DAMP FROM DAY ONE

[Baden87]

I have the 2000 hits on this site up my sleeve still

 

[RidersofRohan]

I heard it from a trader but a quick google bought me this.

Bailey Ranger 460/4 Series 5 Stress Cracks?

I would greatly appreciate advice from our forum members as to best course of action to the following. On the 27th April 20012 I bought a Bailey Ranger 460/4 Series 5 2008 caravan from a dealer In Salisbury. At this point the caravan undertook its pre-sales check and no problems were found. This ...

www.caravantalk.co.uk

I know its a caravan but its exactly the same construction.

A caravan made in 2008 was not constructed using Alutech, as this method was not introduced until 2010, as far as I know.

 

[irnbru]

is it possible the girls got it wrong and its someone else van getting a new locker?

 

[Basildog]

There's fixed and fixed though, you can stand a tap etc that has broken but damp immediately?
It doesn't bode well for the years to come.

Our HYMER now has water pouring in to the bedroom and filling the garage !
Final straw for me after all the other countless faults with the pile of junk ?

 

[Gerby]

A caravan made in 2008 was not constructed using Alutech, as this method was not introduced until 2010, as far as I know.

Was actually the new Pegasus model introduced in 2009 but still well after the construction date of the 2008 Ranger (sorry I am just a little bit of an anorak on Bailey since I got my Autograph.

They have also done a number of stunts to show its strength including having a caravan with the roof full of workers and even putting a car on top of one of the test vehicles, I happily walk on mine when cleaning it and not had any issues as yet

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[Gerby]

Not sure if this will work or not but this is the video of the test on the Alutech construction they did:

 

[Baden87]

I’m not sure if the girls have got it wrong, or maybe were told not to mention it to me ,but let the cat out off the bag

 

[Southdowners]

I was going to ask if the girl had got things muddled up. It does seem very odd that a locker door could have damp.

Did you not ask to speak to someone higher up so that you could get clarification?

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I’m not sure if the girls have got it wrong, or maybe were told not to mention it to me ,but let the cat out off the bag

Buy a damp meter and check it yourself,or borrow one.then you will k ow for sure if the door has damp

 

[Basildog]

Buy a damp meter and check it yourself,or borrow one.then you will k ow for sure if the door has damp

They don’t work on many modern vans
The independent report that I have just had done on our HYMER pig showed no damp on a conventional meter but water is pouring down the wall when it rains !
Thermal imaging camera told the real story ??

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[wiljoy]

I have a friend who found water collecting inside an external locker door, on a newly imported motorhome. I believe it was simply a fault on the locker door and easily rectified. As long as there is no damp in the main structure I would not get too excited about it but I would want some thorough testing and reassurances.

New Carthago motorhomes are given a drenching test before handover and again after 6 weeks. Presumably they only do this because they want to make sure there are no problems but it does suggest that even constructers with very good reputations recognise that there can be early problems. I would take some comfort from the dealer finding the fault early on, though I would be very annoyed they had not told me and would want to know why.

Now I know why my Carthago had severe water ingress to the garage. The brand name really doesn't stop water entering when it's bad workmanship.

 

[pelican]

Not sure if this will work or not but this is the video of the test on the Alutech construction they did:

Was that the 18th attempt

 

[Baden87]

im No nearer sorting this out now spoken to sales manager “ I know nothing “
Response , I’ve asked him fo the CEO EMAIL ADDRESS he completely keeps ignoring this

 

[rosalan]

I do not wish to defend dealers who make mistakes or miss problems on any of the hundreds of components that go to make a motorhome.
Checks made by the vehicle makers, then further checks by the bodywork builders and finally pedi checks by the dealer should guarantee you have no problems. The dealer, being last in this chain should without hesitation take on full responsibility without buck passing and then all would be satisfied. I do not want to hear of poor building or leaking components I just want a vehicle as described and expected.
In this case, nobody seems aware of what has been said by whom,
I do not care! Get the problem fixed!

 

[Paul and Kate]

Have they actually re checked the area.
Might of been a dodgy reading or like as been said the service person may have got your mh mixed up with someone else's.
I know on our old elddis 155 the locker door seal wasnt fitted correctly so when it rained it ran down the side of the van and in through the faulty seal.
The reading for damp was 100% on the locker floor.
They tested in just after they wiped the pool of water up so in theory tested a puddle for damp?????
I told them to fit a new seal and leave a few days.
Re test 12% which is around perfect so I believe.
What was you reading out of interest.

