Caravan Show at NEC, who's going?

[Parksy]

The Caravan Camping and Motorhome show opens at the NEC tomorrow. We're going tomorrow just to have a look round.
Is anybody else going this week? Are you about to splash the cash?

 

[NigelHutson]

Possibly going tomorrow, but certainly going on Wednesday. We ordered a new caravan at the October show, but are still awaiting its arrival.

 

[JTQ]

Is anybody else going this week? Are you about to splash the cash?

1) Possibly
2) Definitely not, well not in shed loads anyway, but Wetherspoons will get a few quid off us.

 

[MichaelE]

We were going to buy as we had become a little disillusioned with the finding of damp in our 3 year old Buccaneer on the last 2 services.
Was looking at a Coachman laser but got a price to change a couple of weekends ago , Nearly £11k to change.
Tickets sold and i don't think im that disillusioned anymore? funny that!!
Its good if your are buying as all the vans under one roof plus you play the dealers off against each other, but other than that nothing you cant get cheaper online.

 

[Parksy]

Possibly going tomorrow, but certainly going on Wednesday. We ordered a new caravan at the October show, but are still awaiting its arrival.

A few years ago we bought a new caravan from at dealership at the October NEC show and it was delivered in March.
To be honest, we didn't mind the wait because we saved the storage fees for the winter months.
We don't plan to buy anything this time, it's just a day out really.

 

[NigelHutson]

Possibly going tomorrow, but certainly going on Wednesday. We ordered a new caravan at the October show, but are still awaiting its arrival.

A few years ago we bought a new caravan from at dealership at the October NEC show and it was delivered in March.
To be honest, we didn't mind the wait because we saved the storage fees for the winter months.
We don't plan to buy anything this time, it's just a day out really.

We were initially told December, but when a copy of the order form came through it said February, so......... I must admit that I haven't been disappointed in having to use our "old" caravan in the least, and being able to store it at home doesn't affect storage costs at all.

I usually spend much of the time speaking to friends/colleagues/contacts who I often only see at the shows - and drinking coffee too of course!

 

[DavenGill1]

We bought a van at the October show and are still waiting for delivery, not being delivered until first week in April, but we are going Friday for a look around all the accessories.

 

[emmerson]

We never bother, as we have no plans to change our van, and Herself can't see anything from her Chariot, so its not worth while. Enjoy, all of you do go.

 

[pensioner]

We're hoping to go tomoro,,weather permitting,,I notice the tickets cover any day so we have the option to change if it's foggy.
Don't want to be involved in an incident like the one on the M40 recently,,I was less than half a mile from the big one on the M6 near luton in the seventies,,the noise of vehicles crashing seemed to go on and on.

 

[brian_c]

I'm going Friday. I'm on my own because my better half doesn't fancy going.
But I think it will be an interesting day out. I haven't pre- booked because to be honest ive only made the decision over the weekend. Looking forward to it though one of the joys of this type of exhibition is asking questions regarding new designs procedures etc only now since my sudden hearing loss I won't be able to hear the answers. I shall have my new found answer machine with me though "A note book and Pen" I could of course be seduced by the Kampa Air Awning electric 12v Pump if anyone is doing them at a decent discount.
I hope everyone who is going has a great time, and before buying that new must have item have another ten minute walk to confirm in your mind that you really need it. I think I may bypass the Kampa Stand.

 

[Raywood]

We went to Glasgow to see if our caravan had changed but found very little difference. Not a lot new but did like the upholstery on Ropers Bailey Jive. Silly name but it looked very smart inside.

 

[Sproket]

We will be there bright and early on Friday, the wife is busy making a list hmy: We will be spending some time looking at the new Hymer's can't afford one for a few more years but will be nice to see the layouts and how they might work for us, will also be having a look at what Adria have to offer in there layouts

 

[Parksy]

We went today and I have to say that there didn't seem to me to be as many caravan manufacturers displaying this year as have in the past.
This might be because the new models are introduced in October but I didn't see many continental manufacturers such as Hymer at the NEC although Adria were there.
We didn't buy anything except for two cups of tea for £4.30 hmy: we just had a wander round the new caravans having lottery winner fantasies.
Practical Caravan's John Wickersham was in the exhibition theatre giving tips for new caravanners, but if Practical Caravan had a stand at the NEC, or indeed any of the usual subscription sales canvassers or a sales stand we never saw any of them, which seemed a bit surprising when we thought back to not so long ago when Practical Caravan had an area where the writers of the articles met magazine readers in person and offered potential buyers advice on which caravan to buy.

