All the issues with our new caravan

We love our Bailey Ridgeway and we are looking to spend many more years with it. However, we have had a few snagging issues. In this video we discuss all the issues we have had with our caravan. Some of them are trivial some of them are issues that have thankfully now been resolved. If you are considering purchasing a Bailey Phoenix 640 caravan or a dealer special, i hope this video will give you some pointers to look at.
All the issues I have raised in this video have been resolved by Swindon Caravans Group via the after sales team.

[@guythompson4541]

Keep watching your videos as we went out this weekend in our new to us Bailey Cadiz . Other than freezing pipes. We love it but we are aware of issues. Thanks Dan.

[@Arbitrator207]

I bought a 2 year old top of the line Unicorn, hardly used. All teething problems sorted by the previous owner and more importantly the biggest chunk of depreciation taken care of. Seemed the sensible option to me.

[@stevehanshaw2729]

yep my 640 has now popped off all the air duct pipes and I have to wedge the bedroom door in place as the strap fitted is not fit for purpose! Still I love this van and im very happy with it, I have seen much worse problems from some very expensive vans.excellent vid dan.

[@andyr5029]

Hi Dan, when you mentioned squeaky brakes a chill went through my bones. We had an issue with squeaky brakes from Day 1 with our new Swift caravan. It went back to the dealership (2 hour drive away) and they said although brake adjustments weren't part of the warranty they had sorted it as a good will gesture. Not sure how much good will there was as they were exactly the same when I picked it up again. When we met up with friends they would be laughing at us because they could hear us arriving on site and put the kettle on. My local independent caravan service engineer took the brakes apart and soon found out what the problem was. Poor brake shoes with very hard bits causing the noise against the drum. They had ruined the drum on the offside by creating large score marks around the drum. The quote to replace and fit new drums and shoes was £400+ so I made a claim to Alko. Eventually after photographic evidence and a local dealership report they agreed to the claim and replaced them. All the hard work and persistence paid off but it really shouldn't have to be that hard to get things sorted. It took me 6 months to book it into a local dealership because unless you've bought the caravan from them they're not interested. That's a totally different issue which I'll not get stoked up about again now!

[@busterboy7505]

Cheers Dan, not being a caravaner are self’s, but hopefully will be soon, I would expect things coming loose and falling off,because it’s being towed so going over bumps in potholes and uneven ground things will move, thanks again for your video they are much helpful,👍👍.

[@chazsach6594]

I once worked with an old chap who said "Near enough is not good enough" maybe this should be ALL caravan manufacturers motto.

[@alanalan1406]

Another great video - spot on with your comments Dan. Our new van had a few issues too - resolved by the dealer and we are looking forward to many years with it. "Unrealistic expectations" is a phrase the British Public will need to start getting used to ;-)

[@stendecstretcher5678]

We bought a new Jurgens Sungazer here in Australia. Some minor issues we have fixed ourselves. Like you say hand built so never going to be perfect. By doing minor fixes myself helps me to get more familiar with the vans workings .

[@dtkirkwood]

Hi Dan, great vlog again!! We have a 640 in our sights and was Just wondering if you ever did a follow up video re replacing the Duvalay mattress for the island bed with etc? Many thanks.

[@adammullock9984]

Awesome video as always Dan! Spot on with the comments. These are occasional use vehicles built to weight and budget targets. We have had 2 new vans with a mix of experiences. Both had issues similar to this. One even a cracked shower tray! I took the manufacturer to task every time (not the dealer), I believe in direct feedback. Of course the dealer rectified my problems. Both vans were repaired quick enough not to cause too much inconvenience.

[@bessie2275]

Very good Dan eye opener.

[@richarddouglas9403]

as always a great video. I am now on my third Bailey. The Senator had water ingress in year three at the rear where rear fibreglass panel met the roof. Pegasus (all-tech) had water ingress at front lockers on both sides again year three service. My latest Unicorn Cadiz just had its third service and guess what, 60% damp reading at front (awning rail?) both sides. All caravans bought new by me and were repaired under warranty as the ‘vans were less than three years old. I am now waiting for latest repair. Maybe look at another manufacturer in future. Sad as reasonable caravans but at some £26k poor quality not helped by service dealer saying seals fail because they move. I also keep finding screws which have come out but hey thats an easy fix.

[@peterd0147]

Our Coachman is 5 years old Dan.Average use about 10 weeks per year.Total amount of faults or problems absolutely a big zero! Its called quality control at the factory!Why should you accept that faults are inevitable.Love your channel though as I have learned a few tips from you keep up the good work.

[@chrisc9406]

Comparing apples with pears! Coachman make quality vans which are fitted out to a high spec.

[@Caravanningwiththehoopers]

Wow it’s been 7 months already, doesn’t time fly, glad your still loving the van and as you say a lot of the issues are very minor and easily fixable. I think most of the issues these days are down to the internet, people seem to moan about the most silly little things that are easily fixable, they also say vans were better built in the past but they simply were not, it’s just that we didn’t here about the problems, I was quite nervous about buying our first caravan from reading all the forums but am glad to report that 3 months in we have only come across 2x issue, one was down to the dealer not tightening the motor mover bolts and another is down to some screws coming loose, both I fixed easily myself

[@thomaswatt1658]

Hi dan.great vlog.we have had the same issue with screws coming loose which i think is down to them being put in with screw guns.the external socket issue,i think its on that side so you can use appliances in your awning.anyway its been good watching you back on doing what you do best.cheers for now

[@barbsdee3831]

Great review Dan and we love our Bailey. Compared to a swift which we saw that was 6 months old and it was so tatty it looked 5 years old! If you think about it bumping down the roads no wonder little screws come loose. Btw we have a squeaky seat at one end of our Bailey Cadiz 🙄

[@MikkosAdventure]

Oh man, that's a lot of issues. I hope you work it out. I have an RV KZbin channel also, so I'm super excited to see what the colleagues are up to. Subbed your channel.

[@Ruckus223]

The dealers must get fed up with the small niggley problems which should of been sorted in manufacturing. They get the ear bashing. I think our dealership over looked the scratches on our van and thought it would be ok for us to take, don't think there was a PDI done apart from " yes it's in the yard"

[@caileanmoore2835]

I don't know if this is possible, but caravans should have service intervals just like the cars that are towing them, with each service addressing issues relevant to the age and usage of the caravan as well as an all over general service.

[@lioncrunch]

Unrealistic expectations? I absolutely disagree, if it’s new there should be NO faults, conversely what your saying is, we should expect faults on our new purchase.

[@TheTrudgians]

Show me anything in this world that is handmade that is flawless. It just doesn’t happen. I agree that being new there should be no faults, but let’s be realistic not optimistic here. With a good dealer support, faults are rectified quickly.

[@tstuart7333]

Brand New Vauxhall Astra Sport, [3] months old and the gear box exploded from the inside out. Brand new Mazda both drive shaft's failed after [2] weeks and finally brand new Renault Scenic 4 mile and the engine failed. I gave up buying new cars. I now drive a 2003 Rover 4 years and no issues.

[@folksinger2100]

I have a 20 year old U.K. built caravan, it is getting ready for replacement but there is nothing on the market that I consider would be a suitable replacement. It appears that no one will undertake repairs, so it looks my caravan days are over.

[@markm49]

This was a new caravan???? Reject it - they will never learn if we just continue to accept this level of build quality.

[@pete1927]

What a great video Dan, never came across as a whinge and you have a great dealer, it is just the bug bear of having to take the bloody thing back 😂.we ended up with a £50k Moho, no different, no major problems but snagging, yep still at it. Users just need to be prepared to help yourself, like you do and not relying on a dealer to tighten a few screws then moan about how long it takes to get the van booked in. These vans need to settle in. I agree why not have all the utiliy inputs on the opposite side to the door, same on my Moho there must be some design logic why the EHU is near the door and waste and water on the correct side. Next job for me is try to get our wardrobe door to open 180 and not just 90.

[@AndyClarke1]

Just addressed this issue on our Valencia. If you have a Bailey the alternative hinges are part no 1341916 on the Prima Leisure website. Use same screw holes👌🏼

[@koshtie]

The 1 thing I don't like about all caravans is the front window's they need to change the design of them! after time no matter what make they will start to leak and will fog up! Vickers Westmorland star was a proper built caravan ! heavy as hell but it stayed together.

[@dominobeauty]

Another great video. Thank you, I am going to buy a Bailey single axel in Feb 2021 used, with rear fixed bed. I caravan alone with dog. Is there any advice you can give me. I live in Norfolk.

[@TheTrudgians]

If you caravan with a dog, in minds eye, look where the dog will sleep, but most importantly where the dog will sit / rest during the day or when you are washing up / getting dressed. With a labrador that likes to be under our feet, we have to send him outside especially if i'm cooking or washing up, he will always get in the way.

[@alanpostma5861]

I got a Quasar 524 brand new in 2013 we had problems with it in are few outings bathrooms door handle fell off plus the cupboard door didn’t shut probably

[@terranceprice7006]

Surely the fridge door { which can be mounted the other way} and the high marker light are down to a design fault faults

[@TheTrudgians]

Hi Terrance, the fridge door can only one one way. there is no option to mount the other way. This fridge comes in 2 variants. Left hand and right hand. Thanks

[@kevandrews4699]

Hi dan good honest review can I ask is your van a mid bathroom if so how do u find using the shower as half the floor space in the shower as the wheel arch there do u find it a problem when using it as when I went to view a mid bathroom van I couldn't turn round in the shower as the wheel arch was in the way thanks .kev

[@yawnguy94]

Glad you afford one

[@CosgroveNotts]

Sounds a disaster for a new caravan. I've just been in a six birth static. Pile of junk. Badly fitting doors, bed sounds like it's gonna fall apart. Shower door seals falling off. Guttering leaking. Plastic joining strips coming away.... and it's never turned a wheel lol

[@Lifeat39000ft]

Are you sure the squeaky floor just happened when people walked about or did it occur when there other activities in the bedroom!

[@TheTrudgians]

I may have danced a small samba....

[@justingrunwald4431]

Love your Video, however if I had a hand built Aston Martin or a Baileys I wouldn't expect the stitching to come away form the dash or screws to fall out, it's just poor quality control, why except it!

[@walterh.schreiber5361]

European friends? Should I from Germany title the British non-European friends? No way. You are our European friends. Cheers from lovely Albania, Walter.

[@hankcuccina5260]

What happened to quality control though.

[@richtea7868]

Can you not just oil the brakes to stop them squeaking?

[@Flood51]

We also have the Phoenix 640 and love it but this holiday we started to convert the seating area into a double bed. Care should be taken when pulling out the slats but we could not get them to return without removing the draws and manually pushing the slats down the back. In the end we left the front seating area as a bed. Not impressed as the front area is only really two single beds not a useable double.

[@homersrevenge3691]

I’ve bought 2 brand new houses..... both times pages of A4 listings the faults ! Lucky with my Porsche Macan, no faults 👍. Saving for my first caravan so hope it goes ok but I am tempering my expectations 😂

[@Captcasper7]

Disagree I have purchased a new house, brand new car every 2 to 3 years no problems, caravans as my boatbuilder brother says are sheds on wheels lol. But they should be better.

[@markm49]

It’s not unrealistic to have high expectations when spending £30k. Stop apologising for these poor quality standards.

[@philip9657]

absolutely 100% agree with this remark. if they dont wake up soon the leisure vehicle industry of this country will follow in the well know footsteps of the british motor industry! i drive a volvo because it just works which could not be said of its jaguar predecessor! i am currently waiting for numerous issues with my one day old bailey to be rectified. As you say, this was a £30k + caravan. not good enough!!

[@mrmeg01]

But you did get preferential treatment, as you told them who you where at the end of conversation. Hence it was back with you in a very short space oftime. This for me deffinatly was not a independent review

[@giantputt7066]

Did you know that you can reverse the door of most refrigerators

[@TheTrudgians]

Did you know you cant on this Fridge? this particular fridge is sold in 2 variants - left hand and right hand. The controls on the top, make it impossible to swap over, if you could swap the door over, its too close to the bulkhead to open fully and allow the ice tray to pull down. However, i did know that you can do this on domestic fridges - I did it at home, although im sure it should have been far simpler than i experienced. Take care, thanks for your comment. Dan

[@charlevoix418]

Hopefully, you didn't buy a US made caravan! Your video could be three hour long...

[@annkemsley3186]

You're lucky. I bought mine from Perthshire caravans (sterling elite ) sold to me supposed to be New. Carpet in van from a motor home. Viewing window top front leaks cupboards don't work . Water pipes not coupled with the so flooded out I could go on. Greedyfat barsteward would not entertain it. Had to go elsewhere to get it fixed. Do not buy from them all liars - once you pay they don't want to know

[@annkemsley3186]

Please feel free to share - they shouldn't get away with this

[@noelevans8239]

Stay in a hotel

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

Sorry Dan but I cant agree! I accept you will find a few odd screws on a few caravans but it seems to be more than a few. Your sealer/awning rail problem is exactly the same problem I had and that was a different model in 2014, so it appears the "sealer department" hasnt learned! There is simply no excuse for having to change your "uphill role" mattress because it behaves like a 20 year old mattress. Thats a lack of quality in the materials! The fridge door is, well lets be honest, a design joke not unlike the shower in our cadiz that left a gap between it and the wall, which was impossible to reach into to clean. There was no shelf and in the next model the design comedians struck again. They fitted the shelf with the mirror below so now you had to stoop to look in the mirror! These problems are not the result of hard building they are poor design borne from trying to rush out the next model. A typical personal computer attitude, "put it out and we can email a patch when they tell us where the bugs are"! Or in the caravans "take the money now, when they find our errors the dealer will sort it later"! Theyre 30 years behind the motor trade, charging an arm and a leg for their product and its not good enough. A new car with squeaking brakes? Pretty rare. A coach with a squeaking floor after 100 miles? I dont think so. A new bed with an uphill mattress after a few weeks? I doubt it. Remind them when you buy cheap you buy twice - you didnt buy cheap! And if staff are missing things, when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys!

