Don't know if they'v closed down but drove past ebor caravans on the A64 near york and all locked up and empty no stock or signs up
As some of the previous replies have pointed out, in the case of most appliances, the caravan manufacturer expects the customer to use the Original Equipment Manufacturer(OEM)'s warranty. Where this can seem rather blurred is becasue many of the dealers have actually done training with the OEM and can undertake many of the basic repairs on behalf of the OEM.
The major down side to this (and I can tell you from experience) is the OEM repairs are often necessary because the caravan manufacturer has failed to ensure the integrity of the appliance in the warehouse or on the assembly line, or they have not followed th e OEM instructions or advice about fitting the appliance, or the caravan manufacturer has damaged the OEM equipment when they fit it. These warranty costs do not appear in the Caravan manufacturers accounts as they are covered by the OEM's.
We spent many hours correcting installations where the caravan manufacturer had not installed the appliance for its best effect.
Also we know some serious bodywork failures have resulted in the caravan being returned to the factory for repairs. Many such repairs have taken months.
Looking at Clive’s post maybe we can look forward to”the slow boat to China” for future warranty repairs😉
Looking at Clive’s post maybe we can look forward to”the slow boat to China” for future warranty repairs😉
I think those high end expensive caravans will drop off the market. Buccaneer caravans were selling for about £30k in 2018, but now almost the same caravan with different decals sells for £48k so a massive difference over 6 years, but quality has not improved!
I honestly wonder how they can justify such a high price, when they are basically using the same OEM equipment and construction techniques as the larger lower cost (But still rather expensive) manufacturers. Even their hand assembly processes allow too many design, material and assembly faults to be created and reach the end user.
The good news is that a 2018 caravan in good condition with a full service history will sell for about £23-£25k so a loss of about £5-£7k most of which would have been the VAT element!
I rang an AWS company I have used previously about 11:00 this morning and left a message, expecting maybe a call back in the new year.
I have just put the phone down from their call back (on a Sunday!)
Service booked for 17th January,.
Chap said he had a pile of emails on his desk from people in the same situation, but as a previous customer I get preferential treatment. Result !!
I do wonder whether the increasing number of EV's being sold is part of the problem. I frequently tow my Bailey Phoenix 440 (not the heaviest of vans) from Commons Wood to Chester Fairoaks, slightly over 220 miles, with my Mazda CX5 without having to stop to re-fuel on the way. I'm not aware of any EV on the market today that would allow me to tow a medium weight family size caravan that distance on one charge. In my mind 200-250 miles in a day is a reasonable distance to a campsite but to have to factor in one or two recharging stops in that journey must put many people off caravanning, particularly those with young families.
Few EV's seem to be designed for towing family sized caravans and I suspect that our hobby is now entering a terminal phase.
Few EV's seem to be designed for towing family sized caravans and I suspect that our hobby is now entering a terminal phase.
ICE cars will still be around after 2030, its just the sale of new ones that's going to be banned, and I suspect ICE cars will retain a fair value as many will still want to tow a caravan, a horse box, or a boat etc.
My intention is to get a used plug in hybrid if I am still towing in 4/5 years time. Local journeys powered by my solar panels and longer ones with the ICE.
But owing to the eyewateringly high price of charging EV's at public charging points for those without off street parking I can foresee "issues" surrounding the total ban on new ICE cars I a few years time. Apparently only 40% of homes have off street parking.
Interesting times ahead methinks!
Come this April, there is going to be decided less muscular ICE domestic cars being sold in the UK, IMO based on the eye-watering financial arm twisting to go EV.
If buying new is there any relief towing with the likes of a Transit?
If buying new is there any relief towing with the likes of a Transit?
There are a number of things to consider before going down the route of Transit or similar.
Lower speed limits because it's a commercial van not a car, even when solo.
Increased costs if using a ferry due to its height (not too much of an issue unless you travel abroad a fair bit).
Too tall for many multi-storey car parks.
Not as comfortable to ride in as a car, and a bit noisier
A bit of a climb up into the cab if you have mobility issues.
Limited passenger seats unless you opt for a crew-cab
Lower speed limits because it's a commercial van not a car, even when solo.
Increased costs if using a ferry due to its height (not too much of an issue unless you travel abroad a fair bit).
Too tall for many multi-storey car parks.
Not as comfortable to ride in as a car, and a bit noisier
A bit of a climb up into the cab if you have mobility issues.
Limited passenger seats unless you opt for a crew-cab
I and others have said before ,our intention when these idiots get their way, I will buy just before the ban date a hardly used low mileage Touareg. I know it will see me out and still give SWMBO a good residual value.
Trouble is many others will have the same idea and that will result in two things, limited availability and sky high prices of anything half decent.
Of course there is nothing to stop those in charge to up the VED or whatever it is then, or the fuel taxes, to make that route too expensive.
Only a small proportion of cars on the road are used to tow any sort of trailers, and an even smaller number are used for caravans, consequently the car manufacturers don't see towing as a major part of a cars work, so designing for towing is not a high priority.
But having made that point, it is interesting to how battery capacities on new models have improved almost every year, and where as solo ranges of 150 miles used to be ground breaking, we are now seeing solo ranges in many ne vehicles 300 or more miles.
Each time the solo range increases so does the towing range, but we ae still seeing paltry maximum toad load capacities which still cramps caravanners choices.
But there is still a lot of work being done to improve the capacity of batteries and that will continue to open up towing possibilities.
My RAV4 has 215bhp, excellent torque, but can only tow 750kg unbraked and 800kg braked. Hardly a trailer tents worth.
Diesel will still be required for HGV's buses, coaches etc. Plus of course if the Givt ups the fuel duty it will disproportionally impact those with older cars who are least able to upgrade, so have an effect on the way they vote!
Like you said, interesting times ahead.
Agreed but it’s not usual to see HGVs, buses and coaches at filling stations apart from on motorways or major trunk routes. But would any follow on government be likely to reverse any increase in fuel duty. Doubtful when the hard work has been done for them by the previous government. I don’t know if the high prices at rapid commercial charging stations is supportable. As more come on line there may be more competition. Be interesting to see what a CMA inquiry may come up with.
Plug-in hybrids have a lot going for them on paper but most are petrol, not diesel, so towing consumption once the electric has been used up will inevitably be poor.
I noted on a car magazine website that the method of calculating official PHEV fuel consumption changed on 1st Jan 2025 for new models and 31st Dec 2025 for existing models - the changes are intended to more accurately reflect the actual consumption once the battery is discharged - it'll significantly affect the BIK rate for business users.
Does the battery fully discharge or will it still benefit from regeneration by braking but not gain enough charge to go far on electric. IE it becomes a self charging hybrid.
My friends newish Golf hybrid GTE i s good for 10 miles on EV then it’s all down to its little petrol engine.The performance is amazing , as good as the old GTI but not for long once his battery expires🙀. They don’t do long. Journeys so the hybrid suits the. It’s not a plug in
Facebook
Twitter