Purchasing Bessacarr Caravan (?)

[Sarah_374458581]

Any advice that anyone has on Bessacarr Cameo 625 GL 2005 or the Bessacarr caravans in general would be greatly appreciated. We are currently thinking about purchasing one and we can't seem to find any reviews on them. The one that we are looking at will need some tidying up and so we are wondering how accessible parts are and general overall quality compared to other caravan makes.

Thank you for your help

Sarah

 

[Jennifer2]

Bessacarr was latterly made by Swift Group, so you should have no trouble with getting spares.

 

[Moonstone1]

What do you mean by 'tidying up'? Are you buying from a dealer or privately. The reason I ask is that we had one of these stolen from our driveway last year. We were living in it at the time and all of our possessions were inside it so subsequently the mess and damage inside would have been considerable due to the fact that everything was out of cupboards etc. The pots were still on the draining board and even our pet hamster in his cage was gone.

Please be careful and check it is not a stolen van.

 

[Gumbo]

We have a Cameo645 2006 model and it has had nothing wrong with it except one screw which was short, fell out of a curtain track.

Otherwise nothing which I am pleased to say I expected for a top of the range caravan. We like it so much we are considering a top of the range Motorhome of the Bessacarr brand.

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

Unless it has had hard use by a family, I can't understand why a caravan of that age should need tidying up, particularly a Bessacarr, as they were a bit more robust than the average Swift caravan!

Anyway, we've got the 625 GL, 2006 model, and on the whole, it's been a really good 'van. We expect to change it in about 18 months, and it's going to be difficult to find something we like with the same spec and build quality! :O)

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Wendy (Norfolk),

Swift Bessacars were built on the same production line as Swift and Abbey caravans. They were built using the same method of construction and the same people who built Swift and Abbey caravans.

The thickness of the floors and walls were the same as the top end Swift range. Same mastics roof fittings etc. They had a few extra gismos than the Conqueror range making them feel more up market.

As you will know the Bessacars had Alde central heating on the twin axles.As soon as Swift dropped the Bessacars they put the Alde heating in the Conqueror twin axle range, and slightly uped the spec of the Conquerors.

I had one of the true coachbuilt Bessacars which was built to our own specification.

Prior to the coachbuilt Bessacar we had a coachbuilt Cotswold Windrush. Swift did the same to Cotswold as they did to Bessacar.

They just became another slightly more upmarket Swift, built the same way as the Swift's.

Swift Cotswolds and Swift Bessacars were really nice caravans inside but as far as build quality goes there was no difference to the top range Swifts. They came down the production line and were put together the same as the Swifts and Abbeys.

I wish we still had more true coachbuilt caravans. However i must say my 2007 Swift Conqueror 655 has and is an excellent caravan.

If you want a coachbuilt there is only really Vanmaster left. Wish i could afford one!!

Hamer

 

[Jon_374458923]

We have a Bessacarr Cameo 635GL, it is a 2005 model which we bought brand new early 2006. We will never buy a Bessacarr ever again. We have had nothing but problems with it. It has been back to the dealer at least 6 times and also been returned to the factory for warranty work the main 1 being Aluminium rot along the middle join of the 2 side panels. My Brother also has a Bessacaar 2006 model and his van also has the ali rot problem, he has aslo had other problems with his van too. A couple round the corner from me had a Bessacarr 2006 and I told them about the ali rot and when I ran my finger along the panel join on their van it also had it and they had noticed one or two other niggles too. We have just been away in our van this weekend and the rear side window was leaking. My advice would be check the service history and try and get some warranty with it. We thought we were buying the best with Bessacarr but we would never buy another caravan from the Swift group again. The standard of workmanship is poor, unlike how it used to be.

 

[Dustydog]

I've seen aluminium failure on aircraft but not on caravans.

What causes it and what do you look for?

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Jon_374458923]

I've seen aluminium failure on aircraft but not on caravans.

What causes it and what do you look for?

Cheers

Dustydog

Run your finger along the join in the middle of the side exterior panel. It will feel rough. I believe they now make the panel as 1 whole sheet. Swift tried to deny this was the problem but we were told elsewhere at a caravan specialist who gave us a second opinion, that it was definately ali rot.