What about those "Silver sides"

[RobE]

I'm looking to change my van in the near future, having owned in the past an Elddis Pamperos, Abbey Cabaret, 2 Baileys and my current Compass Rallye I really do feel like changing to the Swift group, just one problem, those "silver" sidewalls on the Conqueror and Sterling Elite, nice vans inside, but I just cannot take to those side walls. I know it is personal choice but I'd be interested in other peoples thoughts

Rob E

 

[KnL]

Love them or hate them ?

I'm in the latter camp, I think they look modern and are a bit different to the norm. It certainly wouldn't put me off buying a van if everything else was to my taste,

Ken.

 

[Mikey1]

I think they look great too,with everything people either love or hate them just look at the privacy windows on the explorer groups vans.

 

[gooner44]

Hi Rob E,

We changed our van earlier this year, having viewed the various alternatives at the NEC show at the end of last year.

Like you we loved the layout of the Sterling Elite Searcher & were not influenced one way or another by the Silver Grey sides.

Having owned & used it since April, we love the sides & are even more pleased with the interior & indeed everything about it. When on site we don't even notice that we are different to most other vans.

As Ken says 'Love them or hate them'

We love 'em, thanks.

regards Gooner.

 

[RichardS1]

Personally I think they look smart but the other half was not keen so we ended up buying a Spectrum with the traditional white sides. Swift also do the Ace version with white sides as well.

 

[JohnD1]

We have a New Conqueror 630 with silver sides having changed from a year old Conqueror 655 with white sides. My only observation of the silver is that it does show the ripples in the flat sides more than the white, this is probably due to the reflective properties of the metallic paint.

On the plus side it is a fabulous caravan and cooler, maybe due to the silver or just the dismal weather we have had since buying it.

Regards John D

 

[RogerL]

Why don't we get a choice of colour - not just white, white or white?

I'd have a pale metallic blue if I could.

Row upon row of white caravans are an eyesore, no wonder most of the population hate us.

 

[RogerP]

I do like the silver sides , shame the whole van isn't the same colour.

(Maybe a good anti theft measure? - draws attention being different)

I had a Hymer Motorhome and it looked fantastic in slver and got a lot of admirers because it was unusual for its model when I had it.

I hate the 'beige' look of Avondales.

 

[JTQ]

RogerP

"I do like the silver sides , shame the whole van isn't the same colour."

It's an option to have all silver with the Hymer Nova 546S and it looks great.

I would also point out that in the artificial lighting of the NEC we found it looks much darker than in natural light. So that might be the case with other makers offerings so if undecided see one in natural light first. Seems to hide the dust better than white but trickier to wash it as a result.

 

[lee2]

Earlier this year we bought a new Sterling Elite Emerald with the silver sides - absolutely delighted with it. We also like the hob which has one electric plate and three gas; very useful as I often manage not to use any gas when cooking and saves us money.

 

[Conquerorman]

I am a very satisfied Swift owner but am not too keen on the silver sides. My wife doesn't like them at all. You can always go for the Abbey that still has white sides. It's a matter of taste as Paddy said when he painted the piano green.

 

[Auvergne]

Liked the vans but silver sides put us off, we thought they may be a fad that would be hard to sell on? Wondering if they would be more expensive to repair being metallicy appearance should you have a dig? Don't know, each to their own I suppose.

 

[Bannedtom]

We have the Swift Conqueror 540 with silver sides and love it but Swift do the Charisma , Challenger and Conqueror all with the same layouts through the range so if you don't like the silver sides then you can buy the same layout without the silver sides so it's simple...if youdon't like it don't buy it, but why ask other people what they think?

Such a strange question to ask, you are considering making a major purchase on a caravan with silver sides and you have to ask for other peoples opinion?

We love ours you may or may not, quite frankly whether you like our Silver Sided Swift Conqueror 540 or not I dont give a damn.

If you can't decide then don't buy one because you will join the ranks of the many who just don't know what they want so go buy a tent

 

[RobE]

Whoooaaaa Easy Tom!

It is a friendly forum to express views after all, I have decided what I will buy, my point was that as 2 different salesman had told me " you either love them or hate them" so through this very good forum I took the opportunity to find out, I did not consider it a strange question and neither did anyone else judging by the responses.

PS Tom

I won't be buying a tent!!

Rob

 

[MarkG.]

As 50% of cars on the road seem to be Silver, why not have a caravan to match !!!

Mark ( Off to Holland in three weeks.... Yippppeeeee)

 

[Bannedtom]

I wasn't wishing to sound aggresive Rob but my point was if you don't like it don't buy it, we like it we bought it .

And the addition being that the identical layouts are available without silver sides albeit a slightly different spec, but I do think that the majority are always out there as opposed to the minority in so much as the Elddis with the tinted glass, not my taste so I didn't buy one, each to his own.

But I do think that you will find the majority of caravanners prefer a white box, two seats either side at the front with the drawers in the middle and the rest is personal preference, that is why the Hymers, Dethleffs, and Geist are in the minority.

Hope that helps .

Tom x

 

[cheryl.mark@yahoo.co.uk]

Hi Rob

I think the silver sides look really snazzy and different, its nice to be different. We liked the Swift vans but they were too heavy for our towcar, otherwise, we would have bought one. You will certainly stand out from the crowd?

 

[Guest]

We passed one of the silver sided jobs yesterday. Its white locker surrounds make it look messy and the white back makes it look unfinished as you appoach and see the back end and side.

Non caravanning friends have commented that its looks like the sides are unfinished or in some sort of grey primer.

Finish the whole van in silver or don't bother, it looks like a half finished botched mess at the moment! Horrible!

 

[RobE]

I wasn't wishing to sound aggresive Rob but my point was if you don't like it don't buy it, we like it we bought it .

And the addition being that the identical layouts are available without silver sides albeit a slightly different spec, but I do think that the majority are always out there as opposed to the minority in so much as the Elddis with the tinted glass, not my taste so I didn't buy one, each to his own.

But I do think that you will find the majority of caravanners prefer a white box, two seats either side at the front with the drawers in the middle and the rest is personal preference, that is why the Hymers, Dethleffs, and Geist are in the minority.

Hope that helps .

Tom x

HI Tom

The topic has certaily caused a mixed bag of opinions, all started by comments from 2 different Salesman, I agree it is all down to the individual, believe it or not one of those salesman even suggested he had contacts who could have a Swift Conqueror manufactured with the white sides for me.

Needless to say I beat a hasty retreat from that dealership.

Safe touring and hope you have trouble free times ahead with the Conqueror. It will be an Abbey Spectrum for me next.

Rob E

 

[RobE]

As 50% of cars on the road seem to be Silver, why not have a caravan to match !!!

Mark ( Off to Holland in three weeks.... Yippppeeeee)

HI Mark

Enjoy Holland, not a place I have tried for a holiday( apart from a weekend trip), plenty of visits to shipyards and Schipol airport but they don't count.

Some feedback on the camp sites would be of benefit as site brochures can be misleading.

Rob

 

[gooner44]

So euro do you like 'em or not?