Tourer of the Year

[Lol1]

A bit like comparing a Mercedies with a Ford then. Your correct, if you have one of the ultimate vans, a Bailey is a step down, but then so are most others. We can't all swan around in Bessacarr or Carlights though.

A Mercedes even!

 

[Lol1]

Mark - As you say, try to be objective. I wonder just how objective magazine testers can be? What we really need is a Jeremy Clarkson of the caravan world who tells it like it is, warts and all. Having owned 3 British built vans and now a French (Caravalair) van the build quality differences are light years apart. Part of these reports should be the durability of the product & warranty, depreciation levels and Dealer aftercare service - all items which I'm sure help us make our buying decisions in addition to the glitzy upholstery and "extras".

I don't think there are too many "supervans" or "GTi" vans around. All Clarkson wants to do is talk about the glamorous side of the motoring world, hence his penchant for speedy cars on Top Gear. Looking at the trailers for the new series, yet another caravan bites the dust! I see what you are saying though Mike, we do need someone to stand up and say "yup, it's a dud" without the fear of being ostracized by the caravanning world.

 

[sparkes]

Mark - As you say, try to be objective. I wonder just how objective magazine testers can be? What we really need is a Jeremy Clarkson of the caravan world who tells it like it is, warts and all. Having owned 3 British built vans and now a French (Caravalair) van the build quality differences are light years apart. Part of these reports should be the durability of the product & warranty, depreciation levels and Dealer aftercare service - all items which I'm sure help us make our buying decisions in addition to the glitzy upholstery and "extras".

Jeramy Clarkson?

The same guy who thinks wire should be put across roads to decapitate bikers

The same guy who's comment was when his wife pulled out in front of a biker and caused a major accident was "it should have bloody killed him"

Nice choice of role model, the last thing caravanners need now is one of them!!

 

[Tony A.]

yes tourer of the year the last few years is starting to look more like bailey of the year.to be fair bailey do seem to listen to what their customers want and they seem to be pushing forwards slightly on issues such as body integrity and warranties.on the other hand it takes them forever and a day to deliver a new van,and theyre not really doing anything that some foreign manufacturers havent been doing for years.there are half a dozen foreign vans id take before id look at a bailey.to answer tonys question,i personally wouldnt buy a kia,they caught my eye originally,but like most eastern cars i was put off when i opened the door.i also know someone who towed a superstorm with a sorrento and said it wouldnt drive in a staight line.ive also heard the 2nd hand values at nearly new are shocking.good news if you do like them.its your own taste i suppose.

surely your mate can`t blame not driving in a straight line on the car, one to many sherbets maybe? workmen blaming tools springs to mind,

 

[Hainswood]

OK I said I'd give my opinion after reading some of yours.

I've always firmly believed that buying a caravan was always a compromise, what is essential to me is an irrevalence to someone else, manufacturers have to work to this remit as well. Whilst trawling around for our latest caravan, we went armed with the following criteia. Lounge area large enough for 4 adults to dine comfortably, Fixed bed, Good sized shower, onboard water tank (to caravan 12 months per year) Good heating system (same reason), and space to dress in comfort without condemming your partner to the outside world.

We had viewed models from Ace, Lunar, Abbey, Fleetwood and Elddis, but decided to delay our decision until Baileys offering in the form of a Wyoming was made available.

It had the layout we liked, but hated the upholstery, Liked the price but hated the acres of plain laminate boarding, in the "L" shaped lounge, your head rests on the curtains. But most of all its the colour of all Baileys, They look old even when new in that awful cream paint work. We also briefly looked at the Indiana ( Winner best fixed bed) with its nearside bed, who in there right mind wants to wake up in some remarkably beautiful corner of Europe, draw aside the blind to look out on----------the inside of the awning. As I stated this is only my opinion, Many no doubt will question this, and you have every right to do so. I do however question PC's findings this time , considering the ammount of advertising Bailey provide to this magazine. Memories of Pajero v Shogun spring to mind.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

The Indiana was no good to us not because we would miss the views but because it would mean HRH climbing over me umpteen times in the night for the loo.

It was not views of the continent but consideration for the incontinent

Couples who sleep on the opposite side of the bed who are similarly fixed no doubt rejoice at the choice.

One thing that sold us on the Oklahoma was not the colour but the positioning of the microwave at waist height rather than the lethal head height chosen by manufacturers with nicer colours outside.

I don't think that the amount of advertising would influence a journalist----now the size of the corporate lunch especially a very liquid one just prior to writing a revue that might be a different story.

But not for PC surely.