# Bailey Motorhomes



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

There's some more information now out about Bailey motorhomes.

The range is called "Approach", and there are some details on the website:

http://www.baileyapproach.co.uk/

3 vans in the range -

2 berth - rear kitchen, beds made from parallel sofas, 5.966m long

4 berth - French bed & parallel sofas, 7.519m long

6 berth - rear U lounge, overcab and dinette, 7.519m long

A good range, I think. They have spare wheels, low entry doors, and nice exterior styling.

Gerald


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## Mickyblueyes (May 26, 2010)

The chassis, payloads, & towing capacities look good as well. However no layout to suit us, & I would give them a year to 'iron out' teething issues personally. That's just my 2p.

I think pricing will be the 'maker or breaker' though regardless of anything else.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Just had a quick look and looks like the same shape as the "Concept" van spotted at Malvern. I was a little puzzled as to why the largest of payloads was on the two berth. You would expect he 6 berth to have the larger capability. Good spare wheel stowage but its behind the rear axle!

peedee


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Mickyblueyes said:


> I think pricing will be the 'maker or breaker' though regardless of anything else.


I think you're right. There's an awful lot of competition in the new motorhome market, especially with those fairly standard layouts. I don't know what benefits the Alu-Tech design brings, but will it really matter to the average punter?

Gerald


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## pomme1 (May 19, 2005)

I too think price will be the determining factor. They seem to be a curious mix of 'entry level' external appearance, including those Polyplastic windows and relatively upmarket interiors. I am not sure, however, that many people will be too impressed by the polished GRP internal wall finishes.

Apart from price, I can't see where the differentiation is going to come from, and they are entering a very crowded, 'mature' market place.

The use of Alko chassis is a welcome move, but again will be reflected in the price. The Alutech construction is an interesting innovation, but I doubt that for many people it will be a compelling enough reason to buy. I suspect that many of their sales will come from their existing caravan customers.

I wish them well but suspect it's going to be tough either for them or for those manufacturers they manage to take sales from.

Roger


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## grumpyman (Sep 24, 2006)

If they produce them to the same standard as my previous Bailey Caravan they will soon start to pinch some of the market from some Manufacturers. :wink:


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Bailey*

I hope the wheels are better - ie stay on - longer than those on the caravans!

Russell


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

In common with many other British convertors they do not offer a garage model :?: :?: :?: 
I think the 6 berth is a bit daft, the TV position seems to be in the dinette area with nothing in the Lounge. 


Trevor


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## PaulW2 (May 30, 2010)

trevorf said:


> I think the 6 berth is a bit daft, the TV position seems to be in the dinette area with nothing in the Lounge. Trevor


Agree. There is quite bit of 'budget' competition in this layout - the Elddis 180, the Escape 686. And, slightly upmarket, the Bessacarr 495/equivalent Swift.

I think they're trying to move slightly upmarket from that again, as shown by the standard air con and cruise control for instance. I guess a £ 50 - £ 55 k van. (??) There is a niche there.

There seems to be nothing in the market at all, with 6 berths and seatbelts and 3 separate sleeping areas including a rear lounge, which is upmarket from say the Bessacarr 495.

But the TV position in this one is wrong and, strange as it may seem, that is to my mind a showstopper.

I spend time just relaxing, watching TV and DVDs, playing on the internet etc., in my (180's) rear lounge. and here I couldn't. So it would be no good for me. It's a shame - they could easily have done that part of it better.


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## b2tus (Sep 7, 2009)

Superb website and an interesting albeit conservative range.

Good luck to them and hope they manage to shake up the slap happy approach to quality and customer service that some manufacturers have. Only time will tell.

It will be interesting to see their pricing next month although we have yet to be convinced that there is any sense in buying a new M/Home, given so many of the problems raised on this and other sites.


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## PaulW2 (May 30, 2010)

Also, the rear lounge of the 760 seem to have no place where one can put a cup of coffee/glass of wine down, whether in lounge or bed configuration?

All the others - Elddis, Bessacarr, Swift - have this as well as space for a TV.


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

To add my 2p worth. They look a bit dated, on the outside they look like the budget type van like the Swift Escape or the Elddis. On the inside they also look very last year IMHO. The fabric looks very much like the stuff used by Swift 3 or 4 seasons ago.

