So, today I have been using our travel iron to flatten the curling edges of the internal wall board joining tape. Then I've put a reinforcing block behind the waste outlets on the side of the van to prevent it from bending when I push the waste pipes on. I've had to put an extra seal on the front centre window to stop water dripping on the front shelf when it rains.
I've also had to paint the rusting eyesore brake drums. Is this really acceptable on a caravan that cost over £35000 new!! The van is just over 3 years old and I've had it 18 months now.
I've also had a squeaking front seat and found that pre drilled holes to hold it in place were missing its screws. Cured now.
Rant over. Thankyou.

If it’s leaking then I would be trying to get that sorted under water ingress cover from the manufacturer. It shouldn’t leak.

If it’s out of warranty (most water ingress warranty is generally longer than 3 years) then a local caravan repair place should be able to replace or adjust the window seal.

What van is it?

We are obsessed with van weight in this country so manufacturers try to cram more gear in while cutting back on weight, something has to give.

My Lunar was shonky but it was 11 years old, the joint sealing tape was lifting slightly, there was bits of damp here and there and various little faults. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
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It's a Buccaneer Commodore. Should have said we've had it 8 months. Contacted Buccaneer and because we didn't buy it from a franchised dealer they won't cover the repairs. Dealer we bought it from have a huge backlog but it will be going back.
My point really was the quality of the build and some parts they use which are sub-standard for such an expensive vehicle.

Totally agree. In my mind the only things which get nicer as you get more expensive is the cabinetry and cushions. The shell of the expensive vans is somewhat the same as the shell of a cheaper van. So your commodore is pretty much the same structurally as an svante 860, different decals and paint, but put together in the same way.

That’s why van manufacturers love more expensive ranges. Loads more profit in them. Same for motor homes. They pay peanuts for a Ducato chassis, bolt a caravan to the back and sell it for 60k+ There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
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I don’t want to temp fate here but our 2015 Swift Elegance has been pretty good, we purchased it at 2 years old private and swift did a few of the niggles (leaking taps, and sticking catches) under the remaining warranty.

The main issue since has been the reich taps failing but that’s hardly Swift’s fault. It’s frustrating though, and lucky it doesn’t have a wooden floor to leak onto.

Ours doesn’t have any wall board joint’s hidden with tape, but that does seem to be a pretty common complaint you hear. We certainly have friends who have enjoyed many a hour replacing them.

I have been looking at replacing it, but being a 2015 Elegance it’s a full Smart HT construction ie totally timber free body shell and composite floor which I take some comfort from. Talking to a few dealers it seems the 2015/16 Smart HT’s were some of the best and then Swift wound back some of the features some say based on cost. It’s a mind field when you start to look at the construction of the various models. My parents have a 2017 Conqueror which is also full Smart HT but the 2018 went back to a wooden floor, the vans look identical.

Agree on the weight front, ours is odd some areas clearly done to save weight then they put things like this in:

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Always amazed that all the modern technology in the world & we still get water ingress.
Our Bailey is 5 years old, fancy alutec construction & yet we had a spot of water in the rear storage compartment. Spoke to our local caravan service guy [NOT main dealer] & he smiled & said "yep, another one!". Water ingress is covered under warranty but I couldn't be arsed to drive to the supplying dealer [had shoddy work done before & never ever been back] instead, got the service guy to remove the cover strips that sit on the roof, minimal mastic found....plenty applied, one hours work....all sorted!
Whether its a budget 'van or an expensive Buccaneer......it shouldn't leak!
NMJ is right, we [or the manufacturers] are obsessed with weight & 'goodies' so something has to give.

Interesting about the composite floors on the swifts, afaik even thought the baileys are alu-tec construction the floors are still timber based. I like the look of the plastic sandwich floor at least then if it leaks there is absolutely nothing to rot. Im less bothered about water ingress when the underlying construction isn't damaged by it, it is then a pain in the bum rather than something which will destroy the van.

We are lucky to live close to Don Amott, on their site there are a couple of places which can work wonders with leaky vans and panel damage so if there are any problems pointed out at service time I can easily book it in for fixing. Our mobile service man is decent but they can't really tackle any major damp issues at home. To fix a traditional wooden construction van requires drying it out indoors, and a nice clean environment.

Hopefully our new van will have had most of the kinks ironed out and there shouldn't be any leaky seals..... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

We’ve had two Bailey and one Eterniti caravans and now own an Adria Izonso which we we bought nearly 4 years ago. I can safely say it’s been the best caravan by a country mile. We’ve had no faults whatsoever. The build quality is excellent and the layout perfect for our needs. It was also significantly cheaper than similar uk vans with a similar layout.

Our mobile service man has said that these are the best vans on the market and never finds any issues with them. He frequently services Uk built vans and is always finding faults and damp issues.

Just to add, we went on holiday to France for 3 weeks just 5 days after picking up the Adria from the dealer. Not sure I’d want to do that with a uk built van. 2019 L405 SDV8 Autobiography
2023 Defender P400e HSE X-dynamic - gone
2020 Defender P300 SE - gone

2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR - gone
2013 SDV8 Autobiography - gone
2011 L322 TDV8 Vogue SE - gone
2006 L322 3.6 Vogue Se - gone
1999 P38 4.0 se - gone
199? Classic 3.5 - gone

Do not buy a Lunar Caravan !!

Made me laugh Wogger. My van before I got the Buccaneer was a 2017 Lunar Clubman. That leaked from the inside from the Alde heating.

Not known as ‘leaky Lunars’ for nothing mate

Double L's apparently in the trade, or so the chap was saying at the dealer the other day.

Gone bump now so no new ones coming onto the market. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Caravan Industry is trying to modernise with new materials including composites and sandwich panels, they struggle with the joints, glues and sealers don’t take to many of the materials well plus cheap unskilled Labour means there is often gaps in sealers and glues, screws driven through and other build issues coupled with poor designs with many joints and holes that mean leaks are almost guaranteed.

I think it’s going to be many years before they crack a leak proof van. Water is the enemy of these.

Having had British products and worked in the Australian industry I have seen both sides of the industry first hand. I think some of the German product is the best, no real surprise there.

Some chap was allowed to film the build process in the Bailey factory. Quite an interesting 5 mins.... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

The mainstream UK caravan manufacturers are complacent with their position in the market, they really dont care about their customers at all. When Bailey first started with Alutec caravans and wet heating, they grossly miscalculated the heating required in rear washrooms. When customers complained they offered an upgrade to a heated towel rail which included a small radiator, this was done at the customers expense. Ditto with some leaks etc and often the get out re servicing and warranty etc. Absolutely abysmal. Some swift caravans had cracks appearing in sides, Swift said this was due to pot holes in the road, IF pot holes had caused the issue to me the who;le van is not fit for purpose. Cracking front and rear ABS panels on many makes also was a common issue, manufacturers again trying to duck out of their responsibility.
I looked to Hobby and Fendt caravans which were in a completely different league to the UK vans, I was going to go down the Hobby route but instead sold up and hung up my towing mirrors. I do miss my caravan, I loved every aspect of going away, the towing, setting up, exploring new places, absolutely superb but not to be any more #8o) BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6