Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
Gas mantles were fantastic! We had a Robin, then a Cavalier followed by 2 Avondales. The Robin had a manual foot pump for the water, with the Cavalier having an electric foot pump which used to sound like a cow! We used to go on rallies with the East Hants CC which used to be good fun as a kid and in those days the New Forest sites were very different with only a few caravans. Then horses took over and the caravans went.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
7th Oct 2020 8:31 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
I remember we used to have a black cat motif on the side of the caravan. Cheshire Cat, Something to do with the caravan club I think. I don’t remember going to rallies but it was a long time ago.
7th Oct 2020 9:12 pm
Dexter
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 1394
Yes, the great memories Dad was a Thompson caravan man and we had a few, I remember the Glenmore in around 1972 which was sold as a continental tourer and had a door on each side.
All 3 of us ‘kids’ still have caravans and there’s nothing comes close for family adventures for us all even now that our own kids are too old and too cool to come with us, for now anyway.
We have had since new, a 2012 twin axle 6 berth Sterling and keep looking for a replacement as there’s only 3 of us that go away now, often just the 2 of us but we like the space and the very long front seats, which are so hard to find in fixed bed vans. It’s totally dry, very comfy, home from home and over the years I’ve fixed Or improved all the manufacturing issues.
We almost went for a Bailey Alicante Grande in January but just weren’t 100% sure.
7th Oct 2020 9:13 pm
Frapp
Member Since: 19 Dec 2008
Location: Norff Zummerzet
Posts: 1655
Bought two recently
First new one, November last year. Swift dealer special 580, too many issues so went back.
Latest new one, swift dealer special 850, a few niggles but nothing spectacular like the previous one.
But they are all crap for the moneyMember of the carrot crank club
Embarrassingly in for the 2nd round, bought another two
D3 Jack Russell carrier
D4 Landmark for towing duties
8th Oct 2020 9:59 am
Dixie Dean
Member Since: 06 May 2006
Location: Halewood
Posts: 298
We're still using our 2008 Coachman 545/4. We've had no issues with damp at all. One Heki leaked last year but I simply took it off, got some W4 strip sealant, resealed it and put it back on. Took about 3 hours all told and cost about £10. Have had lots of problems with the Trauma pump and pressure switch, but have now replaced them with Whale parts. Much better.
So far caravan has done just over 60,000 miles going everywhere from Denmark, across to Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Italy etc.
Unfortunately just can't find another that we like as much.2008 D3 HSE Stornoway Grey with Ebony Leather, towing a Coachman VIP 575
Adria owned and run Fleetwood when we bought ours. I sat down with the Sales Director of Adria at the caravan show and the MD of Fleetwood who promised me that the build quality and systems of Fleetwood were the same as Adria, I guess they weren’t! What about Vanmaster?
Had Vanmaster/vanroyce since they started would never go back to mass-produced cr*p the latest ones a 2002 Accolade had it 10 years apart from tyres etc and a new motor mover thats all.
Land Rovers don't leak they just mark there spot
1973 Land Rover Series 3 110 safari Gone but not forgotten
1990 Discovery 200Tdi Gone thank god
1996 Discovery 300Tdi sadly missed (still going strong but not with me)
2003 Discovery TD5 Gone to LR heaven
2004 Discovery TD5 Gone to Aberdeen hope it likes it there
2005 RRS HSE Rimini Red (my Disco 3 in a posh frock)
Think I see a pattern here
9th Oct 2020 12:10 am
stew 46
Member Since: 01 Dec 2011
Location: cornwall
Posts: 10148
Sister in law has had there brand new swift for 3 weeks and now back at the dealers because it’s leaking !!! , that’s a poor show -------------------------------------------------
if you cant hold on dont let go , it ill come in handy for something even if you never use it.
