@@LivandTrekGoTravelling Do your homework with regards to what your vehicle can tow, before you start looking. Be aware that there's no such thing as a perfect caravan. Be prepared for odd jobs on a regular basis. Have it professionally serviced once a year. Tyre condition and pressure is critical. Don't tow faster than 56 mph. I know the law is 60 and many zoom along much faster, but in a split second, you can easily end up with a wreck, strewn across a road. Almost every caravan will acquire a leak somewhere, don't be frightened. Sealants are readily available and as long as you catch it early, leaks dry out. Treat it like a car. Regular maintenance, look after it and it'll give you years of memories.
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling deffo check that your car can tow - we had Astra estate thinking it was fine but it wasn’t so ended up swapping cars - our little 2 berth van has cost us a lot cos of this 🤬😱🤣
Must admit, we're a bit nervous about leaks and condensation. Definitely plan to get it serviced regularly. Funny thing with our tow car is, we bought it three years before our caravan 😂 Only just took the plunge parting with more money on the caravan. Fallen in love with caravanning 🥰@andrewwelsh7842
Condensation isn't a problem, unless you do a lot of cooking and showering in cold weather and even then, if the van is thoroughly warmed through it won't be an issue. Leaks aren't usually a problem 'til later in a vans life. On Bailey's the places to watch are roostrap, but usually from about 5 years old or more and the edges of the floor underneath especially in the four corners and around the wheel arches. Do not store in shade or under trees in winter as they need open airflow to avoid damp air becoming an issue. Watch Atlantic Caravans videos and join Caravan Talk forum.
@@steamdrivenandy6880 Great advice, thank you 👍 We've seen some Atlantic Caravan videos on UA-cam but not heard of Caravan Talk forum.....will definitely take a look. Just wish we were heading towards Spring and not winter.....hoping to still get out a bit in the winter 🤞@steamdrivenandy6880
We had the same experience with the toilet when we bought our new to us van this year. The dirt was in the bottom of the cassette compartment not in the cassette! Disappointed but wasn't surprised, got my gloves on and give it a good clean. Happy caravanning and welcome to UA-cam. Cheers, Martin
@TheCaravanNut Hi Martin, thanks for watching and commenting. Sorry to hear it happened to you also. We both enjoy watching your videos, we subscribe to your channel 👍
My husband was 70 and I was 65 when we had our first caravan, a little 2 berth and last year we changes to a Bailey Cadiz( second hand) and had the same problem with the cleanliness. The microwave plate fell out when we opened a cupboard and they replaced it and a new window blind that had a broken string. Enjoy your travels and put your problems behind you, your caravan looks wonderful xx
I am a newbie caravanner this year in my 60s. I bought a new Bailey gt75 420 so a 2 berth is perfect for me and my dog. As I am new to towing a caravan ( I've towed horse trailers so not completely new to towing), I got a 2 berth. I've had it 6 months and am loving it 😍
Hi Roz, thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video. 60's is the new 40's! Glad you're enjoying your van...we say...get out there and do it as much as you can 😀👍
We've just bought our first van, traded in an Opus folding camper/trailer tent for an Adria Action, seems to be a good deal. First trip out after a day or so fuses started blowing, eventually tracked to a faulty water pump, not ideal obviously. Will keep watching to see how you go, early observations are need to resolve the shift from day to night and an awning would be useful. Best of luck.
We are just in to our 3rd year of owning a caravan, and settled to it quite well. Brought it from private seller and no issues, had full service history, it is a 2009 model Swift Conqueror. first thing we did was have full service for our own peace of mind. Decided to purchase a new set of tyres as service showed up they still had original tyres on. Have used it all year round including snowing. Heating is lovely and we are really cosy in it. Just enjoy yours and learn as you go along. Enjoyed your video and subscribed
@@patriciagassor4497 Hi Patricia, thanks for commenting and especially for subscribing. We both really appreciate that. I'm impressed by you caravanning in the snow ❄️. Surely you didn't tow the van in the snow?
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling It snowed overnight while we were at a caravan site for a weekend so towed it home with no issue just took our time, best part to make you smile we are both in our late 70's, had a narrowboat for 40 years and gave it up but needed something different to keep us active. Really enjoying it. I even did a trailer towing course to give me confidence to help my husband with towing at times, never too old XX
No, I’m not surprised. I have been caravanning & motorhoming for a very long time (I’m 76) and this is certainly not unusual in my experience. All part of the joy of caravanning…..
@@janetstanland2015 Hi Janet, thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video. Not sure I'd call it 'part of the joy of caravanning' but I know where you're coming from 😆
Hi both new subscriber thanks for your honesty it will help a lot on new caravaners what to look out for. We have toured for over 7 years now and have now gone seasonal in Criccieth we love it there hope you enjoy your travels look forward to following your channel 💕👍
@lizleonard3681 awww thank you so much for commenting and subscribing. We both very much appreciate it. We're very close to Criccieth at the mo. We're at Haven Porthmadog. Do you have far to travel to Criccieth? Our caravan storage is only a 10 min drive away and that works out well for us. Seasonal might be something to think about in years to come. Hoping to explore as much as possible. It's stayed nice and dry all weekend for us. It's been cloudy but North Wales is beautiful whether the sun is shining on it or not 😊
Loving these videos, I’m changing from apartment to either caravan or motor home so gathering all info I can. Wishing you guys all the best of luck with your new purchase.
Thank you so much for commenting. We've definitely fallen in love with caravanning and plan to make lots more videos. Wifi and an awning are the next on the list for us. We like the space of a caravan and being able to leave it all in place whilst venturing out on either bike or in the car. Do you live in the UK?