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[Baden87]

hi nobody has rechecked the area, and Rosalan that's what I'm trying to get it fixed which is proving a nightmare they can't get part, which I understand is out of their hands, however if they had been upfront at the beginning and ordered it when it was flagged up maybe it would have been sorted by now , and more importantly the can't tell me where the water came from to make it damp ,so in my reckoning if they replace without finding the cause its going to happen again

 

[thebriars]

I am surprised at this comment. I am a member of a Bailey owners facebook group and cannot find any reference to stress fractures of the Alutech system. In fact one of the admin has commented that he hasn’t in 4 years.
In fact my decision to go with a Bailey was based on my experience in the bus industry with a similar bolt and clamp aluminium construction system. Buses so constructed were so much more rigid, dry and less rattly and their life is much harder than any Motorhome. This is when it seems to me that other Motorhome manufacturers are using bolts screws and glue to achieve structural integrity.

I think it is a bit naive to assume Bailey Alutechs don't leak. We had a new Bailey Alutech caravan which we bought in early summer. Over winter we used a good quality cover on the van. On our first outing next spring, there was heavy rain one day, and water simply poured (literally!) through the roof. Bailey in their infinite wisdom put a joint right agross the roof. This joint was covered only with a narrow strip of plastic glued in place with sealant. If you check other forums this has been a recurring problem for them; their cure - a slightly wider plastic strip. Had our van been in storage without a cover, then much of the interior would have been ruined.

One also has to consider the Alutech construction prevents water from running off the side of the van, and if there are joins at front and back, you will get water pooling.

 

[GMLS]

I thought that Autotrail were the dogs doo daas

So did most of us that purchased them. Aspiration brand but reality quite different in many cases which makes it doubly disappointing speaking from first hand experience

 

[138go]

I'm trying to get it fixed which is proving a nightmare they can't get part, which I understand is out of their hands

This is nothing new it means that Auto-Trail have to slot it into their production schedule somehow. They will also have to order the door surround in as a separate item and this can take months. They don't just take bits off the production line as that would mean MHs without parts leaving the factory.

 

[The Welsh Wizard]

I am sick to death of reading all these forums regarding defects in which both dealers and Manufacturers walk away from their responsibilities and it is the owner, who has already parted with some serious cash who has ALL the worry, stress and, in many cases, the inconvenience of returning the vehicle to the dealer, paying the additional costs of fuel to get back and forth and very often having to take time off work to do so. The cost ALWAYS ends up with the purchaser and never once have I ever been offered so much as the cost of a gallon of fuel to get back and forth to the dealer. This must be one of the worst regulated industries ever. If it were a Bank or Utility Company you would probably find that they would be offering compensation for your inconvenience and before anyone responds about the "Compensation Society" I am not in favour of it but it is a fact of life and it does ultimately make some companies act. I know that this is quite a rant but I am fed up (if you hadn't gathered). Let me give you an example why. I bought my motorhome in 2018. Since buying it it has been returned to the "dealer?" no less than seven times for petty incompetent manufacturing defects. The last related to the habitation lock whereby it was returned twice to enable the Allen screws to be tightened. I'm no techician but I thought "could it be the lock was sticking?". I bought a tin of WD40 sprayed it into the door lock mechanism and hey presto no problem since- where do these people get trained (are they trained?). There are numerous threads out there at the moment talking about dealers and indeed Manufacturers going bust. If they took a bit more pride in their product and really did provide that first class customer service they would still be in existence. To those committed ones- long may you continue to operate and have success.To the rest serves you bloody right- you have no sympathy from me

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[Mickthemove]

Funnily enough, i have look in the garage twice recently and it was wet, the wall seemed dry though, first time i was convined i had closed the door incorrectly but the second time makes me hope it is a problem with the door and not a damp problem, it is in for a hab check soon and a long list of warranty issues so they can add that to the list. fingers crossed

 

[Paul and Kate]

hi nobody has rechecked the area, and Rosalan that's what I'm trying to get it fixed which is proving a nightmare they can't get part, which I understand is out of their hands, however if they had been upfront at the beginning and ordered it when it was flagged up maybe it would have been sorted by now , and more importantly the can't tell me where the water came from to make it damp ,so in my reckoning if they replace without finding the cause its going to happen again

Maybe get a 2nd opinion. They may have got it wrong and all this worry is for nothing.
What were the original damp readings

 

[Potty]

Have had really good service from a couple of dealers. Years ago when PVC had to go for a repair to Brownhills, were given EHU on their compound overnight, evening meal paid for and fuel paid for. This was for return journey from SW Scotland to Stafford. Think OH did hint at getting fuel paid for!

