficult to see any aspect of the design or build that has roundly improved the overall quality of UK caravans. There have been massive moves to include more bells and whistles, but there has hardly been a commensurate investment to resolve some of the longest standing issues with caravans as reported by end users decade after decade.

 

[birdman101]

No ABS in present day Swifts as they learnt the lesson of it cracking a few years back. Also no wood frame work ,which is all made from PURE a non moisture absorbent material.

 

[RogerL]

There is also build, so purchasers "have" to keep rebuying, which probably that smart move some of our Continental builders are now starting to pick up on.

Not a lot of point building them like they did for ours we purchased new16 years ago.
Way better needing clients to "offload" it and buy another every couple of years.

Personally, I've always found that the caravan warranty period is a time to be endured and get all the build problems fixed, either under warranty or DIY, and then get many years trouble-free use out of the caravan - I think that too many buyers of new caravans, endure the warranty period but are then too frightened to continue ownership outside the warranty so they buy another new but equally badly built caravan!

 

[ProfJohnL]

No ABS in present day Swifts as they learnt the lesson of it cracking a few years back. Also no wood frame work ,which is all made from PURE a non moisture absorbent material.

Whilst all the major UK brands have introduced new wall constructions, but these don't seem to have beaten the underlying issue of water ingress through poor design and construction techniques.

I welcome the idea but all they have done is treat the symptom not the cause.

 

[trevormonty]

Whilst all the major UK brands have introduced new wall constructions, but these don't seem to have beaten the underlying issue of water ingress through poor design and construction techniques.

I welcome the idea but all they have done is treat the symptom not the cause.

Term is " Amblance at bottom of cliff".