Returning MH to Manufacturer

[Robert Clark]

Hi guys
Found a small trickle of water runnung down the wall underneath the rear window of our 6 month old MH

Our dealer has told us that this is a major problem and needs to be returned to he manufacturer (Swift) to be fixed as it requires the internal wall covering to be removed to allow the wall panel to dry properly. The rear window will then be removed, re fitted and the wall covering replaced.

Have any Funsters had any experience of this kind of repair, or could offer any advice on how best to handle this issue?

Regards
Robert

 

[Ber090]

Hi Robert, All I can say is that if your M/H goes back to the factory it will come back fully sorted. We were very impressed when our Bolero went back last year and Swift could not have been better. You will get the "Angels of Doom" telling you it is terrible and should not happen but it is how problems are sorted that matters.
Cheers
Bernie

 

[Terry]

Not a doom and gloom merchant -yes let them do it - but just how wet is the boarding ? I would have thought the dealer would have done a simple window out/reseal job -so for them to say it needs to go back to the factory it must be bad or has been bad for some time -- all will be well when you get it back
terry

 

[joncris]

I thought that they had cured these sorts of problems by their new assembly methods

 

[Robert Clark]

I thought that they had cured these sorts of problems by their new assembly methods

You'd certainly think so!

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[Badknee]

Get a snagging list going, anything else wrong, anything at all as now Is the time to get the jobs done, I think the manufacturer will make a great job of anything you point out to them as part of a good will package.

 

[Robert Clark]

Get a snagging list going, anything else wrong, anything at all as now Is the time to get the jobs done, I think the manufacturer will make a great job of anything you point out to them as part of a good will package.

There's nothing else for them to do really coz I sorted them all out myself

 

[Allanm]

Ask them to do a free hab check. When my van went back to get fixed, they offered a free hab check. My dealer is doing the check when we get back next month, and A/S are picking up the tab.
Allan

 

[Robert Clark]

Thanks Allan that's a great suggestion!

 

[grasscutter]

When mine went back for the spongy floor syndrome they did a full hab.service, paid my train fare and money towards my diesel.
Couldn't fault them.

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[jezport]

It seems very common for vans to go back to swift. You would think they could put windows in properly by now.

 

[Judge Mental]

personally would be asking for my money back

 

[Allanm]

It seems very common for vans to go back to swift. You would think they could put windows in properly by now.

They can't all be bad, there is a KonTiki near me, must be over 20 years old and still going strong
Allan

 

[swanseajack13]

reject it send it back our 2013 m/h had three problems fiat sent out a recall our crap dealer took a year to sort it out and then found damp in the garage doors in march still waiting for the doors all that money poor service and what happens in a year or so think about this the laws are there to protect you damp is a problem in m/hs send it back

 

[Abacist]

Strikes me that UK manufacturers don't have craftsmen anymore when it comes to motorhomes.

Build them fast and cheap then sell them for top wack then probably have a penalty system for workers on vehicles returned for warranty work.

I dare say they economise on the quality of the mastic like everything else.

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[Bertie Bassett]

They can't all be bad, there is a KonTiki near me, must be over 20 years old and still going strong
Allan

I'll second that, but Swift had a tidy reputation then too, and as has been pointed out by Abacist it was 'craftsmen' screwing them together.

 

[Bertie Bassett]

Hi guys
Found a small trickle of water runnung down the wall underneath the rear window of our 6 month old MH

Our dealer has told us that this is a major problem and needs to be returned to he manufacturer (Swift) to be fixed as it requires the internal wall covering to be removed to allow the wall panel to dry properly. The rear window will then be removed, re fitted and the wall covering replaced.

Have any Funsters had any experience of this kind of repair, or could offer any advice on how best to handle this issue?

Regards
Robert

All the best with the repairs Robert and I'm sure you'll get it back better than it came off the dealers forecourt. (Shame they can't do it at the beginning though.)

 

[sedge]

Swift's service is excellent, Marquis sent ours back as the main rooflight hadn't been sealed properly, Marquis had already refitted it and dehumidified it, but Pete said he wasn't happy with them 'repapering' round all the cupboards, they accepted that, Swift had it in and sorted it and whilst it was there did full checks of electrics and fitted new this and new that, including refitting a seal on a side locker which looked like it had gone ... well, no it hadn't actually - we accidentally put a not quite drained hosepipe away in there, so that dropped water on its floor where unfortunately a largish label had fallen off something else; evidently there was still some sticky on the label, we didn't find it until it had dried out and tried to clean the label off, so all our fault!

Paid for ALL the mileage getting there and getting back (they'd picked it up from the dealer in the first place, we both went up in the car to bring it back)

Well satisfied. They told us they'd have it weeks and weeks - it took them 10 days!

The absolute only snag with it was we had to take all the soft furnishings (mattress, seat cushions, carpet, curtains) and all the contents we'd added, out of it! Gaslow bottles and fittings were the only things we'd added that stayed in ! Boy was our hall full .......