I used to do the handovers at a now defunct large caravan main dealer in Lancashire. Our cleaners did work very hard when cleaning the caravans but a lot of the time the vans were being cleaned at the last minute because of how busy we were, consequently they weren't always to everyone's standard. ( also, it wasn't a deep clean). However, they would normally have un-rolled the carpet on a used van and made sure it was clean. Also, it wasn't their responsibility to make sure the toilet cassettes were clean prior to a handover. If a toilet cassette was soiled, this would normally have been spotted earlier. If still soiled from its previous owners (as per your photos), it should be picked up when the van is inspected for its part-ex allowance. It should then be cleaned before going on display. The site I worked at did have occasions when toilets were soiled whilst on display (I like to hope it was just children being caught short and not having the time to get to the public toilets on our site, but you never know!!) If missed at this point, it should then be picked up on the PDI as the operation of the cassette should be tested by the inspecting technician. Finally as part of the handover, when I pulled the cassette out I would open the waste flap as part of the demonstration (the gentleman doing your handover did not do this). If I had found a cassette in the condition you found yours I would have been mortified but would have made sure it was cleaned thoroughly before you left with your new van. With regards your comments regarding supplying a used caravan with a new cassette, this never happened at the dealers I worked at and I was never asked about the possibility of it either by the thousands of customers I dealt with during my time there.
Hi Phil, thanks for commenting and watching the video. Good to get an expert view such as yours. Clearly, there were several opportunities for our cassette star to have been picked up and all were missed...that's quite poor isn't it?
@LivandTrekGoTravelling Hi, not nice at all to find one in that condition 😕. Fingers crossed, you won't have any more issues. Are you looking into transferring the manufacturers warranty into your name? If so, if you have any more warranty related issues, you can get it done locally rather than going back to Swindon
@@phildoolzz yes Phil, we did transfer the remaining manufacturers warranty. Good to know we can get any repair work done at a local approved dealer. Thank you 👍
Buying away from your local area is a risk. Whilst all approved workshops are able to carry out warranty work, a lot aren't willing unless you've purchased the van from them. There are a number of reasons for this, the chief one being that they're only paid £40 per hour for warranty work whereas the normal rate is £65 per hour. In your sort of area Spinney will usually take all comers.
The work top extension costs over £100, so great to have one fitted. Believe it or not, Bailey would charge you over £80 for another pair of those purple cushions.
@rarknivesandleatherwork8045 it's eye watering isn't it? I had a little look at the matching bedding and replacement carpets. Thankfully, the carpets cleaned up pretty well. Phew! 🙃
Welcome to the caravanning world, and thank you for making the content. I've subscribed and look forward to seeing your travels. Please do try off grid caravanning, we've been off griding for many years and its great fun, adds another dimension to caravanning and given you've got the solar panel please use it. Enjoy.
Hi, thank you for commenting and thank you very much for subscribing. We really do appreciate it. Haven't thought a lot so far about going off grid...as it's all still so very new to us..but we will. Thanks you for the suggestion 👍
@@andrewfurber8968 Hi Andrew, thanks for watching and for commenting. You raise a good point, we travelled as far as we did as the Swindon dealer had the model we wanted, to the spec we wanted and for a reasonable price. You're right though in that...any repairs done under the 12month provided dealer warranty...we'll have some driving to do 🤔
Get a damp meter check walls regularly especially shower area and around cooking areas you can’t see damp inside the walls even on vans just a year old
You don’t get damp inside the walls where they are made of GRP like this one. Bailey do use wood for the floor though so check underneath for signs of damp. Water ingress will generally be obvious is there is any.
Nice caravan and I wish you lots of happy holidays. One tip for you, if on a hot day you decide to open the front panoramic window, be very careful as it is a heavy window and I feel the window stays are quite flimsy for such a heavy window, be very careful and don't allow it to drop down when you come to close it. I did that and the window cracked, I had to wait over 6 months for a new one to arrive and the cost? £2300. I've just decided not to open mine ever again. Happy holidays guys. Regards DRB
@@drbdrb113 Hi DRB, thanks for commenting. Wow...that's one expensive window! I have noticed how heavy the big window is and how flimsy the window stays for it are...it's a good tip, thank you 👍
Be careful when opening the big front panoramic window as it's a heavy window and I feel the stays are really now the best for such a heavy window. Don't allow it to drop down when you slacken them off to close the window support the weight. I didn't support it and when it banged down it cracked. I had to wait 6 months for a new window which cost an eye watering £2300. 😢😢😢. Have great fun and I look forward to seeing your vlogs. Regards DRB
Firstly, you have a beatiful caravan, 👍 On the issues you suffered, me personally, I would have taken the caravan back and got a refund,..no matter how nice the company sales representatives are etc, that caravan was in a shocking state so I would have demanded my hard earned money back,.. On the toilet issue, there is absolutely no way the company "prepped" the caravan, and those carpets.. So they give you a "sorry" £50..rather than do the rightfull thing and fit a new one..why £50..because they did not want to be out of pocket by £150..plus the £40 for the rug doctor... The Swindon Caravan Sales should be totally ashamed of themselves..
Welcome to the World of caravanning and congratulations on your new caravan. I'm sure you'll make some wonderful memories in it. Regarding the toilet, that was disgusting and I would have insisted that the dealer replaced it with a new one. A Thetford Fresh-Up Kit comprising a new casette and loo seat can be had for less than £100. The valet clearly wasn't done properly and they should have reimbursed you for the hire of the cleaner. If you plan to have the caravan serviced every year which I recommend you do, may I suggest you employ the services of an independent AWS (Approved Workshop Scheme) engineer. In my experience dealerships are expensive and not particularly thorough. I'm looking forward to your next video.
@@stevep.8706 Hi Steve, hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for commenting. Thanks for your helpful comments. Our next video is already up waiting to be released 👍
Enjoy your caravan! We bought a new 640+ at the beginning of last year and it has been great. TBH I much prefer the interior of these to the GT75 models. A few things. If you haven't found the switch for those blinding spot lights above the front window, it is the little button switch under the locker with the aerial booster. Secondly, these caravans do not come with shock absorbers, although they may have been fitted by the previous owner. They do make a tremendous difference to the towing experience. If you can operate that radio, congratulations! It is the most complicated bit of technology I have ever come across! We bought ours from the Flintshire branch of Spinneys, just outside Chester. They are very good and might be useful for servicing etc. since you are in North Wales.
@@TimothyLyon Thanks Tim for commenting. We're looking forward to getting out it in more. I did have the option of buying a 2024 model but was too stingy to part with the extra few grand 🙄. I think I've got to grips with the radio but only after swearing at it a lot and spending too much time trying to figure it out. Which caravan doesn't have the shock absorbers...my model?
