I recently looked at a brand new Phoenix at a dealer. I immediately noticed the flimsy blinds that get stuck, even on the brand new van. I didn’t look further and crossed the Bailey off my shortlist.
Picked ours up 15th September after ordering in January this year like yourselves we love it used it only twice although there are issues so it is going back to the dealer when the part comes in ie new big window as polish has not been wiped off in between which has left a big smear so full swap also the fly door is not closing flush it seems to bend and lastly the bottom of the stable door does not lock when the door is split other than that just the speaker cover in the roof fell off easy fix still waiting on the big table and the jack to lift the caravan which would help to fit the Alko lock to spin the wheel to line up, Hopefully none of these issues for your caravan and hopefully none of your issues for our caravan Great video hope you have many a good and happy years in the Caravan
Hi Peter, Crazy isn't it that we pay all this money and they come with issues....I suppose it's how they are rectified that we should judge Bailey on. When fitting the Alko, it takes a bit of practice as when you lower the jack, the suspection takes up the slack and moves the wheel slightly and if you put the Alko on whilst in raised position it puts stress on the Alko and could bend it! took me a while to find the right position, but let me know if you find an easier way? Thanks for commenting. Graham & Claire
When we had the Unicorn IV we loved the blinds. I used to prefer Bailey's blinds, but noticed at the NEC show that the front windows didn't have fly screens? We also had issues with the front window, a bit awkward to open. Great that it has WiFi in from new. I do like the new wardrobes besides the bed, good idea. We had a few issues with our Swift, but the important thing is if the dealer sorts them out and issues happen with all caravans.. Lovely caravan, thanks for showing us around,,
Wow Graham, I'm honoured, you have not only watched, but commented on our channel lol. we already enjoy and subscribe to yours! Thanks for taking the time, hopefully the dealer will keep on to Bailey and sort the situation with the blinds, if not I suspect I will have to keep on at everyone until its sorted!! Thanks again Graham & Claire
Feel your pain about your van,picked our carbera up full of pride, how wrong could we have been,returning three weeks later not fit for purpose, the list of faults was unbelievable,the final straw was when battery cover came of smashing into atc,luckily only just set of,exchanged for Swift not much better🤬. Good luck
We noticed the same with our fiamma canopy when it rained. We bought the sun shade to help and it worked. Great when sunny as well so works for its purpose and an additional benefit as well when the weather turns. The fiamma sides are also great when the rain comes in from the sides. Great video. Thanks.
Hi, we bought the sides but not the front, we have never used the sides , but yes the front would work a treat! Doh! 🙄 Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing. Graham & Claire
Hi you two very nice review we like you have the cabrera 22 s5 collected in May and so only problem we have had is the alko towing hitch top ball plastic cup broke the deleter replaced free the fron blinds we agree with you that they don’t have any fly screens on them our big front window opens very easily we just love the lay out of the van enjoy your van ..
Hi, Thanks for watching, we love our van too, all issues now fixed accept front blind, but I'm sure that will get sorted eventually, Happy Caravanning!! Graham & Claire
Thanks for the review, Very nice Van. We have the Bailey Unicorn Vigo 2021 (Black Edition) which we also love. We almost went with the Cabrera. Best wishes
Hi Time Out Travels, Thanks for watching and commenting, I chased dealer today and they seem to think Bailey are looking into a redesign which solve the situation.....I will do a video on it if / when this happens. Cheers Graham & Claire
Good honest review there, agree with the “Friday afternoon build” think our Cabrera must have been built on a Friday too. Hopefully you’ll get the issues resolved quickly allowing you to fully enjoy your new van.
Hi Graham, thanks for watching and commenting, i'm sure everything will get sorted eventually, we love the Caravan and Caravanning! Thanks Graham & Claire
The blind issue is exactly the same on my Coachman Acadia 575. My local dealer cautioned care using them as they said they are very expensive, and this issue causes a lot of damage if not handled very carefully.
We have exactly the same blinds problem with our new 2022 Cabrera. We collected in June & after complaining in September when the offside front blind broke as, all we get is that they will be replaced & we are still waiting after numerous emails. We had other problems like approx. 8 screws missing on the inside which have been replaced, door sticking, bathroom cabinet catching & a bowed refrigerator door which the dealer says still seals so is not a warranty issue, they did say that all the doors bowed in all the caravans, take a look from the side and see a bigger gap in the middle than at top and bottom. It begs the question, what is wrong that we haven,t realised & could be dangerous. We collected the van in June & only received the table in January. The 2nd draw down below the sink was stiff & needs new rails which we are still waiting for. We are so very pleased the caravan design but as you say the money you pay & we paid about £10,000 on top for accessories, everybody jumps on he Covid Brexit & war bandwagon to defend their workmanship. Disgusting.
Hi Paul, thanks for watching, nothing done yet! but forever hopefull, its the only thing left to be fixed now and its been logged as warrenty, so will be fixed at some point. Graham & Claire
Ordered ours Oct 2021 and delivered in December 2021. Blinds are the same and don't fold properly. Can live with no fly nets. Use USB by telly.. Love ours as well!!
Hi Stuart, Wow you did well getting yours so quickly, must have been at the back of the cow shed! lol. Thanks for watching and commenting, if there are any updates, I will do another video. Cheers Graham & Claire
Cheers for the vlog, lovely caravan but as you say, those niggles look more like it's a prototype, they should have got those bits sorted as well as a lack of flyscteens on the front and no USBs.
Hi, sorry just realised I never replied to your message! Thanks so much for commenting and hopefully subscribing 😉, yes we tried to make it factual and we are soon to get the last issue fixed under warranty (blinds)! Cheers Graham & Claire
Are there any positives regarding Bailey apart from the fact the model I owned for a short time towed as if it were on rails never once went out of line.
We bought the Unicorn Vigo last year. Love the van design but build quality is a big issue. We too struggle with the front blinds, but they do fold in eventually. But so far we have had to return the van for warranty issues 3 times and a 4th time it went back to Bailey's factory to realign the toilet cassette to fit the door. The dealer has cured each problem with just few outstanding. But new headaches keep appearing. But build issues seems to be as bad across all makes at the moment. On the Thule awning, we have a Fiamma one which is very strong. But for rain we fit a sun blocker to the front and let out. Rain runs off the blocker and you get a dry foot print a good bit larger than the roof. Should fit your Thule too.
We took delivery of our new Pamplona the twin axle version of your van in July last year and like you we love the layout and the Alde heating. The wider bed is great too and very comfortable. We have also had problems with the blinds on the big window and we reported it to our dealer shortly after we got it. They haven't heard anything back from Bailey yet about replacing them which is disappointing as it's several months now. Be interested to hear if you get yours sorted, let me know. Apart from that delighted with it.
Hi No news yet, but it has been logged as a warranty issue, I'm not sure Baileys know what to do about them, the dealer said that baileys were talking about trying to redesign them, but we will have to wait and see! let me know if you get them fixed. (my only concern is, will it just happen again!) Thanks for watching, Happy Caravanning! Graham & Claire
@@caravanbatters Thanks for your update, we've not heard anything from our dealer so far about the blinds but it is going back to them middle of March for a couple of very minor issues so will let you know if we find out what's happening. Pat x
We traded in our lovely U4 Madrid for the new U5 Pamplona in February 2022. Blinds failed and the whole unit fell off the wall after the first tow. We are still waiting for Bailey to fix them 14 months on now. The TV wall fell away from the wall on first tow - the screws were too short. All drawers are now misaligned and the cupboard door over the bed came away in my hands! Again, screws too short. While towing in Snowdonia, the short screw clamp on the jockey wheel sheared in half - thank goodness it didnt go under the caravan! The fridge cant find the leisure battery so cant be used when towing. We will be getting rid and changing to another brand. The workmanship and interior on our U4 was better.
