By the time you add up the investment and all the work with the water and waste etc, extra big car, fuel towing etc, then the premier inn looks pretty good and are often in better locations. Best Western too. Pitch costs are ridiculous. Maybe they need to charge that much to pay the business rates etc, but the economies for the traveller doesn't work.
@@G-ra-ha-m and I'm still fuming about the widespread leaks in our fancy 2014 Compass Rallye with its SoLiD construction. Got rid of it, thank goodness.
Cost of living crisis, Greedy Campsites charging the same price as hotels for pitches, high fuel costs, overpriced camper vans, caravans, and motorhomes, poor customer service, need I list any more reasons why the industry is failing?
The two clubs are more expensive that private sites now, even before you add the annual fees, and the makers are making leaky problems on wheels - it's inevitable that market forces tear it apart.
Not surprising dealers are closing, apart from the supply / demand issues, the product isn't of very high quality either. You spend £25k upwards and from that moment on, you are just waiting for the dreaded water ingress, from a product that relies on sealant as a first line of defence. I know of a few people who have given up the hobby completely, because of this very issue.
Sadly I see nothing but gloom for the industry at the moment. Site prices have gone up so much that it’s often now not a cheap holiday. Operating costs for everyone from manufacturers, dealers and clubs have compounded pressure. With rising fuel prices, the drive to go towards electric cars is adding to the problems.
With our modern vans fitted to the hilt for all human need why does the Caravan Club think that charging £50 and £60 a night for a pitch makes sense. The CAMC has lost its way. Meter electricity and keep site fees down.
You could, of course, simply ignore commercial sites and go to rally meets and THSs run by the clubs. In my neck of the woods (North Yorkshire) the District Association (DA) meets (from a weekend to longer 4-5 nighters) almost always cost £10 per unit per night. And in a week or so we begin a THS at Beadnell on the Northumberland Coast for about 23 nights (you can come & go as you wish, no need to book or to stay all 23 nights) again for £10 per unit per night. You have a caravan or motorhome with all the facilities (WC, shower, wash basin), you've got LPG and solar power, beds you know who has slept in etc, so why pay £30-50 per night to camp? It can get to be a lifestyle and some of my mates spend 100+ nights a year in the van. At £10 a night it's cheaper (on fuel/heating,/water etc) than living at home. So once you have your van (or even a tent with a toilet tent) you are laughing.
Just come back from a week in north wales and was shocked to see sites that are usually packed where half empty , I know that it may be due to the poor weather we are having but I think the cost of living crisis has hit home with a bump . But mainly I think it’s the cost of these sites owners are taking us for mugs since Covid , there are still charging for hook up electricity at a very high rate even though the cost has fallen quite a lot, when are they going to learn that this is wrong ? They must be wondering why no one wants to use there site , just get with the current climate both financially and economically or you will go bust.
Caravan parks are a rip off and new caravans are poorly made now 😢 since covid caravan companies are making them look flash but in the construction there garbage and fall apart with cheap ways constructing them now
Like the bike industry, they got greedy and now their paying the price for it, probably just the start of it. Went to the last caravan show and can't remember the manufacturer but basically a box with a porta loo and a table in it. 20k, ridiculous. Not only that as other comments, pitch prices are ridiculous.
Caravaning was always a cheap alternative for a holiday, but now,not so much. The trade took advantage during the covid pandemic, the site operators havestuck the prices up and now people are selling the caravans they bought and going on cheaper holidays. Dealers need to improve on service, encouraging people to stay loyal. Run events and shows that get to to part exchange, get new customers to buy the trade ins and so on.
Some dealers really do need to wake up ,our recent purchase was not a good experience. They don’t seem to care or give a toss about you after you have paid
Did you know that the dealers attach "Nick Names" to each manufactured caravan and the names they use fit around what the major faults are e.g. Leaky Lunars. All the others have names which I have since forgotten but they all have major faults such as the Baileys with their Alu-tech bodies....great but the floors are made of wood and apparently the design of the van directs the water to the floor.
