New caravan fault list

[ricky_s]

I've been away a couple of times now and have got to know our new van quite well.

This is a list of faults so far.

Battery Charger - Needed replacing under warranty.
Coat hook in bedroom - Fell off when SWMBO hung her coat on it. I fixed that one.

That's it. Very pleased with it.

 

[Hutch]

No so bad Ricky,
Well on Our Coachman , digital control panel, screen failure after three week, whilst in France for a month, thankfully everything worked , Warranty, Front window touching inner and outer panel, Warranty, , then last year power module, replaced by myself. Just ordered the lastest model 306 so I have a spare for France in July for 6 weeks. Caravan 3 years old now, and still very pleased with it. Done about 12,000 to 15, 000 miles towing in the three years. So its well beded in .

 

[Raywood]

Two faults is about par for the course I think. We had only one very minor one but a man I met on site earlier this year had 22 so things can be a lot worse. If I was him I would probably have rejected it but he was on friendly terms with the dealer which probably affected his attitude.

 

[saint-spoon]

I have had three so far, the first was a blown air vent with the flap thingy fallen out (easy fix), the second was the push fit outlet from the water heater which failed. Another easy fix to be honest even if it did cost me a fiver from a hardware shop. The third however is the drain pipe from the basin in the bathroom (this can fold away when not in use). The pipe is split around the circumference and I can not see how to get to it without removing the fridge or taking the entire bathroom unit out. This I will save for the dealer to deal with under warranty. The buggerance is that they say that I have to drag the caravan down to them for any repair work as they don’t have a mobile service and that they can’t accept caravans at the weekends due to the workshop being closed meaning that I have to take a day off to tow it down to them and another to bring it bac
k after wards which is not something that makes ma a happy bunny.

 

[traficman]

Hi all my caravan has just had its first service in Feb, 4 problem electric hook up cover flap broken (non warranty cover) false ceiling in front of caravan with lights fabric rippling needs replacing,interior dividing panel warping,and finally since the service the heating doesn't work so has got to go back.

Volvo xc60 R-Design Bailey Unicorn Seville__

 

[Raywood]

Very poor service as most dealers round here will take caravans in at the weekend ready for them to work on during the week. If the showroom is open it is not a big deal for them to do this.
You might want to look up your rights against the dealer although they vary a bit as to when the caravan was bought. There is certainly a possibility of claiming the cost of returning it but not sure about the days wages. Might be worth a word with the legal helpline if you are a club member of Citizens Advice if you are not.a

 

[saint-spoon]

I agree Ray. It is my intention to take a drive down there to have a chat on site whilst there are potential customers about to see what they can do regarding honouring the warranty that they provided.

 

[Craigyoung]

Since buying our baileys caravan in 2013 we have had a new gas bit put onto the oven , we have also had a new 13 pin plug fitted as it kept locking into position and not returning to it where it should off been , a new o ring on where the pump attached also a new new seal around outside door and a new mirror in the washroom and a new charger which of all places happened to go off whilst in France 2 years ago :woohoo: hmy: and two new front Windows due to the vibration causing marks on it under warranty and one or two blinds retentioned on the warranty. Although it hasn't cost us much to be fixed fingers crossed nothing else will go wrong with it !!

Craig . B)

 

[ProfJohnL]

Since buying our baileys caravan in 2013 we have had a new gas bit put onto the oven , we have also had a new 13 pin plug fitted as it kept locking into position and not returning to it where it should off been , a new o ring on where the pump attached also a new new seal around outside door and a new mirror in the washroom and a new charger which of all places happened to go off whilst in France 2 years ago :woohoo: hmy: and two new front Windows due to the vibration causing marks on it under warranty and one or two blinds retentioned on the warranty. Although it hasn't cost us much to be fixed fingers crossed nothing else will go wrong with it !!

Craig . B)

Hi Craig,
Quite a list. I assume you must have put a special requirement on your caravan order that you wanted shoddy goods :blink: I should have cost you nothing to have them fixed. You have ended up paying to put right the manufacturers and dealers mistakes! And why should you need to cross your fingers, :huh: It should be the dealer who crosses something -hoping nothing else goes wrong. :evil:

 

[Craigyoung]

Appologies prof' , it was all done under warranty although we had to fight for our 3rd window to be done under warranty ! The charger escapade though we lost a few pounds on that , baileys knocked the labour charges off our service charge cos it wasnt a british charger , we got a new charger under warranty and paid bout £5o less . And we kept the french charger for a spare when traveling abroad . Other little costs just diesel to and from garage 1oo mile round trip !!!

