Discussion
Looking to get our first caravan, criteria is:
5 or 6 berth
Fixed bunks to rear
Budget up to £20k
Willing to consider something up to 2 or 3 years old.
What makes should I be looking at? Appears sprite freedom, swift challenger 590 and sterling Eccles 590 tick all the boxes but I’ve no idea quality associated with each?
Will of course view some in due course.
5 or 6 berth
Fixed bunks to rear
Budget up to £20k
Willing to consider something up to 2 or 3 years old.
What makes should I be looking at? Appears sprite freedom, swift challenger 590 and sterling Eccles 590 tick all the boxes but I’ve no idea quality associated with each?
Will of course view some in due course.
snake_oil said:
20k is a lot to spend on your first van. Not fancy dipping your toe first?
I was thinking that too but then I suppose if you decide you don't like caravanning it'll still be worth 18k a year later.Personally I could only dream of spending that sort of money on one. Our £7k Coachman will do for now.
Looked at Baileys? Must be a fair bit of choice with that sort of money to spend?
Fair challenge - we’ve borrowed a friends a few times so quite happy it’s for us. Plan is to get one that lasts sufficiently until our kids have outgrown that kind of holiday.
I said up to £20k tho - ideally find something closer to £15k that’s a few years old and comes with everything you need!
Any thoughts on the quality associated with sprite? Swift? Eccles? They all seem to tick the boxes in terms of layout etc which suits us.
Cheers
I said up to £20k tho - ideally find something closer to £15k that’s a few years old and comes with everything you need!
Any thoughts on the quality associated with sprite? Swift? Eccles? They all seem to tick the boxes in terms of layout etc which suits us.
Cheers
We have an Eccles Crusader Tempest and the build quality is very good. Not perfect, but English caravan's never are that good.
The better the build quality, the heavier the 'van, so if you buy Eccles or Swift, you will need a decent car to tow it with. If you have a lighter car, you need to look at lighter 'vans like Sprite or Bailey.
The better the build quality, the heavier the 'van, so if you buy Eccles or Swift, you will need a decent car to tow it with. If you have a lighter car, you need to look at lighter 'vans like Sprite or Bailey.
Swift Sprite Major 6TD will get you the biggest (longest) single axle with twin bunks and middle bathroom.
Swift Sprite Major 6 twin bunks, slightly shorter overall length, but with rear bathroom and side dinette.
We have the first one listed above, bought new 2 years ago and it has proven to be a very good purchase.
We have friends with the second on the list and they are also very satisfied with theirs too.
It also scored highly in practical caravan awards.
Swift Sprite Major 6 twin bunks, slightly shorter overall length, but with rear bathroom and side dinette.
We have the first one listed above, bought new 2 years ago and it has proven to be a very good purchase.
We have friends with the second on the list and they are also very satisfied with theirs too.
It also scored highly in practical caravan awards.
MattS5 said:
Swift Sprite Major 6TD will get you the biggest (longest) single axle with twin bunks and middle bathroom.
Swift Sprite Major 6 twin bunks, slightly shorter overall length, but with rear bathroom and side dinette.
We have the first one listed above, bought new 2 years ago and it has proven to be a very good purchase.
We have friends with the second on the list and they are also very satisfied with theirs too.
It also scored highly in practical caravan awards.
This. Also have a major 6td and tow with my 320d xdrive tourer. Bunks and separate eating area is great for the kids and we have a decent bathroom also. We paid £18k with basic kit included (water butt etc).Swift Sprite Major 6 twin bunks, slightly shorter overall length, but with rear bathroom and side dinette.
We have the first one listed above, bought new 2 years ago and it has proven to be a very good purchase.
We have friends with the second on the list and they are also very satisfied with theirs too.
It also scored highly in practical caravan awards.
I did the same but for a shade over £10k. Bailey Pursuit range. Mines 4 years old but has rear fixed bunk rear bathroom. The layout works really well for us and I'm really pleased with it. Build quality is pretty good, although light materials to keep it under 1400kg.
The Sprite Major 6 or the Lunar Venus range were also under consideration.
http://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/caravan_layouts.htm...
Use the above to find something that suits. Plenty of choice for a chunk under £20k.
The Sprite Major 6 or the Lunar Venus range were also under consideration.
http://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/caravan_layouts.htm...
Use the above to find something that suits. Plenty of choice for a chunk under £20k.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/dethleffs-touring-carav...
Lot of caravan for your money here, great starting van built to last.
Lot of caravan for your money here, great starting van built to last.
If it's a swift check carefully for cracks right at the top back. There is a bodge with strengthening caps, which means it's either fixed, or bodged.... Plenty having entire back ends replaced. Cousin just sold his having had the floor replaced with numerous other problems.
We have an older van which i'm comfortable with. Needs TLC - but so do newer ones, and most things are diy. If I don't use it, it cost me £45 a month. Cousin sold his as it was on finance and more like £250 a month.
I personally think there is a sweet spot around 2010 to 2012 where they really understood it,before they cut corners and put s
t technology in.
Oh and I forgot about the stupid app that everyone complains about. Give me a switch anyday...
We have an older van which i'm comfortable with. Needs TLC - but so do newer ones, and most things are diy. If I don't use it, it cost me £45 a month. Cousin sold his as it was on finance and more like £250 a month.
