Is it me or is anyone else underwhelmed by the new Swift range? Having seen the new range last week, I felt that the interior at the front around the new "panoramic" window, or whatever they call this gimmick, looked cheap and nasty in its blow moulded 1970's plastic. The interiors were genearally dark and uninviting to me and the "trinket" tray, as Practical Caravan called it, in front of the front window was next to useless with the sockets facing upwards just to catch all the dirt to prevent you plugging in your aerial etc. I certainly wouldn't leave a mobile phone there as they suggested would be convenient. Overall I wasn't impressed and certainly not with the prices! Caravanning cheap? Not any more!
New Swift Range
- Thread starter Forbes1
- Start date
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that. Personally, the more time I spent in the Conqueror, the more I got to like it. Yes, there are some "strange" things in it, but overall, I think it's not a bad effort. I wouldn't touch a Bailey with a bargepole (not even someone else's). I think they look awful on the outside, and that is enough to put me off. I had a look in a new Unicorn last weekend. Internally it was nice, but the outside was that same awful looking thing with a bit of plastic stuck on the front to help stop damage from flying stones etc. However, Bailey seem to have sold a lot of caravans with that bodyshell, so others must like it. It's a good thing that we don't all like the same.
Quite agree, spent as little time as possible in it at lawns!! Yet more cheap and nasty plastic. Probably aimed at the thirty somethings??? Oh I am a thirty something!!! Oh well never mind stick with my coachman
Agree, after seeing the external photos which looked great.Forbes_5123327 said:
Perhaps it all about expectations?
But i too thought the extra sun roof was a gimmick, just something else on the front to get damaged by flying stones? Just two foot away is another large sunroof, and try operating the blind, i had to use both hands!
Perhaps a unicorn bib will be required.
Wife pointed out the carbuncle resting on the front shelf, what's that all about?
Where you could in theory put a cup, or phone? rests a unless mountain of cheap plastic, perhaps the sales man fitted it. Or the local scrap dealer?
Didn't like the sink either in that spotty finish.
Nor the missing screws on the nearside wheel arc outside, and why have shiny screw heads showing? The Unicorn may look a dogs dinner on the outside, but at least the screws are treated with plastic caps.
Not i'm afraid what you expect on a £18k plus caravan.
Factor in the extra cost of tracker £400?, and ATC £500?, and the swift starts to look expensive.
I wonder also why it appears 100kg heavier than the equivalent model in the unicorn and clubman?
Externally i thought it looked excellent, the front fairing covers the alko chassis, unlike the unicorn and clubman, bailey take note.
But unfortunately the overall ambiance of the swift left us disappointed.
No fitted sink drainer is one of our pet hates, another is a frosted toilet window. No doubt others will disagree.
If the unicorn had the swifts exterior, we would have bought one, as it is the unicorn front end is unacceptable, factor in the pathetic response from Bailey with peg and oly owners over the stone dent problem, so we have now decided to wait another year before we part with our Senator
Funnily enough, I don't like the Baileys either, especially the outside. Cheap and nasty springs to mind and the interiors are dark too. The flooring doesn't help looking like cheap formica and slightly more expensive formica for wall board. I too will stick to my Coachman because they are the only manufacturer who have thought about practicalities. Sink and drainer? Check. Proper cooker? Check. Wardrobe space and seperate shelves? Check. Ample proper size rooflights? Check. Front seats that can seat 6? Check. All in a fixed bed weighing less than 1500kgs and for less than Swift/Bailey et al.Shame I can't afford a new one.
Both swift and bailey use external stainless screws, while the last time i checked coachman didn't.
Check mate?
Check mate?
my feeling is that the "sensational" new swift is pretty much a carbon copy of the hobbys from 2007, on the outside at least. what that window in the front roof is all about, i can't fathom.
it always amazes how the caravan press hails every slight deviation from the "norm" as some radical step forward in caravanning. its a window, that's the beginning and the end of it.
i was pleasantly surprised to see the swift branded a sensation on the front cover of bailey monthly ;-) though, most unexpected.
it always amazes how the caravan press hails every slight deviation from the "norm" as some radical step forward in caravanning. its a window, that's the beginning and the end of it.
i was pleasantly surprised to see the swift branded a sensation on the front cover of bailey monthly ;-) though, most unexpected.
I find it incredible that stainless screws are not used in all caravans
My old Science prof at college in the late 1950s was a caravan enthusiast and used to use his caravan screws as an example of metals in the periodic table reacting and steel screws and aluminium was asking for trouble of the electrolitic kind
My old Science prof at college in the late 1950s was a caravan enthusiast and used to use his caravan screws as an example of metals in the periodic table reacting and steel screws and aluminium was asking for trouble of the electrolitic kind
mcghee said:
Bailey monthly indeed...
