solar panel Basecamp Owners Beware (and potential buyers)

[abarker57]

Bought a Basecamp Plus new last July.  Lost count how many issues we've had since but culminated in the solar panel flying off the roof on a busy motorway and just missing the windscreen of a following van - could have been horrific. The driver and passenger of the van were shaken and the police had to arrange for the panel to be cleared from the busy M65.

Swifts response to this and the numerous other issues has been polite but completely underwhelming, considering the seriousness of the latest incident.

I was without the van for nearly 2 months whilst Glossop Caravan worked with Swift to resolve this and the numerous other issues. Turns out (after 6 weeks with Glossop) that the solar panel windshield was not fitted.

SO PLEASE CHECK THIS ON YOUR VAN.

Swift's compensation was £300 towards our next service so long as taken before end July 2019...it's only just come back from Glossop Caravans so we'll be passing on this extremely generous offer!!??

[Mr Plodd]

I trust they replaced your solar panel FOC? As it’s clearly under warranty AND 100% down to a (very serious) omission at the factory.  I wonder what they would have done if your solar panel HAD gone through the windscreen of the following van? 

 

£300 TOWARDS your next service? Good God man how much does your dealer charge for a service?? 

 

Andy

 

[AJGalaxy2012]

15 minutes ago, abarker57 said:

Bought a Basecamp Plus new last July.  Lost count how many issues we've had since but culminated in the solar panel flying off the roof on a busy motorway and just missing the windscreen of a following van - could have been horrific. The driver and passenger of the van were shaken and the police had to arrange for the panel to be cleared from the busy M65.

Swifts response to this and the numerous other issues has been polite but completely underwhelming, considering the seriousness of the latest incident.

I was without the van for nearly 2 months whilst Glossop Caravan worked with Swift to resolve this and the numerous other issues. Turns out (after 6 weeks with Glossop) that the solar panel windshield was not fitted.

SO PLEASE CHECK THIS ON YOUR VAN.

Swift's compensation was £300 towards our next service so long as taken before end July 2019...it's only just come back from Glossop Caravans so we'll be passing on this extremely generous offer!!??

You should be rejecting the thing if youve had so much trouble.

[CommanderDave]

£300 on a service on a Basecamp ?

 

 

 

 

Dave

[abarker57]

Yes, the solar panel was replaced FOC under the warranty - so that was nice!

 

God knows what would have happened had the panel gone through the vans windscreen.  Maybe it needs that level of gravity to get a proper reaction from Swift.  I'm not sure if they've reached out to other Basecamp owners to check if the windshield's been fitted to all other Basecamps (took one of their techies and a photo of our Basecamp roof for them to notice ours was missing and may be the reason for the panel flying off).

 

First caravan - general build quality is really poor but it's been suggested this is the norm, which is a shame.  

[Alan Stanley]

There is a thread running on Swift Talk about a recall for just this fault. 

[Legal Eagle]

6 minutes ago, Alan Stanley said:

There is a thread running on Swift Talk about a recall for just this fault. 

But a recall has only been issued for motor homes I believe.

Edited June 3 by Legal Eagle