1999 Colchester top when put to the test

Pitch an ABI Award Transtar, a Compass Rallye GTE 460-2L, and a Fleetwood Colchester 450-2EB and what have you got.

A big thumbs up for our favourite manufacturer.

Caravan Magazine invited three couples to put these vans to the test – and all three voted the Fleetwood by far the best by a big margin.  In the text of the article it was described as one of the most user-friendly tourers that the magazine and the test panel had seen for some time.

The Fleetwood scored highest for quality and finish, particularly the furniture.  All three couples were enthusiastic about the sliding skylight – another first for the Suffolk company which is winning a deserved reputation for innovation.

The Colchester’s much-improved bed box, with far stronger slats (a constant source of irritation to many members) won it more plaudits and was voted the best in the ease of bed-making department.  Indeed the magazine commented that the bed boxes were among the most robust it had encountered.  (Perhaps our comments to the factory have been heeded, along with the introduction of smooth waste water pipes).

There were niggles, but not as many for this model as the other two on test, and everyone agreed the Colchester felt the most solid of the three.

Indeed, one couple wanted to take the test model home there and then.