D3 SE 05,
110 s wagon 300 tdi SOLD
h top transit
crew cab transit
transit connect
ausa dumper, muck truck .
peljob 2.5 digger
06 L 200 crew cab
11th Oct 2020 7:30 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23866
As a non caravaner it seems incredible to read that manufacturers don’t seem to have yet mastered the art of making a caravan that doesn’t leak/get damp. Isn’t dryness basically the most important thing that you want in a caravan?
It’s not as if they are a new invention ffs!2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
Last edited by LT on 12th Oct 2020 6:51 am. Edited 1 time in total
11th Oct 2020 10:28 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14478
They managed to make them properly in 1974
This is our vintage Colchester
D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
11th Oct 2020 10:57 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
LT wrote:
As a non caravaner it seems incredible to read that manufacturers don’t seem to have yet mastered the art of making a caravan that doesn’t leak/get damp. Isn’t dryness basically the most important thing that you want in a caravan?
It’s not as if they’re are new invention ffs!
It’s because people want big vans that don’t weigh much and are cheap, if you look at Moo’s van, it is tiny in comparison to a modern single axle, but weighs much more. I suppose it’s not much different to Diesel engines, go back 20 years they lasted forever but now we want quiet, fast and clean diesels and they have a host more problems.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
12th Oct 2020 5:54 am
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23866
Are they cheap? They seem relatively expensive to me.
Diesel engines have to comply with emissions standards and the demand for frugality etc. All caravan manufacturers have to do is make them dry whilst using modern lightweight materials. Is that really so hard to do?
It strikes me that they are just taking the Mick.2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
12th Oct 2020 6:59 am
ClassikFan
Member Since: 02 Nov 2016
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1049
Moo wrote:
They managed to make them properly in 1974
This is our vintage Colchester
Very smart. Just 'cause you got the power... that don't mean you got the right.
12th Oct 2020 11:15 am
nigethecat
Member Since: 11 Sep 2016
Location: Marnoch
Posts: 4252
LT wrote:
As a non caravaner it seems incredible to read that manufacturers don’t seem to have yet mastered the art of making a caravan that doesn’t leak/get damp. Isn’t dryness basically the most important thing that you want in a caravan?
It’s not as if they are a new invention ffs!
and this from the man that buys cars from Land Rover!I want to see the sweets before I get into your windowless van... I'm not stupid!
Corris Grey D4 Commercial SE 2016
Zermatt Sliver 2007 D3 SE manual (gone)
Indus Silver D4 HSE 2015 (gone)
Bonatti Grey D3 HSE 2006 (gone)
White D3 S (LHD) 2007 (gone)
Firenze Red D4 HSE 2014 (gone)
Black RRS 3.6TDV8 2008 (gone)
Rusty Green Defender 110 1997 (gone)
Black FL2 HSE 2013 (gone)
12th Oct 2020 11:44 am
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23866
Very true, I just need a large, expensive and leaky/damp caravan to tow behind it and I’ll have the perfect double whammy combination.
I also own a Mini, Toyota and Skoda. So I know that it’s possible to make cars that are reliable. Also proving that initial purchase price is not linked to reliability.
Perhaps it’s just because the only time I read about caravans is on this site, but my overall impression is that pretty much regardless of price it’s a lottery if you get one that doesn’t leak or become damp not long after purchase.2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
12th Oct 2020 12:46 pm
Ali1971
Member Since: 13 Jun 2016
Location: Dalgety Bay
Posts: 817
We bought a brand new Swift conqueror 645 two years ago, its a lottery really. Major issue for us and only discovered this year due to extensive use of our shower was that it leaked !! Not sealed down the back behind the shower panel. Ridiculous really. I was not alone, I did read that someone had a tour of the factory and it was noted that if they ran out of sealant , they did not bother to finish. The dealer would sort it out was the answer, hard to believe really !!
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Dad was a Thompson caravan man and we had a few, I remember the Glenmore in around 1972 which was sold as a continental tourer and had a door on each side.
