If you had £20k to buy a 4 birth what would you buy?

[jonnyd]

Hello there! We are an early 50s couple who have had a motorhome for a few years. Its old and the roof leaks and we've decided a caravan would suit us best now. I'm 6"2' so a decent length bed is a must 😁. We have a big car with a towbar and live in the Huddersfield area. Would any of you fine upstanding folk have any advise on what to buy? We like the look of the Eldiss Affinity 554 2019 and the rambler 2018 but have seen nothing but bad reviews on this site for eldiss so are now reluctant to buy... We will be buying from a dealer. Thanks! Jon

 

[otherclive]

Firstly I would advise going to as many dealerships as possible to really get a feel for layouts. When in the caravans take time to envisage how you would use and live in it. See if a caravan has full service history paperwork. Is it aligned with the makers requirements for continued warranty. Although at 2018/19 makers warranty may not be available any longer.

Check payload as you would be surprised how rapidly payload in a caravan gets used up. Battery lead acid 23 kg app, motor mover 35kg app etc.

Purchasing I would use a credit card for initial deposit as you get protection under the Consumer Credit Act Section 75. Using dealer finance gives good consumer protection as even if you pay the loan off quickly the finance house still takes responsibility. Hopefully you will not get in to problems but familiarise yourself with CRA 2015 by looking at the Which website.

If possible buy local otherwise you could be faced with long journeys to return your caravan for any repairs.

Given the value of the caravans I would advise a pre purchase inspection by AWS or MCEA technician.

Coachman and Adria seem to have a good reputation, albeit heavier caravans. But if you have a big car this may not be an issue.

 

[IanB1485]

Have a look at Kenmore caravans in Mirfield near Dewsbury, and only tell them you have 15k.Personally I recently serviced a 2020 Elddis Supreme 550 ( after fixing a big damp issue) and the rear bed is against the back wall and the end of the bed extends ( the mattress doesn't though) so caravans with a similar layout would be the one I would pick , rather than side bed layouts in other types or the corner ones.

 

[Mel]

What weight can you tow.? This may narrow your notices ( or not).
There is no substitute for standing, sitting and laying down in as many layouts and caravans as possible. It is not just the bed but the cupboards, or the front locker- if lots of storage is low down, can you get into them, for example. Elddis front lockers were like getting into a letter box, but later models are better.
Then you need to consider if you want an older van with lots of bells and whistles( Alde, ATC, solar panels, tall fridge freezer, etc) or a newer van with fewer features.
No manufacturer is perfect but as one of the people who had a lemon of an Elddis, I would take serious persuading to have another.
Mel

 

[Andy Norfolk]

We have an Adria Adora Seine. There are various layout options depending on your preference. We've had it 3 years and love it. They have a good reputation for build quality. Good luck with your search.

 

[GUMPY]

I have an Elddis 554 2017 that has had damp at the front fixed twice once each side. The cross bed might be a bit short for you. It's a lovely van but when I come to replace it I will probably get an Adria with a longitudinal bed on the back wall.

 

[Oscarmax]

We have a 2016 Swift Conqueror 480 with the HT shell it has been A1 over the past 10 years, unfortunately we are giving up and selling the caravan in the spring due to ill health.

 

[Beachball]

I would try Glossop Caravans and see if you like any other make and compare it to the one you like if has full service history and a warranty .

 

[Dustydog]

Elddis or another, make sure you see the FSH and details of all water ingress warranty claims.
There is a school of thought that says once professionally fixed and with the annual service and damp tests showing good then possibly ok.

Whilst Elddis do have a poor record on Forums be under no illusion the rest are not any better. Bailey Alu tech still leak as does Swifts new system .,whilst they have moved away from timber frames water ingress is not totally eradicated.

I suspect a well looked after 2018 model from any stable will have had all issues resolved. Check the paper work
Good luck in you search, otherwise agree with all the earlier posts.

 

[birdman101]

One that don’t leak and if it does is manufactured with non rotting materials. Late model Swifts

 

[CaravanRamblings]

Definitely avoid any caravan like the plague which has ABS panels on the front or rear. I'd look at Bailey, Swift and Adria as fairly recent models no longer use ABS.

 

[Hutch]

Definitely avoid any caravan like the plague which has ABS panels on the front or rear. I'd look at Bailey, Swift and Adria as fairly recent models no longer use ABS.

Rubbish, my Coachman 2013 has ABS front and rear panels, it is mostly where the awning rails have not been pilot drilled. Or cross sealant covers not sealed.

I also think window seals need to have a lubricant, ie, Vaseline or silicone grease, applied every year to maintain flexibility and sealing resistance.

 

[Martin_E]

I wouldn’t use Vaseline, it has an adverse effect on rubber making it swell. Silicone spray/silicone grease or olive oil is ok

 

[CaravanRamblings]

Rubbish, my Coachman 2013 has ABS front and rear panels, it is mostly where the awning rails have not been pilot drilled. Or cross sealant covers not sealed.

I also think window seals need to have a lubricant, ie, Vaseline or silicone grease, applied every year to maintain flexibility and sealing resistance.

Just because you were in the lucky minority doesn't make it a fit for purpose construction material. I've had three caravans and three failed ABS panels. The last was replaced with GRP so all good now.

There's a reason virtually all manufacturers have ditched ABS for front and rear panels and it's not for aesthetics because the great attribute about ABS is it stays shinier for longer. If it doesn't crack first.

And vaseline degrades rubber. Something like Liquid Moly is a better alternative.

 

[otherclive]

Rubbish, my Coachman 2013 has ABS front and rear panels, it is mostly where the awning rails have not been pilot drilled. Or cross sealant covers not sealed.

I also think window seals need to have a lubricant, ie, Vaseline or silicone grease, applied every year to maintain flexibility and sealing resistance.

My 2013 Swift had a rear panel develop cracks and they were not associated with failure to drill pilot holes or cross sealant strips. They were at the top corner of each side. Some do a fix by sealing on “dummy” covers over the top of the panel corners. Mine was fixed with a rear panel replacement under warranty just before it’s five years expired.

I noticed when looking at Adrias their rear panels were not single large mouldings. Their roofs carried on down the back of the van and had a horizontal seal. Much like the quality German caravans.

 

[otherclive]

Just because you were in the lucky minority doesn't make it a fit for purpose construction material. I've had three caravans and three failed ABS panels. The last was replaced with GRP so all good now.

There's a reason virtually all manufacturers have ditched ABS for front and rear panels and it's not for aesthetics because the great attribute about ABS is it stays shinier for longer. If it doesn't crack first.

And vaseline degrades rubber. Something like Liquid Moly is a better alternative.

Ever since I had a 1990 BMW I’ve used a rubber care fluid that rejuvenates rubber seals, and prevents freezing in cold weather. It’s quite widely available now although at one time I got it from Germany. Nice thing compared to silicon is that it is absorbed by the rubber and non sticky.

Gummi pflegge