Discussion
Our caravan was being serviced yesterday. The guy rang me bad news. Damp. Both sides of the long skylight.
Also around one of the front windows.
All the rivets have sheared on some brackets in the gas locker.
LED Awning Light, soaking wet and nackered.
Add to this the squealing brakes that have not been sorted from new.
The bathroom door fell off last year.
The caravan? Elddis Affinity 554...2 years old next week.
The dealers have confirmed it is a warranty job. They will replace the front and half the roof.
I personally don't want the caravan anymore as I doubt the integrity of it after the repair.
Thoughts?
Excuse the sideways pictures.
Also around one of the front windows.
All the rivets have sheared on some brackets in the gas locker.
LED Awning Light, soaking wet and nackered.
Add to this the squealing brakes that have not been sorted from new.
The bathroom door fell off last year.
The caravan? Elddis Affinity 554...2 years old next week.
The dealers have confirmed it is a warranty job. They will replace the front and half the roof.
I personally don't want the caravan anymore as I doubt the integrity of it after the repair.
Thoughts?
Excuse the sideways pictures.
Edited by Sixpackpert on Friday 17th May 15:55
I repaired the rear corner on a 1991 Lunar but that was only 2 years ago. Not difficult just time consuming. Why they don't use stainless screws I don;t know - maybe they do on new ones?
Ended up upside down on the M40 last July so its now gone and we bought the Winnebago as we'd never tow again.
FFG
Ended up upside down on the M40 last July so its now gone and we bought the Winnebago as we'd never tow again.
FFG
2 years old?
That cant have been right from the day it left the factory.
Caravans are built inside to outside so it goes chassis, floor, interior, sides then roof. It makes production easier.
It may be the case that when they repair yours, they may not need to completely remove the interior, but strip off panels from the outside.
You should maybe also push for some compensation or a loan van as you wont be likely to be getting it back before the summer.
Good luck
That cant have been right from the day it left the factory.
Caravans are built inside to outside so it goes chassis, floor, interior, sides then roof. It makes production easier.
It may be the case that when they repair yours, they may not need to completely remove the interior, but strip off panels from the outside.
You should maybe also push for some compensation or a loan van as you wont be likely to be getting it back before the summer.
Good luck
bristolracer said:
2 years old?
That cant have been right from the day it left the factory.
Caravans are built inside to outside so it goes chassis, floor, interior, sides then roof. It makes production easier.
It may be the case that when they repair yours, they may not need to completely remove the interior, but strip off panels from the outside.
You should maybe also push for some compensation or a loan van as you wont be likely to be getting it back before the summer.
Good luck
Yep, 2 years old.That cant have been right from the day it left the factory.
Caravans are built inside to outside so it goes chassis, floor, interior, sides then roof. It makes production easier.
It may be the case that when they repair yours, they may not need to completely remove the interior, but strip off panels from the outside.
You should maybe also push for some compensation or a loan van as you wont be likely to be getting it back before the summer.
Good luck
I am going to see them tomorrow for a discussion.
We use the caravan 8-10 weekends a year plus a few holidays.
We will see what they offer...
I am on an Elddis forum for motorhomes (facebook) and people are having problems with damp (some severe) at six months old from new, despite their vaunted "Solid" construction. It must be costing them a fortune in warranty work, that's why it is IMPORTANT to keep yearly habitation checks done to keep the warranty up, as it's an easy get out excuse for Elddis.
I went round the factory last year, and it was very impressive, modern, and everything seemed well put together, but they STILL haven't got to the bottom of this distressing damp issue.
I went round the factory last year, and it was very impressive, modern, and everything seemed well put together, but they STILL haven't got to the bottom of this distressing damp issue.
The Erwin Hymer Group acquired the Explorer Group (which includes Elddis) in 2017 with promises to improve quality etc. However, the EHG was bought by American company Thor Industries late last year, so it remains to be seen whether any quality improvements occur.
We were surprised and disappointed at the poor quality of many British-built motorhomes, inc Elddis, Bailey, Bessacar, Auto Trail etc, when we were looking to buy a couple of years ago. Flimsy fittings, cheap materials and adhesive smears on interior panels completely put us off, and since then a number of owners have told us of damp woes with their vans. No excuse, especially when they’re so expensive in the first place. I get the clear impression they’re just thrown together
We were surprised and disappointed at the poor quality of many British-built motorhomes, inc Elddis, Bailey, Bessacar, Auto Trail etc, when we were looking to buy a couple of years ago. Flimsy fittings, cheap materials and adhesive smears on interior panels completely put us off, and since then a number of owners have told us of damp woes with their vans. No excuse, especially when they’re so expensive in the first place. I get the clear impression they’re just thrown together
Escort3500 said:
We were surprised and disappointed at the poor quality of many British-built motorhomes, inc Elddis, Bailey, Bessacar, Auto Trail etc, when we were looking to buy a couple of years ago. Flimsy fittings, cheap materials and adhesive smears on interior panels completely put us off, and since then a number of owners have told us of damp woes with their vans. No excuse, especially when they’re so expensive in the first place. I get the clear impression they’re just thrown together
We had exactly the same experience and ended up buying French! We were looking at used and the lack of build quality in some of the British models we looked at really showed after a couple of years use.Johnnybee said:
Escort3500 said:
We were surprised and disappointed at the poor quality of many British-built motorhomes, inc Elddis, Bailey, Bessacar, Auto Trail etc, when we were looking to buy a couple of years ago. Flimsy fittings, cheap materials and adhesive smears on interior panels completely put us off, and since then a number of owners have told us of damp woes with their vans. No excuse, especially when they’re so expensive in the first place. I get the clear impression they’re just thrown together
We had exactly the same experience and ended up buying French! We were looking at used and the lack of build quality in some of the British models we looked at really showed after a couple of years use.My parents had an Elddis from new and it had damp and just outright leaks within warranty period. Not uncommon from what they could gather. One part of the damage also required stripping out and replacing, not to the extent of the OP's though.