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling I don't think any of the Phoenix series had shock absorbers fitted which is a bit silly because they do make a big difference and are on Amazon for about £100. You will need the Al-ko red ones. A pal helped me fit them to my caravan. Not too difficult even for two old chaps in their 70s! In terms of wifi, I bought a HUAWEI E5783-230 from Amazon, teamed with a Smarty sim. It has always worked fine and the sim is £20 a month for unlimited data which you can pause when not using it. Then awnings, there is a massive subject!! We are off to the CAMC site at Wirral Country Park for week.
@@TimothyLyon Thanks for the update. I've taken the plunge on the WiFi front..bought the Avtex AMR 105x...having it fitted next month. I've already filmed an unboxing but that won't feature in a video until next month after fitting when I've had the chance to use/test it. Awning is scheduled for spring next near. 👍
It is our first time towing, we bought a sold as seen from a reputable dealer hence it went for its first service by us when we got back after 4 days ready for winter storage. New sub here as would be interesting to follow your journey too as newbies as we know very little.
Hi! great video! I was saddened to see the toilet cassette incident but in my long experience over the years its not unusual. The state some people leave their vans in when they PX then is disgusting. It makes you wonder what squalor they live in at home. I religiously clean the toilert cassette in my van but when the flap mechanism broke earlier this year I discovered it wasn't clean at all! I managed to find a video on cleaning them on UA-cam that helped clean it and bought a repair kit on ebay. But a dealer shouldn't have missed this.
Hi Dave, thanks for commenting and we're glad you enjoyed the video. We're looking forward to getting out more, seeing more of the country and having more adventures 👍
@@ElizabethFair-v2y thank you for commenting. Absolutely recommend taking the plunge with a caravan purchase. Have you got an idea of what you want to get?
I’m so sorry it’s me again - I feel you’ve had the same experience as us. The back of the bathroom carpet was “sandy” underneath with all the backing that had disintegrated (carpet itself is good) so what I have done is put 2 layers of pva glue on the back to stop the shedding.
Wat they dont tell you as newbies is that it is virtually imposible to fully empty the casette. . its a bit like an arcade game. Also ,it is not unknown for customers to use the facilities when viewing. !Whilst I do drain down the flush tank I do leave blue in the casette over the winter
@@Threelinkdave Hi, thanks for commenting. We were just discussing yesterday that we plan to empty right before leaving and then putting some blue in straight after before heading home 👍
We bought our first caravan just over a year ago. Ours is slightly older but fully loaded including self levelling , motor movers and twin axle. We are still finding out new ways of doing things and what works for us. Overall we love it. Great way to explore an area by finding a good site and driving from there. I have learned a lot since we started mainly from you tube (Dan Trudgeon take a bow) and forums which have proved invaluable in solving little issues we have had. Good luck and safe travels.
Hi Peter, thanks for watching and for commenting. Dan Trudgian taught us a great deal also. The guy who did our induction/handover at Swindon caravans knew him personally 👍
@@BrianHenners Fingers crossed 🤞 Thank you for commenting 👍 We're looking forward to getting out and about more. Just wish we'd taken the plunge years ago and not dithered with the decision to buy.
I bought from swindon saved a lot of money adria Mississippi new spot on a few problems but sorted out fast the only thing I found they are not on my door step from west Yorkshire Wakefield
Nice caravan, sorry to hear about the pooh, deffo shouldn't have happened, but the handover bloke should have shown you how the toilet & blade work and I presume you'd have noticed it then? Anyhow, just subscribed and happy caravanning!
Thank you so much for commenting and subscribing. If we had thought to lift the toilet seat up, we would have spotted it straight away. Live and learn, I guess 🤔 We've both absolutely fallen in love with caravanning, though, and can't wait to get back out on the road 😀
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling Yes we bought ours 3 years ago and just can't get enough of it! in for some damp work ATM, but when we get it back you won't see us for dust!
You pay extra to buy from a dealer expecting it to be as perfect as a used van can be. This is a good advertisement to buy private and cut out the middle man.
Lovely videos so far, you have a new subscriber!! Can I please ask you, what is the MPTLM of your caravan, and what is your maximum nose-weight on your towbar please? Just like you did, we are planning to buy a caravan in a few years from now, and your caravan looks pretty amazing, but it’s these 2 weights, and the relation between those 2 weights in particular, that confuse the ***hm-hm*** out of me….. thanks for answering!!
Hi. The MPTLM of our van is 1500 kg. When I towed it home from Swindon I took it to a local weigh bridge, unhooked the car and weighed it...she was 1300 kg bang on. The van is within the 85% tow limit of my cars capability. The nose weight limit of my tow ball is 100kg. The weights etc can be confusing but the beauty of UA-cam is that there is plenty of research material out there 👍
Great van . You should have demanded a new toilet cassette, probably been used by the guy who fitted the motor mover. Welcome to the world of caravans .
@musicmancjp Thank you, and thank you for commenting. The problem with buying from someone such a long drive away is not being able to pop back so easily. Must admit, we were disappointed that even after we had emailed to say how much it was costing us to put right, they only offered a £50 voucher for their shop. The lucky thing with that is that we had booked somewhere only half an hour away from them for our first trip away
Big mistake buying from a dealer so far from home. That initial saving of £1000 will soon seem irrelevant when you need some warranty work doing. But if you're savvy and prepared to roll your sleeves up there's plenty of simple fixes that you can do for yourself and have one big service a year from a trained tech chap.
@tonymcphillips5211 thanks for commenting 👍 We've found a Bailey approved place nearer home that is going to fit a WiFi router for us soon. Hopefully, we'll be able to get it serviced with them when needed 🤞 It's a big learning curve I guess.
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling Hi there. Yes indeed, I very much enjoyed it. You're braver than I lol. You'll love caravanning. I've been doing it for years. Good luck to you both.
Fair comment on THOSES issues. But as a CARAVANER for 45 years and now on my 7th van .from my first van back in the 80's 😉 loved it costing ONLY £500 you expect down falls. MY present van now in its £30,000 bracket PERSONALLY I think this is DESCUTING that you hat to pay £175 for the caset loo to be replaced after the money you laid out on buying your first van . PERSONALLY speaking thay should of replaced it free of charge to you both and regards valleting its NOT much better when you buy a second hand car THESES days . At only 18 months / 2 years old in some cases. Its Shown THE POWER WASHER AND IF IV GOT TIME ILL INTRODUCE THE DUSTER 🤔. But injoy you caravan adventures as we have for 45 years .👍
@maljohn6584 thank you and thank you for commenting 👍 Wow, 45 years, and your 7th van. I bet you've loved them all. Our only regret is that we didn't take the plunge years ago. Fingers crossed, we'll have a good few years of caravanning ahead of us 🤞
That looks like someone looking round the caravan used the toilet, it wouldn’t have been from the previous owner. Many caravan owners have a no number twos rule in the van 😂 we certainly do.
@sandrapearson728 not wanting to put anyone off their breakfast, but......it looked fresh 🤢 😅 The caravan was locked up as soon as we agreed sale and a sold sign put on the front window. Then, there was a three week gap before collecting it. So, it should only have been staff inside there 🤷♀️
OMG they said our caravan had been valeted - I found an out of date biscuit still in its wrapper. My flash bleach went into overdrive 😂 My daughter bought a van and the cassette toilet was chocca with poo! The thing is they aren’t cheap things to replace and why did they miss it!!!!
We used our “new to us” caravan last Wednesday for 4 days - they are lovely things but had to empty it all for its a service and for a 2 berth our living room is absolutely chocca with the contents 😱😂
@Bessie66 They serviced it for us in the two weeks before collection. My gut is telling me to get it serviced again from someone local but the old pursestrings are saying no, it's just been serviced 🤔
Be careful what you pay for it it's a buyer's market, they can't giv then away. I have a beautiful Bailey 4 wheels it's second hand value is 3thou to 5tho if your lucky as told to me by a caravan dealers what a joke 😢
Just come across your channel , we have just purchased a second hand motorhome it is old but we have just completed our first trip in him to Cornwall and it did not miss a beat and the hills it had to contend with was amazing but never let us down so we look forward to more adventures in our lovely home on wheels. That’s really bad for the toilet cassette. Have subscribed to your channel and please like and subscribe to our channel as well x
@Thehollfamilyvlogs thanks so much for commenting. We've followed back. Looking forward to following your adventures 😀.......we'll probably pick some tips up on the way 😀
@@Thehollfamilyvlogs One of the things we enjoy about UA-cam is it's ability to teach you new things which in turn makes our caravan experience easier and therefore more enjoyable. 👍
Not very good first experience they should have replaced the carpet and sorted the wc for you foc Unfortunately the the heating system is not the best the hot water systems are far far better
So far, it's felt cosy, but we've yet to try it in properly cold weather. We're hoping to get out with it soon. Waiting to have a WiFi router installed and then hoping to try it out. Thank you for commenting John 👍
@CarolWest-w2h hi, thanks for watching and commenting 😊 I guess it would depend on how loud the TV was on but I'm hoping that people would be respectful of others around them just as they would having a bbq or just sitting out and chatting in their awning. Not something we have any experience of so far but an awning is on the wishlist for next year 👍
What experience have you had buying a used caravan or what tips would you offer to 1st time buyers?
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling
Do your homework with regards to what your vehicle can tow, before you start looking.
Be aware that there's no such thing as a perfect caravan.
Be prepared for odd jobs on a regular basis.
Have it professionally serviced once a year.
Tyre condition and pressure is critical.
Don't tow faster than 56 mph. I know the law is 60 and many zoom along much faster, but in a split second, you can easily end up with a wreck, strewn across a road.
Almost every caravan will acquire a leak somewhere, don't be frightened. Sealants are readily available and as long as you catch it early, leaks dry out.
Treat it like a car. Regular maintenance, look after it and it'll give you years of memories.
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling deffo check that your car can tow - we had Astra estate thinking it was fine but it wasn’t so ended up swapping cars - our little 2 berth van has cost us a lot cos of this 🤬😱🤣
Must admit, we're a bit nervous about leaks and condensation. Definitely plan to get it serviced regularly.
Funny thing with our tow car is, we bought it three years before our caravan 😂 Only just took the plunge parting with more money on the caravan.
Fallen in love with caravanning 🥰@andrewwelsh7842
Condensation isn't a problem, unless you do a lot of cooking and showering in cold weather and even then, if the van is thoroughly warmed through it won't be an issue. Leaks aren't usually a problem 'til later in a vans life. On Bailey's the places to watch are roostrap, but usually from about 5 years old or more and the edges of the floor underneath especially in the four corners and around the wheel arches. Do not store in shade or under trees in winter as they need open airflow to avoid damp air becoming an issue. Watch Atlantic Caravans videos and join Caravan Talk forum.
@@steamdrivenandy6880 Great advice, thank you 👍
We've seen some Atlantic Caravan videos on UA-cam but not heard of Caravan Talk forum.....will definitely take a look.
Just wish we were heading towards Spring and not winter.....hoping to still get out a bit in the winter 🤞@steamdrivenandy6880
We had the same experience with the toilet when we bought our new to us van this year. The dirt was in the bottom of the cassette compartment not in the cassette! Disappointed but wasn't surprised, got my gloves on and give it a good clean. Happy caravanning and welcome to UA-cam. Cheers, Martin
@TheCaravanNut Hi Martin, thanks for watching and commenting. Sorry to hear it happened to you also. We both enjoy watching your videos, we subscribe to your channel 👍
Welcome to the caravanning world. Looks like you’re doing really well. Great first caravanning vlog.
Hi Amanda, thanks for commenting. Glad you enjoyed the video, we've a few more up and are hoping to get another out in a few days.