Up North we have brand new 2022 and 2023 caravans still not moving.! Here is a golden rule for you.... Never pay more than £10,000 for a caravan thats 10 years old.😮
Price increase way above inflation 2007 bought a elddiss avante 636 for 13000 from barons caravans now your looking at 33000 my wage hasn't even doubled since then that's why
Sadly, it's not looking good for caravanning. I am/was in the market for a larger and newer caravan, having a '94 Swift Challenger 2-berth that we bought for £1500 14yrs ago. The relentless stories of water ingress in the newer stuff are putting me right off upgrading. In my opinion, the crashing will continue for several reasons: cost of living increases, cost of the vans, insurance and pitches, poor quality of the stuff being produced, continued uptake of electric vehicles, and modern homes less commonly having adequate room to keep one on the drive. Caravan storage fees (for those of us that use them) have shot up, too. Finally, the cost of buying, running, and taxing a powerful, heavy, good quality car to tow a big van makes it dearer still. When you work out what you spend over the lifetime of using one, unless you use one many of times a year, it makes more sense for many families to save up and book hotel holidays when they have the money, rather than borrow and blow all that cash in the first place on a depreciating asset that begins to crumble and turns into a money pit as soon as it's off the forecourt.
I have a 2023 Swift Conqueror 480 and there’s nothing poorly made or cheap and nasty about it. It doesn’t leak, it tows well, it’s brilliantly insulated and it does what it says on the tin better than expected. It wasn’t cheap - they’re cheaper now. I’m sure Im not alone.
I looked into a caravan few years ago. In the end depending on funds book holiday Inn or a nice hotel pay the price and no on costs to worry about insurance... looking after it....security.....stupid fuel prices......and site fees..... don't add up the sums I still have time away each year pay hotels or cottages cheaper
Agreed both the big caravaning clubs are taking the pi** with charges now...looking on line today it's cheaper to book a hotel for a week..maybe it is time to throw the towel in!...
I m not surprised by them closing as if you look at the prices they want for caravans and motorhomes there outrageous so you can keep them and the result is exactly whats happening now, closures😏👎👎👎
Caravaning is not a cheap pastime anymore; site fees have gone through the roof including those of the 2 established clubs and of course the cost of fuel. Sadly I sold mine last month after 15 years of caravaning😞
I think the package holiday maybe the future😂, high prices of motor homes and caravans, high prices of campsites, high prices of fuel and food and on top of that crap weather in the uk, wow I wonder why the industry is struggling? Go to Italy stay in a hotel half or full board and it will still be cheaper than a campsite in the Lake District 😂😂😂
Maybe if they begin to look after their customers a bit better, they will recieve more loyalty. And this also includes the manufacturers. Bought a brand new Bailey Pheonix in January, first heavy nights rain and it was leaking like a sieve. (water was pouring from inside the caravan and through the floor vents and onto the drive). IS THIS REALLY GOOD ENOUGH!
Sadly it’s like this across the board in caravans and motorhomes nowadays. The industry is a shambolic mess where greed has taken its toll but still the public don’t seem to realise they are being ripped off hugely.
@@rabmcleod3508 Well a few of us do, but how long before everyone else catches on and walks away from the industry. (and seek another form of holiday).
No but sadly Bailey infamous for it having over a decade of floors rotting at front and rears spreading like wild fire when this happens from such water ingress since they went to Alutech build.
@@rabmcleod3508 The thing is the manufacturers arent producing a good enough product, and also they wont pay the dealer a fair rate for any remediial work they do. (they can get far more money for work they do from Joe Public). Hence the dealer will reluctantly only do work on caravans that they have supplied.
We recently went to book 7 night stay on the Caravan and Motorhome club. For a fully serviced pitch it was nearly £500. That done it for us. We were considering selling our caravan because of the lack of use and that price for a week away made up our mind. We sold it to a local dealer who said it had a slight damp issue and offered £7K for it which we accepted because we only paid £10k for it 4 years previously from a private sale. The dealer has just sold it for just under £12k! Now that's some profit.