You really have been through the mill! Apart from the blinds still not being fixed, our caravan has been OK 🤞since the initial problems. Hope you find a better manufacture and better caravan! Caravanning is still great though isn’t it 👍 Graham & Claire
Ive had an S2 Cartagena for 7 years far superior build qaulity than new Baileys.We visited a dealer 6 months ago to have a look what was on offer,the build quality compared to ours is abismal . Im talking about a caravan that costs the best part of £40000 no wonder the price of second hand models is still high.Apart from the battery charger giing up its been brilliant
We have a 22 Cartagena, started off ok, then went downhill quickly. Solar panel wouldn’t charge, then complete loss of power to the entire van. Luckily found a plug just inside the door under the seat. The cables were so tight they kept pulling apart. Then we noticed the front blinds! Our centre lower one was cutting its way through every time it went up and down. Now it’s snapped and can’t close it! Front near side window let’s it so much water it has a puddle in the corner. Now the floor creaks loads when we walk in that area. Bathroom upper cabinet door is bowed so much it won’t close so when we tow it bangs against the bathroom window. The two cabinet doors above the bed won’t open now as they hit the cupboard doors. Just had the front seats refilled as they sagged and creased. The bathroom ceiling has developed some huge bubbles like it’s delaminating. Water leaked in through the roof strap into the top cupboard. The shower isn’t sealed so can’t use it, luckily we don’t use it. The caravan was delivered with a really big scratch in the front big window. But it’s inside the window so can’t do anything about it! We are waiting on 3 front windows, 3 window seals, the near side upper window blank cover thing as they smashed it trying to seal the window. 4 front blinds, a bathroom cabinet door, all these have been on order for over a year now and they say won’t be till August. Basically we can’t use the caravan anymore as it has to stay under a cover to stop the water coming in and we are worried the bathroom cabinet door will smash the window if we drove it. We were going to sell it as ordered a Bessacarr instead but now are stuck with it. Is anyone here thinking about some kind of lawsuit against them. Surely there is enough of us with the same issues to get something done about it?
We watched your video with interest as we are currently looking for a 22/23 Cabrera. I was most shocked by the empty nose weight of between 120/140kg! Our Audi factory fitted towbar is only rated at 80kg. So I guess that’s this model out the window!
Hi @PointyDog1 Not necessarily, most tow bars are max 100kg I think, when loading the van you counterbalance the weight the other side of the wheels which takes weight off the nose! We have well practiced and the caravan tow a dream! All issues have now been resolved except the blinds - which we can live with! Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing Graham and Claire.
We have a Cabrera as well and our blinds are not as bad as yours, but we have noticed they are getting a little slack. We will also get onto Bailey if they get worse.
Hi, Yes it is worth logging it as a warranty complaint, we are still waiting for a response, but i'm sure it will get fixed eventually. apart from that, how are you liking the Cabrera? we love ours and cant wait to go away again soon, this year will be 2 weeks Brittany / Vendee. Thanks for watching Graham & Claire x
Thanks for sharing this we are thinking of buying this one but might wait for 2024 Model Year whilst they do engineering changes i noticed the previous 2021 had a front fly screen
Hi, enjoyed your review of the van, we are going to look at a 2022 Cabrera and a Pamplona tomorrow (can't decide if we want the twin axle or not) We will look out for some of the problems you had. Really helpful.
Hi, very exciting getting a new caravan, even with the issues we had/have we still love it and would not change it! Enjoy and let us know which one you get! Graham and Claire
@@caravanbatters Hi, we chose the Cabrera, such a lovely van. The Pamplona was a bit too big for us and the dog, we were lucky as we found a 2023 model used at the dealer that had only been out once. Sadly one of the couple who bought the caravan passed away so traded it back to the dealer. Planning our first weekend away, not too far from home to test things out.
Seems to me that all these new caravans have doubled in price but the build quality has plummeted ,I’ve not seen one new caravan review on here that doesn’t have some sort of QC issue, none of these companies seem to be testing vans for quality before they are sold to the general public.
Hi @PamelaMacdonald-jp8cd, We eventually got our blinds changed under warranty, but have been told not to store the caravan with them down, so we bought a towing cover that totally covers the big window from Speciality covers and leave this on whilst in storage and only use the front blind overnight when away! I still don't think that this is correct, but what can you do?.... Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing Graham & Claire
Hi Tanya, Thanks for watching, I hope you enjoyed your first outing out in your Bailey. even with the issues, we still love ours. Happy Caravanning Graham & Claire
Hi Graham and Claire. Regarding your problem with your front blinds I have a question. Did you leave your front blind closed (un-concertinaed) in storage, as I have had the same issue with my Phoenix. After gently persuading it back to as it should be and leaving it compressed it seems to be fine. They seem to lose their memory if left uncompressed for a length of time in storage (especially in the cold weather). Keep us posted with how the dealer remedies this issue please. Great vlogs by the way!
My parents have the same series 5 Cabrera and it has the same issue with the blinds. Just the top blind on the big window does not concertina and bunches up. Bailey have ordered a new one but that was November 22 and still not had in yet. Also there was an issue with the sealant around the van. It wasn’t sealed well around the back panels so the thin layer of sealand split leaving a gap between the panels and the back of the caravan. Also sealant was oozing out of the front panels on top of the caravan which looked a mess and also the front panel trim next to the small front window kept popping out so had to be sorted. Not great for a 30k van.
Hi guys, really appreciate the warts and all review. I have a series 4 Bailey Cartagena and looked at the new series 5 at the caravan show recently. I really like baileys but…. I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on a brand new caravan that had just a few too many really annoying niggles. Bailey seem to have cracked so much with layout etc and then hugely let themselves down with smaller detail. I would love to sit with the board at Bailey and give them some honest feedback as I really fear their brand name is being damaged and they seem at best lethargic in customer satisfaction at present. Like someone else said it does feel very prototype in some areas. I’m sure there may be some mitigation with supply issues etc but a lot is down to poor or rushed design and lack of attention. Come on please Bailey, sort out these issues quickly, rectify the vans sold quickly and get back on your game! General consensus would seem to suggest the series 5 is of weaker quality than the series 4 in a few too many areas which should not be happening and is undermining the existing and improved features.
We were looking at buying a Bailey, glad we didn't after all the water ingress reports and now your window / blind issues, shocking quality and after sales, it would seem.
Nice review. We had a look at the new S5's and dont why the blinds are of such low quality (obviously cost cutting by Bailey) We looked at the Pamplona which is the twin version of the Cabrera and because Bailey redesigned the door to the washroom they seem to have lost room in the toilet and to the side of the bed. a step backwards imo. Other than that a very nice van.
