More Caravan Discounts on The Way? 

Staycation!😡 Well said Graham I hate that word. I have been saying for years that staycation means not going anywhere. As for buying new, we could never afford a new van, but shopping round the small dealers there are some great buys to be had. We bought a nine year old Lunar 626 twin axle for White Arches funny enough. For nine years old it was in excellent condition and we bought it there and then. We then went to Caravan Company at Rushden and traded it in for a four year old Brindisi, the one we have now. It was immaculate and well looked after, oven had never been used. Following the Caravan Channel on RU-vid he shows vans traded in that year, two years old and are in showroom condition. By buying vans like this you are getting a nearly new van without all the teething troubles of a new buy. And with the product already on their forecourt you don’t have to wait for it to be built.

Yeah, agree. Went to the dealers at the weekend. Loads of brand new caravans with big discounts and a bit line of new ones out the back.

thanks for sharing

I bought a new Elddis caravan last year and must say for £30.000 I was very disappointed with the quality. I emailed Elddis and they didn't want to know. I was told to go and see the supplier. Still on going.

Hi Graham I agree about the ridiculous increase in caravans as when we bought our swift elegance just out of covid we had a hiccup with the 5.9% Apr deal we originally got so Stuart longtons worked there magic and got us the same deal but 1 week later when we went to sign the contract our van had gone up by £7000 luckily it didn't go on ours but it a joke mate 👍

Very thought provoking video. I must say I agree with what you’re saying. I bought our van just as lockdown happened so didn’t paythrough the nose plus it has a lot of things that are extras too. However, it’s not just the caravan industry where this is happening. I also bought a new LandRover Defender at the same time as it was a brand new model. It came with a load of features that disappeared. I’ve just come to sell it and the new one is far more expensive and to spec it to the same level as my old model will cost over £10k. So for the same price I bought a motorhome capable of towing our caravan for long trips away and is far less hassle for spur of the moment quick breaks or overnight stops! Welcome to the dark side…. at least I still have my caravan and can legitimately watch you.

Hi Graham. I could say so much….. I’ll sumarise, I watched so intently the run up and build up to the February show, and the NEC shows usual hype. I have to say I was going to do a vlog but held back, normally you see availability running low and tickets all sold. Not 1 day had sold out, probably because we hadn’t signed up! 🤣 I feel the bubble has burst, prices will plateau but I don’t think crash, some dealers will go, and the good or strong ones will weather the storm. It’s the manufacturers I feel will suffer with production issues (staff and costs etc.) Great insightful vlog. Andy.

Your right Graham it does need a Swift (see what I did there😂) kick up the arse. For example supplying dealer has to conduct warranty work, what’s that all about?

Our Caravan is from Robinsons. The whole administration scenario and we never knew a damn thing about it. Everything was a joke and the people that were there didn’t care. Now they’re gone and so is the name with it. A word to the wise, be careful if you’re a buyer, it’s not the caravan with all the build quality issues you have to worry about , it’s the dealers tittering on the edge of insolvency. Maybe a financial cull is about to happen and I don’t think it’s going to get better soon. In your vlog you mentioned the manufacturers. There’s too many warranty claims going in. Quality will be whee buyers will be drawn . The only way to drive sales is to sell reliable products. Waterproof the product and the products will sell.

Well said mate. It's the same with new and used car prices too.👍

My friends have been caravaning/motor homing for donkeys yrs. They bought a brand new 2022/23 bailey vigo only had it about 3/6mths if that. They took it back to dealers as the quality was shocking for such a big name. They came away with a swift of equal level/price and they said the quality of build is so much better. They are away in van more now than they are at home.

Very interesting vlog Graham. 😦👍

Very interesting, thanks for sharing

Hi Graham I gone and brought another caravan due to my disappointment with our brand new Swift sprite last year paid £25000 and had so many problems that I lost all confidence so I trade it in and I think I had a great deal we picking a Bailey Unicorn Vigo 2022 year and we paying £27000 with a trade in of £20000 for our swift lot nicer layout and Alde heating as well

All the manufacturers seem to be a bit scamy these days I paid £32,000 and no swift command I've had to do loads of repairs to it only because I can do a better job than the spanner monkey at the stealership, it will be my last new caravan that's for sure

Couplands Caravans of Louth have taken over the remaining Robinsons branch. Couplands is a Bessacarr/Swift, Bailey and Coachman dealer about 15 miles from me.

I have been saying for ages this was coming but was told time and time again it wouldn't. Dealers didn't keep the money back then the tax bill comes which is fine if keep selling but if you don't well they go bust. Also, van prices are silly. Bought a 2018 Adria and cost 15K now a simlar van nearly 30k, people's wages haven't doubled. Thing is people are trying to sell them for what they bought them for during covid times. Some on for over 4 months.

M&M at Haverhill went earlier this year.

Popped into white arches today 21st/3/24 the shop was almost empty off spares .and not a lot of new or used Stock in either used to be a place to get any thing for your van

Nice work and at firm step into reality. We chose IH for the reasons you mention. The quality of vans has steadily declined in the last 15 years with so called innovation and design 🤷🏼‍♂️ Part 2 could possibly speculate on the dark cloud of EVs on the horizon and the impact it could have on the caravan industry? Call me cheerful Charlie, but it’s reality 😉😃👍🏻 Trev

The price of caravans went up too much through covid, partly demand and partly greed in the industry. Its now starting to price people out, both on the extortionate cost of them and the ever increasing site fees. That said, I'm in a site now and it's full, mainly motorhomes though. And as you said, getting a booking can be difficult. Also, the cost of running a suitable tow car and the switch to electric cars that are unsuitable for towing could be pushing people towards campers and motorhomes. I've got a 2021 coachman so built through COVID which makes me nervous but so far so good.

Are you sure about Golden Castle? Their website site says they are Gloucestershire Leisure ltd, and when you look that up on companies house, it’s privately owned? Just because they’re my local dealer.

If you look at dealers prices atm there are deals where they are knocking £4-£5k off the price! Although when you really look. Is the rrp really what it is. 2023 650 challenger at one dealer. 33k down to 29k. When was this caravan really 33k?? Does make you wonder though

Caravans are defiantly to expensive, and as you say quality has suffered. Caravan industry needs a kick up the as__

Sadly, “business” these days consists of taking over a successful company, loading it up with debt to leverage its value by purchasing other competitors to grow the business and drive down costs - most often to the detriment of quality. The larger business rewards the upper management with mega pay deals (to reflect their managing a bigger company), before going bust. The workers and customers get shafted, along with the latecomer shareholders, whilst the MBAs in charge pat themselves on the back, before identifying their next target. Shareholder value can be maintained and grown by producing quality products that customers know and want. Sadly the idiots in charge these days have never even been away for one night in the product they produce, so don’t understand their customers or their products; they just see numbers on a spreadsheet sadly.

Caravans are too expensive. The quality don't match the prices. Staycation really annoys me. its an holoiday or trip. staycation to me is staying at home ! Everyones free to subscribe to whoever, sadly I unsubscriped from A.J.C.E following the comments about friends. Unless the caravan industry changes then i cannot see the future being stable.

Hi Graham. Spot on, they should not take us for granted either🦤