What a rip off, "I don't believe it"!!

May 21, 2008
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I popped into my local Swift agent and asked for two handles for the cuboard doors on my Abbey 540se. I was quoted via the Swift web site plus dealer margin 40% (I saw what buttons he pressed on the calculator) a whopping £6-41p per handle which worked out to a pound per inch length of the handle. As I was trying to keep the van original I ordered 2. Later on, the dealer rang to say the min order was 5 handles.

What a RIP OFF!!!!!

I told him to forget it as I would go to B&Q. I did and got 20 handles at £1-19p each total £23-80 instead of £128-20 had I of replaced all the Swift handles. The handles are a close match and the pitch of the fixing screws is identical, so a simple straight swap.

It get's rediculas that I would of had to wait two weeks and be ripped off to boot.

I do wonder who set the 5 order rule, dealer or supplier?

It also is rediculas that now I have to change 20 handles for the sake of two broken ones. But I'm not paying through the nose for parts.

Has anyone else had simlar issues with over priced small parts?

Rant over, feel a lot calmer now.

Atb Steve L.
 

LMH

Mar 14, 2005
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I bought a replacement internal locker handle for my Abbey from Brayford Caravans. They posted it to me (postage was £1) and I paid about £2.40 ish all in.

Excellent service.

Lisa
 
Jun 20, 2005
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I had the same type of problem with the Hartel door waste bin. You can't buy the only "consumable" part separately. Has to be a whole new bin.
I suspect it's all to do with parts storage, mass production and of course a lot of manufacturers still living in the dark ages compared to the motor trade.
What you have to ask yourself is will the B&Q handles still be available like for like in 3 years time?? Ironically it may have been more advantageous to have bit the bullet and gone for the Swift OME? Just a thought.
 

Parksy

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Nov 12, 2009
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Dustydog said:
What you have to ask yourself is will the B&Q handles still be available like for like in 3 years time?? Ironically it may have been more advantageous to have bit the bullet and gone for the Swift OME? Just a thought.

Would it matter if the identical B&Q handles were not available in three years time? Given the price difference Steve would still be quids in even if he had to replace the whole lot again.
As a general rule anything to do with caravans = rip off
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Agree but all that work changing 20 handles.
A while back Swift would have answered Steve's point but I guess they are all tied up with Swift Talk and the new models??
 
Dec 22, 2008
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Parksy - Moderator said:
Dustydog said:
What you have to ask yourself is will the B&Q handles still be available like for like in 3 years time?? Ironically it may have been more advantageous to have bit the bullet and gone for the Swift OME? Just a thought.

Would it matter if the identical B&Q handles were not available in three years time? Given the price difference Steve would still be quids in even if he had to replace the whole lot again.
As a general rule anything to do with caravans = rip off
and boats and disability aids.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Not a caravan rip off but 2 weeks ago I phoned DeLonghi to order a new 6mm O ring for my coffee machine. They asked me £2-63 for the part and £4 for postage, it must have weighed all of 2 grammes if that, so he got told where to put it and I trawled the local car and plumbing shops until I found something that worked and it was given to me for free.

Jim
 

Parksy

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Dustydog said:
Agree but all that work changing 20 handles.
A while back Swift would have answered Steve's point but I guess they are all tied up with Swift Talk and the new models??

Sad but true, the guys at Swift appear to have deserted us in favour of their own forum.
They appear to have forgotten the support given to them by this forum when Swift first started to take part in forums :0(
 
Jun 20, 2005
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My memory might be fading but I could have sworn somewhere down the line the new forum was going to have manufacturer specific sections for questions???
 
Aug 12, 2007
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Dustydog said:
My memory might be fading but I could have sworn somewhere down the line the new forum was going to have manufacturer specific sections for questions???
Steady on, DD - we still haven't got smileys!!!! ROFL
 
May 21, 2008
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I think your right Parksy, the manufacturers do have to think about who actually makes their business viable. "Us the customers", without that link, cashflow doesn't happen. A lot of company's get too big for their boots and forget their roots. Deserting what is arguabley the most popular magazine and forum for caravanners is a foolish move.

DD, changing 20 handles that have the same pitch as the existing holes only takes just over an hour. Also in three years time I can choose another design and give the van a facelift. In fact, I could change the handles 6 times before I would of spent the cost of just one change of the original parts. 600% inflation is just a wee bit too high for me.

Atb steve L.
 
Jul 31, 2009
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Soozeeg said:
Steady on, DD - we still haven't got smileys!!!! ROFL

I have
smiley-money-mouth.gif
 
Dec 5, 2006
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Recently I had to replace a tap in the vans kitchen area and the dragon nearly had to pick me up off the floor when I saw the price of new one's at the local dealer's, £80 for a tan coloured plastic replacement!!!!!
Sod that I thought and off to B&Q I went and £35 later had a nice chrome one in my sweaty paw's ready to fit and it looks a lot better than the original to boot
 
Sep 19, 2008
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I had a problem with the kitchen tap in our avondale, I looked for a new ceramic cassette, and if I got one specifically for the caravan it was £18, I ended up getting one from a plumbers merchant for 4.99.

The biggest rip off I think I have ever had was on my mondeo, when I first got it I noticed a slight hissing noise after I turned the engine off, didn't think much of it till I took it for a service, the main dealer found an air leak on the brake servo and asked me for £1300 to replace it. I told them to leave it and took it to my local idependant garage, he fixed it for just short of £25, which was 30 mins labour and about £4 for a new seal.
 
May 2, 2005
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extrucker said:
Parksy - Moderator said:
Dustydog said:
What you have to ask yourself is will the B&Q handles still be available like for like in 3 years time?? Ironically it may have been more advantageous to have bit the bullet and gone for the Swift OME? Just a thought.

Would it matter if the identical B&Q handles were not available in three years time? Given the price difference Steve would still be quids in even if he had to replace the whole lot again.
As a general rule anything to do with caravans = rip off
and boats and disability aids.

Owning a boat is like standing in the shower burning £50 notes....caravans are slightly cheaper.....hence the reason I sold the boat and bought a caravan..........quids in.......more or less.......
 
Nov 20, 2007
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I agree Whitetop, there are 2 very happy and memorable days when you are a boat owner, the day you buy it and the day you sell it...
 
Feb 17, 2007
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Not Swift handles but a replacement bathroom sink for a Swift. Again quoted an eyewatering price by dealer, went to B & Q and paid under £20. Had to enlarge the hole in the bathroom unit but well worth the saving.
 

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