Hi Mailbox101, Thanks for watching and commenting, Once Bailey comes up with a solution to fix the blinds which I'm sure they will, I dont think there will be any other changes we would want to make.....well at the moment anyway...lol Cheers Graham & Claire
Owner of a Unicorn IV and was thinking of upgrading to the Uni 5 but the large window always put us off with potential problems. Our very first new caravan was a Bailey Ranger with a large window and those handles used to lift open, eventually the window stress cracked on the top corners due to the window floating when towing. Thank you for the good honest review but highlighting the build quality problems has convinced us to hang on to ours a little longer and eventually we'll probably go for a Swift. All the very best with yours and enjoy 👍
Hi we eventually got Bailey to replace the blinds and now we just use them when needed and overnight, but always leave them in the up position for long periods of time, not ideal but it works and they haven’t gone out of shape since! Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing Keep watching Graham & Claire
unfortunately bailey caravans all leak ,i have had 4 and the same problem with them all , i currently have 2 wall panels stripped off my sons caravan ,a bailey ranger and am replacing wall boards insulation and timbers . my advise ,dont keep it past 4 years old because if you get a problem it gets very expensive very quickly ,the nose weight seems very high to me .
Apparently, according to Bailey, you should not leave the caravan with the blinds down for very long - which I kind of thought is what they were supposed to be for? Our blinds are exactly the same as yours. Fully agree about the lack of attention to detail - Bailey make nice vans but their pre delivery inspection and after-sales service is atrocious. They: 1. made the upper cupboard doors longer but did not add extra hinges so the doors would not stay open fully, 2. changed the bunk curtain so that it fouled the bathroom door and opening the door tore the rail out of the ceiling; 3. fitted light switches with the wrong screws so that the switches sometimes jammed in the on position. 4. designed the radio aerial connection so badly that the aerial lead would not stay connected, especially as the radio was loose in its housing. (I had to make a support bracket to stop this) 5. fitted the entrance door so that the thing would not lock from the inside (could not pull the door hard enough) Oh - the big front window stays shut as when you open it you cannot get it closed again unless someone outside pushes hard on it while you move the catches The dealer, Wandahome, helped us with extra hinges and Bailey never responded for over a year so I gave up. Which is clearly what they wanted.
Interesting comments on the new front end, just shows you they design things but dont test them. Like a lot of compaines, its cheaper to design build and sell and pay for any aftercare then go through a testing phase.
Just been looking at a used cabrera,glad ive seen this video.will give it a miss.was thinking of going back to Bailey after recovering from the pegasus disaster with its dismal quality issues and rotten floor.will hang onto our 15 year old Abbey Vogue a while longer. Seems Bailey are still poor quality wise.
Just an update The caravan has gone in this week for the main window and also the front door you can lock it but it pulls open so it is not secure as well as the fly screen not closing correctly, the toilet / bedroom door sometimes closes and so needed attention . the front sunroof surround fell down so I have pushed in firm the velcro seems to have sorted it and finally the central heating tank in the wardrobe had a jubilee clip was not fastened so then water was all over the bedroom floor we collected the caravan September 23 and only this week over a year has it been sorted . Well we will see when I check everything on collection fingers crossed.
i read the concrrtina blinds loose there memory if left exposed to heat and sun so i only close them at nightvabdbuse the curtains if i need privacy in the day ( i have a Bailey 644)
Our van doesn’t have curtains at the front, so you have to use the blinds to stop the caravan getting too hot 🥵 You are correct they have lost their memory, but they shouldn’t and at last after 13 months Bailey agree and are changing them to a new version under warranty 😁 Update video to follow once completed 👍 Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing Graham & Claire
Hi Heidi, Alan and George, Thanks for watching and commenting, I didn't realise there was a "proper" layout for a caravan, I think people pick from a choice given to us by the manufactures at various price points and I not sure the British manufactures offer many models with a horse shoe seating? but I could be wrong, I suppose it is horses for courses (keeping the horse theme!). it would be boring if we all liked the same things. Cheers Graham and Claire
I suppose it's what seating arrangements suits individual people? Our 2020 build Freedom Jetstream came with cosy wrap around U shaped seating (but as a consequence bags of bolster cushions...) To simplify bedmaking and provide us with somewhere for mugs & books, we reverted to the two parallel singles (and stuck all the extra cushions in our loft!) ☺️
the windows coming loose in travel seems like a bit issue. And it got me wondering. Do you drive with the blinds down so that when the window opens in travel, the air, at 55-60 mph, is blowing against those "paper" blinds? That would put an awful lot of pressure on them, causing them to deform pretty quickly I would imagine.
Thanks for the review, we just part exchanged our motorhome for a Unicorn 5 Cabrera and looking forward to picking it up in the next few weeks. Can I ask, you mentioned in your review about the nose weight was very heavy, Not sure what car you are using, but my car has only a 100Kgs weight allowance on the tow bar, and not sure the allowable nose weight of the caravan, would it be worth taking some additional items when we pick up the caravan to reduce nose weight slightly? Thanks
Hi Olerdude, firstly thanks for watching our video and I hope you managed o subscribe? Appreciate it if you did! It’s good to hear someone coming across from motor homing to caravanning, you will have to let me know which one you prefer its a conversation I have with myself all them time :-), different holidays different answers! We absolutely love our Cabrera, yes a few niggles to start with, but I’m learning that’s the same with every caravan. Bailey replaced the blinds under warranty and recommended not leaving them up for too long, which I still disagree with but, hey! We will give it a go! Back to your question, what makes the diving experience good or bad in my opinion is tyre pressures and noise weight, but this comes with practice and experience with that caravan. I would check tyre pressures and pump them up to maximum recommended amount for full load and take a weight and move it up or down the caravan a foot either way can make a difference…. Don’t panic, it’s all trial and error. You can buy nose weight scales and full scales, but you will find what goes where for the best journey and then probably stick with that! Remember the slower you travel the easier it is to tow (it’s as if someone professional has already thought of this). It when you get more confident with speed the balance becomes even more important! Thanks Graham.
Thanks Graham for the reply. To answer your question and is only related to our experience, bear in mind that the Adamo can't tow... If you are going away for a 3 - 5 days, then consider a motorhome, we had a Bailey Adamo 69-4. It was brilliant, the fridge was a large 147 litre. So this would last us a good 4 days, however, you are restricted when travelling as more and more car parks have height restrictions. We last went away for a week to back of beyond, after 4 days we headed out to Tesco, where we were confronted with a multi-story car park and our van wouldn't fit, so after finding a more suitable place to shop, we then looked into a quick trip to Bournemouth, and again all car parks are height related, so we ended up going back and chilling. Anyway... Appreciate the feedback, it's been about 20 years since last towed so just refreshing how to's. Of course will subscribe 👍 James
To add, as for the build quality, I don't think it's just Bailey, our motorhome we had for almost 2 years and we still had outstanding warranty work to be completed. I think as all caravans and motorhomes are hand built, let's put it this way. We're only human! :-) It reminds me of the British Leyland days, if it doesn't fit make it fit...😊 But saying that, a niggle you can live with is not really an issue and won't spoil your holiday.. But after time, a niggle can turn into enough is enough... Feel your pain. Both of you enjoy your cabrera! If I see you on site one day, I'll give you a shout.
Hi Guys, Did Bailey ever sort the front blind issues.. I am really concerned that this issue seems to be a really common issue and we have just sold our 2012 Unicorn and almost about to order a 23 new cabrera.. Thanks so much. J.
