I don't really subscribe to this concept that people who buy the less expensive caravans and cars have lower expectations. As a professional engineer I have worked in areas that require extremely high stands of design, production, operation and maintenance. Whilst I don't expect my Sprite to equate to a submarine I do expect it to be built properly, be fit for purpose and to work. I expect that what my car, or caravan maker supplies should work as intended. If it doesn't I will take it up with the supplier. Of course buying budget does mean that some features provided in the more expensive models aren't in mine. But that is my choice. One reason why those with more expensive and complex models might complain is that there are more things to go wrong. However, damp seems no respecter of price, but fortunately to date my Sprite has not been affected.
My most unreliable cars have been Volvo 245, Discovery 2 and Volvo XC70 Gen3. And I'm talking basic unrealiabity not just glitches in some electrics, ECB or software. Most reliable Skoda Estelle, Citroen BX, Nissan Note, Mondeo, and Kia Sorento. All avowedly budget models.[/quote]
Clive, I appreciate your views on this but the survey results do seem to support my theory. Two years back the survey had Buccaneer shown separately from Eldiss and Buccaneer came out with a worse score than Eldiss. The only thing that does not fall into line is that Swift and Sterling models get differing scores despite being essentially the same caravans which makes no sense to me.
Yes you do have the right to expect the caravan to be built properly but different peoples ideas of what is a satisfactory standard vary and price might be a factor in this.
A factor which I cannot check with caravans is do you get different results with different surveys. This is certainly true of cars with Honda and Toyota topping other surveys so it may depend on your audience.