what are these extras, are they worth it?

[Kaznamy]

I've asked Glossop caravans what extras are on their exclusive model, sprite celebration 590, above the sprite challenger 590 with the extra pack. he emailed me this list but i'm not sure what some of them are and if they are worth it.
Exclusive Upholstery including fins and wall pads, Alko Wheel Lock, Heavy Duty Corner Steadies, Omnivent Extractor fan, External Entertainment Pod, En Route Gas Regulator, Truma Ultra Flow Waterline, Side Lift Jack and Brackets.

 

[bertieboy1]

I suppose it depends on the cost for these features,I did a comparison with another dealers exclusive model against the features on the standard van the exclusive model was based on and found after discarding what I considered I didn't need and discounting the same features provided on the standard van that the saving wasn't as attractive as first thought.
Looking at your list- my take on this is :-
Exclusive upholstery with fins - don't know what this is but would tend to discard it
Alko wheel lock - ok,a good feature.
HD Steadies - are they really necessary - I don't think so.
Omnivent fan - very noisy,we never used ours.
Entertainment pod - don't know what this is but sounds like something you can do without.
En route gas regulator - don't know what this is.What's wrong with the standard regulator.
Ultra flow waterline - don't know what this is - do you really need it.
Jack and side brackets - ok sounds like a handy feature.
So out of the features listed there are only two I would use and would get these costed as a dealer fitted extra.
Of course you must make up your own mind what you want,but make up a similar comparison list and get it costed against the cost of the exclusive model.

 

[Hutch]

Hi Kaznamy,
Extras, Upholstery fins and pad, dont know?
External entertaiment pod , again never heard of it,
Jack and side brackets, a mostbig yes, ( wheel change, make sure you have a spare wheel)
Ultraflow in line, I think Thats the full service pitch water hookup, ( not always available)
Alko wheel lock, Yes but a pain in the backside to fit when on a slopping pitch.
Omin Vent I like ours but can do with out it, ( handy it you have been eating baked beans )

 

[Martin24]

At a guess I would say the fins may mean a different bolster cushion and/or bulkhead type upholstered section by the door which makes that corner useable. I only suggest this as it's not a standard swift thing.

Jack and side bracket okay useful but depends on positioning if you decide on a motor mover. Upgrade upholstery is dependent on which upholstery covering you prefer, it's unlikely to be of any better quality.

The wheel lock is worth about £250 so if not bothered about the rest then cheaper just to have standard van and buy one.

Heavy duty steadies imho not worth paying extra for.

Is the dealer special based on the Sprite OR the Challenger? They are two different grades of standard van. If you like the standard Sprite I would just have the diamond pack and buy a wheel lock. If it's Challenger stick with it and buy the lock.

When an omnivent has been standard fit on any vans we have had, I've had it changed for a mini heki to allow more light in.

The other bits and bobs I have no idea what they are so can't say if it's worth it or not.

 

[Kaznamy]

Is the dealer special based on the Sprite OR the Challenger? They are two different grades of standard van. If you like the standard Sprite I would just have the diamond pack and buy a wheel lock. If it's Challenger stick with it and buy the lock.

I'm sure its based on the challenger, the sizes are the same where the other dealer specials are the same sizes as the sprite major. The salesman at Kimberley didn't correct me when I asked if the van he had (challenger with everything on) was basically the same as the celebration.

 

[Kaznamy]

Just seen i've put sprite challenger/celebration when I mean swift

 

[Martin24]

Difficult to tell from their website but it would be worth questioning which it is based on. Not questioning the ethics but......... Quite a difference in the base vehicles but it may be that the dealer special brings the sprite (if based on that) to the challenger spec? Give us an update once you have an answer,

 

[Martin24]

Just caught up on the celebration being the Glossop special as opposed to the Kimberley special. Yes certainly looks like the 2017 is based on the challenger. In which case not really worth paying for extras unless you really like the van and want the extras. What year is the one you're looking at?

 

[Hutch]

Kaz, I understand by your first posting that you were looking for a permanant pitch, dealers often sell their vans to "New buyers" ie no trade in, with full awning which are a good deal, but depending on how you want to use your caravan , ie move around every other weekend or to go some where for a long weekend. Dont take the
Dealers , buy one on X bay, Motor movers can be an asset but as your photo shows you have rugrats they can push the van around to site it the last little bit. Save another bit that the dealer might try and push you to buy, depend on how good at reversing a caravan you are. Just thoughts from our starting time.

 

[Kaznamy]

Just caught up on the celebration being the Glossop special as opposed to the Kimberley special. Yes certainly looks like the 2017 is based on the challenger. In which case not really worth paying for extras unless you really like the van and want the extras. What year is the one you're looking at?

The one I went in at Kimberley was a 2016 but he said it was exactly the same as a 2017. The only thing with the extras is I don't really know what they are and if I need them.

 

[Kaznamy]

Motor movers can be an asset but as your photo shows you have rugrats they can push the van around to site it the last little bit. Save another bit that the dealer might try and push you to buy, depend on how good at reversing a caravan you are.

The rugrats would help when they're older but they're only 6 & 3 so probably not able to do alot of pushing at the mo. Hubby is the one who will be moving it to start with and he tows a trailer with his job so should be quite good at reversing it.

 

[Martin24]

The only one of those extras you really need is the wheel lock and at a push the jacking plates.

 

[Martin24]

Further pondering. Unless looking at a Bailey (they update models in a more ad hoc way) pretty much every model is updated in some way each year. The big change in 2016 was the combination of of the Challenger sport and the Challenger SE but there will be differences between 16 and 17 of some description. A reputable dealer will be able to tell you the changes even if just upholstery changes.

 

[Raywood]

The extras are only a bargain if you want them and the discount is genuine. Go through the list and see what you want, it usually includes a fairly hefty sum for a different upholstery and do you actually want to pay extra for this.
The other point I would try is see what deal you can get on the standard model. We have asked for quotes for trade ins on a couple of times against the special and the standard model and the figure we got for the standard one was higher than the special. When we queried this we were told that they had to pay more for the extras than the price difference they quote, so the profit margin was lower on the special, which was reflected in the deal they gave. You do need to check everything out and see what suits you best.
I would stress this was not Glossop I spoke to however and I do not know if the point would apply to them.