25 quid for an overnight stay on most of our serviced council sites in Northern Ireland. Your 7 night stay would have cost you 175. Cheaper in Europe especially if you are a member of ACSI.
The cost of any caravan is high Linked to descent second hand tow car because electric won't tow You have the perfect storm and it's sad to say thing can only get worse Net Zero crap If you go down the line of a pickup as a tow car a lot of sites won't let you on as it's a comercial vehicle
Also the higher interest rates dont really get mentioned anymore, but every month people are renewing their mortgage deals and these are going up 2,3,400 pounds a month, this is money they could have bought a caravan with.
Sites too expensive,poorly made caravans that are too expensive coupled with dealers and manufacturers who don’t care,insurance /maintenance/storage/all the extras needed,fuel too expensive,crap uk weather….a long list of reasons why the industry is in trouble..easier and better value to hop on a plane to somewhere sunny.🤷♂️🤷♂️
Personally, we used to own a campervan but sold it when Covid hit, because it was a cost that we couldn't use. We have looked since covid at the cost of a slightly larger motorhome and some are £80k. We looked at the price of staying in a nice static on a site with hot tub, swimming pool etc, and it was £1800 a week in high season. Why spend £80k, have the cost to maintain, tax, insure and store, when for £2000 a year, we can just stay somewhere already set up? £2000 a year for the next ten years is still less than most nice caravans without the fuss and hassle! Camping and caravanning used to be fairly affordable... now it's more expensive to have less space and home comforts than you have at home.
another thing is the dealer experience. We went into our local caravan showroom to trade up our van for one costing £25k and they was all over us like a rash for days up until we actually bought it and the change in attitude was pretty shocking really as was the after sales fitting of a mover, new leisure battery and a few other bits and pieces. The van came with a 5 year warranty valid only if you had it serviced by them each year at a cost £250.
That's not good and you should be looked after all the way through, especially after you purchased, the warranty is only valid with a service every 12 months, this is the same with all manufacturers 👍
Im still using my 2009 Ace Jubilee Envoy. I've repaired and modified it over the years. Still looks good and tows just fine. Everything works just fine.
What I can't figure is with used values dropping so much the cost to change keeps ratcheting up and new sales will be harder and harder to find and eventually that means less and less nearly new stock on the market. That puts caravan production companies under pressure as they're scraping the barrel quality wise already. I can't see new prices reducing which means the whole industry grinds to a halt.
Hi Mark....I know you've probably mentioned it a million times before but the aquaroll was being stored in the shower in the coachman pastiche 520 ......a recipe for disaster when on the move and I think worth mentioning it whenever you come across it .....I think I learned that from you in the first place 😅👍
With the imminent ban on ICE cars and the inability of EVs to pull caravans not much more than a 100 miles before needing to recharge which in itself is difficult with a caravan hitched on, then it is no wonder that sales will fall off.
A number of reason. 1 The cost of a caravan 2 Interest rate. Wants borrowing to buy expensive caravan mush higher 3 Site fees what use to be cheap is not quite expensive £400 plus for 10 days. 4. Accessory fees the prices or all this a caravan are so high 5 The quality of British caravan is just terrible with water ingress being totally devastating 6 Hello petrol and diesel cost so towing now cost a lot more 7 would they push into electric vehicles and pull any caravan and electric vehicles? It’s not a good match there is just not the infrastructure and having to pull up on hitch get some electricity get to your site and then not be able to charge in electric car, it’s just ridiculous. 8 Buying a car that can tow a caravan is not easy these days with manufacturers going for lighter weights 9 The weather we have not booked so far because the weather is rubbish. And I a shaw there are other reasons but adding all these together means a sad time for the caravan industry James
Enjoy your comments, at 80 we have just returned (April last) to caravanning after about 5 years of cottaging, we missed the caravan so much. An electric car, just 2 of us and a max tow of 1500kg, we are fortunate in that we did not find it difficult to select a 2 berth caravan, although paid more than its value now in just a few months. We are enjoying the return managed 125 miles of towing to the New Forest and still quite a few miles left in the battery, very stable towing. But have to agree site fees make up a large chunk of expense and as arthritic pains dictate serviced pitches if we want to enjoy our stay. Sad to read so many comments about new leaking vans. Is there a reason you avoid reviewing Bailey caravans not that we have on ours is a 2016 Elddis Avante.
