....I don’t know what the complete answer is regarding returning caravans to dealers. But, the frequency could be much reduced by better quality control in manufacture and a more rigorous PDI.
I totally agree the root cause of many issues is poor quality assurance by the manufacturer's but under UK law when you make a purchase from a retailer, you have established a contract. The UK's Consumer Rights Act which superseded the Sale of Goods Act in 2015 (CRA) sets out a number of criteria that place obligations on both the customer and the seller.
The CRA is separate and totally independent and superior to the Manufacturer's Warranty.
If goods are faulty by way of :-
- design, materials or manufacture,
- or are not of merchantable or durable quality,
- or not fit for purpose,
- or are not as described by the seller,
Then the customers recourse is against the other party (ies) in the contract. This might also include a finance house where they have financed the transaction.
Consequently if you have a fault with a product your statutory rights are against the contracted supplier to whom you pay your money. (Responsibility follows the money trail)
Unless the manufacturer is also the retailer, you have NO contract of sale with the manufacturer.
These are your statutory rights, and why you may need to return goods to the supplying dealer to have warranty work carried out.
The Manufacturers Guaranty is a totally separate contract which has been gifted to the end user by the Manufacturer, Its terms and conditions are established by the manufacturer. Whilst most caravan manufacturers have established a dealer network that can handle some simple warranty issues through the Manufacturers guarantee scheme, it can never usurp your statutory rights which are sacrosanct between you and your contract of sale parties.