Stripping out and re-assembling is going to be down to the repair shop - possible they will do a very good joband you'll be happy, on the other hand..
The Elddis also had other quality issues - not least a microwave that failed (in the first year IIRC). Elddis refused the warranty claim initially, the dealer said that the microwave install affforded insufficent ventilation, which a microwave should have, they pushed the issue and Elddis eventually gave in but made it clear they would not cover the replacement. Funnily enough the next year they had changed the design to provide ventilation.
The folks switched to a Bailey, 4 years later and so far, so good.
Stripping out and re-assembling is going to be down to the repair shop - possible they will do a very good joband you'll be happy, on the other hand..
The Elddis also had other quality issues - not least a microwave that failed (in the first year IIRC). Elddis refused the warranty claim initially, the dealer said that the microwave install affforded insufficent ventilation, which a microwave should have, they pushed the issue and Elddis eventually gave in but made it clear they would not cover the replacement. Funnily enough the next year they had changed the design to provide ventilation.
The folks switched to a Bailey, 4 years later and so far, so good.
That's horrifying at 2 years old. Someone more knowledgeable than me will surely come along but given that this obviously hasn't been right since new do you have grounds to reject it and get a replacement? I wouldn't be happy with just having it repaired.
Just finished having quite a bit of damp sorted on our Hymer however at 26 years old it's to be expected.
Expensive things these and you would expect it to last a lot longer than 2 years before it starts leaking.
Such a shame as buying British always used to mean you got something of reasonable quality. It seems these days nobody gives a s
t
Just finished having quite a bit of damp sorted on our Hymer however at 26 years old it's to be expected.
Expensive things these and you would expect it to last a lot longer than 2 years before it starts leaking.
Such a shame as buying British always used to mean you got something of reasonable quality. It seems these days nobody gives a s
t PurpleTurtle said:
Blimey OP - I feel for you. Honeslty thought you were going to say this was a 15-20yr old shed.
Personally I'd be wanting the dealer to:
Repair it
Offer an equivalent loan van whilst under repair
Give me a decent P/Ex on something else once fixed.
Exactly what we are working at the moment.Personally I'd be wanting the dealer to:
Repair it
Offer an equivalent loan van whilst under repair
Give me a decent P/Ex on something else once fixed.
Sixpackpert said:
PurpleTurtle said:
Blimey OP - I feel for you. Honeslty thought you were going to say this was a 15-20yr old shed.
Personally I'd be wanting the dealer to:
Repair it
Offer an equivalent loan van whilst under repair
Give me a decent P/Ex on something else once fixed.
Exactly what we are working at the moment.Personally I'd be wanting the dealer to:
Repair it
Offer an equivalent loan van whilst under repair
Give me a decent P/Ex on something else once fixed.
By the look of the photos and that fasteners have sheared To rust , means the van has had damp for a good while. Talk to the dealer, last time I was in a similar situation we struck a deal..
I part ex my van to the dealer in current state, they gave my full market value and a purchased another van from them.
They where happy to do this as they make a profit in on the repair, also they get to sell that van knowing the condition and make a profit on it and they also make profit on the replacement.
You get out of a problem van and the dealer keeps a customer happy. The manufacturer gets off Scott free apart the the warranty costs and the damage to the reputation.
I part ex my van to the dealer in current state, they gave my full market value and a purchased another van from them.
They where happy to do this as they make a profit in on the repair, also they get to sell that van knowing the condition and make a profit on it and they also make profit on the replacement.
You get out of a problem van and the dealer keeps a customer happy. The manufacturer gets off Scott free apart the the warranty costs and the damage to the reputation.
chopper602 said:
British built motorhomes and caravans are very poorly built in my experience. Using staples and flimsy plastic veneers instead of marine plywood and screws as used in continental builds.
I went German and it would take a lot to get me to change my mind.
We bought a new Knaus motorhome in 2004. I was cleaning it at just over 6 months old after a holiday to Spain. I cut my hand on a screw sticking out of the roof, from a kitchen cabinet.I went German and it would take a lot to get me to change my mind.
I tried to reject it, engaged a Solicitor etc, but as I noticed the fault at just over 6 months old I had apparently lost chance to reject.
Dealer was happy to fix it under warranty but I sold it back to them, didnt think it could be effectively repaired.
So quality can also be a German thing.
Russ T Bolt said:
chopper602 said:
British built motorhomes and caravans are very poorly built in my experience. Using staples and flimsy plastic veneers instead of marine plywood and screws as used in continental builds.
I went German and it would take a lot to get me to change my mind.
We bought a new Knaus motorhome in 2004. I was cleaning it at just over 6 months old after a holiday to Spain. I cut my hand on a screw sticking out of the roof, from a kitchen cabinet.I went German and it would take a lot to get me to change my mind.
I tried to reject it, engaged a Solicitor etc, but as I noticed the fault at just over 6 months old I had apparently lost chance to reject.
Dealer was happy to fix it under warranty but I sold it back to them, didnt think it could be effectively repaired.
So quality can also be a German thing.
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