By Chris Littley
In this edition of CaravanTimes’ Classic Gold series we’re not just going back to 2013 for a vintage review, but the motorhome itself was built even earlier. The Lunar Solar 524 was produced in 2003 and despite being second hand, stood the test of time when our reviewer put it through its paces.
Tim, the reviewer, his wife and two children took it off on many adventures and found the layout ideal for a family of that size. Having the washroom at the end and the dinette on the side provided lots of surface area for practical tasks like making dinner.
Among the other features the reviewer was impressed by were an external 230v socket, dual flow kitchen area omnivent, large shower and a decent sized bed at the front. Unusually in a caravan at this price point the bed was almost king sized rather than just a standard double.
Despite giving the caravan an overall rating of five, Tim had a few niggles to report in his original assessment of the Lunar Solar 524. Firstly, he was not impressed that Lunar had not come in line with Swift and Bailey when it came to having split cushions on the side dinette. This resulted in a storage issue with the full size mattress when touring.
Conversely, he wasn’t pleased with the curtain that goes around the dinette bunk as this was split into three sections, making it awkward to manipulate. And finally, the ladder up to the bunk being at an angle, instead of straight, ended up being a trip hazard during the night.
Tim summarised: “Make no mistake, this is an excellent van and, considering it is now ten years old, is still high spec having some features that entry level vans still do not have today.”
Did you have a Lunar Solar 524 back in 2003 when they first hit the market or at any time after? Did you agree with our reviewer? Do let us know.