I personally think there is a sweet spot around 2010 to 2012 where they really understood it,before they cut corners and put s
t technology in.Oh and I forgot about the stupid app that everyone complains about. Give me a switch anyday...
We've a Swift 586 which is an older version of the 590. Budget wise it might be worth looking at one of these. Its got a better spec/trim level than the Sprites but still the Major 6 / 590 etc layout which works great for a family of four (even though its supposed to be a six berth).
It also pre dates the Alde heating systems which are great for cold weather 'vanning but can be expensive to repair and maintain and pre dates the Swift command app, which from what I can see on an owners social media page never syncs properly and when it does all it tells owners is their van is being stolen, when it isn't.
Damp checks are a big thing regardless of what you buy. Small damp areas can cost a fortune to have repaired, large damp problems can be terminal for a van.
Service intervals are a big thing too if its under manufacturers warranty - They have to have been done by an approved engineer/workshop and within certain time windows or the warranty is out the window.
In general, as touched on above, the build quality (and the design of a lot of areas) in British manufactured caravans leaves much to be desired. While they command motor vehicle money, don't expect even (insert your chosen naff car brand here) build quality.
Rubbish plastic clips, squint self tapping screws that are too small for the job in hand and flimsy laminated corrugated cardboard panels are order of the day.
Coachman are about the best UK brand however they come in at many pounds, both financial and weight ones.
Having a van does however keep you busy with little fixes and design solutions needed along the way which if you like tinkering, you may find mildly satisfying.
It also pre dates the Alde heating systems which are great for cold weather 'vanning but can be expensive to repair and maintain and pre dates the Swift command app, which from what I can see on an owners social media page never syncs properly and when it does all it tells owners is their van is being stolen, when it isn't.
Damp checks are a big thing regardless of what you buy. Small damp areas can cost a fortune to have repaired, large damp problems can be terminal for a van.
Service intervals are a big thing too if its under manufacturers warranty - They have to have been done by an approved engineer/workshop and within certain time windows or the warranty is out the window.
In general, as touched on above, the build quality (and the design of a lot of areas) in British manufactured caravans leaves much to be desired. While they command motor vehicle money, don't expect even (insert your chosen naff car brand here) build quality.
Rubbish plastic clips, squint self tapping screws that are too small for the job in hand and flimsy laminated corrugated cardboard panels are order of the day.
Coachman are about the best UK brand however they come in at many pounds, both financial and weight ones.
Having a van does however keep you busy with little fixes and design solutions needed along the way which if you like tinkering, you may find mildly satisfying.
All good advice.
For clarity, a 2016 model Sprite doesn’t have the App enabled system as standard, so no issues for me.
Pretty sure damp isn’t an issue on the 6TD and the rear panel, I was under the impression, possibly the wrong one, that it only affects the models with rear bathrooms (possibly due to weight over the rear when people are in the bathroom maybe?)
These vans, if serviced within window, will have a 6yr water ingress warranty from new, so I’d say a 2016 model might be the sweet spot.
In regards depreciation, yep we did buy new, but only due to the fact we sacrificed a long haul holiday in 2016 to buy it, so really it gets used 5 long weekends a year, but owes us nothing in reality.
Go in with eyes open and they can prove a great way of getting decent time away with the family, and the kids will love the freedom of the campsite life.
For clarity, a 2016 model Sprite doesn’t have the App enabled system as standard, so no issues for me.
Pretty sure damp isn’t an issue on the 6TD and the rear panel, I was under the impression, possibly the wrong one, that it only affects the models with rear bathrooms (possibly due to weight over the rear when people are in the bathroom maybe?)
These vans, if serviced within window, will have a 6yr water ingress warranty from new, so I’d say a 2016 model might be the sweet spot.
In regards depreciation, yep we did buy new, but only due to the fact we sacrificed a long haul holiday in 2016 to buy it, so really it gets used 5 long weekends a year, but owes us nothing in reality.
Go in with eyes open and they can prove a great way of getting decent time away with the family, and the kids will love the freedom of the campsite life.
We went for a Venus 590/6 last summer, paid £15k approx new with a few bits in with the van.
Overall really pleased, its not the most spacious (slim compared to others we looked at) and i've no doubt there are better quality/made caravans out there but to be honest I couldn't be happier. Layout is perfect for us and will continue to be good for when the kids are older (don't want to sit with me).
Four of us fit in comfort, couple of issues fixed very quickly under warranty.
We looked at used but for us and being our first van the warranty was a factor and there really didn't seem much difference in price. On the same weekend we got ours we got talking to a family who'd got a 2 year old one for about a grand less which seems strange even now.
Overall really pleased, its not the most spacious (slim compared to others we looked at) and i've no doubt there are better quality/made caravans out there but to be honest I couldn't be happier. Layout is perfect for us and will continue to be good for when the kids are older (don't want to sit with me).
Four of us fit in comfort, couple of issues fixed very quickly under warranty.
We looked at used but for us and being our first van the warranty was a factor and there really didn't seem much difference in price. On the same weekend we got ours we got talking to a family who'd got a 2 year old one for about a grand less which seems strange even now.
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