Never have mine serviced, its only a trailer. I do it myself.
How many people have their appliances serviced at home??? Very few.
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How many people have their appliances serviced at home??? Very few.
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Went to the show yesterday and spend a long time looking over our three shortlisted caravans.
Elddis Crusader Tempest, Lunar Delta FB & Coachman 655/6 Laser,
In both my and Mrs D's opinion the Coachman was by far the best screwed together van and the fittings & fixtures, trim, decor just shouted quality. The front end arrangement with full width panoramic sunroof has been executed superbly. The slide out support for the front bed and deep fully sprung cushions were in a different league to the others. The only downside we could see was the small fridge.
The Elddis was very disappointing with badly fitting doors & locker handles (although I do accept it will have got some hammer being a display van at the NEC) . There were a number of other faults on the display van and design flaws as well.
The Lunar just didn't do anything for us, although it did seem well put together.
However of the three, the Elddis had the best layout for our needs.
My plans with the Coachman were to leave one of the rear upper bunks in place when on site to act as a storage area for all the bedding during the day. But when the upper bunk is built, it becomes impossible to use the lower birth as a seat for the day.
This kind of wipes out the idea of having a separate area with table for the children to play at unless they both sit on the same side of the caravan. The Elddis & Lunar both have centre dinettes which provide a perfect place for the kids to play games etc. That space is also useful when preparing meals as it gives extra work surface area.
Without the upper bunk in place, I have no idea where we would store four lots of bedding.
So we concluded that we need Coachman to build the Amara 640/6 layout into the Laser bodyshell with Alde heating
Perhaps Coachman will extend the sunroof bodyshell into their other ranges for next year. I have contacted them asking if they have any such plans although I am not hopeful. We are even contemplating taking a year out to see what layouts emerge next year.
Such a shame about the Elddis.
Elddis Crusader Tempest, Lunar Delta FB & Coachman 655/6 Laser,
In both my and Mrs D's opinion the Coachman was by far the best screwed together van and the fittings & fixtures, trim, decor just shouted quality. The front end arrangement with full width panoramic sunroof has been executed superbly. The slide out support for the front bed and deep fully sprung cushions were in a different league to the others. The only downside we could see was the small fridge.
The Elddis was very disappointing with badly fitting doors & locker handles (although I do accept it will have got some hammer being a display van at the NEC) . There were a number of other faults on the display van and design flaws as well.
The Lunar just didn't do anything for us, although it did seem well put together.
However of the three, the Elddis had the best layout for our needs.
My plans with the Coachman were to leave one of the rear upper bunks in place when on site to act as a storage area for all the bedding during the day. But when the upper bunk is built, it becomes impossible to use the lower birth as a seat for the day.
This kind of wipes out the idea of having a separate area with table for the children to play at unless they both sit on the same side of the caravan. The Elddis & Lunar both have centre dinettes which provide a perfect place for the kids to play games etc. That space is also useful when preparing meals as it gives extra work surface area.
Without the upper bunk in place, I have no idea where we would store four lots of bedding.
So we concluded that we need Coachman to build the Amara 640/6 layout into the Laser bodyshell with Alde heating
Perhaps Coachman will extend the sunroof bodyshell into their other ranges for next year. I have contacted them asking if they have any such plans although I am not hopeful. We are even contemplating taking a year out to see what layouts emerge next year.
Such a shame about the Elddis.
Back to the OP
1. Ensure you choose the layout that best suits your needs.
2. Make sure you choose a reliable decent dealer with a proven customer care track record.
3. The recent spate of wheel detachments was probably, from what I have read, more of an Al-ko problem than Bailey's and then only specific to the single axle versions of the Unicorn. No one has explained why the other models eg Pegasus etc were not affected??
4. A 10 year water ingress guarantee is a big plus point. The down side is the need to have a "professional" approved bodyshop service every year. But is that a downside ? I don't think so.
5.Imo stainless steel fixings should now be the norm in caravan production.
6. Well done to Elldis if they like Bailey also offer the 10 year water ingress guarantee. Hopefuly the rest wil follow suit soon.
7. The Bailey Alu-tec method of construction is probably the most technically advanced seen this century. A radical move from timber frames etc.
1. Ensure you choose the layout that best suits your needs.
2. Make sure you choose a reliable decent dealer with a proven customer care track record.
3. The recent spate of wheel detachments was probably, from what I have read, more of an Al-ko problem than Bailey's and then only specific to the single axle versions of the Unicorn. No one has explained why the other models eg Pegasus etc were not affected??
4. A 10 year water ingress guarantee is a big plus point. The down side is the need to have a "professional" approved bodyshop service every year. But is that a downside ? I don't think so.
5.Imo stainless steel fixings should now be the norm in caravan production.
6. Well done to Elldis if they like Bailey also offer the 10 year water ingress guarantee. Hopefuly the rest wil follow suit soon.
7. The Bailey Alu-tec method of construction is probably the most technically advanced seen this century. A radical move from timber frames etc.
a few points, At lawns the Bailey sales person gave the excuse for bits falling off as hundreds of people going through them, as I said to her the coachman had the same hundreds of people in and out and if they fall to bits at the shows then how do they withstand the rigours of family life????
with regard to the amara it is very unlikely that it will get the same treatment as the others over the forseeable future according to conversations I had with Coachman managers at Lawns so just don't think that'll happen. We're happy with the 640 layout at the moment but were hoping that the laser layout with give more space to the bunks than the fixed ones. Our three have said they're happy with sitting down one side with the table up when not in the awning doing activities. With three the side dinette in the 640 is a bit cramped for them anyway and they end up our end!!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
As far as the 640 layout going into a laser I think that's pretty unlikely too but worth asking them, if it requested enough then who knows, Coachman do tend to listen to their customers more than some of the big boys!!
As an aside delay on the 110 so we've now changed the colour from Orkney Grey to Galway Green, now contemplating the expedition roof rack options!
Good luck
with regard to the amara it is very unlikely that it will get the same treatment as the others over the forseeable future according to conversations I had with Coachman managers at Lawns so just don't think that'll happen. We're happy with the 640 layout at the moment but were hoping that the laser layout with give more space to the bunks than the fixed ones. Our three have said they're happy with sitting down one side with the table up when not in the awning doing activities. With three the side dinette in the 640 is a bit cramped for them anyway and they end up our end!!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
As far as the 640 layout going into a laser I think that's pretty unlikely too but worth asking them, if it requested enough then who knows, Coachman do tend to listen to their customers more than some of the big boys!!
As an aside delay on the 110 so we've now changed the colour from Orkney Grey to Galway Green, now contemplating the expedition roof rack options!
Good luck
The vans on display at the NEC tend to be show vans and have all done the show rounds and have had 100's in and pulling them about.
I have noticed that Elddis now offer a 10 year warranty water ingress as well as Bailey.
I have noticed that Elddis now offer a 10 year warranty water ingress as well as Bailey.
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