barryd
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Technology and production methods change. I know Swift had a bad reputation for damp years ago and marques like Hymer were considered far superior and I am sure they were but I think Swift were and probably are the biggest UK motorhome manufacturer so I guess there will be many of them on the road. I wonder how many people had them or have them and have not had any issues. I looked a couple of years or so back at a new Bailey motorhome and people scoffed at them and the same day I looked at a brand new Hymer. the Hymer was twice the price but I thought the build quality on the Hymer was not as good as the Bailey so maybe they are not quite as good as they once were I dunno.
For me the main consideration is layout and payload. I want a pullman front dinette, front kitchen and rear lounge and I want enough payload on an extended Alko Chassis to put the scooter on the back. After literally ten years of looking on and off I have found nothing really that was up to the job of replacing the Kontiki 640 which to its credit I have owned 14 years now. The only vans I have found that fit the bill are the Bailey Approach 760SE, Bessaccar 496 and Swift Esprit 496 (basically the same van) and possibly a Lunar Roadstar 726 (They went bust I think).
At the end of the day they are all using the same engines and chassis variations. Im not fussed about posh granite worktops or fancy fittings. The cheaper and lighter the better.
For me the main consideration is layout and payload. I want a pullman front dinette, front kitchen and rear lounge and I want enough payload on an extended Alko Chassis to put the scooter on the back. After literally ten years of looking on and off I have found nothing really that was up to the job of replacing the Kontiki 640 which to its credit I have owned 14 years now. The only vans I have found that fit the bill are the Bailey Approach 760SE, Bessaccar 496 and Swift Esprit 496 (basically the same van) and possibly a Lunar Roadstar 726 (They went bust I think).
At the end of the day they are all using the same engines and chassis variations. Im not fussed about posh granite worktops or fancy fittings. The cheaper and lighter the better.