thoughts on ACE Jubilee Aristocrat vs Ace Award Firestar vs B...

[Gavin1974]

What do people think of the 2008 ACE Jubilee Aristocrat. We're about to hand over our hard earned cash, but thought it would be useful running it past people on this forum.

We back away from a Bailey pageant at the last minute, partly because my wife didn't like the colour of the upholstery and I was a bit put off by all the recent bad press Bailey seem to be getting on this forum.

Does anyone, have any thoughts on how Ace compares to Bailey in terms of build quality/reliability?

Also, just when our mind was made up on the 08 Jubilee Aristocrat, the dealer showed us an 07 Ace Award Firestar they have on special for the same price as the Aristocrat.

The Firestar is 2007 van (June ish) apparently an unwanted van ordered by an insurance company following the summer floods. It's not been used and it's not been a demo van.

Whilst the Award is meant to be a step up from the Jubilee range, it doesn't have a microwave, stereo or allow wheels (not bothered about the stereo or alloys). But compared to the Jubilee, it has an external power socket and apparently a better quality mattress and cushions. Is this true does the award range have better seat cushions etc?

Whilst my gut feel says to go for the jubilee van (it being "new"), my wife much prefers to the upholstery/look of 07 Award van.

Appreciate any views anyone has on either of these two vans.

Cheers

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Gavin

The overall eliability of Bailey over othe rmanufacturers is still second to none. Bailey made 9000 caravans last year. A lot of the faults notified here and elsewhere more often than not relate to outside manufacturers parst eg fridges which are common to all manufacturers. I've had three bailey's now and have never had any major faults. Minor nigghles will arise .

Personally, and yes I am prejudiced, I don't think you can far wrong sticking to Bailey or Swift. I accept some of teh smaller manufacturers produce excellent quality but because their numbers produced are low the faults never seem to surface in public!

Good luck and make sure you choose a decent dealer, very important.

Cheers

Alan

 

[Iain]

Don't be put off the Bailey becuase of the upholstry. We weren't keen on the standard Pageant upholstry so have gone for the optional blue upholstry on ours (to be built this week!)

As for reliability we have had four Baileys to date, with five on order. Never had any worries with them, and when there have been problems they have been sorted quickly and efficiently. Pity the same can't be said by my mate who bought a new Swift Group built Sprite recently!

 

[Gavin1974]

Alan/Fab thanks for your thoughts.

Unless someone has something shocking on Swift's reliability/quality vs Bailey, we're opting for the Ace van. My better half feels the new Baileys are two "orange" inside (wood and upholstery I think - dont ask me?!)

Any thoughts on the 07 firestar or 08 Aristocrat?

Cheers

 

[PAUL_374344644]

We also have opted for a new Aristocrat. We have been out 4 times to press, and we are very pleased with the build quality, standard of fittings etc. As for the cushions/mattress debate, I see this as a matter of personal taste. I often think that the difference between the models in a range are often cosmetic and do not nearly justify the price hikes. As an aside, our dealer fitted a mover, battery, and pneumatic jockey wheel together with a

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gavin, i dont like bailey because of the outside colour reminds me to much of an avondale my last van which i gre to hate. your wife is correct to much wood in the baileys.

with reguards to the jubilee and the aristocrat. i dont think there much difference between the mid range and the bottom of the range only the price and a few bits. you get the better quality in the top of the range vans.

i wouldnt have an ex demo or one that had been hanging around for a while but thats just me.

i would have the 2008 jubilee aristocrat. if you or your wife prefer the upholstry in the top of the range you could have the different upholstry for

 

[nffcdave_374234697]

weve got a 2007 sterling europa which also swift group and have been very pleased with it so far.

only problem being the gaps in the front box, which can let things fall out[ie aqua roll handles which then stick in the ground and pierce the floor, bas~@:>:]

we to didnt like the baileys much but everyone else seems to as there are hundreds of them on the sites we go to.

be different,go with the swift,you wont regret it.

dave

 

[Gavin1974]

Jo / David / Paul, thanks for your comments.

Our minds are pretty much made up now, 2008 jubilee aristocrat I think.

Jo - agree with you they feel very spacious, it what sold it to Sarah. She felt twin dinette were a bit gloomy and corridor like.

Paul - that's a fantastic deal, have I understood you correctly.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gavin, so glad you are going for the newer one you wont regret it.

if you can get a simular deal from where paul got his from see if they will email you the deal then ring your nearest dealer to see if they will price match. if you dont ask you dont get.

gavin my craig would have loved the sterling twin axel side bed but it was an extra

 

[PAUL_374344644]

Sorry about the delay replying. Yes, that's spot on. I've just dug out my invoice,

 

[mealsonwheels]

Alan/Fab thanks for your thoughts.

Unless someone has something shocking on Swift's reliability/quality vs Bailey, we're opting for the Ace van. My better half feels the new Baileys are two "orange" inside (wood and upholstery I think - dont ask me?!)

Any thoughts on the 07 firestar or 08 Aristocrat?

Cheers

Gavin, I know exactly what your wife means about the 'orangey' colour inside wood, as I got the same impression.

The wood is a more natural colour in Swift group caravans and we finally settled for a Swift caravan too.

Mrs Meals-on-Wheels

 

[Gavin1974]

Hi Paul,

Bloody hell, that's pretty good.

A local dealer said they could get the price to

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gavin is this your first van?.

if so the dealers usually do like a dealer on first time buyers and throw in things like battery, wheel clamp etc.

what type of awning do you want and do you want a brand new one or a would a good second hand one do?.

jo-anne

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gavin there a brand new bradcot full awning on ebay at the moment its a 990 thats what i bought for my sterling elite onyx so i thought it would fit yours asewll being the same manu and layout. just a thought it could be a bargin. i paid

 

[JasonR_374341560]

Do you really need a motor mover Gavin. Retired with larger heavier twin axle van and have yet to find the need for a mover.

Apart from cost, the mover reduces weight of what you can carry and is another thing to be maintained and breakdown. The vast majority of caravans on our roads do not have motor movers.

You can have a mover fitted at any time after you have assesed what you need to carry and tried out using the caravan.

 

[Gavin1974]

Hi Jo,

This is our first van so in need of the lot.

On the awning front we were looking at a new porch awning to get us going, but would consider a good second hand on if we came across one.

One dealer has just offered to go as low as

 

[Gavin1974]

Hi Jo,

just had a peak on ebay, there a million bradcot awnings, which model would fit - thanks.

Jason - probably thinking we'll hold off on motor mover until we know how we're coping without it.

cheers

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gavin i didnt even barter this time because i just wanted to get rid of the bloody avondale and its cracks. i did get my motor mover for

 

[Gavin1974]

Hi Jo -thanks for the info.

We're based in the Chester area. Would have taken the plunge on the ACE Jubilee Aristocrat this weekend, if I hadnt had a rotten cold.

Cheers

Gavin

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gavin, have you got man flu?.

jo

 

[Gavin1974]

Are much moaning, groaning and hand wringing we've "pulled the trigger" on a ACE Jubilee Aristocrat. Hopefully we should take delivery mid to late March.

First stop for a shake down will be either the CC site at troutbeck or borrowdale...I can't wait.

Followed by a long weekend in the Cotswold, a week in Pembroke and a week in Norfolk..feeling a bit more positive about the caravanning business now (see earlier rant).

In the long term I think a van with rear fixed bunks and side dinette would be more practical, especially as the family grows, but the boss fell in love with the fixed bed vans...which doesn't quite make sense as I guess we'll be putting the little chap (4 months old) to bed at 7pm on the fixed bed whilst we end up on the front dinette!

Jo - if I've linked up all the posts on here correctly you've also go a swift fixed bed van, 2 kids and dogs. You don't find a fixed bed van an issue?

Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts and advice.

Gavin

P.s. recovered from the manful now and under whelmed by the lack of sympathy received!

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gavin, im back after our maiden voyage and the van is fab. i couldnt fault it apart from the satalite socket needs to be checked but i dont think you have it on yours.

at bedtime reece the 13 year old goes on our bed to chill out if its to cold to go in the awning he goes with his nintendo or dvd player till we go to bed. lucas goes in his sleeping bag on the front seats on the kitchen side and theres enough room for me to sit on there aswell he just falls asleep. when we have seen enought tv reece goes on the other front seat whilst its cold and we just get into bed mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. the person who sleeps by the window has to slide out of bed at the bottom if they want a wee in the night but its no problem. no more bed making mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

good luck

jo-anne