You may have heard people talking about “dealer special caravans” or, whilst on-site you may have seen a caravan you don’t know. For example a Swift 650 “Celeste”, Well, these are “dealer special caravans”
What Are Dealer Special Caravans?
Well, I’ve often seen a caravan that I don’t recognise the caravan name even though I recognise the shape. To be fair, I’ve looked and thought “What’s that then?” and gone straight back to check on the CADAC!
Until recently I was unaware of the secret world of dealer special caravans. We are looking to change our caravan and we were looking for a specific model. I looked at a caravan on Salop Leisure. It was a Swift 650 Celeste. I knew there was a Challenger, a Conqueror and even an Elegance, but a Celeste? What is this Swift? I had a glance at the photos and saw this, the interior.
It’s a Swift Challenger surely? I looked around, I think it has different curtains, I preferred them, different cushions too. Wait a minute! My eyes were drawn to the top right, a cheap-looking strip of plastic with the word “Celeste / Archway” on it. Apologies if you have one, I’m just making a point, not saying your caravan is horrible.
I clicked off the photo and looked at the Swift Challenger 650 instead. But, of course, as with all these things, the seed was planted.
I started looking at other caravan dealers selling Swifts. I came across the Swift Spectrum, the Swift Elite, the Archway. What in God’s name is going on? Everyone was at it. they seemed to be rebranding Swifts, changing a few bits and adding their special name to it. It was here I uncovered the secret world of Dealer Specials.
Dealer Special Caravans Are They Worth It?
Of course, now I was sceptical. They’re trying to trick me. I once went to PC World. I’d seen a TV on the internet I wanted, let’s call it a Sony-B123ABC-uk it was £500. PC World had a “we won’t be beaten on price” thing going on. The TV I wanted was at PC World but £100 more expensive. Great I thought, I’ve got them, they’ll have to do it cheaper.
“Hi, I’ve seen this TV online £100 cheaper I’d like to purchase it for £500, not £600.”
“Which TV Sir?”
“Oh that one there, the Sony-B123ABC-uk”
“Oh no Sir, that’s the Sony-B123ABC-gb. A different TV altogether I’m afraid”
It was exactly the same TV, they just named it slightly differently so that they didn’t have to price match. I’ve noticed this a lot since, so assumed the caravan dealers were up to no good somewhere along the line.
In fact, the more I looked the more I noticed that these dealer special caravans were actually offering a really competitive package, certainly when compared to an entry level caravan. We were looking at the Swift Challenger, which, for example, doesn’t come with ATC. The dealer specials did. They also had different soft furnishings and things like external plug socket and BBQ point and something called a media pod. Basically, a little cupboard on the outside which contained a TV bracket etc to allow you to watch TV in the awning.
On one dealer special caravans they boast the following “additions” :
Additional features above Swift Challenger are listed below:
ATC trailer control
Alde central heating
Alarm system for added security
100w solar panel
Omnivenet 3 speed fan & skylight
BBQ point for alfresco cooking
External mains socket
Illuminated kitchen splashback
Key fob awning with LED
Heavy duty corner steadies
Alko wheel lock
Dimmable spotlights
Auto gas changeover
USB charging point
Embroidered footwell mat
Logo on lounge mirror
Larger scatter cushions
Side lift jack & brackets
2 x window pads (model specific)
Uplift to sunroof (acrylicfascia with logo)
Washroom hanging rail, model specific
Illuminated washroom mirror in end washroom models
Upholstered shark fin pads front lounge
Truma aquad source mains water
New LED striplights behind pelmet
New headboard backlights
External entertainment pod
New enroute gas regulator
ALKO manouvering handle
& Many more!!
Quite a list, one quoted as much as £4,000 of extras and pretty much the same price as the entry-level Challenger, which as I said earlier doesn’t come with ATC. I personally think the “Alde heating” one is a bit of a cheat as they do come with Alde heating anyway!
Now not everything on that list will be on your “must-have”. I mean for me, I could do without the external entertainment pod, which is actually a little external lock that houses a TV bracket and aerial point to allow you to watch the TV in the awning.
I’m not sure where the dealer’s get the figure of £4,000 of extras, you have to take them at face value. Do you buffalo! Never take anything a dealer says at face value. My opinion, of course, there goes my chance of being a dealer ambassador. Never trust anyone that spells manoeuvring – “manouvering” 🙂 If you can’t spell it, use “moving” instead. BTW I can’t spell it, but I use a spell checker (honest)
Conclusions
Conclusions and is it worth buying dealer special caravans. Well, yes, I think they are worth the money and I would buy one if they had the layout I was looking for and it was adding value, you could certainly get value for money.
Dealer Special Caravans Vlog
If you want to know more, I explain more in the vlog.
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