The price will be the huge factor. I really don't think many motorhome owners will give a hoot about there new Alu frame.

I will not be buying for sure!

Stewart


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## duxdeluxe (Sep 2, 2007)

I'm undecided. The graphics have eliminated some of the dated/conservative looks but they don't seem to offer that much apart from the Alutech construction giving better payloads it would seem. If they can sell enough new ones, the apparently leakproof build will certainly hold up secondhand values. Not sure about the interior either

As previous posts - price will determine most things.


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## Mickyblueyes (May 26, 2010)

Just noticed on Beck's Motorhome's web site that they have put prices to these now.

2012 BAILEY APPROACH SE 760 - £44,995

2012 BAILEY APPROACH SE 740 - £42,995

2012 BAILEY APPROACH SE 620 - £41,500

All can be seen on their stock list page which includes a few different pics;

http://www.becksmotorhomes.com/stocklist/index.php


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## Ozzyjohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Prices are shown, but with the following caveat:

"Please note that the price quoted is approximate and has not as yet been confirmed"

Regards,
John


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## Mickyblueyes (May 26, 2010)

Ozzyjohn said:


> Prices are shown, but with the following caveat:
> 
> "Please note that the price quoted is approximate and has not as yet been confirmed"
> 
> ...


Yup agree, but they are unlikely to be 'un-educated guesswork'

:wink:


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Saw a Bailey "Concept" low profile van on the A.421 at Finmere near Buckingham tonight - it must have been one of the test vehicles.

I got the Bailey brochure through in the post last week and was puzzled to see that Bailey have become the most recent members of the "4 berth, but only 2 traveling seats" club.

What is the point? :roll:


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

Stanner said:


> I got the Bailey brochure through in the post last week and was puzzled to see that Bailey have become the most recent members of the "4 berth, but only 2 traveling seats" club.
> 
> What is the point? :roll:


Agree - how can a motorhome be 4 berths if only 2 people can travel in it. Why not say 2 berth. It seems to be mainly Brit manufacturers who quote in this way. Shame that they haven't got a real 4 berth amongst them.


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

Well have just seen that Bailey have obviously listened and are bringing out a true 4 berth on February, the 765 I think, same as the 760 but with a half dinette at the front.
Would like to see one in the fresh as we owned a couple of their caravans which were well built and after sales was superb.



Nethernut said:


> Stanner said:
> 
> 
> > I got the Bailey brochure through in the post last week and was puzzled to see that Bailey have become the most recent members of the "4 berth, but only 2 traveling seats" club.
> ...


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## stevec195 (Jul 1, 2007)

Has anyone heard about the problems Bailey are supposedly having with the width of their motorhomes. A dealer I was talking to at the NEC was saying that they are having trouble getting them approved for use on UK roads, because they are 2.42 metres wide. I would be very interested to see if anyone else had heard this?????


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

How about all the large motorhomes on our roads??? 
According to the DVLA site the normal maximum width is 2.6 metres unless the vehicle has special type approval. The Baileys are 2.42 metres wide so I can't see the problem the dealer was referring to.



stevec195 said:


> Has anyone heard about the problems Bailey are supposedly having with the width of their motorhomes. A dealer I was talking to at the NEC was saying that they are having trouble getting them approved for use on UK roads, because they are 2.42 metres wide. I would be very interested to see if anyone else had heard this?????


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## stevec195 (Jul 1, 2007)

I didnt think an outfit as big a Bailey would make such a fundamental error, still a bit on the wide side for me though


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## 2Dreamers (Jun 11, 2006)

Hi All,

Has nobody noticed that there is absolutely no storage?

We looked at the 2 birth end kitchen/bathroom and there was no outside locker.
The only inside storage for bedding was under the bench seats (about half the lengths as shared with water tank, batteries etc.) which left nothing for electric cable, ramps, outside chairs, water hose etc etc.

A major oversight me thinks


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## jimdoc50 (Oct 17, 2013)

having a nightmare with my bailys 745se ,one year old and damp in the bathroom its back in the factory and has been there for seven weeks they do not talk to me only by email and offer no replacement van neither. they are useless but that is only part of the faults the door is not aligned ,the hatch under the bed has fallen apart and the list goes on,but they have now bought out a new model which seems to have corrected all the problems which will bring the value of my van down it is the worst customer service i have ever experience..