My husband was 70 and I was 65 when we had our first caravan, a little 2 berth and last year we changes to a Bailey Cadiz( second hand) and had the same problem with the cleanliness. The microwave plate fell out when we opened a cupboard and they replaced it and a new window blind that had a broken string. Enjoy your travels and put your problems behind you, your caravan looks wonderful xx
Hi Christine, thanks for commenting. May we both wish you happy adventures 👍
Really shocked at this guys, i have bought two caravans from them and the service has been outstanding both times. Enjoy your caravaning guys
@@pablo123b Hi, thanks for commenting and watching the video. Hope you enjoyed it. Maybe we were just unlucky 🙄
I am a newbie caravanner this year in my 60s. I bought a new Bailey gt75 420 so a 2 berth is perfect for me and my dog. As I am new to towing a caravan ( I've towed horse trailers so not completely new to towing), I got a 2 berth. I've had it 6 months and am loving it 😍
Hi Roz, thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video. 60's is the new 40's! Glad you're enjoying your van...we say...get out there and do it as much as you can 😀👍
If ur new to caravans make sure you drain down the water before winter sets in
@@jermurphy2167 Hi, thanks for commenting and for the helpful suggestion. Hope you enjoyed the video 👍
We've just bought our first van, traded in an Opus folding camper/trailer tent for an Adria Action, seems to be a good deal. First trip out after a day or so fuses started blowing, eventually tracked to a faulty water pump, not ideal obviously. Will keep watching to see how you go, early observations are need to resolve the shift from day to night and an awning would be useful. Best of luck.
@@petemonaghan4277 Thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video. An awning for us is next on our list..WiFi getting installed next though 👍
We are just in to our 3rd year of owning a caravan, and settled to it quite well. Brought it from private seller and no issues, had full service history, it is a 2009 model Swift Conqueror. first thing we did was have full service for our own peace of mind. Decided to purchase a new set of tyres as service showed up they still had original tyres on. Have used it all year round including snowing. Heating is lovely and we are really cosy in it. Just enjoy yours and learn as you go along. Enjoyed your video and subscribed
@@patriciagassor4497 Hi Patricia, thanks for commenting and especially for subscribing. We both really appreciate that. I'm impressed by you caravanning in the snow ❄️. Surely you didn't tow the van in the snow?
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling It snowed overnight while we were at a caravan site for a weekend so towed it home with no issue just took our time, best part to make you smile we are both in our late 70's, had a narrowboat for 40 years and gave it up but needed something different to keep us active. Really enjoying it. I even did a trailer towing course to give me confidence to help my husband with towing at times, never too old XX
No, I’m not surprised. I have been caravanning & motorhoming for a very long time (I’m 76) and this is certainly not unusual in my experience. All part of the joy of caravanning…..
@@janetstanland2015 Hi Janet, thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video. Not sure I'd call it 'part of the joy of caravanning' but I know where you're coming from 😆
My mom bought one kislux and she loves it. It had been there for over 10 years when she went out with it.
@@MattersonSumlar Hi thanks for commenting. Hope your mum had a good time in it 👍
Hi both new subscriber thanks for your honesty it will help a lot on new caravaners what to look out for. We have toured for over 7 years now and have now gone seasonal in Criccieth we love it there hope you enjoy your travels look forward to following your channel 💕👍
@lizleonard3681 awww thank you so much for commenting and subscribing. We both very much appreciate it.
We're very close to Criccieth at the mo.
We're at Haven Porthmadog. Do you have far to travel to Criccieth? Our caravan storage is only a 10 min drive away and that works out well for us. Seasonal might be something to think about in years to come. Hoping to explore as much as possible.
It's stayed nice and dry all weekend for us. It's been cloudy but North Wales is beautiful whether the sun is shining on it or not 😊
Loving these videos, I’m changing from apartment to either caravan or motor home so gathering all info I can. Wishing you guys all the best of luck with your new purchase.
Thank you so much for commenting.
We've definitely fallen in love with caravanning and plan to make lots more videos. Wifi and an awning are the next on the list for us.
We like the space of a caravan and being able to leave it all in place whilst venturing out on either bike or in the car.
Do you live in the UK?
I used to do the handovers at a now defunct large caravan main dealer in Lancashire. Our cleaners did work very hard when cleaning the caravans but a lot of the time the vans were being cleaned at the last minute because of how busy we were, consequently they weren't always to everyone's standard. ( also, it wasn't a deep clean). However, they would normally have un-rolled the carpet on a used van and made sure it was clean. Also, it wasn't their responsibility to make sure the toilet cassettes were clean prior to a handover. If a toilet cassette was soiled, this would normally have been spotted earlier. If still soiled from its previous owners (as per your photos), it should be picked up when the van is inspected for its part-ex allowance. It should then be cleaned before going on display. The site I worked at did have occasions when toilets were soiled whilst on display (I like to hope it was just children being caught short and not having the time to get to the public toilets on our site, but you never know!!) If missed at this point, it should then be picked up on the PDI as the operation of the cassette should be tested by the inspecting technician. Finally as part of the handover, when I pulled the cassette out I would open the waste flap as part of the demonstration (the gentleman doing your handover did not do this). If I had found a cassette in the condition you found yours I would have been mortified but would have made sure it was cleaned thoroughly before you left with your new van. With regards your comments regarding supplying a used caravan with a new cassette, this never happened at the dealers I worked at and I was never asked about the possibility of it either by the thousands of customers I dealt with during my time there.
Hi Phil, thanks for commenting and watching the video. Good to get an expert view such as yours. Clearly, there were several opportunities for our cassette star to have been picked up and all were missed...that's quite poor isn't it?
@LivandTrekGoTravelling Hi, not nice at all to find one in that condition 😕. Fingers crossed, you won't have any more issues. Are you looking into transferring the manufacturers warranty into your name? If so, if you have any more warranty related issues, you can get it done locally rather than going back to Swindon
@@phildoolzz yes Phil, we did transfer the remaining manufacturers warranty. Good to know we can get any repair work done at a local approved dealer. Thank you 👍
Buying away from your local area is a risk. Whilst all approved workshops are able to carry out warranty work, a lot aren't willing unless you've purchased the van from them. There are a number of reasons for this, the chief one being that they're only paid £40 per hour for warranty work whereas the normal rate is £65 per hour. In your sort of area Spinney will usually take all comers.
@@steamdrivenandy6880 Hi thanks for commenting and the helpful information. 👍
The work top extension costs over £100, so great to have one fitted. Believe it or not, Bailey would charge you over £80 for another pair of those purple cushions.