[@rockingr]

Totally agree, I can see what Dan is saying, but the trouble is it's the old British stiff upper lip and 'we don't like to complain'. I am a carpenter by trade and a bit old school also I pride myself as a perfectionist. the problem with that is, if I paid so much money for a brand new item, I would expect something nearer to my standards. The issue with the table is poor at best. If the manufactures could be bothered to give the vans a stern road test, most of these problems would be sorted out. Why should it take 'a member of the public' to spot that the table holder needs protection ie. felt pads to protect it, it's not rocket science for god sake!! Unfortunatlely in todays world it's all about profit and less about care. Ps. glad you made this video Dan.

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

@@rockingr they do give them a stern road test, but only the one! Thats the one caravan prototype that has been put together as they all should be. After that its off to production, were theyre thrown together as fast as possible and the "quality check" only goes as far as if it looks ok.

[@jhtech5807]

gbwildlife uk 100% agree with u , think Dan is Trying to talk him self around!!! If it wer me I’d be pissed ,

[@anthonywhitehouse2295]

why buy a new caravan only to then have to buy another new matress? if that ones faulty send it back, the lack of quality control from the bailey group is disgusting the silicone issue should have been sorted even before it came away from the factory. the silicon only has a few years life span and is corrosive to metals its not like the glue used at car factory . give it a few years and you will have damp issues, but if you can afford to waste money like this ,you must have more money than sence. i just bought a brand new mg ive had not one issue with it going wrong,bailey are the death of the british van makers after they bought out all its competion .

[@hmallett]

After a day caravan shopping, looking at new caravans it amazed me how many had cupboard and bathroom doors that were misaligned, wouldn't open or wouldn't close properly. Multiple brands. Disappointing.

[@stephbootie6514]

Puts me off cannot decide to continue caravanning / buying another one all of them have issues & so much money to shell out .

[@cliffordbradley5579]

It’s not unrealistic to expect a product to be right first time. By accepting that products will be faulty will result in manufacturers lowering there standards.

[@Antsmithmk]

If I'd paid what you have paid for that van, I would be raging. It's not good enough.

[@ryanshort7435]

Completely agree with you

[@theconspiracyfactualist.144]

It's not just new build houses that have snagging issues. Disgraceful.

[@gram7991]

Have to ask yourself if you paid for this van would you be fixing all these issues yourself ..no, straight back to dealer..call me sceptical

[@jax17.43]

That squeeky floor would drive me crazy...loose nuts and stuff i could deal with easily enough..

[@robwestley7370]

Sandra Westley we purchased our Swift Challenger 635 in 2019 brand new in August, so we had little use of it in 2019 then in 2020 we also had little use because of COVID, but we still have some faults that need sorting we have booked it in for August 2021. First the door blind went the string use in the blind broke. 2. The large blind on the front window also has a broken blind cord. 3. The pelmet trim in the bathroom has come apart. 4. When ever the van is moved or on the road, a little bit of metal falls out of the knobs on the cooker, which stops you turning the cooker on. 5. The gas jet on the small ring on the cooker doesn’t work, it needs blowing out or something. So I think it’s the worst Swift we have had with things going wrong for such little use.

[@marklovell2933]

Most Bailey caravans have similar issues, which should have been quality controlled.

[@lostweekendscaravan]

Hi Dan your are correct expectations are high. I do feel that vans should be brought in after three months and checked over to correct any issues be them major or minor a little like a snagging period you get with a new house. We had a few issues such as carpets, fridge control panel like we addressed these in our update video. Like you our Dealer has been very good and all issues were resolved very quickly. Thanks for sharing Phil👍🙂

[@malcolmsmith408]

Sorry,it's a case of having to accept poor workmanship. Friend bought a new caravan from well known British manufacturer. Various problems including cooker problem and the final straw ,the floor has started to suffer delamination. Van now replaced with different manufacturer, hoping they have better results. I will stick with my 14 year old van where everything works every time.

[@lostweekendscaravan]

Malcolm Smith if it’s not broke don’t fix it. You enjoy your van. We have been lucky I guess. Only minor issues. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this issue. Phil 👍🙂

[@danielclayton-davies8063]

Not being funny, the cost of these brand new vans, they should all be checked like they say they are. You shouldn’t have any issues, the time it takes to resolve the issues is time that’s wasted not using it.