 

[Masman]

Swift seem good at getting it sorted.A friend of ours had a new swift caravan .It needed a complete side due to a problem with water ingress.It turned out to be a bad batch of window seals.when he went to dealers to pick it up there another four vans sorted with same problems.It's took a long time but i have finally got him to buy a motorhome. He bought a new Bailey Approach.He loves it.

 

[trophychap]

I think its the nature of the beast really, I believe a lot of vans have problems of one sort or another at some time, Swift being the largest UK manufacturer are probably no worse than any other, its most likely pro rata.

As sedge said when Swift had our Bessacar back they far exceeded our expectations of what was to be done couldn't fault them.

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[hilldweller]

Swift's service is excellent .......

No it isn't. They keep sending out half made vans causing people who pay out £££££££££££ inconvenience and loss of their van.

Their service will be excellent when the vans stop going back to the factory to be finished off.

If VW had the same quality control the M20 would be jammed solid with VWs returning to Germany.

 

[DanielFord]

I don't think one can fairly say that Swift is worse than any other manufacturer. I think that all vehicles are prone to niggles in the first couple of years. For example, my Vauxhall Astra in the first two years of ownership had 2 turbos, one air conditioning compressor, the dashboard control unit and a rocker gasket replaced under warranty.
Yes these things shouldn't happen, but as long as they are put right in an efficient manner then that is all we can hope for.

 

[Ber090]

Hildweller, I could list the problems with the only new VW group car we ever purchased and the total apathy of VW and their dealer. There is not enough space to tell the whole story but we were treated terribly and after taking legal advice (We could win in court but would ruin 2 years of our lifes) we cut our losses and will never buy anything made by VW group again. Based on our experience Swift were excellent with us.
We base our comments on what actually happened to us. Nothing else.

 

[hilldweller]

I don't think one can fairly say that Swift is worse than any other manufacturer.

From reading Facts and Fun for some years Swift stands out as having more manufacturing faults than any other manufacturer. From memory, rotting floors, collapsing beds, window leaks, damp in Luton.

Certainly some other, manufacturers have not covered themselves in glory.

My memory is not up to figuring out the percentages per vehicle on the forums but it is possible that there are more Swift owners here so more reported faults.

 

[hilldweller]

Hildweller, I could list the problems with the only new VW group car we ever purchased and the total apathy of VW and their dealer.

Whereas we have nothing but praise for VW and it's dealers.

But I should not compare a car to a MH really, there is no comparison in the complexity of construction.

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[swanseajack13]

reading the replies on this we as m/homers pay a shed full of money and then get fobbed off we will repair it make a stand if we funsters united and the dealers knew that would they sell a m/h with a water leak in side or any other problems look at this for sale like new m/h low mileage vgood condition must be used only in the dry send it back lol ray

 

[Allanm]

Having just supported Swift and their quality of older vans, I just remembered we had 2 Swift caravans in the mid 90's. One went back for a new sidewall as it was buckling and the other had a crack in the chassis. They both had damp in walls in the overhead lockers and both had creaky floors due to de laminating plywood somewhere. They were both repaired by the dealer who seemed well used to faulty Swift caravans
When they were fixed they were great though.
Allan

 

[Robert Clark]

collapsing beds,

funny you should mention that. Our bed frame collapsed..... Wrong size screws used in the assembly. Fixed it myself as its a pain the in the bum driving miles to the local dealer.
Smoke detector also broke - 5 months later still waiting for the replacement to arrive. Asked swift to send me one direct but they refused as it wasn't their 'policy'

 

[johnp10]

They can't all be bad, there is a KonTiki near me, must be over 20 years old and still going strong
Allan

Agree.
I have a fourteen year old Bessacarr (Swift).
Nice comfy, warm, dry van.
Would buy another, but it's looking like this will be our last MH.

 

[sedge]

There are those on this forum who seem to pick on problems with other makes of van, especially Swift ones - but who - after quite accidentally (literally) finding damp in one corner of the rear wall/floor of his van - does not now tell people not to buy that make, or criticise them.

There can be faults with all sorts of van. When our Bessie was new, we got talking to a chap with a newish Hymer. Lovely van, not as long as ours, smaller kitchen area, smaller bathroom, their curtains and upholstery were more luxurious fabric - his cost 58K and ours cost £38 but we didn't pay near that price for it. He showed us the list of 58 faults that needed rectifying. We didn't have a list; it was one thing and it had been rectified immediately it was spotted on PDI but the ceiling was stained. That's ALL.

Do I criticise Hymers just because we were told and shown that? Of course not.

There are Monday and Friday examples whether you buy a dishwasher, gadget or a motorhome. The important thing is, does it get sorted PDQ to your satisfaction? If it does, shut up unless asked. If not, then by all means shout about it.

IMHO.

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