Our current MH is going in for a serious damp repair end of next month. Part has taken 2 months to arrive and repair will take about a week. OH mentioned that he would have to get a train back home. Reply was “We will send a driver up to collect it”. When he phoned back to confirm pick-up date, we did point out the distance, SW Scotland to Preston. No problem. Dealer, Todd’s, MH, Autotrail Imala.

 

[The Welsh Wizard]

Have had really good service from a couple of dealers. Years ago when PVC had to go for a repair to Brownhills, were given EHU on their compound overnight, evening meal paid for and fuel paid for. This was for return journey from SW Scotland to Stafford. Think OH did hint at getting fuel paid for!

Our current MH is going in for a serious damp repair end of next month. Part has taken 2 months to arrive and repair will take about a week. OH mentioned that he would have to get a train back home. Reply was “We will send a driver up to collect it”. When he phoned back to confirm pick-up date, we did point out the distance, SW Scotland to Preston. No problem. Dealer, Todd’s, MH, Autotrail Imala.

It's great to hear this experience but I'm sure that these dealers are in a minority. I will certainly use this post the next time mine goes in for any problem. How wonderful to have such aftercare. Good luck to them I hope they continue to survive and thrive.

 

[rosalan]

Dear Baden
I was not implying you should get it fixed...... I was saying the dealer should get it fixed.
May I also add that I bought a van this year which had a couple of faults, the parts dept advised me it could take weeks even months for the manufacturer to respond, let alone send the parts. I can wait as the damaged decal and the missing seat component do not spoil my enjoyment. My van is three years old. The parts man went on to say that a few, a very few manufacturers would respond and supply almost by return of post.
I accept that with second hand vans, it is possible to miss some fault that the new owner picks up on, particularly after driving for a while so
I do feel that the builders get away without the criticism placed on the dealer, for while. Then we all get to know what not to buy.

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[suavecarve]

You MUST of course date that written evidence conversation on the day you write it.

I send myself an email. it is time stamped then

 

[RidersofRohan]

I think it is a bit naive to assume Bailey Alutechs don't leak. We had a new Bailey Alutech caravan which we bought in early summer. Over winter we used a good quality cover on the van. On our first outing next spring, there was heavy rain one day, and water simply poured (literally!) through the roof. Bailey in their infinite wisdom put a joint right agross the roof. This joint was covered only with a narrow strip of plastic glued in place with sealant. If you check other forums this has been a recurring problem for them; their cure - a slightly wider plastic strip. Had our van been in storage without a cover, then much of the interior would have been ruined.

One also has to consider the Alutech construction prevents water from running off the side of the van, and if there are joins at front and back, you will get water pooling.

I wasn’t suggesting they don’t leak. The comment I replied to was that the alutech system suffered from stress fractures, ie it wasn’t strong enough structurally. Leaks seem to occur to all manufacturers but not all vans leak just a proportion. Poor design and poor workmanship apply to all to varying degrees, but not structural failure which someone was claiming to apply to Baileys, which is nonsense.

 

[Allanm]

This is nothing new it means that Auto-Trail have to slot it into their production schedule somehow. They will also have to order the door surround in as a separate item and this can take months. They don't just take bits off the production line as that would mean MHs without parts leaving the factory.

Just about any company that makes anything should hold a reasonable stock of spares and waiting months for parts to arrive is incredibly bad business, but, some motorhome manufacturers seem to get away with it. Then there is the excuse that a motorhome is a complicated piece of equipment built by hand and faults can be expected.
i can’t think of another small volume business that would be happy to operate like this

 

[Campervan_man]

Autocruise coach built motorhomes can suffer from water ingress along the skirt line due to water tracking along the screws holding the skirts on to the bodywork. Open the external locker doors and press the inner walls with your fingers. If it's soft it's damp.

 

[thebriars]

I wasn’t suggesting they don’t leak. The comment I replied to was that the alutech system suffered from stress fractures, ie it wasn’t strong enough structurally. Leaks seem to occur to all manufacturers but not all vans leak just a proportion. Poor design and poor workmanship apply to all to varying degrees, but not structural failure which someone was claiming to apply to Baileys, which is nonsense.

One could argue that a failure in a very poorly designed roof join is a structural failure. Not sure though whether their motorhomes have this roof join or is it just their caravan range.

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