A very good comment but being 80, you are probably not aware that cottaging means something completely different these days lol. A totally different lifestyle choice . I am 65, when I was young, I was happy and gay but not these days, that is also completely different. As far as electric cars go, I have owned one for over 8 years now but it has only done just over 40k miles.The battery range and capacity has now degraded by 42% after the battery was very well looked after and hardly rapid charged. All lithium ion batteries degrade with time and use cycles, even more modern battery chemistries and with liquid cooling and after my experience, i will never buy another one again.
We brought our motorhome from broad lane in kenilworth two days before it was sold off. And Alcester repaired it last week. we only picked it up last monday. think we are lucky
The industry needs to get back to basics and sort, control that first so so much better than it currently is before building and filling them with anything they believe to be an advancement - which very often is not as excessive fails and warranty claims etc so simply not fit for purpose.
Took delivery of a new caravan earlier this year, probably too expensive vs. todays market, but hey ho, that's how it goes. The main thing is to look forwards to the many many years of lovely holidays that are in front of us 🎉
Caravanning is an expensive passtime. People don’t realise the additional costs…my local storage want £1400 per year….then there’s insurance, servicing, depreciation before you even get to site fees. Plus the one thing they all neglect to mention……after your hols you spend a day cleaning the thing…..
In 2022 broad lane would not do a deal on a motor mover on the cash sale of a £29,000 swift ... not surprised they went under ..lost my business to oxford caravans
we visit Croyde bay, North Devon - normally everything (lodges, statics and touring) would be fully booked - this year anything you want on any date is available.
...for the money, caravans are very poorly built, and represent less value. I have both a van and a yacht, the latter is three times better in every way. The van is for when I get older and can't sailany more. If the van market collapses, it will be a good thing, and get some of the middlemen out of the way and we can all get back to affordable caravaning again!
I tried to find out why the club was sponsoring a surfing competition. My view is simple - if we can afford to sponsor non caravanning surfers they can afford to reduce fees. I asked how much was spent on surfing and was told such was not disclosed - commercially sensitive! My fees being spent and I am not allowed to know!!!!!
We have seen seasonal pitches increase by a good three times inflation over the last couple of years, I would ask the question are these increases justified given I’ve been offered a wage increase of 2.2% for the next 12 months. I think some site owners need to have a long think about whether they want to have a business down the line.
We've cut right down going out in our van, pitches have become too expensive. We have chose to keep our caravan (swift challenger) prices far too high. No wonder there going bust. It's not a cheap holiday anymore.
Again it's not very good business management. You need to keep money back for a rainy day for tax etc. Some dealers have taken in lots of money and then spent it straight back out rather than keeping it back as a contingency.
We need club campsites for two years, total cost £ 10500 as we full-time. We don't need a hook up but they wouldn't give a discount. We now if needed use a normal site. More facilities and cheaper . We stay now mainly off grid .
Robinsons of Worksop and Chesterfield have shut the Chesterfield branch and the Worksop site has been taken over by Couplands - their dealership in Louth is stunning.
@@JosephWood1941-iz6mi According to the Derbyshire Times there were hundreds of people waiting for warranty work to be done. But I dont know if any other firm took the work on.
I bought, i think a 2009 Challenger from Caravan place, must 12 plus years now to live in for a few years. Seeing the inside of these vans looks no different to my 530. So why would anyone buy new?