[@TheTrudgians]

Thats a valid point. but i spent over £220,000 on a house, and the water supply didnt work, i had a collapsed drain, the bath wasn't even on the correct legs and the electrics needed re-wiriing for a house that was 8 weeks old when we moved into it. A friend has spent over £86,000 on a luxury car and the stitching has come away from the dash, the steering wheel shakes and the doors rattle. So, your point is valid and agree completely with you, but its not just caravan manufacturers that quality assurance is an issue. The issues we have had have not stopped us using the caravan, it has been noisy and annoying - but hasn't stopped us enjoying the great outdoors. Thanks for your comment, though - its been interesting readying folks experiences so far. Take care Dan

[@danielclayton-davies8063]

The Trudgians completely get your point, it really does annoy me when we as a nation pay for the convenience and peace of mind of having something brand new, yet still has problems because of a lack of workman ship or organisation. My in-laws built their way up from converting a transit to a camper, two second hand motor homes and finally buying a brand new one. They had a nightmare trying to get an issue with their internal water pump fixed. Such a shame when so much money is paid to have peace of mind in the first place. Glad you’ve managed to use it anyway Wish you happy camping in the future

[@boushal]

why didnt you get aldie cental heating ?

[@theslimun]

It would be nice if the manufactorers asked for feed back from their customers at the first service that way design faults and niggles could be reported back like your fridge door giving them chance to change things on the new model. It would also help them to target problem issues such as Alko brakes squealing because I doubt Alko would take notice of just a couple of dealers but they would if the likes of Swift, Bailey and Lunar were to tell them to sort the issue or we change supplier of chassis. Everyone would win from this the manufactorers would have happy customers, the designers would know what works and customers like and also what they don't like so can create better caravans.

[@anthonywhitehouse2295]

swift bailey lunar are the same company

[@robwestley7370]

@@anthonywhitehouse2295 Sandra Westley no they are not, Lunar went into liquidation 2019 and have since been bought by a foreign caravan place. Swift and Bailey are competitors.

[@Mark-rc1gj]

It’s a Bailey what do you expect? I’ve had mine for eight years now when ever we go away there’s always a problem or two.You should be looking happy after buying a new caravan not moaning about it so get used to the problems because you’ll always have them.Good luck 😄

[@Mark-rc1gj]

Dave Bennett cheers

[@keithhicks1750]

I agree with a lot of what you said but the fridge door would bug me forever, and taking a van back to the dealership is not a two minute job.

[@Mrfort]

do the fridge not have dual hangers? l/h r/h hinge???/

[@MyBigTOW]

Excellent video Dan. It's good to see you discussing these issues with new caravans. It's sometimes all too easy to get a bit despondent about our caravans when we get niggles with them. Your comments and video show that most of these can be overcome very easily by simple steps you can take yourself or by contacting the dealership. We too have slight issues with a squeak where the dividing wall between the bathroom and caravan bedroom area join, like you mentioned this is an intermittent thing, and I just wondered whether you would think we could rectify that ourselves? I did mention it to the dealers (not where we purchased the caravan from) when we had the Caravan serviced last year. Guess what, it was in intermittent mode and they couldn't find the source of the noise, which was a little annoying. However it has come and gone at various times since and it would be good to sort it once and for all. Enjoyed this video very much as it showed us, and everyone else, that minor niggles, that can be addressed very simply, don't have to spoil the enjoyment of your Caravan.

[@jimf4748]

You should have bought another Clubman. That would have had the superb Alde heating which is much better than any blown air system. Once you have had a quality van its hard to go a bit more down market.

[@enzodelbono9884]

I've just bought a brand new Bailey...slightly worried now..🙄

[@robwestley7370]

Sandra Westley don’t worry, any van can have faults our latest Swift had more than any others we have, as he says don’t have unrealistic expectations, I am hoping our new Porto will be ok, it’s supposedly being started on Thursday, so it’s not a Monday van or a Friday van, all we can do is hope it’s better than our last one. When it’s the cords in the blinds that have gone on a hardly used van, it’s annoying, also the cooker keeps dropping small bits of the knob on the floor it’s so easy to Hoover it up, then we will not be able to turn the cooker.

[@holidaysinthehumma5108]

Hi Dan, totally agree with you with regards everything we buy new nowadays ( new cars,houses etc) they all have their niggles or serious problems. We bought our new caravan same time as yourself ( coachman) and had snagging which the dealership has been good with since we bought it and with a new problem. We had a new motorhome ( Elddis )before the caravan and we had serious faults apppeared the 1st time we used it ( 6 different cracks) and it ended up back at the dealer and the factory separately for 6months out of 1st year we owned it and had Similar with a bailey caravan before motorhome. It seems to be all manufacturers have same or similar issues no matter who we use, just a lot of snagging. My only gripe would be that caravan manufacturers be more like car manufacturers where we could use other dealerships for repairs etc not only the one you bought from The problem is our contract is with the dealership not the manufacturer. It doesnt matter which manufacturer we choose its the same all over as you said and have similar issues. I met a wise old man on a site last year and he said he’s caravaned for 30 yrs and never bought new, he said I always buy 1-2 yrs old so the person before me has went through the stress of snagging 🤔 Why do I never listen...Ha Nice Video Dan All the best Rob, Amanda & Robbie 👍

[@Dusty2feathers]

Having worked in the industry for 15 years, I can honestly say that new vans today are nowhere near the build quality of 10 years ago. Poor design poor build quality and terrible value for money. All manufacturers have gone to pu frames and other artificial materials for the external build. Why? Because none of the manufacturers could keep damp away. Dark days ahead for the industry if they don't get their acts together. Our van, a swift product., was found to have 55%damp on 14th February and won't get done until 24th June. But it's alright there's no wood to rot.

