Lunar Caravans in Administration

[anth]

I don't know if this affects anyone on here. As of the 16th July Lunar Caravans have been placed in administration. Anyone with outstanding purchases or warranty work are being advised to contact the dealer they bought from. Some seem to be honouring warranties, others not. It's a loss of around 150 jobs if a buyer is not found.

Lunar Caravans | Administration Notice

I am surprised companies like this aren't thriving, I think the great British holiday is becoming more popular again, but I have heard Lunar had some quality issues, so paying dealers to fix those would be eating into the profit margin.

My lunar is a 2010 model so well outside of warranty but this is going to make finding any replacement parts difficult, I am already struggling to find a replacement blind that my cocker spaniel puppy decided was stopping him watching outside, the black duck tape repair doesn't really go with anything.

(before anyone says, this has absolutely nothing to do with brexit)

 

[Keawyeds]

I don't know if this affects anyone on here. As of the 16th July Lunar Caravans have been placed in administration. Anyone with outstanding purchases or warranty work are being advised to contact the dealer they bought from. Some seem to be honouring warranties, others not. It's a loss of around 150 jobs if a buyer is not found.

Lunar Caravans | Administration Notice

I am surprised companies like this aren't thriving, I think the great British holiday is becoming more popular again, but I have heard Lunar had some quality issues, so paying dealers to fix those would be eating into the profit margin.

My lunar is a 2010 model so well outside of warranty but this is going to make finding any replacement parts difficult, I am already struggling to find a replacement blind that my cocker spaniel puppy decided was stopping him watching outside, the black duck tape repair doesn't really go with anything.

(before anyone says, this has absolutely nothing to do with brexit)

• Austerirty
• People not having the coin for new caravans
• Uncertainty about Brexit.

Until everything is resolved, EVERYTHING can and will be linked to Brexit.

 

[muggboots]

Must be some f***ing tow hitch.

 

[Hull_Mackem]

I worry about the future of touring caravans, as less and less cars are suitable to tow them.

It's doing ok for now but will an electric car ever be able to tow a caravan?

 

[anth]

I worry about the future of touring caravans, as less and less cars are suitable to tow them.

It's doing ok for now but will an electric car ever be able to tow a caravan?

I believe even some hybrids have very low towing limits. The torque from electric cars would be ideal for towing but the range for current designs would be tiny, which pretty much defeats the point of going away. Also when you do get away the current hook up connections on sites couldn't handle a load of electric cars being charged off them along with normal caravan use. So I agree with you.

If I didn't have a caravan I would have swapped my XC60 for an electric car in the last couple of years, but I don't really have much choice unless I want to give up my main hobby (dog agility).

 

[Space Hopper]

I was telling my next door neighbour about my recent caravan holiday to Poole.
He said: In Dorset?
I said: Yes, I'd thoroughly recommend it.

 

[Harry Angstrom]

• Austerirty
• People not having the coin for new caravans
• Uncertainty about Brexit.

Until everything is resolved, EVERYTHING can and will be linked to Brexit.

Surely the demand for caravans would go up. Holidays at home and all that.

 

[Thackeray]

Bugger, mine is less than a year old.

Be alright, one way or another (for me, not necessarily the employees).

 

[evh78]

I was telling my next door neighbour about my recent caravan holiday to Poole.
He said: In Dorset?
I said: Yes, I'd thoroughly recommend it.

 

[Bob Fleming]

Aye saw talk of this for the last few weeks. They were strongly denying it.
Lots of caravan companies have seen big increases in sales over the last couple of years but profit not matching it. Number of reasons but Brexit is definitely one as parts are sourced from abroad and the weakened pound causes issues. Another is build quality. There does seem to be a lot of issues and it always costs way more to fix something afterwards than getting it right 1st time. I think lots of the companies have got sloppy trying to meet the demand for sales.

I had a couple of issues when I bought my Sprite in 2017. Daft little things that cost them to fix them but should never have been allowed out the door without being checked properly. Nothing since though so not too bad.

I'm getting rid of mine soon and getting a VW Transporter instead which I will convert.

 

[jayjaysafc]

I believe even some hybrids have very low towing limits. The torque from electric cars would be ideal for towing but the range for current designs would be tiny, which pretty much defeats the point of going away. Also when you do get away the current hook up connections on sites couldn't handle a load of electric cars being charged off them along with normal caravan use. So I agree with you.

If I didn't have a caravan I would have swapped my XC60 for an electric car in the last couple of years, but I don't really have much choice unless I want to give up my main hobby (dog agility).