Hi, yes we have just had the blinds replaced a couple of weeks ago under warranty, but have been told they are only overnight blinds and not to leave them pulled down for a period of time or they could go out of shape again! How fantastic ordering a new caravan, we really love our caravan! Cheers Graham & Claire
Thanks so much for fast reply, its such a big decision, and some of the negative stuff has really concerned us. Our original unicorn was a mk 2 and looked like new when it went but had developed some issues due to age. so we felt it should go for a new one. Shame about the blind and not having a fly screen but Im sure you just adjust how you use it and its just the new normal.. Good luck and enjoy yours. Take care. J@@caravanbatters
I don’t understand why the U5 doesn’t have fly screens on the front 3 windows, it would be the main reason for me not to buy it. I’m not a Bailey brasher , I’m on my 3rd brand new Bailey a U4 Cadiz.
Hi Scotiajinker8392, no idea either, but not been an issue so far as side window and door has given enough ventilation.... still love it though! Graham & Claire
There’s no fix. For those windows. They look nice but the blinds should have been integrated between the glass ( plastic) they’re just poorly designed. And at £,1469 for a replacement window should they crack , an expensive outlay.
Hi TotalTouring, Thanks for watching and commenting, yes those windows could be expensive if they crack....must check if my insurance covers that!! but when inside they are fantastic and definitely make the caravan, just need to get the blinds fixed which i am sure will happen eventually. Cheers Graham & Claire
Two grand fitted for the Unicorn 4 ... Having one fitted this week and took 9 months to get. I reckon you can add another grand or two on for the Uni 5
Almost seems typical of the British caravan industry in that parts fit where they touch and quality control is left to the retailer. As you say, for this kind of money you have the right to expect much better. The 140kg tow hitch downforce would be a serious problem for most tow cars, let alone the hitch itself as most alko ones are only good for up to 100kg max. Good luck.
Hi @michaelhayes9975, thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing Yes not great but also made during Covid, nose weight is not an issue as we have learnt to counter balance the weight in the caravan and it tows really well! Graham and Claire
Hi enjoyed the vlog on your van and the faults you have encountered. We are due to have a Unicorn Cartagena in a few weeks but are very concerned about the blinds issue. Has the dealer come up with a solution for you? We are sited so a pain when it comes to issues like this. Not ehat you expect for what you pay. We are seriously having 2nd thoughts and again after watching your vlog. Any advice would be appreciated on this . Thank you
Hi @debbietossell3313 thanks for watching, we tried to be fair and all of the issues are now fixed apart from the blinds, someone commented that it is because we leave them pulled down, but we feel that if we didnt the caravan would get hot when not used and furniture could get sun bleached! The caravan sales company we bought the van from says Baileys are struggling to get materials from their suppliers, they havent had a response from Bailey and this week I got the warrenty No. to start chasing Bailey myself, my main worry is that if they fix it, it will just happen again, I think it probably needs to be redesigned! However all that aside, we absolutely love our Bailey Caravan and have just booked 2 weeks away in Brittany and the Vendee in May.....Can't wait 😀 We are sure you will love yours too... keep in mind ours was made through the madness that was lockdown!! Graham & Claire x
@@caravanbatters Be careful with the time it takes to fully rectify the blinds and window. You only have two year warranty on the blinds and three on the window. This time will soon pass, especially if you've been waiting months just for a reply to a repair solution.
If you want to keep the flies out of your caravan, half fill a plastic bag with water, throw in a few shiny copper pennies and hang it from the panoramic window and viola, no more flies !!
Enjoyed your review guys. However the van should have been rejected due to poor build quality. The product was certainly not of merchantable quality. The alarm bells sounded for me when it took a year for it to be delivered. I do know the industry has had shocking supply issues and bailey have probably used another supplier, for the front blinds, in order to finish the vans off. ( By the way, the front elevation is the most unattractive I have ever seen, especially with the blinds closed). No curtains and no fly screens, sorry I can't get over that. I can honestly say, having worked in the industry for 14 years, that the best made caravans were built between 2008-2011. One last thing, when our local independent service/repair centre was open, 1 in 3 vans that came in for repair was a bailey.
Thanks for your comment, the issues are all sorted apart from the blinds which I’m sure will get fixed eventually and we really love the van! Thanks Graham & Claire
Hi David, I totally agree, for the price of these caravans, as I said in the video "I don't think it is too much to ask", but I suppose this is where we are and built during covid times! and reading the other comment, I dont think I am the only one. I will judge Bailey on how it is fixed! Thanks for commenting Graham & Claire
@@caravanbatters I also have a Bailey Unicorn bought new in 2015. Its had faults and defects as long as your arm. Has put me off buying another Bailey I'm afraid.
What a sheltered world you live in thinking it was only you that got a lemon caravan. RV manufacturers (USA) / Caravans (UK) are now shipping out the worst product they ever have in built in the history of their production . Quality control is now universally none exist, parts and materials are delayed worldwide, skilled technicians we all laid of during COVID and many never got rehired and the companies are upping the prices over 30% in the last couple of years. Welcome to the worldwide club of holiday travellers that got ripped off buying new in the 2000’s
Tes that could be an issue, but I suppose the same issue with all caravans! we would have to claim on the insurance... hopefully we will never find out 😀 Graham & Claire
For the money you pay for a brand new caravan ,everything should be good for at least 10 yrs ! That outside trim coming off, the crappy paper blinds , the awning which captures water. Sounds like to me this company has been cutting corners. What concerns me is what's next that will break. I would just buy a good clean second hand caravan and the money that I have saved,get all the jobs done that I want. You seem like a bloke who ain't gonna take crap from a dealer, so I know you will get them to fix up their mistakes
Hi, thanks for commenting and you are correct, the dealer is fixing the last of the issues later this month, it’s being done under warranty and the blinds are being replaced with a new improved version! I will do an updated video once complete! Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing! Graham & Claire
Hi again Graham and Claire. Just wondering if you have had the new blinds installed yet? I commented a few months ago that we had the same problem on our S5 Pamplona. After waiting months for the new ones they were duly installed by the dealer but guess what... the centre blind is still not right and crumples when we try to open it. Just wondered if you'd had better luck!!
Thanks for getting back to me, will be interested to see the video and fingers crossed your new ones work ok this time. If you could let me know when you will be posting it that would be great. 🤞🤞
I regret the day I traded in my swift for this bailey load of rubbish,still waiting on the ATC being fitted ,build quality is rubbish,rung bailey they don't care , and the dealer doesn't care either
I recently looked at a brand new Phoenix at a dealer. I immediately noticed the flimsy blinds that get stuck, even on the brand new van. I didn’t look further and crossed the Bailey off my shortlist.
Picked ours up 15th September after ordering in January this year like yourselves we love it used it only twice although there are issues so it is going back to the dealer when the part comes in ie new big window as polish has not been wiped off in between which has left a big smear so full swap also the fly door is not closing flush it seems to bend and lastly the bottom of the stable door does not lock when the door is split other than that just the speaker cover in the roof fell off easy fix still waiting on the big table and the jack to lift the caravan which would help to fit the Alko lock to spin the wheel to line up, Hopefully none of these issues for your caravan and hopefully none of your issues for our caravan Great video hope you have many a good and happy years in the Caravan
Hi Peter, Crazy isn't it that we pay all this money and they come with issues....I suppose it's how they are rectified that we should judge Bailey on.
When fitting the Alko, it takes a bit of practice as when you lower the jack, the suspection takes up the slack and moves the wheel slightly and if you put the Alko on whilst in raised position it puts stress on the Alko and could bend it! took me a while to find the right position, but let me know if you find an easier way?
Thanks for commenting.
