Aussie-spec Elddis vans arrive Down Under

The British caravan invasion continues, with Elddis recently joining Bailey and Swift in appointing official dealerships Down Under.

Gold Coast-based Elite RV, which cut its teeth on imported Swift caravans, is now the exclusive Australian distributor of UK-based Elddis, which recently introduced the revolutionary Solid Construction production method that uses industrial-grade adhesives instead of screws and bolts.

Elite RV’s Darren Nye said the entire, five-model range of advanced, lightweight Elddis caravans is available Down Under, including the top-spec, luxury Buccaneer brand.

Like the latest Bailey range, all Elddis caravans sold here will be upgraded at the factory to better cope with tough Australian conditions. Modifications include a strengthened and (90mm) raised chassis for improved road clearance, bigger brakes and tyres and a larger 90 litre fresh water tank.

Nye said the upgrades have minimal effect on Tare weights, while the strengthened chassis will allow payload increases of around 150kg on average.

“We realise this is an important aspect because the type of camping we do here is different to Europe where they don’t do free camping, they don’t carry massive amounts of water, they are usually in a caravan park close to shops,” he said.

The vans are built to comply with all Australian standards from the factory, except for final gas certification. They’re also available with Truma Aventa roof-mounted air-con, and carry special ‘Aussie flag’ badges to differentiate them from UK production models.

“We also give out a full certificate of compliance signed off by a registered automotive engineer,” he said.

He says pricing is competitive with other UK brands available Down Under, with the Elddis range kicking off at $32,990 for the entry-level Xplore, and topping out with the premium Buccaneer, from $61,400. (Pictured, above, is the single axle, four berth Affinity 550 priced from $50,990).

“We’re probably on a par with Bailey’s pricing. Swift is a bit cheaper, but they are a cheaper van,” he said.

Australian buyers will be covered by Elddis’ three-year manufacturer's warranty as well as a 10-year bodyshell integrity warranty, with approved repairers to be appointed across Australia.

“We don’t carry parts here ourselves, but we have access to the full inventory of parts in the UK, which will generally be air-freighted over within days of us placing the order,” he said.

Elite RV has also received assurances from Australia’s largest RV insurer, CIL Insurance, that it will cover the imported Elddis caravans.

Like other Brit/Euro brands, the lightweight Elddis vans can be towed by a range of smaller SUVs and sedans. Tare weights range from 794kg to 1730kg, with ball weights from 32kg to 100kg.

As well as the ground-breaking Solid Construction, which is claimed to deliver exceptional levels of strength, lightness and dryness, all Elddis models feature top-level Grade 3 insulation and anti-snaking chassis.

“We believe we’ve got now... the best product that’s entered the Australian market, period,” claims Nye. “It’s a pretty bold statement, but there haven’t been caravans before in the country built with Solid Construction.”

In business since 1962, Elddis is now part of The Explorer Group, recognised as the UK’s second largest RV manufacturer. Among a long list of accolades Elddis recently won the 2012 European Caravan of the Year, a first for a British manufacturer.

The Elddis range can be viewed at Elite RV’s Gold Coast headquarters in Burleigh Waters, and soon at just-appointed NSW dealer, Sydney RV, which has locations in Penrith and Narrabeen.

Elite RV also plans to display the Elddis vans at the Gold Coast Caravan Camping 4WD & Fish Show in early March and the NSW Caravan Supershow in April.

For full details see the Elite RV website, and check out the video below on the latest Affinity range...