Craig

 

[RayS]

Current van coming up three years old. Faults so far:

Creaking floor, fastenings furniture to floor 75% stripped out. 'Fixed' by dealer, ineffective, returned to factory, came back with problem not fixed plus toilet door handle in bits in washbasin. New handle supplied, had to be modified to fit.
Flame failure device on grill failed, repaced while at factory.
Toilet stuck in position ( while full, of course) fixed by owner on site complete unit replaced at factory.
Carpets disintegrated when subject to minimum water cleaning. Repaced as 'good will' by dealer but replacements same poor quality.
13 pin connector failed in rain due to factory failing to fit O ring seal. Factory used non standard colour multicore and wrapped white lead in black tape so it appeared no white lead existed - thanks chaps, I wish it had been you who sorted this in pouring rain in France rushing for ferry.
One window failed, replaced under warrenty after months of delay.
Spare key involves not only key but lock barrels at exorbitant price.
Front locker floor and joints to body shell all had scews hanging out loose after first trip.
Heater system incorrectly fitted resulting in heater lockout in high crosswinds; again thanks again chaps for a freezing December night high up in Spain.
Failure of maker to reply to complaints with other than 'boiler plate' computer generated texts.
And, finally, thank you to legal profession for uniformly failing to reply, despite being listed on Law Society website as expert in consumer affairs when I asked for help under SOGA.

Despite all this we have enjoyed almost 350 nights away, mainly in Europe, with much space being taken up with my tool box, spares and test equipment when it could have been used for sensible thins like wine bottles. I guess the challenge of keeping the thing working has kept mind and body alert, but I have to reflect this list for a singlr UK caravan exceeds the total of all the caravans I have owned since 1967 put together.

Obviously, if I get round to buying another caravan in my 80th year, it will not be from the same source, but how confident can I be that a new one will be any better?

 

[Craigyoung]

Crikey ray , I thought we'd had a few problems , you gotta baileys to ( forgot to mention we'd also had a full toilet refit due to leaky seal ) under warranty ! Like yourself our widows took months to be sorted ! Got told a few months ago on service that we've 5 LEDs off on our awning light , easy fit they said for around £67.oo it still illuminates my awning and that my reg plate would be a x on service sheet as I have it shortened due to us having a private plate !! Pathetic .

Carry on caravaning ! B)

Craig .

 

[Hutch]

Wow Ray, you really had the Friday morning van, you never need problems, and especially when you are mostly in Europe.
Two friends bought Baileys at the same time as we bought our Coachman, theirs have been back for more problems than ours, but looking at the new Coachmans, If we thought we would change the Van, which I doubt, we would look towards the Swifts as I think Coachman have gone downhill with their latest models.
I think we will keep this one for another 6 years and then probably move to a Motor home, as I get older, that way I can get my BMW 1300 into the back end garage. :lol:

 

[Raywood]

Ray, if you are looking for under £5,000 the small claims procedure is simple and can be done online. An absolute nightmare for the dealer who needs an expensive solicitor and if you are not a club member try Citizens Advice if you need help.

 

[emmerson]

My 37 year-old van hasn't had that many faults!

 

[Dustydog]

The recent reliability survey basically puts Elddis last,then Swift ,Coachman then Bailey. All within 1% of each other. And their highest score for reliability was 36%.
Pathetic quality by today's standard. Yet us Lemmings keep buying them

 

[emmerson]

If you bought any other product that was as bad as a new caravan, would you ever buy another one?
So why do people keep buying new caravans?

 

[Gabsgrandad]

'Cos buying 2nd. hand is only buying someone else's problems!
Just had my second years service, asked them to do nothing except replace front window, as white marks internally on it. wouldn't bother if I was paying. My van has done 269 nights and 9896 miles, -- no problems to take back to dealer or manufacturers (YET!)

 

[emmerson]

But if you buy 2nd hand, surely the first owner has had the problems sorted under warranty?

 

[Craigyoung]

Not if it was previously owned by RayS or me the amount off problems we've had !!

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Emmerson said - "But if you buy 2nd hand, surely the first owner has had the problems sorted under warranty?

Not if, as many do, had given up in despair!

 

[Raywood]

Reports on the internet are full of reports of caravans that leaked and leaked again after so called repairs I am afraid second hand is no guarantee of problems being sorted. You do have to wonder why people would have sold a caravan only one or two years old and desperation may be the answer.