Graham & Claire
When we had the Unicorn IV we loved the blinds. I used to prefer Bailey's blinds, but noticed at the NEC show that the front windows didn't have fly screens? We also had issues with the front window, a bit awkward to open. Great that it has WiFi in from new. I do like the new wardrobes besides the bed, good idea. We had a few issues with our Swift, but the important thing is if the dealer sorts them out and issues happen with all caravans.. Lovely caravan, thanks for showing us around,,
Wow Graham, I'm honoured, you have not only watched, but commented on our channel lol. we already enjoy and subscribe to yours!
Thanks for taking the time, hopefully the dealer will keep on to Bailey and sort the situation with the blinds, if not I suspect I will have to keep on at everyone until its sorted!!
Thanks again
Graham & Claire
Feel your pain about your van,picked our carbera up full of pride, how wrong could we have been,returning three weeks later not fit for purpose, the list of faults was unbelievable,the final straw was when battery cover came of smashing into atc,luckily only just set of,exchanged for Swift not much better🤬.
Good luck
We noticed the same with our fiamma canopy when it rained. We bought the sun shade to help and it worked. Great when sunny as well so works for its purpose and an additional benefit as well when the weather turns. The fiamma sides are also great when the rain comes in from the sides. Great video. Thanks.
Hi, we bought the sides but not the front, we have never used the sides , but yes the front would work a treat!
Doh! 🙄
Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing.
Graham & Claire
Hi you two very nice review we like you have the cabrera 22 s5 collected in May and so only problem we have had is the alko towing hitch top ball plastic cup broke the deleter replaced free the fron blinds we agree with you that they don’t have any fly screens on them our big front window opens very easily we just love the lay out of the van enjoy your van ..
Hi, Thanks for watching, we love our van too, all issues now fixed accept front blind, but I'm sure that will get sorted eventually, Happy Caravanning!!
Graham & Claire
Thanks for the review, Very nice Van. We have the Bailey Unicorn Vigo 2021 (Black Edition) which we also love. We almost went with the Cabrera. Best wishes
We have 2022 vigo with exactly the same issues.glad you have put it out there.let us know how you get on with bailey
Hi Time Out Travels, Thanks for watching and commenting, I chased dealer today and they seem to think Bailey are looking into a redesign which solve the situation.....I will do a video on it if / when this happens.
Cheers
Graham & Claire
Good honest review there, agree with the “Friday afternoon build” think our Cabrera must have been built on a Friday too. Hopefully you’ll get the issues resolved quickly allowing you to fully enjoy your new van.
Hi Graham, thanks for watching and commenting, i'm sure everything will get sorted eventually, we love the Caravan and Caravanning!
Thanks
Graham & Claire
Every day is a Friday at Bailey caravans
The blind issue is exactly the same on my Coachman Acadia 575. My local dealer cautioned care using them as they said they are very expensive, and this issue causes a lot of damage if not handled very carefully.
We have exactly the same blinds problem with our new 2022 Cabrera. We collected in June & after complaining in September when the offside front blind broke as, all we get is that they will be replaced & we are still waiting after numerous emails. We had other problems like approx. 8 screws missing on the inside which have been replaced, door sticking, bathroom cabinet catching & a bowed refrigerator door which the dealer says still seals so is not a warranty issue, they did say that all the doors bowed in all the caravans, take a look from the side and see a bigger gap in the middle than at top and bottom. It begs the question, what is wrong that we haven,t realised & could be dangerous. We collected the van in June & only received the table in January. The 2nd draw down below the sink was stiff & needs new rails which we are still waiting for. We are so very pleased the caravan design but as you say the money you pay & we paid about £10,000 on top for accessories, everybody jumps on he Covid Brexit & war bandwagon to defend their workmanship. Disgusting.
Good evening from us. Yes we concur the blinds hoping something will be done. probably after market fix
Hi Paul, thanks for watching, nothing done yet! but forever hopefull, its the only thing left to be fixed now and its been logged as warrenty, so will be fixed at some point.
Graham & Claire
Ordered ours Oct 2021 and delivered in December 2021. Blinds are the same and don't fold properly. Can live with no fly nets. Use USB by telly.. Love ours as well!!
Hi Stuart, Wow you did well getting yours so quickly, must have been at the back of the cow shed! lol.
Thanks for watching and commenting, if there are any updates, I will do another video.
Cheers
Graham & Claire
Well presented, a tad shocked on the quality issues
Cheers for the vlog, lovely caravan but as you say, those niggles look more like it's a prototype, they should have got those bits sorted as well as a lack of flyscteens on the front and no USBs.
Hi @caravanningwiththeMrs thanks for watching, all sorted now apart for the Blinds, but sure they will get sorted soon.
Graham & Claire
Nice to get an honest review of positives and negatives, instead of the usual Bailey FanBoy gushing reviews
Hi, sorry just realised I never replied to your message! Thanks so much for commenting and hopefully subscribing 😉, yes we tried to make it factual and we are soon to get the last issue fixed under warranty (blinds)!
Cheers Graham & Claire
Are there any positives regarding Bailey apart from the fact the model I owned for a short time towed as if it were on rails never once went out of line.
@@rogersmith5167 ironically I now own a Bailey. And have done since October, I like it so far.
We bought the Unicorn Vigo last year. Love the van design but build quality is a big issue. We too struggle with the front blinds, but they do fold in eventually. But so far we have had to return the van for warranty issues 3 times and a 4th time it went back to Bailey's factory to realign the toilet cassette to fit the door. The dealer has cured each problem with just few outstanding. But new headaches keep appearing. But build issues seems to be as bad across all makes at the moment. On the Thule awning, we have a Fiamma one which is very strong. But for rain we fit a sun blocker to the front and let out. Rain runs off the blocker and you get a dry foot print a good bit larger than the roof. Should fit your Thule too.
We took delivery of our new Pamplona the twin axle version of your van in July last year and like you we love the layout and the Alde heating. The wider bed is great too and very comfortable. We have also had problems with the blinds on the big window and we reported it to our dealer shortly after we got it. They haven't heard anything back from Bailey yet about replacing them which is disappointing as it's several months now.
Be interested to hear if you get yours sorted, let me know.
Apart from that delighted with it.
Hi No news yet, but it has been logged as a warranty issue, I'm not sure Baileys know what to do about them, the dealer said that baileys were talking about trying to redesign them, but we will have to wait and see! let me know if you get them fixed. (my only concern is, will it just happen again!)
Thanks for watching, Happy Caravanning!
Graham & Claire
@@caravanbatters
Thanks for your update, we've not heard anything from our dealer so far about the blinds but it is going back to them middle of March for a couple of very minor issues so will let you know if we find out what's happening.
Pat x
We traded in our lovely U4 Madrid for the new U5 Pamplona in February 2022. Blinds failed and the whole unit fell off the wall after the first tow. We are still waiting for Bailey to fix them 14 months on now. The TV wall fell away from the wall on first tow - the screws were too short. All drawers are now misaligned and the cupboard door over the bed came away in my hands! Again, screws too short. While towing in Snowdonia, the short screw clamp on the jockey wheel sheared in half - thank goodness it didnt go under the caravan! The fridge cant find the leisure battery so cant be used when towing. We will be getting rid and changing to another brand. The workmanship and interior on our U4 was better.
You really have been through the mill!
Apart from the blinds still not being fixed, our caravan has been OK 🤞since the initial problems.
Hope you find a better manufacture and better caravan!
