- Joined
- Jan 21, 2005
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- 27,646
- Location
- Mittel England
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- Smart ForFour AMG Black Series Night Edition Premium Plus 125 Powered by Brabus
Whilst I'd managed to fend off the demands of Mrs D, and resist the purchase of a new caravan for almost four years, today I finally buckled and did a deal on an ACE Supreme Globestar. Mainly because Baby D #2 means we need more space.
We'd fancied a Fleetwood Heritage for some time, but since they stopped trading in January it's been pretty much impossible to get what we wanted new, and we were a little concerned about having an obsolete caravan.
Having travelled around lots of dealers in recent weeks, it seems concensus of their opinions is that a top model from the Swift Group (as they also have wet heating) - or maybe an Elddis Crusader - is the closest alternative to a Fleetwood Heritage.
So we had a look at the Swift Conqueror or Sterling Elite - but we weren't keen on the silver side walls as they're a bit glam for us. The 2009 models now have the older-style bubble windows - it seems that cost cutting started as the economoc downturn deepened.
We then found out that the ACE Supreme and Abbey Spectrum offered the layout we wanted - same spec as the Conqueror and Elite - but without the silver sides. Otherwise it's simple badge engineering.
Better still there were a couple of new 2008 models around which had flush windows and were designed/built to meet the demands of the 2007/8 boom, and so are supposedly slightly better specced!! Result.
Only drawback is that the the ACE brand has now been discontinued by Swift Group - as has Abbey - however as it's Swift, then warranty, servicing, support and parts should all be OK - and there are plenty of dealers around.
So we sniffed one out and have now done a deal - an AWD Powrtouch motor mover is being fitted too before delivery. :bannana:
They have a backlog of caravans to be PDI'd and so we won't get ours for a few weeks - after our Easter break, but I'm sure we'll get an opportunity to break it in soon!!
Library photos:
We'd fancied a Fleetwood Heritage for some time, but since they stopped trading in January it's been pretty much impossible to get what we wanted new, and we were a little concerned about having an obsolete caravan.
Having travelled around lots of dealers in recent weeks, it seems concensus of their opinions is that a top model from the Swift Group (as they also have wet heating) - or maybe an Elddis Crusader - is the closest alternative to a Fleetwood Heritage.
So we had a look at the Swift Conqueror or Sterling Elite - but we weren't keen on the silver side walls as they're a bit glam for us. The 2009 models now have the older-style bubble windows - it seems that cost cutting started as the economoc downturn deepened.
We then found out that the ACE Supreme and Abbey Spectrum offered the layout we wanted - same spec as the Conqueror and Elite - but without the silver sides. Otherwise it's simple badge engineering.
Better still there were a couple of new 2008 models around which had flush windows and were designed/built to meet the demands of the 2007/8 boom, and so are supposedly slightly better specced!! Result.
Only drawback is that the the ACE brand has now been discontinued by Swift Group - as has Abbey - however as it's Swift, then warranty, servicing, support and parts should all be OK - and there are plenty of dealers around.
So we sniffed one out and have now done a deal - an AWD Powrtouch motor mover is being fitted too before delivery. :bannana:
They have a backlog of caravans to be PDI'd and so we won't get ours for a few weeks - after our Easter break, but I'm sure we'll get an opportunity to break it in soon!!
Library photos: