How long did U wait 4 yr Van?

Hi all, long time lurker, 1st time poster.

Has anyone had a bad experience with BILLABONG Caravans or HINTERLAND Caravans? The reason is to date I still haven't received my Grove 176 & it has now been 50Weeks

yes that,s correct nearly a year, just keep getting BS from Joe ( Billabong Vans) & Vaughn, Jacquie & Pas ( Hinterland Vans).

Has anyone had similar experience? I am due to be on 1 MONTH holiday as of 2nd August & still haven't received my Van.

Originally posted by Supertramp Giday Starion VR4 and good to see that you have come in from the cold. One question, did they give you a delivery date? 12 months is a long time to wait for a new van.

No, no delivery date as I was originally informed it would only take 12weeks... It wasn't a problem as

I wanted to have a couple of months of shake down trips to set it up before I left on this up comming

trip. I didn't realize I had to wait 1 Year to get it. I don't believe it is a reasonable delivery time

frame... does anyone else think so?


As such I have made a complainant both to the Agent & the Factory & have asked for  Remittance

for the delay, which both company's have refused to. As such I have lodged a complaint with the

OFFICE OF FARE TRADING & CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TRIBUNAL for them both to look at, also A

Current Affair & Today Tonight.

have they actually started manufacture yet. See If you can get your deposit back and buy an 'off the shelf' one.

In the building industry and I'm speaking of commercial contracts here we have a clause for "Liquidated Damages" (I think that's the term) built in. The essence of the clause is that if the project is not completed by a certain date then the builder will suffer the cost of what ever the damages are $XXXX per day. These in turn can be passed onto sub-contractors if it is their fault that the project is behind schedule.

Of course with big projects these matters come with weather and other complications that then become legal  argument.

The point I'm trying to make here is that RV manufacturers should be able to give a delivery date and that they should suffer some financial penalty if they don't perform. A good manufacter will put his money where his mouth is - don't sign a contract without a delivery date specified on the contract.

Originally posted by Big Daz have they actually started manufacture yet. See If you can get your deposit back and buy an 'off the shelf' one.   We waited 11 months but were told initially (and accepted) delivery would be about 9 months from order . They did get to us by phone and letter before the 9 month period to advise of delay and keep us informed of progress, so no real grizzles     I guess for us another 7/8 weeks is Ok but an extra 38 weeks in your case is madness (or incompetence)

Yes Office Of Fare Trading suggested that as well, If I do that & get my deposit back, I would be about $15-20K out on the purchase of a new unit ( Krazman, Coromal) ... Due to price increases & the special built I asked for, toilet, suspension , batteries, fit out etc. So at present that isn't an option, but I really can't keep continuing as I am at my wit's end.

Originally posted by Supertramp    Originally posted by Supertramp The point I'm trying to make here is that RV manufacturers should be able to give a delivery date and that they should suffer some financial penalty if they don't perform. A good manufacter will put his money where his mouth is - don't sign a contract without a delivery date specified on the contract. Bit late to be telling Derek this now, the contract has been signed and sealed. However as things stand, I don't think you will get an agent to sign a contract with a penalty clause in it. We have a sellers market now. Also the agent would have to have a similar penalty clause in his agreements with the manufacturer. Also the cost of challenging force majeure claims are too large a percentage of what we expect to get in compensation for forcing the penalty clauses. After all you will only find penalty clauses in big building contracts and rarely in cottage contracts.

I'm not saying that a penalty clause be included just giving an example of what happens in some industries and that when buying a new van purchasers should insist that a delivery date be included on the contract.

Thanks all for the replies. Yes I too have had a new Jayco Off-Road Swan & they delivered 1 week in Advance of Contract delivery date ( WELL DONE JAYCO). I would hope that any new buyers  GET A DELIVERY DATE on contract & late penalty clause as well. After reading previous owners delivery times on Billabong Vans it would appear 12months is normal for this manufacture. 

It's does because it is in writing a verbal is just your word against theirs. eg. We never said that.

Originally posted by Starion VR4 Guess what... Van turned up today! Amazing what a forum can do.

Billabong have had some good reports on this forum from some very happy owners and I dare say even a few sales have resulted from the reports. Good news, keep us up to date on if it meets your expectations.

Merv

Hi fellow outdoor lovers!!!  This is my first post so I hope I do it right!!!!  We have recently placed an order for a new Wanderer Billabong van from Hinterland Caravans on the Gold Coast.  We are so excited at the prospect of picking up our van in February 2011, but after reading some of the other posts, I'm worried that it will be very late, if turn up at all!!!  We've done a lot of research into this van and can't wait for our maiden voyage.  We're soooooo pleased that the wait is eventually worth it, we haven't heard a negative thing about the actual van.  So we'll be crossing everything for a speedy delivery as we count down the sleeps!!!! 

Hi all, just a quick update.  Have had the van for 13 days now and no real problems other than a couple of window clips that broke and a few leaks in one of the water tanks.  Dropped in to see Joe at the Billabong Factory at Melbourne and had a chat about a few modifications which he may implement for new vans.  Have covered some 3,000kms to date and all going well!  Will upload some pics of the van on our return home at the end of this month.

 

Don't worry all, if you have ordered a van, you will receive it.....  eventually!!