Caravanning is still great though isn’t it 👍
Graham & Claire
Ive had an S2 Cartagena for 7 years far superior build qaulity than new Baileys.We visited a dealer 6 months ago to have a look what was on offer,the build quality compared to ours is abismal . Im talking about a caravan that costs the best part of £40000 no wonder the price of second hand models is still high.Apart from the battery charger giing up its been brilliant
We have a 22 Cartagena, started off ok, then went downhill quickly. Solar panel wouldn’t charge, then complete loss of power to the entire van. Luckily found a plug just inside the door under the seat. The cables were so tight they kept pulling apart. Then we noticed the front blinds! Our centre lower one was cutting its way through every time it went up and down. Now it’s snapped and can’t close it! Front near side window let’s it so much water it has a puddle in the corner. Now the floor creaks loads when we walk in that area. Bathroom upper cabinet door is bowed so much it won’t close so when we tow it bangs against the bathroom window. The two cabinet doors above the bed won’t open now as they hit the cupboard doors. Just had the front seats refilled as they sagged and creased. The bathroom ceiling has developed some huge bubbles like it’s delaminating. Water leaked in through the roof strap into the top cupboard. The shower isn’t sealed so can’t use it, luckily we don’t use it. The caravan was delivered with a really big scratch in the front big window. But it’s inside the window so can’t do anything about it! We are waiting on 3 front windows, 3 window seals, the near side upper window blank cover thing as they smashed it trying to seal the window. 4 front blinds, a bathroom cabinet door, all these have been on order for over a year now and they say won’t be till August. Basically we can’t use the caravan anymore as it has to stay under a cover to stop the water coming in and we are worried the bathroom cabinet door will smash the window if we drove it. We were going to sell it as ordered a Bessacarr instead but now are stuck with it. Is anyone here thinking about some kind of lawsuit against them. Surely there is enough of us with the same issues to get something done about it?
We watched your video with interest as we are currently looking for a 22/23 Cabrera. I was most shocked by the empty nose weight of between 120/140kg! Our Audi factory fitted towbar is only rated at 80kg. So I guess that’s this model out the window!
Hi @PointyDog1 Not necessarily, most tow bars are max 100kg I think, when loading the van you counterbalance the weight the other side of the wheels which takes weight off the nose!
We have well practiced and the caravan tow a dream!
All issues have now been resolved except the blinds - which we can live with!
Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing Graham and Claire.
We have a Cabrera as well and our blinds are not as bad as yours, but we have noticed they are getting a little slack. We will also get onto Bailey if they get worse.
Hi, Yes it is worth logging it as a warranty complaint, we are still waiting for a response, but i'm sure it will get fixed eventually. apart from that, how are you liking the Cabrera? we love ours and cant wait to go away again soon, this year will be 2 weeks Brittany / Vendee.
Thanks for watching
Graham & Claire x
We love our 2022 Bailey Pegasus Brindisi 8' wide, we absolutely love it, reckon we could live in it!! Everything all good up to now!!👍👍😁
Thanks for sharing this we are thinking of buying this one but might wait for 2024 Model Year whilst they do engineering changes i noticed the previous 2021 had a front fly screen
Hi, enjoyed your review of the van, we are going to look at a 2022 Cabrera and a Pamplona tomorrow (can't decide if we want the twin axle or not) We will look out for some of the problems you had. Really helpful.
Hi, very exciting getting a new caravan, even with the issues we had/have we still love it and would not change it!
Enjoy and let us know which one you get!
Graham and Claire
@@caravanbatters Hi, we chose the Cabrera, such a lovely van. The Pamplona was a bit too big for us and the dog, we were lucky as we found a 2023 model used at the dealer that had only been out once. Sadly one of the couple who bought the caravan passed away so traded it back to the dealer. Planning our first weekend away, not too far from home to test things out.
Seems to me that all these new caravans have doubled in price but the build quality has plummeted ,I’ve not seen one new caravan review on here that doesn’t have some sort of QC issue, none of these companies seem to be testing vans for quality before they are sold to the general public.
We have the same problem with the front blind. We have to guide it by hand when closing both the top and bottom half.
Hi @PamelaMacdonald-jp8cd, We eventually got our blinds changed under warranty, but have been told not to store the caravan with them down, so we bought a towing cover that totally covers the big window from Speciality covers and leave this on whilst in storage and only use the front blind overnight when away!
I still don't think that this is correct, but what can you do?....
Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing Graham & Claire
We will be testing ours out for the first time next week
Hi Tanya, Thanks for watching, I hope you enjoyed your first outing out in your Bailey. even with the issues, we still love ours. Happy Caravanning
Graham & Claire
Hi Graham and Claire. Regarding your problem with your front blinds I have a question. Did you leave your front blind closed (un-concertinaed) in storage, as I have had the same issue with my Phoenix. After gently persuading it back to as it should be and leaving it compressed it seems to be fine. They seem to lose their memory if left uncompressed for a length of time in storage (especially in the cold weather). Keep us posted with how the dealer remedies this issue please. Great vlogs by the way!
No to prevent caravan getting too hot or sun bleached furniture, we tend to close the blinds
My parents have the same series 5 Cabrera and it has the same issue with the blinds. Just the top blind on the big window does not concertina and bunches up. Bailey have ordered a new one but that was November 22 and still not had in yet. Also there was an issue with the sealant around the van. It wasn’t sealed well around the back panels so the thin layer of sealand split leaving a gap between the panels and the back of the caravan. Also sealant was oozing out of the front panels on top of the caravan which looked a mess and also the front panel trim next to the small front window kept popping out so had to be sorted. Not great for a 30k van.
Hi guys, really appreciate the warts and all review. I have a series 4 Bailey Cartagena and looked at the new series 5 at the caravan show recently. I really like baileys but…. I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on a brand new caravan that had just a few too many really annoying niggles. Bailey seem to have cracked so much with layout etc and then hugely let themselves down with smaller detail. I would love to sit with the board at Bailey and give them some honest feedback as I really fear their brand name is being damaged and they seem at best lethargic in customer satisfaction at present. Like someone else said it does feel very prototype in some areas. I’m sure there may be some mitigation with supply issues etc but a lot is down to poor or rushed design and lack of attention. Come on please Bailey, sort out these issues quickly, rectify the vans sold quickly and get back on your game! General consensus would seem to suggest the series 5 is of weaker quality than the series 4 in a few too many areas which should not be happening and is undermining the existing and improved features.
We were looking at buying a Bailey, glad we didn't after all the water ingress reports and now your window / blind issues, shocking quality and after sales, it would seem.
I’d be interested to see a 1 year update!
Nice review. We had a look at the new S5's and dont why the blinds are of such low quality (obviously cost cutting by Bailey) We looked at the Pamplona which is the twin version of the Cabrera and because Bailey redesigned the door to the washroom they seem to have lost room in the toilet and to the side of the bed. a step backwards imo. Other than that a very nice van.
Hi Mailbox101, Thanks for watching and commenting, Once Bailey comes up with a solution to fix the blinds which I'm sure they will, I dont think there will be any other changes we would want to make.....well at the moment anyway...lol
Cheers
Graham & Claire
Owner of a Unicorn IV and was thinking of upgrading to the Uni 5 but the large window always put us off with potential problems. Our very first new caravan was a Bailey Ranger with a large window and those handles used to lift open, eventually the window stress cracked on the top corners due to the window floating when towing. Thank you for the good honest review but highlighting the build quality problems has convinced us to hang on to ours a little longer and eventually we'll probably go for a Swift. All the very best with yours and enjoy 👍
We have a 22 catagena, blinds exactly the same. Waiting to have them changed under warranty
Hi, please let me know when/if they charge them as it’s been over a year for us now!!!
We asked for them to be changed, when ours had its first service in June. So early days yet.
Our blinds are exactly the same not fit for purpose our caravan is 2022 please let me know how you get on with your blinds great review guys .
Hi we eventually got Bailey to replace the blinds and now we just use them when needed and overnight, but always leave them in the up position for long periods of time, not ideal but it works and they haven’t gone out of shape since!
Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing
Keep watching Graham & Claire
unfortunately bailey caravans all leak ,i have had 4 and the same problem with them all , i currently have 2 wall panels stripped off my sons caravan ,a bailey ranger and am replacing wall boards insulation and timbers .
my advise ,dont keep it past 4 years old because if you get a problem it gets very expensive very quickly ,the nose weight seems very high to me .
Wasn't this particular model previously known as the Bailey Unicorn - Carbrera 5 Vigo (Black) ?
Apparently, according to Bailey, you should not leave the caravan with the blinds down for very long - which I kind of thought is what they were supposed to be for? Our blinds are exactly the same as yours.
Fully agree about the lack of attention to detail - Bailey make nice vans but their pre delivery inspection and after-sales service is atrocious. They:
1. made the upper cupboard doors longer but did not add extra hinges so the doors would not stay open fully,
2. changed the bunk curtain so that it fouled the bathroom door and opening the door tore the rail out of the ceiling;
3. fitted light switches with the wrong screws so that the switches sometimes jammed in the on position.
4. designed the radio aerial connection so badly that the aerial lead would not stay connected, especially as the radio was loose in its housing. (I had to make a support bracket to stop this)
5. fitted the entrance door so that the thing would not lock from the inside (could not pull the door hard enough)
Oh - the big front window stays shut as when you open it you cannot get it closed again unless someone outside pushes hard on it while you move the catches
The dealer, Wandahome, helped us with extra hinges and Bailey never responded for over a year so I gave up. Which is clearly what they wanted.
Interesting comments on the new front end, just shows you they design things but dont test them.
Like a lot of compaines, its cheaper to design build and sell and pay for any aftercare then go through a testing phase.
Just been looking at a used cabrera,glad ive seen this video.will give it a miss.was thinking of going back to Bailey after recovering from the pegasus disaster with its dismal quality issues and rotten floor.will hang onto our 15 year old Abbey Vogue a while longer.
Seems Bailey are still poor quality wise.
Just an update The caravan has gone in this week for the main window and also the front door you can lock it but it pulls open so it is not secure as well as the fly screen not closing correctly, the toilet / bedroom door sometimes closes and so needed attention . the front sunroof surround fell down so I have pushed in firm the velcro seems to have sorted it and finally the central heating tank in the wardrobe had a jubilee clip was not fastened so then water was all over the bedroom floor we collected the caravan September 23 and only this week over a year has it been sorted . Well we will see when I check everything on collection fingers crossed.
i read the concrrtina blinds loose there memory if left exposed to heat and sun so i only close them at nightvabdbuse the curtains if i need privacy in the day ( i have a Bailey 644)
Our van doesn’t have curtains at the front, so you have to use the blinds to stop the caravan getting too hot 🥵
You are correct they have lost their memory, but they shouldn’t and at last after 13 months Bailey agree and are changing them to a new version under warranty 😁
Update video to follow once completed 👍
Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing
Graham & Claire
Never understood why the brits like the two long sofa instead of a propper horseshow seating
Hi Heidi, Alan and George, Thanks for watching and commenting, I didn't realise there was a "proper" layout for a caravan, I think people pick from a choice given to us by the manufactures at various price points and I not sure the British manufactures offer many models with a horse shoe seating? but I could be wrong, I suppose it is horses for courses (keeping the horse theme!). it would be boring if we all liked the same things.
Cheers
Graham and Claire
I suppose it's what seating arrangements suits individual people?
Our 2020 build Freedom Jetstream came with cosy wrap around U shaped seating (but as a consequence bags of bolster cushions...)
To simplify bedmaking and provide us with somewhere for mugs & books, we reverted to the two parallel singles (and stuck all the extra cushions in our loft!) ☺️
We have a 2022 unicorn Pamplona we have the same problem with one of our blinds. Only one side blind. Still waiting for answer
the windows coming loose in travel seems like a bit issue. And it got me wondering.
Do you drive with the blinds down so that when the window opens in travel, the air, at 55-60 mph, is blowing against those "paper" blinds? That would put an awful lot of pressure on them, causing them to deform pretty quickly I would imagine.
No we don’t drive with the blinds down! We have also had them replaced under warranty now!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
We were gonna get a new Cartegena to replace our Cordoba until we saw the atrocious build quality compared to ours.
Thanks for the review, we just part exchanged our motorhome for a Unicorn 5 Cabrera and looking forward to picking it up in the next few weeks.
Can I ask, you mentioned in your review about the nose weight was very heavy, Not sure what car you are using, but my car has only a 100Kgs weight allowance on the tow bar, and not sure the allowable nose weight of the caravan, would it be worth taking some additional items when we pick up the caravan to reduce nose weight slightly?
Thanks
Hi Olerdude, firstly thanks for watching our video and I hope you managed o subscribe? Appreciate it if you did!
It’s good to hear someone coming across from motor homing to caravanning, you will have to let me know which one you prefer its a conversation I have with myself all them time :-), different holidays different answers!
We absolutely love our Cabrera, yes a few niggles to start with, but I’m learning that’s the same with every caravan. Bailey replaced the blinds under warranty and recommended not leaving them up for too long, which I still disagree with but, hey! We will give it a go! Back to your question, what makes the diving experience good or bad in my opinion is tyre pressures and noise weight, but this comes with practice and experience with that caravan.
I would check tyre pressures and pump them up to maximum recommended amount for full load and take a weight and move it up or down the caravan a foot either way can make a difference…. Don’t panic, it’s all trial and error.
You can buy nose weight scales and full scales, but you will find what goes where for the best journey and then probably stick with that!
Remember the slower you travel the easier it is to tow (it’s as if someone professional has already thought of this). It when you get more confident with speed the balance becomes even more important!
Thanks Graham.
Thanks Graham for the reply.
To answer your question and is only related to our experience, bear in mind that the Adamo can't tow...
If you are going away for a 3 - 5 days, then consider a motorhome, we had a Bailey Adamo 69-4. It was brilliant, the fridge was a large 147 litre. So this would last us a good 4 days, however, you are restricted when travelling as more and more car parks have height restrictions.
We last went away for a week to back of beyond, after 4 days we headed out to Tesco, where we were confronted with a multi-story car park and our van wouldn't fit, so after finding a more suitable place to shop, we then looked into a quick trip to Bournemouth, and again all car parks are height related, so we ended up going back and chilling.
Anyway...
Appreciate the feedback, it's been about 20 years since last towed so just refreshing how to's.
Of course will subscribe 👍
James
To add, as for the build quality, I don't think it's just Bailey, our motorhome we had for almost 2 years and we still had outstanding warranty work to be completed.
I think as all caravans and motorhomes are hand built, let's put it this way. We're only human! :-)
It reminds me of the British Leyland days, if it doesn't fit make it fit...😊
But saying that, a niggle you can live with is not really an issue and won't spoil your holiday..
But after time, a niggle can turn into enough is enough...
