The point is , caravan manufacturers have no choice but to count on the quality of the components they fit to the vans they build and sell . A caravan could therefore conceivably have multiple minor failures through no fault of the caravan ’ s manufacturer . Through a string of bad luck alone , a caravan manufacturer ’ s reputation could be impacted . A barbecue could fail . A battery could fail . Then the microwave . Then the inverter .
Does that mean the entire caravan has had a ‘ major failure ’ and that therefore its manufacturer must offer a full refund or replacement of the van ? What would be a reasonable outcome ?
Personally , I think a reasonable person would understand the situation the above scenario would place a caravan manufacturer , though they might feel understandably frustrated while they wait for the failure ( s ) to be rectified – often in a remote area .
However , there ’ s a difference between components that fail , and shoddy workmanship , including poor installation of these components . From the customer ’ s point of view , dodgy workmanship is harder to understand .
Shaun Noble told GoRV that he has a ‘ golden rule ’ he emphasises with every worker : don ’ t cut corners , and if the worker makes a mistake , they must own up to it so that it can be fixed before the van is handed over to the customer . As he said , once the van is out in the field , that small mistake could turn into a problem that might ultimately constitute a major failure .
SUMMING UP
The caravan manufacturer has rights . The customer has rights . The ACCC attempts to balance these rights with tests of ‘ minor ’ and ‘ major ’ problems / failures , through the lens of what a reasonable person would expect .
Caravan construction involves humans , and humans make mistakes . In my experience , these mistakes can often or usually be headed off at the pass via a strong quality assurance program .
Finally , what can you , the customer , do to give yourself peace of mind that you ’ re buying from a reputable builder ? Yes , enquire about the quality assurance controls in place . But also research their online owners ’ groups , ask questions from realworld customers about that manufacturer ’ s after-sales service .
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