If it's too good to be true,  etc etc etc A bit fishy is an understatement.  

We have a 2019 Bailey Alliance 66-2. You don't mention what year the one for sale is? The Alliance has only been going for a couple of years. However I don't recognise the price of £55000 unless there was a massive amount of extras fitted.Normal list price is around £50000.  If it is for sale at £30000 it is grossly underpriced, even at £40000 it would be a bargain. Are you sure it is a genuine offer? Are you able to go and view? I appreciated that it sounds a good price but I would want to establish that it was genuine. Motorhomes that are offered for sale at cheap prices can be scams especially if you are asked to pay for it before seeing it or have to pay a deposit before viewing. I can see the attraction of the price but if it is genuine she has been badly advised. I think you need to ask a few more questions. The sort of thing I have in mind is why is she not asking the supplying dealer to sell it on her behalf. If it is genuine and buy it for the price mentioned I doubt you would lose money if you sold it a few months later and you even might make a profit. You will forgive my concern about it seeming a bit fishy!!!   David

Industry releases guidance and best practice for caravan parks to operate safely  Caravan and motorhome dealerships to reopen amid growing interest during COVID-19 crisis   Motorhome /caravan dealerships to reopen on 1 June 2020 Surge in staycation and UK destination interest    The industry has released guidelines for caravan parks to coincide with the announcement that caravan and motorhome dealerships can reopen on 1 June alongside car showrooms.    The guidelines will ensure strict social distancing and hygiene protocols are in place for when visitors with holiday caravans, motorhomes and touring caravans can return to parks.  The trade body, the NCC (National Caravan Council), now urges the government to enable parks to reopen as soon as possible.    In the meantime, motorhome and caravan dealerships across the country are preparing for reopening on Monday, after a surge in interest online in caravans and motorhomes.   British leisure vehicle manufacturer, Swift Group, recently revealed its web traffic has increased over 40% since the Prime Minister’s statement on 10 May compared to the two weeks prior, with growth driven by a younger audience between 18 to 44 years old, whose visits to the site are up by nearly 50%.    Nick Page, Group Commercial Director from Swift Group explains:   “We are seeing a really promising trend emerging, which after a hard-few months for the industry, is welcome news to UK caravan and motorhome manufacturers. Holiday parks are a brilliant option to enable social distancing, and as caravans and motorhomes are self-contained, will be one of the safest holiday options for those looking to get out around the UK this year.”   An NCC survey from this week confirmed 93% of those surveyed intend to holiday or take a short break in the UK after the lockdown compared to 84% who booked/planned a UK holiday or short break beforehand. This demonstrates a substantial shift towards UK domestic tourism as an option for holidaymakers.    In the first months after lockdown, 70% of UK adults said they perceive a holiday caravan-based UK break as a socially acceptable activity.  Motorhoming did even better, with 77%, indicating it as an appealing option. These holiday types were regarded as much more acceptable than, say, a city break to a major European city. A Longwoods survey found that 82% of people travelling in 2020 made changes to their travel plans due to COVID-19.    In further good news for the industry, the NCC's members’ recent lobbying campaign, to ensure that motorhome and caravan dealerships in England can open at the same time as car showrooms, has been successful. The government has now confirmed caravan and motorhome dealerships, most of which are predominantly outdoors, can reopen in England on 1 June.    The NCC is also working with the government to allow the safe re-opening of caravan holiday parks and touring sites in England as soon as possible. At present those offering holiday accommodation - such as hotels and resorts as well as caravan parks – may be permitted to open from 4 July.   The NCC is calling on the government to lift the closure notices on caravan parks across the UK so they can reopen as soon as possible, as it issues extremely robust safety guidelines.    The guidance outlines advice to enable caravan parks to develop their own COVID-19 safety protocol and give assurances that measures have been put in place to protect staff, customers and, as a consequence those in the nearby local community, so they can reopen. A phased opening of caravan parks has been proposed by the NCC to the government.    Unlike hotels, there are no safety issues with shared facilities or accommodation at caravan parks, as the units are self-contained and 95% are privately owned, thus providing a safe form of holiday accommodation. Caravans and motorhomes are ‘socially distanced by design’ and rules on parks mean that caravans must be 5 or 6 metres apart.  The vast majority of caravans have their own cooking and washing facilities, providing the safest form of holidaying possible at the moment.   NCC Director General, John Lally commented:   “The reopening of dealerships is a huge relief for the industry as we are able to start to respond to the public interest in both renting and buying caravans and motorhomes in the coming months. The UK’s holiday parks benefit from rural and coastal locations, away from densely populated urban areas, and each park is working to put in place social distancing measures which will make it the best option for holidays in the UK this year. We are working with the government to look into reopening holiday parks as early as possible with strict social distancing measures, as outlined in the guidance, to enable the industry to get back to work and hard-working families to enjoy full use of their caravans again.”   The NCC’s Freedom To Go website www.freedomtogo.co.uk, enables holiday makers to rapidly search for campsite and holiday park options from one location, as well as find motorhome and caravan dealerships to source vehicles for their late summer getaways.    In National Camping and Caravanning Week, thousands have been sleeping out in their driveways with the Camping and Caravanning Club as they plan getaways for when lockdown measures are lifted.    Media release 29th May 2020 - for immediate distribution Footnote: The National Caravan Council (the NCC) is the UK trade association representing the touring caravan, motorhome, caravan holiday home and residential park home industries.  It represents more than 550 companies across 850+ different UK outlets, and is the only UK trade association that represents the entire supply chain including holiday/residential parks, dealerships, manufacturers, workshops, and suppliers of specialist services and products.  

Help! Ive been offered a year old Bailer Alliance 66-2 at a knock down price. Cost £55k last year, but offered at £30k. The lady has lost her husband in the last 2/3 weeks and she just wants to ‘get rid of it‘.   We are long term caravanners but of late, have been considering a change to a motorhome....so this may be opportune, whee it not for 2 issues.   Firstly, it’s not the model/ layout we would be considering, so I would anticipate only using it to establish if we were going to be committed motorhomers....and if not, sell it.   Secondly, because I would expect to sell it again (either to get a model of our choice or stay with caravan) I don’t want to ‘gamble’ a lot of capital on a resale risk. BUT I feel awkward not offering this poor woman a good price under the circumstances. I don’t want to be seen to taking advantage of her and the situation but I don’t really want THAT model.    Would appreciate the thoughts/suggestions of motorhome owners.   thanks         

Majority of their caravan market is UK manufactured imports so would not need to be modified but a US caravan would need changing .   They used to need the axles changed on the fivers as they can have electric brakes up to 4500 kg  .