Feel your pain.
Both of you enjoy your cabrera! If I see you on site one day, I'll give you a shout.
Hi Guys, Did Bailey ever sort the front blind issues.. I am really concerned that this issue seems to be a really common issue and we have just sold our 2012 Unicorn and almost about to order a 23 new cabrera.. Thanks so much. J.
Hi, yes we have just had the blinds replaced a couple of weeks ago under warranty, but have been told they are only overnight blinds and not to leave them pulled down for a period of time or they could go out of shape again!
How fantastic ordering a new caravan, we really love our caravan!
Cheers Graham & Claire
Thanks so much for fast reply, its such a big decision, and some of the negative stuff has really concerned us. Our original unicorn was a mk 2 and looked like new when it went but had developed some issues due to age. so we felt it should go for a new one. Shame about the blind and not having a fly screen but Im sure you just adjust how you use it and its just the new normal.. Good luck and enjoy yours. Take care. J@@caravanbatters
I don’t understand why the U5 doesn’t have fly screens on the front 3 windows, it would be the main reason for me not to buy it. I’m not a Bailey brasher , I’m on my 3rd brand new Bailey a U4 Cadiz.
Hi Scotiajinker8392, no idea either, but not been an issue so far as side window and door has given enough ventilation.... still love it though!
Graham & Claire
There’s no fix. For those windows. They look nice but the blinds should have been integrated between the glass ( plastic) they’re just poorly designed. And at £,1469 for a replacement window should they crack , an expensive outlay.
Hi TotalTouring, Thanks for watching and commenting, yes those windows could be expensive if they crack....must check if my insurance covers that!! but when inside they are fantastic and definitely make the caravan, just need to get the blinds fixed which i am sure will happen eventually.
Cheers
Graham & Claire
Two grand fitted for the Unicorn 4 ... Having one fitted this week and took 9 months to get. I reckon you can add another grand or two on for the Uni 5
Almost seems typical of the British caravan industry in that parts fit where they touch and quality control is left to the retailer. As you say, for this kind of money you have the right to expect much better. The 140kg tow hitch downforce would be a serious problem for most tow cars, let alone the hitch itself as most alko ones are only good for up to 100kg max. Good luck.
Hi @michaelhayes9975, thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing
Yes not great but also made during Covid, nose weight is not an issue as we have learnt to counter balance the weight in the caravan and it tows really well!
Graham and Claire
Can I ask what you put in that cupboard beside the fridge.shelves are very tall and awkward
Hi Tanya, if you mean the curved cupboard, we havent really worked out whats best for that one, its a bits n bobs cupboard.
G&C
Hi enjoyed the vlog on your van and the faults you have encountered. We are due to have a Unicorn Cartagena in a few weeks but are very concerned about the blinds issue. Has the dealer come up with a solution for you? We are sited so a pain when it comes to issues like this. Not ehat you expect for what you pay. We are seriously having 2nd thoughts and again after watching your vlog. Any advice would be appreciated on this . Thank you
Hi @debbietossell3313 thanks for watching, we tried to be fair and all of the issues are now fixed apart from the blinds, someone commented that it is because we leave them pulled down, but we feel that if we didnt the caravan would get hot when not used and furniture could get sun bleached! The caravan sales company we bought the van from says Baileys are struggling to get materials from their suppliers, they havent had a response from Bailey and this week I got the warrenty No. to start chasing Bailey myself, my main worry is that if they fix it, it will just happen again, I think it probably needs to be redesigned!
However all that aside, we absolutely love our Bailey Caravan and have just booked 2 weeks away in Brittany and the Vendee in May.....Can't wait 😀
We are sure you will love yours too... keep in mind ours was made through the madness that was lockdown!!
Graham & Claire x
@@caravanbatters Be careful with the time it takes to fully rectify the blinds and window. You only have two year warranty on the blinds and three on the window. This time will soon pass, especially if you've been waiting months just for a reply to a repair solution.
If you want to keep the flies out of your caravan, half fill a plastic bag with water, throw in a few shiny copper pennies and hang it from the panoramic window and viola, no more flies !!
Never heard this before, will try next time away!
Bailey caravans your troubles are just beginning
Enjoyed your review guys. However the van should have been rejected due to poor build quality. The product was certainly not of merchantable quality. The alarm bells sounded for me when it took a year for it to be delivered. I do know the industry has had shocking supply issues and bailey have probably used another supplier, for the front blinds, in order to finish the vans off. ( By the way, the front elevation is the most unattractive I have ever seen, especially with the blinds closed). No curtains and no fly screens, sorry I can't get over that. I can honestly say, having worked in the industry for 14 years, that the best made caravans were built between 2008-2011. One last thing, when our local independent service/repair centre was open, 1 in 3 vans that came in for repair was a bailey.
Thanks for your comment, the issues are all sorted apart from the blinds which I’m sure will get fixed eventually and we really love the van!
Thanks Graham & Claire
You say you are pleased ! For a brand new caravan you should not have this many defects. Bailey should be ashamed
Hi David, I totally agree, for the price of these caravans, as I said in the video "I don't think it is too much to ask", but I suppose this is where we are and built during covid times! and reading the other comment, I dont think I am the only one.
I will judge Bailey on how it is fixed!
Thanks for commenting
Graham & Claire
@@caravanbatters I also have a Bailey Unicorn bought new in 2015. Its had faults and defects as long as your arm. Has put me off buying another Bailey I'm afraid.
What a sheltered world you live in thinking it was only you that got a lemon caravan. RV manufacturers (USA) / Caravans (UK) are now shipping out the worst product they ever have in built in the history of their production . Quality control is now universally none exist, parts and materials are delayed worldwide, skilled technicians we all laid of during COVID and many never got rehired and the companies are upping the prices over 30% in the last couple of years. Welcome to the worldwide club of holiday travellers that got ripped off buying new in the 2000’s
The MASSIVE window is fine untill a stone goes through it
Tes that could be an issue, but I suppose the same issue with all caravans! we would have to claim on the insurance... hopefully we will never find out 😀
Graham & Claire
For the money you pay for a brand new caravan ,everything should be good for at least 10 yrs ! That outside trim coming off, the crappy paper blinds , the awning which captures water. Sounds like to me this company has been cutting corners. What concerns me is what's next that will break. I would just buy a good clean second hand caravan and the money that I have saved,get all the jobs done that I want. You seem like a bloke who ain't gonna take crap from a dealer, so I know you will get them to fix up their mistakes
Hi, thanks for commenting and you are correct, the dealer is fixing the last of the issues later this month, it’s being done under warranty and the blinds are being replaced with a new improved version! I will do an updated video once complete!
Thanks for watching and hopefully subscribing!
Graham & Claire
Hi again Graham and Claire. Just wondering if you have had the new blinds installed yet? I commented a few months ago that we had the same problem on our S5 Pamplona. After waiting months for the new ones they were duly installed by the dealer but guess what... the centre blind is still not right and crumples when we try to open it. Just wondered if you'd had better luck!!
@@patsherwood9460 actually we dropped our caravan off today with the dealers to have them replaced, we pick it up next week and will do a video 🤞
Thanks for getting back to me, will be interested to see the video and fingers crossed your new ones work ok this time. If you could let me know when you will be posting it that would be great. 🤞🤞
I regret the day I traded in my swift for this bailey load of rubbish,still waiting on the ATC being fitted ,build quality is rubbish,rung bailey they don't care , and the dealer doesn't care either