@rarknivesandleatherwork8045 it's eye watering isn't it? I had a little look at the matching bedding and replacement carpets. Thankfully, the carpets cleaned up pretty well. Phew! 🙃
Good video, looking forward to seeing more.
Thanks Andy for commenting, glad you liked the video 🙂
Welcome to the caravanning world, and thank you for making the content. I've subscribed and look forward to seeing your travels. Please do try off grid caravanning, we've been off griding for many years and its great fun, adds another dimension to caravanning and given you've got the solar panel please use it. Enjoy.
Hi, thank you for commenting and thank you very much for subscribing. We really do appreciate it. Haven't thought a lot so far about going off grid...as it's all still so very new to us..but we will. Thanks you for the suggestion 👍
If buying from a dealer try to buy from somewhere local as if you have any problems you haven't got a very long journey to get it fixed
@@andrewfurber8968 Hi Andrew, thanks for watching and for commenting. You raise a good point, we travelled as far as we did as the Swindon dealer had the model we wanted, to the spec we wanted and for a reasonable price. You're right though in that...any repairs done under the 12month provided dealer warranty...we'll have some driving to do 🤔
Get a damp meter check walls regularly especially shower area and around cooking areas you can’t see damp inside the walls even on vans just a year old
Are there caravan specific damp meters?
I think we have one somewhere that we bought a while ago to check house walls 🤔
You don’t get damp inside the walls where they are made of GRP like this one. Bailey do use wood for the floor though so check underneath for signs of damp. Water ingress will generally be obvious is there is any.
Thanks for sharing your experience ❤
@@MJH7777 Hi, thanks for watching and for commenting, we appreciate it, hope you enjoyed the video. 🙂
Nice caravan and I wish you lots of happy holidays. One tip for you, if on a hot day you decide to open the front panoramic window, be very careful as it is a heavy window and I feel the window stays are quite flimsy for such a heavy window, be very careful and don't allow it to drop down when you come to close it. I did that and the window cracked, I had to wait over 6 months for a new one to arrive and the cost? £2300. I've just decided not to open mine ever again. Happy holidays guys.
Regards DRB
@@drbdrb113 Hi DRB, thanks for commenting. Wow...that's one expensive window! I have noticed how heavy the big window is and how flimsy the window stays for it are...it's a good tip, thank you 👍
Be careful when opening the big front panoramic window as it's a heavy window and I feel the stays are really now the best for such a heavy window. Don't allow it to drop down when you slacken them off to close the window support the weight. I didn't support it and when it banged down it cracked. I had to wait 6 months for a new window which cost an eye watering £2300. 😢😢😢. Have great fun and I look forward to seeing your vlogs. Regards DRB
Firstly, you have a beatiful caravan, 👍
On the issues you suffered, me personally, I would have taken the caravan back and got a refund,..no matter how nice the company sales representatives are etc, that caravan was in a shocking state so I would have demanded my hard earned money back,..
On the toilet issue, there is absolutely no way the company "prepped" the caravan, and those carpets..
So they give you a "sorry" £50..rather than do the rightfull thing and fit a new one..why £50..because they did not want to be out of pocket by £150..plus the £40 for the rug doctor...
The Swindon Caravan Sales should be totally ashamed of themselves..
Hi John...thanks for commenting. You raise some valid points.
Good luck with your new Chanel. As a caravaner for years past experience with Bailey caravans are not good. Coachman are the best.
@@RobinHopwood Hi Robin, thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video. Maybe we'll upgrade to a Coachman in years to come 🙂
Just in response to this no manufacturer is perfect even Coachman have had issues, but we all tend to have brand bias.
Have a great time in your nice new caravan, we spent a few weeks up in your part of the would and stayed at Werm farm, very very nice . Clive
@@clvskl5058 Hi Clive, thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video...I appreciate your good wishes.👍
Welcome to the World of caravanning and congratulations on your new caravan. I'm sure you'll make some wonderful memories in it.
Regarding the toilet, that was disgusting and I would have insisted that the dealer replaced it with a new one. A Thetford Fresh-Up Kit comprising a new casette and loo seat can be had for less than £100. The valet clearly wasn't done properly and they should have reimbursed you for the hire of the cleaner. If you plan to have the caravan serviced every year which I recommend you do, may I suggest you employ the services of an independent AWS (Approved Workshop Scheme) engineer. In my experience dealerships are expensive and not particularly thorough. I'm looking forward to your next video.
@@stevep.8706 Hi Steve, hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for commenting. Thanks for your helpful comments. Our next video is already up waiting to be released 👍
As a CARAVANER fo 45 years DITCH HALF THAT GEAR SAY LIGHT STAY SAFE, DON'T FILL EVERY CUBOARD WITH JUNK JUST BECAUSE ITS THERE.
GOOD LUCK GUYS .
Hi. Sound advice. Thanks 👍
Enjoy your caravan! We bought a new 640+ at the beginning of last year and it has been great. TBH I much prefer the interior of these to the GT75 models. A few things. If you haven't found the switch for those blinding spot lights above the front window, it is the little button switch under the locker with the aerial booster. Secondly, these caravans do not come with shock absorbers, although they may have been fitted by the previous owner. They do make a tremendous difference to the towing experience. If you can operate that radio, congratulations! It is the most complicated bit of technology I have ever come across! We bought ours from the Flintshire branch of Spinneys, just outside Chester. They are very good and might be useful for servicing etc. since you are in North Wales.
@@TimothyLyon Thanks Tim for commenting. We're looking forward to getting out it in more. I did have the option of buying a 2024 model but was too stingy to part with the extra few grand 🙄. I think I've got to grips with the radio but only after swearing at it a lot and spending too much time trying to figure it out. Which caravan doesn't have the shock absorbers...my model?
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling I don't think any of the Phoenix series had shock absorbers fitted which is a bit silly because they do make a big difference and are on Amazon for about £100. You will need the Al-ko red ones. A pal helped me fit them to my caravan. Not too difficult even for two old chaps in their 70s! In terms of wifi, I bought a HUAWEI
E5783-230 from Amazon, teamed with a Smarty sim. It has always worked fine and the sim is £20 a month for unlimited data which you can pause when not using it. Then awnings, there is a massive subject!! We are off to the CAMC site at Wirral Country Park for week.
