Andrew Jenkinson's Diary
The season is now well under way with Easter falling late and the Royal Wedding extended bank holiday, its ideal for caravanners to get away. Several park owners I spoke to though reckoned that fuel costs were having a big effect on just how far caravanners were prepared to travel. Several I spoke to on site told me they were still having their breaks, but closer to home. Having said that, I notice twin axle caravans are still as popular as ever - so folk seem reluctant to give up their luxury sized tourers.
As I write this month’s diary I am pitched at one of my favorite sites in North Wales, Lady Margaret’s Caravan Club site near Wrexham. I am sat outside a “test van” - Bailey’s new Pegasus Ancona six berth model. For my tow car I have the new Sorrento (to me a big improvement on the outgoing model). It’s not without its faults though. I also had a new Bailey Orion 450/5 on test to, this time in the Lakes at another favourite site of mine - Bardsea Leisure just outside Ulverston. A top site which has a well stocked accessory shop and service bays, plus new and used tourers for sale.
Back to the Bailey Orion - another tourer that breaks the mould, with its GRP finish. The 450 wasn’t a bad tourer but lack of storage and again some poor finish (trailing loose wires in wardrobe) let it down – and no front locker or chest of drawers. I have also been testing the latest Rimor tourer imported by Three Counties Caravans. Owner Mike Lake gave me the opportunity to test Ssanyongs latest 4x4, the Korrado, but the car we tried was left hand drive only! Strange driving one on the roads here, with a caravan on the back! Price will dictate its success, but the car felt good to drive and build wasn’t bad either. I am hoping to get one on a long term test for late summer.
Talking to dealers of late, the word is that new caravans and motorhome sales are slow. So my advice is search around for the best deals. If you’re after a new defunct Bailey, then you are in for some mega savings of up to £3,000! Swift too are doing some price cuts, while some Adria dealers have still got 2010 stock which needs to be shifted. Used caravans are a different story. It seems that anything from £3,000 to £7,000 is selling fast (especially family models and again many to first time caravanners).
In my archives I found a shot of a Sprite Musketeer from 1970. It’s hard to believe that these caravans were so popular back then. Light weight and easy upgrading was key to ownership and most new caravanners cut their teeth on these super budget models which still provide excellent value today.
Before I go, Bailey have issued a re-call of its single axle Unicorns due to a problem with basically the wheels dropping off. So if you have one of these models you are being advised to get them checked urgently. See you all next month!
