Privacy/dark windows

[WatsonJohnG]

I wonder why this tread on dark windows has become a condemnation of UK vans

Its beyond me

We have had UK vans for 30+ years and only one has had any damp at all and that was minimal.

My present Bailey does not have any damp so I will not need or am I asking for anyone else to pay/not pay for its repair.

It does have a 6 year body warranty and aroof that I am told I could stand on like many German vans--this is something I have no need to do !

Sadly it does not have dark windows but the car much to my initial dismay came with them and I have now learnt to like them.

I do like the look of the dark windows in the caravans just to stray back on to the topic and in fact said so to an owner last time out !

David

I am sure that it would stand the weight its just that I have no need to try.My caravan is parked next to the garage/balcony and I can reach all the roof without venturing on to it.Hope that you like the Indiana as much as we like the Oklahoma even though its a UK van !!

 

[WatsonJohnG]

As there are far more UK vans sold in UK there are bound to be more favourable/adverse comments on UK vans in a UK forum

You get the feeling that some owners swear an oath of allegiance to a particular brand whether it be UK or Euro

I was fixing a satellite dish on site last week when a bystander had to tell me that his German built van had a stronger roof than a Uk van

I don't feel the need to go round telling people that my Senator is superior to anything else although for my purposes/price range it is!!-for me

Black windows do nothing to affect the integrity of the body shell and the extra(?) cost incurred would not go far towards the leaking problem which most manufacturers are already addressing.

We often have to put up the blinds to keep the sun out and maybe darker windows would save the effort of putting them up/down

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Dear Geist,

Although very new to this forum I am learning quite a lot about current UK and Foreign built caravans by "tuning in". I do appreciate the differing points of view and do not wish to cause offence here, but, I would like to add some observations if I may?

It would be of real assistance to the likes of me if you Mr/Mrs/Ms Geist (?) would be kind enough to substantiate some of your accusations of "shoddy build quality" please. I am a "born again caravaner" who is looking to purchase a new van soon. You advised me to look at vans which displayed the words: - "'Made In Germany". We have in fact looked at some examples which are very heavy, plain looking inside and with a distinctly "orange" coloured wood finish. Not altogether inviting one to rush out and part with ones "hard earned".

To some people the cars made by Mercedes represent quality. However, to those thousands of owners who over the years have been honest enough to complete a JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey, they simply do not agree! My request is quite basic - please, please be kind enough to back up your proclamations with some meaningful facts.

Thank you for your past suggestion and I of one would welcome your corroborated advice in the future.

Trevor.

I brought a brand new U.K. built caravan in June 2004, it had scratches to the rear offside window frame which was to be replaced. I then found water getting in through the external locker underneath the o/s rear window which would be seen to when the frame arrived.

During its 1st service June 2005 when replacing the window frame the fitter informed me he had found where the water was getting in, the whole of the n/s had to had to be removed resealed & wallboards replaced.

In October 2006 water leaked in through rear n/s window, the window was replaced in January 2007. Between January & March 2007, the van went in for leaks on 4 occasions. On the last occasion the awning channel at the rear n/s was unscrewed, the sealant had not adeared & not formed a seal so it was resealed.

In March 2007 I took delivery of a new German caravan, the quality is far supperior to any U.K. van & untill U.K. vans improve it is German for me.

 

[Geist]

John wrote:

" it seems to be a trend to ridicule UK/French/W H Y to make your own possesions look good

I had a mother in law who belittled everyone to boost her own ego so I recognise the mode of operation. "

--

You appear to be taking this rather personally - it wasn't meant in that way, merely an honest answer to a direct question.

Your unnecessarily hostile reaction seems to indicate that you're not quite as confident in the amazing build quality of your UK van as you would like me to believe

I certainly wasn't trying to 'belittle' you John (you've obviously had enough of that sort of treatment from your Ma-in-law) so try not to get so upset. If you like your van, that's great, if you think that it's well made, that's great too.

To try and make it up to you I can only say, The world is great, life is great, winning the lottery is great (or so I'm led to believe) but Bailey caravans are greater than all these great things combined.

Which, as I'm sure you'll agree, is great news.

Regards

 

[ProfJohnL]

This post has moved from the original question about tinted windows to the relative merits of UK and Foreign build quality.

To bring it back to the windows. I do not have tinted/privacy windows, but I have recently spent quite some time travelling in Canada in a vehicle that had privacy windows.