@@TimothyLyon Thanks for the update. I've taken the plunge on the WiFi front..bought the Avtex AMR 105x...having it fitted next month. I've already filmed an unboxing but that won't feature in a video until next month after fitting when I've had the chance to use/test it. Awning is scheduled for spring next near. 👍
❤All the best to both of you happy caravanning x
@@user-Tortured-soul Thank you so much 😊
It is our first time towing, we bought a sold as seen from a reputable dealer hence it went for its first service by us when we got back after 4 days ready for winter storage.
New sub here as would be interesting to follow your journey too as newbies as we know very little.
@Bessie66 thank you so much for commenting and subscribing.
It's quite a big learning curve. Absolutely loving it and can't wait to get out often 😊
Hi! great video! I was saddened to see the toilet cassette incident but in my long experience over the years its not unusual. The state some people leave their vans in when they PX then is disgusting. It makes you wonder what squalor they live in at home. I religiously clean the toilert cassette in my van but when the flap mechanism broke earlier this year I discovered it wasn't clean at all! I managed to find a video on cleaning them on UA-cam that helped clean it and bought a repair kit on ebay. But a dealer shouldn't have missed this.
Hi Dave, thanks for commenting and we're glad you enjoyed the video. We're looking forward to getting out more, seeing more of the country and having more adventures 👍
Nice van guys.👍
@markhooper5824 thanks Mark and thank you for commenting
Looking forward to see you on your travels… good luck
Hi Pete, thanks for commenting and for the good wishes. Hope you enjoyed the video 👍
I'm thinking of purchasing a caravan next year.We live in Glasgow
@@ElizabethFair-v2y thank you for commenting. Absolutely recommend taking the plunge with a caravan purchase. Have you got an idea of what you want to get?
I’m so sorry it’s me again - I feel you’ve had the same experience as us. The back of the bathroom carpet was “sandy” underneath with all the backing that had disintegrated (carpet itself is good) so what I have done is put 2 layers of pva glue on the back to stop the shedding.
@Bessie66 I'll have to check what they're like underneath after being down a couple of weeks.
I need to try and find a little hoover too, I think 🤔
Wat they dont tell you as newbies is that it is virtually imposible to fully empty the casette. . its a bit like an arcade game. Also ,it is not unknown for customers to use the facilities when viewing. !Whilst I do drain down the flush tank I do leave blue in the casette over the winter
@@Threelinkdave Hi, thanks for commenting.
We were just discussing yesterday that we plan to empty right before leaving and then putting some blue in straight after before heading home 👍
For our 40th anniversary we ended up aat Blue Dolphin in filey lola bit more exotic than swindon lol and our van was about 15 years old hahHa xxx
We bought our first caravan just over a year ago. Ours is slightly older but fully loaded including self levelling , motor movers and twin axle. We are still finding out new ways of doing things and what works for us. Overall we love it. Great way to explore an area by finding a good site and driving from there. I have learned a lot since we started mainly from you tube (Dan Trudgeon take a bow) and forums which have proved invaluable in solving little issues we have had. Good luck and safe travels.
Hi Peter, thanks for watching and for commenting. Dan Trudgian taught us a great deal also. The guy who did our induction/handover at Swindon caravans knew him personally 👍
Hope that's the last of your bad experiences!!. We were nubies last year and we are still enjoying our trips away.. Have a great time
@@BrianHenners Fingers crossed 🤞
Thank you for commenting 👍
We're looking forward to getting out and about more. Just wish we'd taken the plunge years ago and not dithered with the decision to buy.
I bought from swindon saved a lot of money adria Mississippi new spot on a few problems but sorted out fast the only thing I found they are not on my door step from west Yorkshire Wakefield
@@NigelHough-fn5tf Hi Nigel, thanks for commenting and hope you enjoyed the video. We found them competitive on price. Would you recommend them?
Welcome to caravan UA-cam!!
@@LangSara Hi Sara, hope you enjoyed the video 👍
Good luck 👍
Thanks 👍
Nice caravan, sorry to hear about the pooh, deffo shouldn't have happened, but the handover bloke should have shown you how the toilet & blade work and I presume you'd have noticed it then?
Anyhow, just subscribed and happy caravanning!
Just seen the handover, he didn't actually show you the toilet blade, just talked about it.
Thank you so much for commenting and subscribing.
If we had thought to lift the toilet seat up, we would have spotted it straight away. Live and learn, I guess 🤔
We've both absolutely fallen in love with caravanning, though, and can't wait to get back out on the road 😀
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling Yes we bought ours 3 years ago and just can't get enough of it! in for some damp work ATM, but when we get it back you won't see us for dust!
@@CaravanningwiththeMrs Enjoy...we've subscribed to you 👍
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling Thanks 👍
You pay extra to buy from a dealer expecting it to be as perfect as a used van can be. This is a good advertisement to buy private and cut out the middle man.
There are pros and cons to both sides...whether buying from a dealer or buying privately. Of course..buying privately you get no warranty.
Lovely videos so far, you have a new subscriber!!
Can I please ask you, what is the MPTLM of your caravan, and what is your maximum nose-weight on your towbar please?
Just like you did, we are planning to buy a caravan in a few years from now, and your caravan looks pretty amazing, but it’s these 2 weights, and the relation between those 2 weights in particular, that confuse the ***hm-hm*** out of me….. thanks for answering!!
Hi. The MPTLM of our van is 1500 kg. When I towed it home from Swindon I took it to a local weigh bridge, unhooked the car and weighed it...she was 1300 kg bang on. The van is within the 85% tow limit of my cars capability. The nose weight limit of my tow ball is 100kg. The weights etc can be confusing but the beauty of UA-cam is that there is plenty of research material out there 👍
Great van . You should have demanded a new toilet cassette, probably been used by the guy who fitted the motor mover. Welcome to the world of caravans .
@musicmancjp Thank you, and thank you for commenting.
The problem with buying from someone such a long drive away is not being able to pop back so easily.