There is still some interior work to be done on the new Swift models, certainly in terms of the detail, but they have some very good practical improvements too. I like having the mains controls in a roof-level locker, the bed slats can't fall out and there are up to seven mains sockets in some models. The soft furnishings are top drawer too, but the weights are a concern. And compared to rivals, there is some kit missing.
They do look fabulous from the outside though...
So Nigel, "the bed slats can't fall out". If the fact that the bed doesn't fall to pieces warrants a positive comment from the editor of a caravan magazine what does that say about about caravan design/build quality in general?
I thought that they looked stunning but have to agree that the weights are a problem
The Unicorn is lighter and the interior is superb but as they used to say:
"Shame about the face"
I think that Bailey would have a much more attractive van if they reverted to a GRP shaped and styled front from the roofline down
The alutech design has done the stylist no favours
The Unicorn is lighter and the interior is superb but as they used to say:
"Shame about the face"
I think that Bailey would have a much more attractive van if they reverted to a GRP shaped and styled front from the roofline down
The alutech design has done the stylist no favours
So the customer is the guinea pig to check everything works, they've not finished the details off and they're too heavy even with kit missing. That is not a good start but yes, they do look good from the outside. Beauty may only be skin deep, which in the case of Alutech Baileys is missing....Nigel Donnelly said:
Dear All.
When I say there is work to be done on the interiors, that is my opinion. The binnacle at the front really divides opinion for example and the roof window could be dismissed as a gimmick if you wanted to be mean. I think that the overall effect is excellent however and plenty of people will fall in love with them at the NEC.
And as for the slats on older models falling out, it's been happening for years with only Lunar of the UK manufacturers seeming immune. It's criminal that it has taken so long, but Bailey found a workaround last year with their pull-out beds in Pegasus, Coachman has developed a clever pull-out bed this year (it is great BTW) and Swift has introduced a system using runners to stop the slats dropping through. That system is also implemented on Charisma, Europa and Sprite IIRC.
Don't know how many of you will be heading to the NEC, but come over to the Practical Caravan stand and tell me what you think of them. I like them very much but would love the feedback. I'm there all week...
When I say there is work to be done on the interiors, that is my opinion. The binnacle at the front really divides opinion for example and the roof window could be dismissed as a gimmick if you wanted to be mean. I think that the overall effect is excellent however and plenty of people will fall in love with them at the NEC.
And as for the slats on older models falling out, it's been happening for years with only Lunar of the UK manufacturers seeming immune. It's criminal that it has taken so long, but Bailey found a workaround last year with their pull-out beds in Pegasus, Coachman has developed a clever pull-out bed this year (it is great BTW) and Swift has introduced a system using runners to stop the slats dropping through. That system is also implemented on Charisma, Europa and Sprite IIRC.
Don't know how many of you will be heading to the NEC, but come over to the Practical Caravan stand and tell me what you think of them. I like them very much but would love the feedback. I'm there all week...
Parksy
Moderator
Nigel Donnelly said:
If you're staying in the project Coachman on the car park it will seem much longer than a week Nigel
I haven't had chance to look inside the new Swifts yet so I can't comment on the interior but the raised edges along the sides of the roof seem a step in the right direction to minimise black streaks. The trouble is that a back end view is never shown on the available pictures, if there are too many recesses the streaks will appear there instead. With such a contemporary design using motorhome build methods what a pity that Swift didn't think to include a fairing with a built in rear view camera with the necessary wiring at the back and a flexible solar panel option at the front instead of the new skylight.
Agree about the camera, i will be fitting one when i next change.
It would be a real selling point if it was prewired or even fitted as an option?
I was impressed with the swift outside, apart from the shiny screw heads on show, and in one case the two wheel arc screws missing all together!
Unless provision has been made, the black streaks will still be at the front or rear, as i park my caravan at home nose down, i would imagine i would get two nice streaks down the front end of a swift, either side of the window?
It would be a real selling point if it was prewired or even fitted as an option?
I was impressed with the swift outside, apart from the shiny screw heads on show, and in one case the two wheel arc screws missing all together!
Unless provision has been made, the black streaks will still be at the front or rear, as i park my caravan at home nose down, i would imagine i would get two nice streaks down the front end of a swift, either side of the window?
There is a "gutter" built in across the front over the window
It used to be possible when caravans had an alluminium J section molding across the front and rear to have small lengths of tubing to shoot the water off
You can just pick out the short blue tubes on this pic
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p84/johng_016/KIF_0215.jpg
It used to be possible when caravans had an alluminium J section molding across the front and rear to have small lengths of tubing to shoot the water off
You can just pick out the short blue tubes on this pic
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p84/johng_016/KIF_0215.jpg
I was considering buying a 2010 Challenger. However my wife has convinced me that the sensational look of the 2011 model (we will have the optional sunroof) is the one to go for and will retain its appeal for many years to come.
I like many others don't like gimmicks and modernity for the sake of it. However this is undoubtedly the best looking mid range caravan on the market.
With reference to one of the comments; maybe it is aimed at the 30 somethings, I'm 37.
I like many others don't like gimmicks and modernity for the sake of it. However this is undoubtedly the best looking mid range caravan on the market.
With reference to one of the comments; maybe it is aimed at the 30 somethings, I'm 37.
im 34 and think it looks the bees knees.plus not a fan of black streaks,tried everything and ALDI caravan cleaner used neat works for me at only £2-99 for 1 litre and used diluted in a wash,leaves the van sparkling, is a bargain!Nigel Donnelly said:
swiffty6 said:
I think they look great, I'm double your age so I like them twice as much
Never thought of that idea about the front roof/window getting hit by stones, but you can have a model without.
We were at a site in Somerset this year when a new Bailey went out and about a 100 mtrs up the road the N/S wheel seized up and broke away
.
I really like the look of the new Swifts
A lot of the features are to be applauded but the awning light over the door came in for criticism from Fiamma and Omnistore canopy users before and the outside 13 amp socket is too far forward to be inside a porch awning etc
Its a pity that the weight has also gone up
We could pull the Ace Award Nightstar but the Challenger is just that bit too heavy
A lot of the features are to be applauded but the awning light over the door came in for criticism from Fiamma and Omnistore canopy users before and the outside 13 amp socket is too far forward to be inside a porch awning etc
Its a pity that the weight has also gone up
We could pull the Ace Award Nightstar but the Challenger is just that bit too heavy
Hi Forbes. Totally agree with your comments about the new Swift range.
We were at our dealership yesterday and took a look inside the Challenger 565, with the two fixed single beds, which was standing on the forecourt. The first thing we noticed when stepping in was the full glare from the sun through the new roof window and could imagine what this would be like in summer. It's good that you can choose, as an option, to have the traditional cupboards there instead. Sitting on the front seats and looking towards the front, there is a ghastly moulded lump of plastic and a shock for us was the much limited vision through the smaller two front side windows, with yet more hideous mouldings beneath them. The white doors on the kitchen cupboards "to define the kitchen area" looked odd and did not work for us. A continuation of the wood all round would have looked much better. There is a monstrous cupboard jutting out over the foot of one of the fixed single beds and even though Swift are raising this by 4", to enable you to put your feet vertically, The deep cupboard still looks very intrusive. There is no drop down access door to the space under the beds, so the bed top has to be lifted each time. The gap in the wall vent boards has been widened and because the bedclothes won't hide the top, like the cushions in the front do, the wooden batons are clearly visible all the time. The cheap and nasty shower door flops around when opening/closing and is akin to something you'd get from a pound shop. It is hard to believe a leading caravan manufacturer would use a floppy door like this. What a disappointing and underwhelming experience it was. We didn't bother to look too closely at the outside of the van, as we'd seen enough, but did notice an awning skirt wouldn't run to its extremeties, due to wrap around plastic trims. Swift seem to have lost the plot with this one. It would be a good idea if they incorporated a team of experienced caravanners to assist their designers.
We were at our dealership yesterday and took a look inside the Challenger 565, with the two fixed single beds, which was standing on the forecourt. The first thing we noticed when stepping in was the full glare from the sun through the new roof window and could imagine what this would be like in summer. It's good that you can choose, as an option, to have the traditional cupboards there instead. Sitting on the front seats and looking towards the front, there is a ghastly moulded lump of plastic and a shock for us was the much limited vision through the smaller two front side windows, with yet more hideous mouldings beneath them. The white doors on the kitchen cupboards "to define the kitchen area" looked odd and did not work for us. A continuation of the wood all round would have looked much better. There is a monstrous cupboard jutting out over the foot of one of the fixed single beds and even though Swift are raising this by 4", to enable you to put your feet vertically, The deep cupboard still looks very intrusive. There is no drop down access door to the space under the beds, so the bed top has to be lifted each time. The gap in the wall vent boards has been widened and because the bedclothes won't hide the top, like the cushions in the front do, the wooden batons are clearly visible all the time. The cheap and nasty shower door flops around when opening/closing and is akin to something you'd get from a pound shop. It is hard to believe a leading caravan manufacturer would use a floppy door like this. What a disappointing and underwhelming experience it was. We didn't bother to look too closely at the outside of the van, as we'd seen enough, but did notice an awning skirt wouldn't run to its extremeties, due to wrap around plastic trims. Swift seem to have lost the plot with this one. It would be a good idea if they incorporated a team of experienced caravanners to assist their designers.
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