Caravan Window Breakage

We have just had a cracked window replaced on our 2014 Lunar. It took six weeks to get the window and about 2 hours to get it replaced. The difficulty is there are so many different types of window even for the same size aperture. Manufacturers seem not to hold any stock other than that for their current manufacture. Also I think there is no real incentive for the manufacturers to be part of the solution.

I have mentioned before on another post a warning not to store the caravan with reflective blinds (silver backed) down fully in direct sunlight. The reflected heat was the cause of my cracked window.

Gateway are you still undecided about the towing cover?

Ken

Hi ken

Yep jury still out on that one although as we said in our post seems like its like Marmite! you either like them or you don't!

But what amazes me in all the time caravanners have been buying vans no one is putting any pressure on the manufacturers to hold limited stocks of windows within the country? If a car manufacturer produces a new model they are forced to hold spares so why not caravan manufactures?

There must be some sort of body which can and should be applying pressure? why must we have to wait for parts weeks and weeks? We don't hold up payment for the caravan dealer when we buy it!Having only been doing this for a year we are learning fast.

We still think on items like windows are they all so different then? or is Swift using the same type in their vans as Bailey do as Elldis does and so on and so fourth etc? Surely these parts coming from abroad must fit similar vans etc or is that to stupid to think about an idea where all the caravan manufactures get together to have an industry window standard? a bit like safety belts in cars everyone system being the same no matter what car they are fitted in!

Well that's our rant for the morning must say though feel better to know that out there somewhere in some little corner of a caravan design office maybe just maybe someone will have a "Light Bulb" moment and start thinking the same way as we do..lol..lol

After over 40 years of caravanning unfortunately I have seen a deterioration not improvement in avaIlability of caravan body spares. Sitting here this morning on CAMC site l can see 8 caravans from 5 different manufacturers with 6 different types of windows and even where the manufacturers are the same most of the body panels,doors etc. are different. So it has always been and I cannot see it changing mostly because designers want to make their caravan different and appealing.

Having said all that there are many components that are common to most caravans such as heaters, fridges, sinks, water pumps, cookers etc and where spares a more readily available.

true about spares/parts. I wanted a new battery compartment door and lunar quoted about 12 weeks. went online and had one in my hand in 2 days and fitted in 5 mins. 

 I don't think caravan maker's keep many spares at all. Some years ago I collected my new van Sterling Eccles, at the end of February 2006. First trip away one of the front windows got damaged, I believe by rubble coming off a tipper lorry in the next lane to me on a motorway. This was April. Didn't make an insurance claim due to the excess. Took it back to the dealer who informed me that the replacement window was a different shade as Swift could not supply one the same. All sorted by the dealer who got Swift to send replacement windows to match and I only had to pay for the broken one.

have you read the new discussion, COVER DAMAGED MY CARAVAN makes you think are they worth it.

we were hit by a bird on the M1 several years ago, caused a diagonal crack right across the LH Front window. I found the same problem - no one stocks van windows because there are so many shapes, shades and sizes. We found a company in Halifax who make a new window from the pattern of the old one which you have to send to them. it took them two attempts but the new window was on the van within a fortnight. The price? £315.  Mind you, the bird came off much worse!