[@paulpringle8263]

Hear is food for thought. A Japanese company selling engineering parts to the Uk. Won’t say which company it is. The uk costumer stipulated that only 2 faulty parts per 100 would be excepted.the Japanese company sent a email saying the parts have been dispatched.along with the 2 faulty parts. Then asked why do you won’t 2 faulty parts. Maybe in the uk we should except quality workmanship with products we purchase !!!?

[@jasonjuggler3457]

Tell me what company it is you prick

[@brianphelan74]

So basically you are saying you expect to have faulty goods. That's the problem. If we as a customer refused to accept or charged the distributor the cost of returning to the dealer, having the time off work and the inconvenience. Im sure then the quality would improve. It really cheeses me off when the dealer as a matter of fact says " oh just return it WHEN you get problems. Ok so your caravan gets fixed ( if you are lucky ) its the pain in the ass doing all that and that's part of the issue. You have hit the nail on the head ( excuse the pun ) when you say when humans are involved you get issues. I can imagine that the people who assemble the caravans have good and bad days. Loose screws, squeaky floor. Brings back memories of my Super Storm. £23000 i paid . I could go on about all the faults but id be repeating other customers issues. By the way Im not having a go at you im just blowing off steam. Keep the video's coming and happy travelling.

[@adammullock9984]

You could have a perfectly built caravan every time but expect to pay considerably more and tow it with a tank. Let’s face it. These are occasional use vehicles built to a very tight budget, extremely quickly and have to be light enough for a realistic everyday tow car! I have had 2 new Vans and had mixed experiences with both. But by enlarge the fit and finish of both my swift and Lunar was spot on. And it did have to tighten, adjust and return it to the dealer with a list of issues.

[@chazsach6594]

At last, someone who is not going to tolerate excuses for what is poor quality.

[@dominicbritt]

Can’t agree about expectations - missing screws etc are just sloppiness by the manufacturer - squeaking brakes are manufacturer fault - inexcusable for drum brakes - let’s be honest, most caravans are pretty low tech.

[@amandamcnab8791]

Who designs these new vans!!! 🤦🏼‍♀️ non-caraveners I guess! My friend got a brand new van and all the problems have totally put me off! So much money for too many issues x

[@synworks9378]

most of the issues you mentioned we have had similar aswell on our BAILEY UNICORN SEGOVIA apart from fridge.and the rear bed. However, I expected the van to be in almost, if not perfect for the amount of money we paid for it. As for dealers we are still waiting for parts its been 3 months we have notify and now bailey have sent parts to a wrong address apparently. Its a joke this warranty, haven't even got a booking date yet from (SPINNEY FLINTSHIRE BRANCH). STAY away from this dealers though.

[@Bob-kb5pv]

All these issues apart from the breaks are down to poor build quality.

[@jonnieboy63]

Hi Dan Been watching your videos since we ourselves bought our first caravan three years ago. You and your family have provided us with mountains of good advice and tips to make the caravan experience a safe and enjoyable one. I feel a little uncomfortable and sad with your conclusion you come to about unrealistic expectations after the list of issues you have with your new caravan. I can accept that a caravan is built to operate in a hostile environment (Bailey took one to the arctic circle!) and as such it is no real surprise that screws may come out and the life of components shorter compared to domestic equivalents. However in the competitive age we live in it should be fit for purpose and as the comment below outlines if we accept this then competitors will steal the show like they did with the car industry in the 1980's. Doe you remember the Austin Allegro? Unfortunately our caravan trips are taken gingerly at the moment as we've been told our 2017 Unicorn 3 Vigo has a collapsed axle which seems to be a problem that's wider than accepted by manufacturers. Bailey and AL-KO have a policy of only inspecting the axle under warranty once the wheel -wheel arch clearance is below 25mm and no guarantee of replacement. At this late stage some owners have already experienced damp in their Bailey caravans since the wheels wear through the plastic wheel arches. It seems to apply to the larger single axle caravans such as yours and mine and built within the last 3 years. Some owners have been successful in having their axles replaced under Warranty with axles that look almost identical to the one on your caravan which AL-KO insist is a like for like replacement. This doesn't instil me with confidence when the axle has failed after just 2 years. These owners are now reporting the same brake issue as you after as little as 150 miles which are then replaced on warranty. As you can imagine the usual accusations of overloading and pothole damage has been levelled to owners without any evidence or facts to support this and leads to an atmosphere of mistrust. Dealing with facts is much more useful to both customers and manufacturers to maintain and improve quality in the future. At the moment the facebook group Bailey axle problems have identified 247 owners with problems but this is only for members of the group who follow facebook. I wonder how many more of the caravaning population are affected? Wouldn't it be good if someone posted a video on how to measure your wheel arch clearance?

[@malcolmqua9226]

Very fair and balanced observations Dan. Did notice my window latches very tight as well. Some things I just put right myself and get on with it.

[@privateprivate4384]

We gave up Caravanning due to poor build quality. We struggled to get the awing through the awning rail, it was too tight. The new foam seating is very uncomfortable, the door locks are a joke (not fit for purpose) they are supposed to keep our caravan and us safe and secure they break easily. Yet Swift insists on using them over and over again, if they don't take customer complaints more seriously they will lose customers like us. Cupboard doors out of line. Cracked sink, leaking shower, uncomfortable memory foam mattress, blinds that let light in. The sink waste pipe kept coming off, causing floods under the sink. The pull- out slats were missing for the front bed. Poor sealant on exterior. Jokey wheel kept slipping, we had to replace it. Rear bed with middle toilet washroom people have had issues with the floor coming away at the rear. We pay a fortune for those caravans and I expect better build quality. Compared with older caravans, the build quality on a fancy new caravan is ridiculously poor. After three disastrous new Caravan purchases, we gave up in disgust. We will never recommend a New Swift Caravan to anyone. Great Video, only downside is the letting manufacture's of the hook. We are paying out a lot of money and I, for one, demand better from Swift.

[@raypearse5210]

I have the same caravan as yourselves Ridgeway 642. my only on going problem is the Fridge makes a roaring noise like a small blowtorch.This sound is annoying and can be heard from over a meter away from the grills. I have fitted the fan modification as per your earlier video which has improved the cooling. This not had any effect on the noise situation. is your fridge quite on gas or does make the same sort of noise? Dometic are trying to say that this normal!!!!! but friends with other fridges working on gas make very little noise, Dometic literature state the operation is silent!!. Any comments you can make will be appreciated.

[@martincole188]

This "issues" thing... These are FAULTS. Same with our caravan a Swift now 9 years old. Good job I like DiY. I would have spent a fortune in money and time taking it back to the dealers 50 miles away.

[@steveblack728]

I've , been a Caravanner since 1983, and have had a few Caravans, I've always been adamant that the designers are not Caravanners, because I have very rarely found zero design faults, I have only had one brand new one, and we stored that inside over winter, getting it out the following season it absolutely poured in, after contacting the dealer and manufacturer, we found that they used water based sealant and it shouldnt be stored indoors at all, thankfully after a lot of wrangling we got it fixed thanks to the CCC. back to today I have yet another leaking Caravan, sadly I cant see it being fixable without it costing more than it's worth, but hey ho, lets keep accepting these poorly designed overpriced boxes and they will keep producing them

[@vicdunni]

Really good review. We have a Black Edition Unicorn Cadiz and our only issue has been the seating went flat straight away and we replaced it ourselves. Nothing else yet except very minor bits which our dealer will sort at our convenience ( Couplands at Louth-- cant recommend them enough, excellent in every way) Im trying to talk to Bailey about the seating in the unicorns as it has effected hundreds of people ( i have a group on fb) but apart from that we love it 😍

[@guythompson4541]

Can you please explain “went flat?” Did the booster fail? Sorry f thats a daft question

[@allengilchrist9640]

A lot of hassle for a brand new van I’d be a bit unhappy with that you would think the manufacturer should have made sure this wouldn’t happen.

[@ajc7166]

Not so sure that our expectations are unrealistically too high, I tend to judge a product, not so much on what goes wrong, more on how the firm who sold the product deals with my problem. All too often on the caravan forums the customer is caught between the dealer and the manufacturer, then waits months for the resolution, presumably because, the dealer and the manufacturer working out who has to foot the bill.

[@michaelbianco2039]

That is a very big issue here in Australia at the moment. The minute you have a problem under warranty and you take it back to the Dealer, he tries to fob you off saying it's the manufacturer's fault and vice versa. Some people have had major issues regarding build quality etc and have had to fight these Dealers/Manufacturers for many months, sometimes years.

[@davidpenn4990]

Buying a caravan is a big investment for something which is sub standard with a very short lifespan.

[@GG-gotr6]

An interesting update Dan; are you saying brakes should not squeal at all. My Coachman is 10 months old and the brakes are squealing on hills now, should I be talking it back to the dealer under warranty for a fix? If this is free repair have AL-KO fitted faulty brake shoes to their recent chassis production?

