Offroad caravans- worth it?

jeepy, may I suggest that you go to this Caravan Forum (and there are two other well used Caravan Forums incl Touring Oz, use Google I don't have the url's here) and just ask the users for their opinion on Majestic Caravans.

Then stand back.

Site Link

If you want all the info about how bad Majestic Caravans are ask about them on this Forum, You'll get the real answersCaravanforum Different to the Caravanners Forum Gone Bush has mentioned..

Gone Bush and Japmel,

I have spent hours searching those forums, I have googled Majestic Caravans and I can only find one negative reference to Majestic Caravans and that is in relation to someone who had a problem with the timber framework. Can you be more specific about the issues with these vans and provide reference material about those issues. I have researched full vans for the last 18 months and during my trips have spoken with dozens of people who owned the vans I was considering. The fact of the matter is that NOT one owner of a Majestic Caravan had any complaints!!!

I am not interested in the bias of someone who for some reason has a beef against any particular brand and then embarks on a vendetta against that brand through forums.

I want some hard evidence that a particular brand is indeed not worth buying. In the case of Majestic I haven't seen any evidence for me to seriously stay clear of that brand. Obviously the timber framework issue was a serious one and was probably the fault of a worker. However, after you have raised the issue of these vans and even though I cannot find sufficient issues during my searches I do intend to visit their factory during construction to ensure that the build quality is of a high standard.

Jeepy,

Go to this Forum:

http://groups.msn.com/Caravanforum/general.msnw

About six or so months ago one of the contributors there had an absolutely terrible tale of woe regarding this brand. He posted photos as proof. The discussion was ongoing and really needs your scrutiny.

Now these MSN Forums are not easy to search so just put in a post asking to be put into contact with the person who had all the dramas. Mention the brand.

Believe me we are not scaremongers. You really need to go there before opening your wallet.

Jeepy, try these links. Hope they work.

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Jeepy I would suggest you join the site that Gone Bush has provided the links to above and ask HardChefJonno also known as Brigalow about his experiences with Majestic.

You'll only have to ask one question about Majestic on that site and you will get plenty of responce.

Regards

Thanks for the information and site references, don't know why these detailed particulars didn't show up when I performed the google searches. I have been in touch with Mac and while he didn't follow through with the Majestic purchase he informed me that he did meet a few Majestic owners during his travels and none of them had any complaints.

The problem I have with all this is that I always do considerable research before buying anything of significant value and over the last 18 months I have spoken with a heck of a lot of people who own a Majestic and NOT one person had any complaints. I've thoroughly inspected chassis, suspension, quality of workmanship and even swung on inside cupboards with the weight of 2 people up around 180kg, not a creak. So now I am confronted with what seems to me to be a "one off" alleged major problem with a timber frame, which in all probablility was either bad timber or bad workmanship, and which the manufacturer has most likely rectified through quality control...they would be crazy not to.

I cannot ignore the fact that I have spoken personally to numerous Majestic owners none of whom have had a problem, Mac has spoken to some as well with no problem. I have googled Majestic and whilst I didn't find the details in the sites you guys have sent me I did in fact find some details of the frame issue but nothing else.

What also concerns me is that it seems Majestic is being hung out to dry for what is certainly an alleged major fault without any consideration to the real possibility that the defect has been rectified through quality control. I am aware that some major car manufacturers have had some issues over the years, do you stop buying a toyota landcruiser because of one defect...I would suggest the answer to that is a resounding NO.

Anyway, I have a contract with Majestic and I have read stuff on this forum by bush lawyers that is legally incorrect. I am bound by that contract to follow through with the purchase I have no legal grounds to cancel it. The only avenue to get out of it is through the goodwill of the dealer.

I have copied the stuff from those sites you sent me and will be discussing them with the dealer.

Jeepy,

I really do think you need to ask about Majestic Caravans here

Because the search feature on MSN is terrible.. Trust me there are more than just issues with the timber and there are more than one Caravan.

Regards

P.S.

I don't think discussing it with the dealer (who stands to make a profit) is going to give you any honest answers. Even the Manufacturer is going to duck for cover if you ask them about it.

Jeepy,

I'm sorry if we may have soured your buying experience.

Sometimes it's just best to butt out of these things and let the old adage "buyer beware" take its course.

I really do hope that perhaps Majestic have responded to all of the criticism on the other sites and that you do indeed come away with a good van and get many happy years out of it.

You own investigations may well show that this has actually happened. You are also right in that some contributors to those van forums do overstate things a bit.

Cheers, I really do wish you all the best and once again, apologies if we have made your purchase less than the pleasant experience it should be.

totally agree Mal + Di but the issue then becomes; how much of this can the van/camper take before it starts to suffer? I have a Defender which of course will tackle practically anything, but our camper is in the "soft roader" category (Coromal Pioneer Silhouette) It gives us heaps of comfort, bordering on the luxury compared to some campers but I wouldn't fancy too many trips along the Tanami, for instance, whereas a dedicated off-roader like a Camprite camper or Bushtracker caravan (with it's fancy price tag) would stand the constant corrugations for repeated trips. Then again, I wouldn't fancy pulling a Bushtracker and I prefer my Silhouette's comfort over that of a Camprite. Depends what, and how much of the rough stuff you're likely to do. I'm sure I'll change to something different in a few years' time but for now, very happy and that's what we all aim for. What suits you.

btw, I'd recommend some of those Kedron DVDs. Very entertaining - they put them thru stuff that we'd hesitate to put the Landy thru - but then again, if they write one off they can patch it up, flog it, and just build another. Just testing their limits but most of us can't afford that luxury.

Yeah it's a difficult one because we want the best worlds (of course!). We are definately the type of people who would like to experience places outside of caravan parks, yet we like the comforts of a caravan as we will probably be off for quite a while- an undetermined amount of time. We are just going to take it as it comes and live the gypsy life- find work when we want/need to. I think we would get tired of living in a campervan for an extended period of time. Oh well, the caravan show is coming to perth soon, we will have to check out a few different types I think (not that we would actually buy from a show but just to get an idea).