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## tude (Feb 9, 2008)

*baileys*

wait till you are about 20 feet from the side of a new bailey look at the bottom of the van you can see all the chassis its crap and also like somebody else as said no outside locker.the amount of people who i know have there caravans and have damp its unreal
tude


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## Paddy7 (Aug 22, 2012)

Hi jimdoc50, sorry to hear of your faults. We have a 745, and have had it since MArch this year, no signs of any water ingress but concenred that you have had some in the bathroom, can you advise where this has appeared so i can take a closer look.

Thanks.


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## VJP (Dec 8, 2010)

I have had mine for 11 months, covered 9000 mile, so far no damp issues, but I have got the hab check coming up. My main gripes are getting fresh water in due to the Whale system and the slow drain for the grey tank. This has now been cured by removing the baffle in the drain tap - thanks to a member on here. This winter I will either fit a second normal type water filler or simply replace the Whale one. I use aires and it takes more than the allotted 10 mins to fill the fresh.
Other than that, a cracking van.
I have increased the gvw 3850kg and have the option to further increase it to 4005kg if required later.
Extra cost I know, but not £10k for the equivalent Swift.


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

We have owned our 745 since end May last year, covered over 12,000 miles, used all year round and had no problems. The only "ingress" we have had is dust from a freak dust storm at home. 5 hours of gales and dust whipped up from dry sandy fields meant we had over an inch of dust covering everything. Actually the van held up better than the house, almost 2 inches there and snow ploughs needed to clear the roads. 
We are very happy with our 745, it has stood up to temps from minus 14 to 42 degrees, handled some very rough roads in Eastern Germany and NE Scotland.


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## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

VJP said:


> I have had mine for 11 months, covered 9000 mile, so far no damp issues, but I have got the hab check coming up. My main gripes are getting fresh water in due to the Whale system and the slow drain for the grey tank. This has now been cured by removing the baffle in the drain tap - thanks to a member on here. This winter I will either fit a second normal type water filler or simply replace the Whale one. I use aires and it takes more than the allotted 10 mins to fill the fresh.
> Other than that, a cracking van.
> I have increased the gvw 3850kg and have the option to further increase it to 4005kg if required later.
> Extra cost I know, but not £10k for the equivalent Swift.


We've had ours 8 months, likewise had no damp problems.

I agree about the water filling - on occasions on aires we've simply run a hose into the tank through the top cap.

What's crazy is that the fill rate with the supplied submersion pump is significantly quicker than via the Whale filler, so in principle it would be quicker to continuously fill a bucket from a short hose and then the tank via the submersion pump! (If you could be ar**d, that is!)


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## garycornwall (Jun 18, 2013)

*Bailey Approach SE 625*

Hiya, new to this site, reading through some of the post's made me think I had made a mistake in buying my 625, to wide.. no storage.. water ingress etc.. on the no storage subject, we owned an Elddis Sunseeker 140 previously and there wasn't any outside lockers on that either, I think it stops you from filling the van with lots of stuff you don't need which is a temptation when going abroad for a month or two, yes it is tight for extra's but there are plenty of cupboard space for all the other practical things you do need, the width problem, well, not a problem, I have driven buses in the past and it is no different to that really, I suppose there will be spaces we will not be able to get through, but longer MH have the problem of parking in smaller spaces too, so swings and roundabouts really, the water filling is a pain we had the same system on the Elddis, but at least you can fill it through the top cap in the floor area which would be quicker, but I have never had the problem of not having enough time to fill the water tank.. the only problem I have had is the leisure battery losing it's charge, and the fact that Bailey told me that the leisure battery not being able to charge from the engine whilst driving, apparently it will only charge from the 230 socket being hooked up, but I have since found out that it does charge from the engine, so don't know why Bailey told me otherwise, anyway I am changing the battery for a new one so we will see what happens.. As of yet we have (fingers crossed) not had any water ingress.. we plan to go to Portugal and Spain next year so will let you know how we get on..


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