During the trip I tried to take photo's and the results are a little disappointing, as it is often quite obvious that the windows do change the colour balance of what the camera saw. This was particularly noticeable when the picture was taken through the windshield (Un-tinted) and also had part of the view through the side (tinted) window.

As for the privacy aspect, this was fane as long as the interior of the car(or caravan) is darker than the exterior. As soon as it was brighter inside than out, from the outside, you could see quite clearly what was inside. In other word the blinds or curtains are still important.

It is a matter of personal choice, my preference is for clear.

 

[Lee.C]

Still love mine! To be honest pictures taken through any window are never very good.

 

[lessirrocc]

We have 07 Super Sirocco and love it the windows are great and were ever we go people admire the van and we have never had any negative comments, but then i suppose it is down to personal taste and i could never see the attraction of a table lamp on top of the front chest of draws ,but hay what ever floats ye boat.

 

[Bryn1]

Tinted windows are great! We can wander round the site looking at other people's outfits (as you do) without feeling that we are intruding on their privacy.

Wouldn't have one ourselves though.

 

[Icemaker]

I have to admit that the new vans with the black windows certainly do look great.

To me, however, it's just another novelty introduced by the manufacturers to divert attention away from their fundamentally shoddy build quality.

Let's face it, those lovely windows are the best part of the van. What's the point of them when the shell will be leaking in two years time (or very possibly less)

This con-trick has been going on for decades - every year, something new, something snazzier, something designed to make people go "Ooooh!"...... but, always, the same ineffective seals, cheap construction, and short life expectancy.

Dark windows are nice - well sealed caravans would be a lot better.

What utter dross, german vans are no better sealed than british vans and they do use exactely the same mastics as approved by the caravan council.

Some of the larger british manufacturers do leave a lot to be desired in build quality namely swift who are in my opinion the worst of the lot but explorer follow quite closely bailey do seem to be having a few problems at the moment but lunar avondale and coachman all appear to be doing a fine job, certainly with the coachman you are getting the best built british van you can buy without paying silly money for a coach built.

Coachman vans are every bit as well built as any german van and yes you can walk on the roof if you wish they come with the all important 5 year ingress guarantee and you get a lot more style and equipment than you do with german vans, we have now had 5 coachmans all of which have had very extensive use throughout summer and winter and not one has failled in any way.

German vans are well built (most not all)but they are allso very boring and don't have the facilities needed for the extensive touring that we do.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

John wrote:

" it seems to be a trend to ridicule UK/French/W H Y to make your own possesions look good

I had a mother in law who belittled everyone to boost her own ego so I recognise the mode of operation. "

--

You appear to be taking this rather personally - it wasn't meant in that way, merely an honest answer to a direct question.

Your unnecessarily hostile reaction seems to indicate that you're not quite as confident in the amazing build quality of your UK van as you would like me to believe

I certainly wasn't trying to 'belittle' you John (you've obviously had enough of that sort of treatment from your Ma-in-law) so try not to get so upset. If you like your van, that's great, if you think that it's well made, that's great too.

To try and make it up to you I can only say, The world is great, life is great, winning the lottery is great (or so I'm led to believe) but Bailey caravans are greater than all these great things combined.

Which, as I'm sure you'll agree, is great news.

Regards

What a hoot

How do you keep a straight face .

Just back from another trouble free trip in a UK built Bailey with bonded roof and 6 year warranty

Hope that is amusing to you

Its all tongue in cheek as your comments must be.

But some people might take the ridiculing of products bought with hard earned cash to be a tad naff !!

 

[WatsonJohnG]

We have tinted rear windows in the car and my aging sister in law can sit in the back in her granny grove grey coat ompletely incognito .

Watching the world go by completely unobserved

 

[Lee.C]

Still Love mine!

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

lee, i love the dark windows on your super sirocco.i love your super sirocco.

its a shame you dont like the silver sides on my new sterling, lol.

jo-anne

 

[Lee.C]

Well Jo-anne I do really like the silver sides its just that the front and rear should be silver as well.If you bought a car it would look strange if the bonnet and tailgate was white and the sides were silver but its still a nice van though. I do like your contributions to the forum though as they do seem a little thin of late and where have all the regulars gone?

 

[RichardS1]

I think the dark windows look great on the explorer group vans. The big twin wheelers are certainly some of the best looking vans you can buy.