[@cameronstevenson7138]

Had mover probs turned out to be a broken wire inside the remote lucky am good with a soldering iron as its£145 for a new 1 and you got to pair it to the control box

[@andrewcrawford2117]

Seems like the staff at the manufacturer don’t know how to tighten screws 😂

[@garydavis1528]

They are on piece work pay even today. Wouldn’t want to be one of them building caravans, all time pressure over everything else.

[@melb5996]

Unfortunately it’s a reflection on the industry in general. The quality control and ‘snagging’ are always done by the customer. On any van.

[@martinmumper3355]

Any issues with the clock yet the one in my bailey cadiz was so tight that we managed to pull the face off it in trying to get it out its now in bits in a void behind the speakers thinking about your fridge is the door not reversable

[@TheTrudgians]

Hi Martin - Believe it or not, this caravan doesnt come with a clock, other than the heating panel. The fridge door is non reversable (like a household one) as their is a cut out for the gas indicator. The fridge comes in 2 styles though - left hand and right hand models.

[@cubatime72]

Enough to put you off, very poor build quality and low attention to detail. Some of that stuff is basic assembly error.

[@Warrior6504]

I’ve had my Bailey a year and I have a squeaky floor and brakes I’ve only used the van 5 times. Back to the dealer then. Thanks for that. 👍🏻

[@RollingwithTheRobsons]

Interesting video on the little niggles. Obviously, we have only used our van once in 7 months. Hopefully, when we get ours back we can see no issues I am hoping. I think all new vans do have some niggles.

[@supergroups]

Dan, I take your point about the production proccess but I bought a Bailey Olympus nine years ago and we still have manufacturing swarf shaking out of the roof construction into the ceiling light covers after every journey. Just placed an order for a Pegasus Grande and find that Bailey's fix for this problem is to not fit any ceiling mounted lights! Now that's lateral thinking. Just discovered your channel, it's been fun catching up.

[@TheMeanieuk]

We have Pegasus Grande Messina, 3 design faults we noticed so far, light switch in bathroom pull cord behind door so you have to go in the bathroom to turn on light also pullout bed in lounge area handle will scratch or cut back of legs need to be covered finally as already said electric hook up point not only should be on the other side why doe's it have to poke right out. Other than those great van.

[@grenadewarrior9334]

So you when in to a caravan which as bin used and your complaining about defects 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@davidkidner6648]

I did mention the front marker light position and the difficulty in installing an air awning to one of the directors when we went on a factory tour. He said that they were aware of the problem, but to date nothing has been done to rectify the problem. I am suprised that you did not mention the stupid location of the pull cord for the lights in the bathroom, it should be on the shower side, so you can turn them on as soon as you open the door.

[@jonnmedds]

Bought two new caravans, A Lunar Quasar in 2013 and a Bailey Pegasus in 2016. Both had to be returned to the dealer a few months later due to issues. It seems to be a common occurrence which as buyers we seem to accept.

[@andrewell9552]

Caravan and hopefully if I win it will make my caravan look as clean and tidy as yours cheers Dan👍🏼

[@olliebodman2570]

The part at the end just seems like bailey have spoken to you and you’ve had to change your wording 🤷‍♂️😂 Either that or bailey crossed you palm with some money money 💰 Going well until then love the vids by the way! Keep um coming

[@stuartrich2499]

Due to collect our brand new Swift Dealer special tomorrow. Lets see what we find!!!

[@sandrapearson728]

I’ve always wondered why the tall fridges in Bailey vans open either side. Now I know why

[@markrobinson7866]

Another great video Dan. We have just brought a new Bailey Vigo and although very pleased so far have identified a few issues that can be easily fixed. The big test is how well it goes after a year or so. Your report so far is very enlightening and we will check for the same issues so thanks.

[@Mrfort]

Is the electric hook up the other side for a reason? water /electric hook ups are separated for a reason?

[@timdaniel5395]

Have had 2 caravans previously - 26ft Lunar and 26ft Swift - currently sitting here with £30k burning a hole in my pocket looking at new vans - best if I cross Bailey off the list would you say?

[@TheTrudgians]

No not at all. Love our Bailey. If you have 30k look at the Alicante Porto. That’s a lovely caravan.

[@MegaVinny73]

That fridge issue! funny but would be annoying that.

[@MrG.42]

Hi Dan and family, Any chance of an update on anything else that has gone wrong since you made this video? We have a 2019 Bailey Phoenix Vogue 642, and have had several small problems including me getting locked in the bathroom due to a faulty latch.

[@TheTrudgians]

Well, to be honest not a lot. only the mains sockets that needed rotating and thats it. The caravan has been really good to us.