Not surprised one bit, we looked at a campervan 2 years ago, nearly the same cost of our 3 bed semi detached house, once you add in site fees, I hope the greedy ones do go out of business
We didn't have a great experience with Broadlane Leisure when my parents decided to get their swift motorhome repaired and serviced there the year they lifted restrictions from covid as we had used them for many years with caravans and found out they could work on Swift motorhomes. Whilst it was there, they had some motorhomes in for repair including ours raided in their offsite storage area, for parts. Ours had the front seats and seat cushions taken and we heard another had the whole interior taken out. They moved it to their safe compound to have the replacement seats and repairs done, and once again it was raided and the traker fitted on it had been disconnected. This did seem very suspicious that their motorhome was targeted twice especially when it ended up in the much more secure compound by the showroom. My parents decided to get the motorhome removed from Broadlanes place and get it transported to the repairs done elsewhere (Brownhills of Newark, where it was originally purchased)as many excuses were being made by Broadlane, plus they had to pay through their insurance as Broadlane said it wasn't their insurance companies responsibility.
They dont show you the prices because when they show you 4 weeks later you us the public will see there down by another 10k and there still making profit!!!!!!!!!
I used Robinsons Worksop a year before they closed - poorly stocked shop even then. There must have been enough value in the company for Couplands - whose Louth setup is superb - to take Worksop on.
Been a member of caravan club 32years during that time had a total of 10nights on club sites.... We us CLs most off grid why? Price one thing , but peace and beauty of being in nature. Just returned from 17 nights away for £204 loved every minute
Yes there. Is a point BUT there is the point of providing the facilities which many do not regard. Fire distances, sewage often on low lying land, grey water, showers, toilets, drinking water, internet, small shop, firm sites for vans etc, rubbish collection, electricity and hard access roads, mowing of grass, dog walk facility and personnel to maintain site. You all want so much in vans and sites that you have lost the focus of camping and want hotel facilities. This cost hotel prices. Not a popular attitude but I have abandoned motor home, bought a classic car and will use cheap hotels in future. Still some adventure for an old man and using more access to local facilities.
I have said this elsewhere the whole Caravan industry including sites needs to take a long hard look at what they are offering the customer. At this time everything to do with caravans/ Motorhome is overpriced. Caravan sites fees are simply ridiculous, rather than buying and hauling a caravan around the average caravan user would be cheaper using a B&B or budget Hotel. The whole industry has to appreciate there are other options available to the average customer. I have had caravans & Motorhome for years but have sold up in preference to using a B&B as it is no longer cost effective to travel using caravan/ Motorhome.
From a business point of view I don't think it looks good when you go round slamming the doors behind you as you walk off. I know that you are in a rush but to me it demonstrates a lack of "Care" towards the caravans that you hope to sell on,not a good image.
New caravans have shot up in price way beyond inflation over the last 5 years with no vast changes in spec to justify it. Build quality is shoddy and getting worse, especially where sealant is involved (or not in a lot of cases) to keep the dreaded damp out. So called 10 year ingress waranty isn't worth the paper its written on when you buy second hand and discover with the likes of Buccaner that you have to pay to transfer the warranty and then find you have to get it back to the dealer who sold it originally if they still exist and then no ingress warranty once your second hand van hits 5 yeras old . Site costs shot up due to high energy costs after Ukraine invasion but didn't come diwn again when energy prices dropped. Add exhorbitant cost of parts to the equation (print the word marine or caravan in front of any part description and the actual price doubles) and I think there are enough reasons there as to why a lot of caravaners feel ripped off and are abandoning the lifestyle.
Have wanted to own caravan for over 10 years, but just won't, because of site fees, complete rip off, just greed, a pitch should be around £4 a night, with metered electric if you want it, more will go to the wall.
Got to say due to financial reasons I lived in a 33ft one..a static for 2 years.brand new…awful,no idea how people do it to the extent I’d ban them.now I know a lot of people tour in tem,grow up! Fly there and get a five star hotel…
We started carvaning in 1985 and before that my parents were caravaners in the 1960s. I sold mine last year and a l shall not buy another one far to expensive now.
