Lunar Ariva

[MeonIan]

Evening all
Long post coming up.............please stick with me. I have been caravanning since 2000, old Monza followed by 2 new Baileys and then in 2015 I bought another new caravan from the Bristol company. This van unfortunately is the biggest pile of rubbish I have ever seen, water ingress at 3 months(for which now I wish I had rejected the van at the time), a fix was made together with various other faults, 3 new blinds, new electric sockets, tv socket, new bumper corners which were cracking, faulty water pump, peeling decals, the list goes on. So currently it's having its third service and I mention water getting into under bed wet locker, yes sir needs new frame and door £240 not covered under warranty, van is 3 years old next month. To be fair they are going to try a warranty claim but I hold out no hope and I've now lost interest in the van and probably caravanning altogether.

So the internet beckoned and I reckon as there is just the two of us, the Lunar Ariva may be our last chance saloon, smaller and easier to manage, looks good, fits on the drive, will be towed easily by our Skoda Octavia 2.0 diesel. However the previous history of Lunar frightens me, they are still using the old building style and therefore more leaks aren't they? Will a narrower lightweight caravan feel as stable on the road, will it rock more on a windy night, all concerns we have and we don't want to and can't afford to make a mistake with this decision as it will be probably be our last one and needs to last us a good ten years.

So any owners out there who can give me their opinions, what's good and bad?
Many thanks for sticking with me.
Ian

 

[Raywood]

We have a Quasar, and yes it has leaked. However I can only say that the problem was dealt with well by the dealer and if not happy that it leaked I am pleased with the way the process was dealt with. All makes leak and you have to deal with a dealer who provides decent service rather than worry about the make I think. The magazines surveys seem to show they all leak and there is very little between makes so you have to just go for one and hope for the best.
The likelihood of a leak is as far as I can see no worse with a Lunar than any other make as it is the application of the sealant that is relevant rather than the construction method. All makes seem to use a gun and the process is totally down to the operator involved. If he or she is careless then the caravan will leak whatever the make.
The only point you might have concern about is the effect of a long term leak. In this regard both Lunar and Eldiss have a wooden frame and long term exposure could damage this, but if it is serviced and a damp check is done then it should not be a problem as it will be picked up before the problem is too great.
Coachman and Swift use composite frames which are impervious to water and should not damage and Swift use composite floors as well. They do still leak though.
Bailey also use a non wood frame and can leak. The major problem I can see is that many dealers cannot deal with this frame in their own workshops and you need to check that point.
At the end of the day I would go for the Ariva if it suits you.