Sites will have to adapt and up their supplies to cater or they will die. Mind you they seem to be more interested in the static market these days anyway

 

[Thackeray]

Aye saw talk of this for the last few weeks. They were strongly denying it.
Lots of caravan companies have seen big increases in sales over the last couple of years but profit not matching it. Number of reasons but Brexit is definitely one as parts are sourced from abroad and the weakened pound causes issues. Another is build quality. There does seem to be a lot of issues and it always costs way more to fix something afterwards than getting it right 1st time. I think lots of the companies have got sloppy trying to meet the demand for sales.

I had a couple of issues when I bought my Sprite in 2017. Daft little things that cost them to fix them but should never have been allowed out the door without being checked properly. Nothing since though so not too bad.

I'm getting rid of mine soon and getting a VW Transporter instead which I will convert.

It's not that long since Lunar got ISO9001, which (theoretically) put them ahead of other caravan manufacturers for quality. Obviously didn't work.

 

[anth]

Sites will have to adapt and up their supplies to cater or they will die. Mind you they seem to be more interested in the static market these days anyway

True. statics are a money pit costing thousands to keep. A touring pitch is at most £150 for a long weekend usually considerably less.

 

[Keawyeds]

Surely the demand for caravans would go up. Holidays at home and all that.

Spending too much on fuel to drag the thing Harry. Expect to see a rise in tent sales or people making their own shelters!

 

[Deleted User 2893]

Aye saw talk of this for the last few weeks. They were strongly denying it.
Lots of caravan companies have seen big increases in sales over the last couple of years but profit not matching it. Number of reasons but Brexit is definitely one as parts are sourced from abroad and the weakened pound causes issues. Another is build quality. There does seem to be a lot of issues and it always costs way more to fix something afterwards than getting it right 1st time. I think lots of the companies have got sloppy trying to meet the demand for sales.

I had a couple of issues when I bought my Sprite in 2017. Daft little things that cost them to fix them but should never have been allowed out the door without being checked properly. Nothing since though so not too bad.

I'm getting rid of mine soon and getting a VW Transporter instead which I will convert.

So even if the parts were sourced in Britain there would still be the build quality issues. Sounds like that is the issue, taken on too many orders that they couldn’t fulfil while maintaining standards. Company has no one to blame other than themselves it seems.

Fewer caravans on the roads can only be a good thing too.

 

[Thackeray]

So even if the parts were sourced in Britain there would still be the build quality issues. Sounds like that is the issue, taken on too many orders that they couldn’t fulfil while maintaining standards. Company has no one to blame other than themselves it seems.

Fewer caravans on the roads can only be a good thing too.

You're speculating - all of the UK's caravan manufacturers have "build issues" in that there is a higher fail rate than might be expected for, for example, cars. This is because they are fundamentally cottage manufacturers. The failure of Lunar is not because of "build issues".

 

[Harry Angstrom]

Aye saw talk of this for the last few weeks. They were strongly denying it.
Lots of caravan companies have seen big increases in sales over the last couple of years but profit not matching it. Number of reasons but Brexit is definitely one as parts are sourced from abroad and the weakened pound causes issues. Another is build quality. There does seem to be a lot of issues and it always costs way more to fix something afterwards than getting it right 1st time. I think lots of the companies have got sloppy trying to meet the demand for sales.

I had a couple of issues when I bought my Sprite in 2017. Daft little things that cost them to fix them but should never have been allowed out the door without being checked properly. Nothing since though so not too bad.

I'm getting rid of mine soon and getting a VW Transporter instead which I will convert.

Then the companies were buying the sales.

 

[Bob Fleming]

Then the companies were buying the sales.

Possibly aye. Quite a competitive market really. Price an important factor for people. Was probably likely one of the companies would go.

As mentioned above too the future of touring caravans very much up in the air so may have had trouble refinancing etc too.

 

[Deleted User 2893]

You're speculating - all of the UK's caravan manufacturers have "build issues" in that there is a higher fail rate than might be expected for, for example, cars. This is because they are fundamentally cottage manufacturers. The failure of Lunar is not because of "build issues".

One of your caravan buddies mentioned build issues, I merely said that was much more likely to be an issue than brexit.

Making substandard products is generally a good way to end your business though.

 

[Thackeray]

One of your caravan buddies mentioned build issues, I merely said that was much more likely to be an issue than brexit.

Making substandard products is generally a good way to end your business though.

Righto, you don't really understand what's going on here but are motivated to deflect any suggestion that Brexit may be a contributory factor.

No worries, have a nice day.