Elddis has been popular for years. Owned by ABI Caravans until the late 1980s, it is now part of the Erwin Hymer Group, which in turn is owned by US RV firm Thor Industries.
Over the years, the brand has seen quite a few changes – the main one being the advent of the SoLiD construction system.
The Odyssey range, launched in 2002, was designed to slot in between the Avanté and the Crusader. It came with a good spec, providing a hint of luxury at an affordable price. Although successful, by 2012, the Odyssey had reached its final year of production; in 2013 it was replaced by the Affinity, also aimed at mid-market buyers.
For 2009, the Odyssey had a good selection of layouts. But what was its reliability like? Is the range still a good choice, 12 years on?
To find out, we viewed an end-washroom, two-berth 482, which looked as though it could represent great used value.
Model history
The Odyssey range, launched for the 2002 season, quickly became a popular line-up, and the 482 first saw the light of day from that model year.
At that time, it was offered with the option of an L-shaped front lounge, but by 2004, this gave way to what were considered more conventional lounge seating arrangements.
For 2009, the 482 was the only two-berth Odyssey, while the three other layouts in the line-up, all four-berths, were the fixed-bed 544 and 550, and the end-washroom 524.
The 2009 line-up also had a few upgrades, such as sprung upholstery and a CD/radio. The wheels were balanced, including the spare.
The spec also provided an alarm, microwave, barbecue point, exterior mains socket, Truma awning heater outlet, oven, blown-air heating and an electric-flush toilet.
Good storage was available in all Odyssey models, and in common with all Elddis tourers at that time, they came on a BPW chassis, complete with Winterhoff hitch stabiliser.
With this solid lineage, they should make a great used buy.
Price checker
In 2009, the Odyssey 482 cost £14,295 new. We found several with prices ranging from £7295 to £7695, and ours came fitted with a mover. So although the prices may vary by only a little, it’s definitely worth shopping around. As for the rest, you can expect to pay:
- 524 £8495-£8995
- 544 £8999-£9195
- 550 £9295-£9995
Verdict
Generally, used Odysseys seem to be a good buy, but as always, inspect carefully for problems and you should get an excellent first-time tourer. Our 482 had some panel fade, especially on the nearside where it had been exposed to facing weather.
But there were no signs of major knocks or dents and the decals were still firmly in place. The Seitz windows looked in good order, and inside, the 482 was in great condition, with the upholstery totally unmarked.
Alternatives
For this price bracket and layout, look at the 2006 Abbey GTS 215, a well-specified tour with GRP sides and panels. You could pick one up for around £5995. Otherwise, check out a slightly older model than the Elddis, the 2008 Lunar Quasar 462. Not as well specified, but lighter, the Quasar is a great choice for around £6695.
Technical specifications
- Price (model featured here) £7250
- Berths 2
- MiRO 1225kg
- Payload 175kg
- MTPLM 1400kg
- Internal length 4.83m
- Width 2.29m
CHECK FOR
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The 2009 line-up had a few upgrades, such as sprung upholstery and a CD/radio