Must admit, we were disappointed that even after we had emailed to say how much it was costing us to put right, they only offered a £50 voucher for their shop. The lucky thing with that is that we had booked somewhere only half an hour away from them for our first trip away
Big mistake buying from a dealer so far from home. That initial saving of £1000 will soon seem irrelevant when you need some warranty work doing. But if you're savvy and prepared to roll your sleeves up there's plenty of simple fixes that you can do for yourself and have one big service a year from a trained tech chap.
@tonymcphillips5211 thanks for commenting 👍
We've found a Bailey approved place nearer home that is going to fit a WiFi router for us soon. Hopefully, we'll be able to get it serviced with them when needed 🤞
It's a big learning curve I guess.
Makes you wonder what else they didn't check ?
Hi Andrew, thanks for watching the video and for commenting. Hope you enjoyed it. Sometimes I wonder if ignorance is bliss 🫣
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling
Hi there. Yes indeed, I very much enjoyed it. You're braver than I lol. You'll love caravanning. I've been doing it for years. Good luck to you both.
I Think someone used toilet while it was on display! Even when sold they are sometimes left open !
@@earlebacciochi9796 You know this is one reason I don't like people so much 🤮
Combining elegance and luxury kislux
Fair comment on THOSES issues. But as a CARAVANER for 45 years and now on my 7th van .from my first van back in the 80's 😉 loved it costing ONLY £500 you expect down falls. MY present van now in its £30,000 bracket PERSONALLY I think this is DESCUTING that you hat to pay £175 for the caset loo to be replaced after the money you laid out on buying your first van . PERSONALLY speaking thay should of replaced it free of charge to you both and regards valleting its NOT much better when you buy a second hand car THESES days . At only 18 months / 2 years old in some cases. Its Shown THE POWER WASHER AND IF IV GOT TIME ILL INTRODUCE THE DUSTER 🤔.
But injoy you caravan adventures as we have for 45 years .👍
@maljohn6584 thank you and thank you for commenting 👍
Wow, 45 years, and your 7th van. I bet you've loved them all.
Our only regret is that we didn't take the plunge years ago. Fingers crossed, we'll have a good few years of caravanning ahead of us 🤞
If folk can’t handle seeing poop on screen then they really need to stay in bed with the curtains drawn.
Hi thanks for commenting...alas that's the world we live in today and it never hurts to give a warning. Thanks for watching also.
That looks like someone looking round the caravan used the toilet, it wouldn’t have been from the previous owner. Many caravan owners have a no number twos rule in the van 😂 we certainly do.
@sandrapearson728 not wanting to put anyone off their breakfast, but......it looked fresh 🤢 😅
The caravan was locked up as soon as we agreed sale and a sold sign put on the front window. Then, there was a three week gap before collecting it. So, it should only have been staff inside there 🤷♀️
@sandrapearson728 forgot to say, thank you for commenting 👍
OMG they said our caravan had been valeted - I found an out of date biscuit still in its wrapper. My flash bleach went into overdrive 😂
My daughter bought a van and the cassette toilet was chocca with poo! The thing is they aren’t cheap things to replace and why did they miss it!!!!
@@Bessie66 I think we may have been too trusting of the word valeted. A bit of a wipe might have been more accurate 🤔 😉😅
We used our “new to us” caravan last Wednesday for 4 days - they are lovely things but had to empty it all for its a service and for a 2 berth our living room is absolutely chocca with the contents 😱😂
@Bessie66 They serviced it for us in the two weeks before collection. My gut is telling me to get it serviced again from someone local but the old pursestrings are saying no, it's just been serviced 🤔
Be careful what you pay for it it's a buyer's market, they can't giv then away. I have a beautiful Bailey 4 wheels it's second hand value is 3thou to 5tho if your lucky as told to me by a caravan dealers what a joke 😢
Hi John , thanks for commenting 👍
Just come across your channel , we have just purchased a second hand motorhome it is old but we have just completed our first trip in him to Cornwall and it did not miss a beat and the hills it had to contend with was amazing but never let us down so we look forward to more adventures in our lovely home on wheels. That’s really bad for the toilet cassette. Have subscribed to your channel and please like and subscribe to our channel as well x
@Thehollfamilyvlogs thanks so much for commenting. We've followed back. Looking forward to following your adventures 😀.......we'll probably pick some tips up on the way 😀
@@LivandTrekGoTravelling we have learnt lots of new ones that we didn’t know from another UA-cam couple we met whilst away
@@Thehollfamilyvlogs One of the things we enjoy about UA-cam is it's ability to teach you new things which in turn makes our caravan experience easier and therefore more enjoyable. 👍
Not very good first experience they should have replaced the carpet and sorted the wc for you foc
Unfortunately the the heating system is not the best the hot water systems are far far better
So far, it's felt cosy, but we've yet to try it in properly cold weather. We're hoping to get out with it soon. Waiting to have a WiFi router installed and then hoping to try it out.
Thank you for commenting John 👍
We have that heating and it’s not bad at all - not tried in completely freezing weather but no probs so far 👍
@Bessie66 good to know, thank you Bessie 👍
none of them come with new loos
@@brianreed1451 Hi Brian, thanks for commenting...would be nice if they did!
😮
💩😷🤮
OH LOOK....It,s a caravan! 🙄
But did you enjoy the video at all?
not buying of them
@@onelcrapo5360 Not buying what?
Jesus some first world problems here.
@@kc-sh7bx thanks for tuning in and commenting 👍
Privacy in English please not American
I've no idea what you're referring to but did you enjoy the video?
I think it’s “Tamato or tomato” reference
How very antiocial to even consider usung your TV in the awning to inflict the sound on others!!!+
@CarolWest-w2h hi, thanks for watching and commenting 😊
I guess it would depend on how loud the TV was on but I'm hoping that people would be respectful of others around them just as they would having a bbq or just sitting out and chatting in their awning.
Not something we have any experience of so far but an awning is on the wishlist for next year 👍
Lovely Caravan and Lovely channel. I look forward to following you on your adventures! we had a few surprises after the handover but lucky no poo💩
@@ReadySteadyTow Thanks for commenting. Hope you enjoyed the video and subscribed?
Oh Jesus give it up, terrible🫣🤣😂
@beverleybrown5365 thanks for commenting 🤣