An example of poor build … a Swift and a top end model, but that didn’t mean built any better than the lower cost ones (note I did not say cheaper, because all are pricey throughout the ranges for what is offered) but back to the tale, at 3 year service the caravan went in for annual check, we told the dealer there was a firm clonk developing / progressively when we pulled away or began to back up, plus a noise when on sharper LH corners. They said towing hitch completely worn out as were the wheel bearings. They hadn’t seen this on such a new caravan ! How many miles had we done? Well we said Mid France twice, South and West France twice, plus Northern Germany and back one winter time for the markets and to the Black Forest once, then Tenby / Saundersfoot from the South Midlands for bank holidays etc. Oh OK there’s the problem, most people don’t even tow 3K miles during a caravans life and they aren’t supposed to go that distance. Quality of construction bad - akin to it being screwed together by a contractor on a bad Friday afternoon, had to rebuild wardrobe toilet wall anchoring and one of the front seat berths too. Many screws were burred over and had been overtightened to the extent that what they screwed into was turned to dust. Anyway it’s gone now. Before I forget … all 3 front polycarbonate windows replaced before it was a year old, they went like curvy bananas due to heat in France when held open by the stays for most of the week on site and then the Omnivent fan resistor pack (speed control) melted through the casing in the roof and fell into the caravan streaming a molten plastic stalactite.
Ive took my Caravan to Spain l left it is Salou. less than half the price of Uk camp sites with far more facilities. The storage costs 300 euro per year and for a small fee they deliver the van to your pitch. No worries about damp or poor weather. We just got feed up with rip off Britain. Book a holiday pitch pay a premium for what, rain and soggy chips, no thank you. With the dry climate hopefully the caravan will last years.
.since covid nothing as gone back to normal. When it should have done.prices went up and kept up...the caravan industry will get worse and a lot will go bust. In Hull a few caravan makers have put their workers on a two day week.and the generation growing up just cannot afford it . We used to love touring twenty years ago,but now you add up what it will cost to do it now and it is ballistic prices,and you won"'t get anyway near what you paid for your van when you call it a day...just a thought.
Stupid price of caravans and the pure greed campers are sold for...the industry is pricing themselves out. Whole idea of caravaning for a decent cost effective family holidays has long gone..pure greed..hope more close
I don’t hope more close, I hope the industry wakes up and remembers what caravaning was, and should be. The cost of new caravans are rediculous but to a degree that has come from people wanting more and more from their vehicle, it does not need to be a rolling five star hotel. Sites don’t need to keep adding more and more things, not everyone cares about a fully serviced pitch. There does not need to be 40k caravans and even more rediculous 100k motorhomes.
Wate and see what happens, when people find out how far their electric car will pull a caravan between charges. And further problems when they find that the charging bays only have room for just the car. More doom and gloom to follow.
Stop charging so much for the vans, same for the caravan parks. It bothers me not that they are going out of business to be honest. Its amazing how high priced accessories are in a caravan dealership, a few plastic plates cost an absolute fortune. You reap what you sow.
That's what anyone under the age of 45 did, due to licence rules. Now we're too old to be arsed with caravans. Kids don't want to caravan, so we'll airBNB for the same price as a pitch. The industry has hung itself, and has been propped up by wealthy pensioners that are now either dying or swapping to motorhomes. Motorhomes are the next casualty.
they are all going bust because the big campsites have put their prices up to much.nobdy is buying anything at this moment dealers arn't buy back vans they have got to much stock there was over 3000 vw campers on ebay rushi as now rushed of and starmer will bankrupt us. hope it gets better soon.
We went to Glossop caravans recently, found what we wanted but when we told him our trade-in (8yrs old) he said...not taking them in .....ok Bye 🤚🍌he lost the sale and saved us a fortune. Got a great deal down south!
I have written to the CAMC asking why they are sponsoring a surfing completion - spending our fees on surfing and not caravanning🤨. Are we being taken for mugs? Is the CAMC a club at all or an excuse for directors to fleece us all?