 

[brian_c]

Well I went to the show on Friday(yesterday).
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience although my feet felt like they were dropping off by the end of my visit.
I didn't have any particular objective in mind it was purely a window shopping day really. I walked past many caravans that I could tell were much too big for our needs and just browsed the ones that were of a size and weight we could tow with the current car. Even so there were plenty to keep me occupied.
I didn't linger very long in the motor home section but having said that I was amazed at the amount of exhibits that were on display there. I never realised just how many suppliers of motor homes are around. Plus some of the prices on display were causing me to have dizzy spells.
One thing I did intend looking at was the electric air pumps that are recommended for the Kampa air Tents and awnings. However I didn't actually come across them anywhere. I found a cheaper version that had a show price of about £50 but the actual air delivery rate was well under what I understand the Kampa One to be. I think a picture of the one I'm interested in was posted by a fellow forum member a while ago. I think I'll stick to the hand pump for a while yet.
I did look briefly at the tents at the show and was impressed how many were there. Quite a few of the companies were taking trouble to deflate their air frame models and re inflate to demonstrate just how they are erected, all the guys looked pretty fit though, my Kampa 260 gets me puffing and blowing by the time I've pumped it up. Although the demo models when collapsed did still contain a fair amount of residual air so the impressive erection times being demonstrated wouldn't have been achievable straight out of the storage bag.
I don't have any measure of how the show compared to previous events having never attended before but for me it was a really good day. In fact I only skimmed the surface I believe you could easily spend much more than just one day leisurely taking in the sights and items on show I also spotted talks being given and cooking demonstrations which are out of my range with not being able to hear what's said but I did linger and watch a guy demonstrating an electric soup maker.
Best wishes to all

 

[seashells]

Well we went we saw and ..........we didnt buy, well apart from 2 aqua roll / waste hog covers @ 2 for £10 cheaper than ebay. Wont rush to the October show just really went for the day out and nothing really caight our eye.

 

[Sproket]

Well we went yesterday & obviously the show was smaller than previous year's with not a lot of caravans about, a bit of a disappointment as I was hoping to see the latest Hymers & the top end Adria to drool over, when we asked why they were not at the show we were informed that the show was sponsored by the manufactures and the say what goes to the show well apart from the wife getting the corelle dinner set and a few other odds & sod's that you can only get at the shows... & I picked up a silicone fold down kettle. I Also noticed that PCv didn't have a stand hmy: unless it was tagged onto another one somewhere ? as normal you get back into the car & remember that you have forgot to go back to pick up that bargain that you didn't fancy carrying round all day Ah well I won't be rushing back next year ....

 

[Gagakev]

Is'nt the October one the largest of the two shows at the NEC, we went in Oct 2013 and it was massive, most manufacturers were there then.

 

[Sproket]

Is'nt the October one the largest of the two shows at the NEC, we went in Oct 2013 and it was massive, most manufacturers were there then.

Hmm !

The Motorhome and Caravan Show, which takes place in October, utilises the whole 83,936sqm of the NEC’s Atrium and welcomes in the region of 100,000 visitors. The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show takes place in February and uses 68,000sqm of the NEC Piazza, welcoming around 84,000 visitors.

Two different organisers

 

[Gagakev]

Is'nt the October one the largest of the two shows at the NEC, we went in Oct 2013 and it was massive, most manufacturers were there then.

Hmm !

The Motorhome and Caravan Show, which takes place in October, utilises the whole 83,936sqm of the NEC’s Atrium and welcomes in the region of 100,000 visitors. The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show takes place in February and uses 68,000sqm of the NEC Piazza, welcoming around 84,000 visitors.

Two different organisers

Still Bigger though :lol: :lol: :kiss: