PDQ awning

[gaz2]

Hi back in November last year i purchased a PDQ awning from Towsure which i have used only three times on the last occasion when opening the zip i was covered in water, on erecting I noticed the roof panel was covered in mould. At the Boat and caravan Show i bought this to the attention of pyramid-products and given no explanation as why the roof and zip up bag was not waterproofed since then i have contacted Kevin Ball [kevinb@pyramid-products.co.uk]without any joy due to the fact I have misplaced the receipt. Just checking has anybody else suffered with these problems

Many thanks Gary

 

[lauren12]

hi gary

we bought a pdq from Attwools in glocs, took it away erected it there was a tear in the material and a ring missing, so we took it back with the receipt but had a job getting the money back, they accused us of doing the damage ourselves, after about 30 mins arguging we eventually got out money back and went to jacksons of arley and purchased a suncamp which we have had now for two years and there is no mould or rips, this has been the best one so far and would recommend this its so easy and quick, you have customer rights so keep fighting and this is a manufacturers fault, all best.

shazza

 

[gaz2]

Hi shazza thanks for your input on this situation at this moment i have again openend the bag and once more it was full of water to the point that where the awning has been rolled up you can see where water has been traped also forgot to mention when erected if it rained any thing in side the awning got wet any solutions please

gary

 

[Brian_374234561]

Hi Gary

Unfortunately we bought a PDQ awning as well and am not impressed with it. Same as you, the bag collects water which in turn gets the poles wet (if you store on the side of the 'van). Then they rust, I presume from the springs inside which has stained the fabric. Also, when windy, the black tie-straps hit the roof of the van - trivial I know, but nonetheless a bit of a design fault IMO. Fortunately I bought it second-hand so wont lose too much dosh as we look to get something different. Cheers, Brian

 

[gaz2]

Hi Brian

Thanks for leting me know your problem with your PDQ just wish it had done what it said on the box pity i feel as though i have been robbed with this product and will never purchace any thing else from them

Cheers Gary

 

[Ray R]

Hi Gary, We purchased a PDQ awning in Feb last year, and like yourself had no end of problems with it water ingress into the bag being one of them.

I contacted Pyramid products with my problems and was dealt with by the same Kevin Ball, I had no problem with him at all, we returned the PDQ on a exchange basis for the portaporch awning, although we had to wait due to Pyramid not having our chosen colour it was on a shipment from the far east, but by August we received it, sadly this was no better and we cut our losses and purchased a 2nd hand bradcot Porch awning. We felt that the pdq did not live up to its promise and the video Pyramid show was misleading in how easy it was to erect and certainly the stowing away of it.

We learnt by our mistake although at

 

[MikeAce]

I nearly bought one but was lucky enough to see one up as a display model at our Caravan Centre, it appeared to be built of the poorest quality material and badly made.

I opted for a Porchlite XL which is absolutely fab and very durable.

 

[CameronBurns]

we got a PDQ porch awning last year, and when we got it our afrter winter, it was full of water with slight 'rusty colours' on the top of it. it is good for a short break, but looks very untidy when folded away.

in a storm in france, it fell on our brand new caravan, leaving a dent on the side. it has it's strong tie down straps pegged firmly into the ground, so why did it blow over?

but it ended it's life at easter, when in a slight wind it ripped from the side of the caravan, i mean tore fom the bag. that should be the strongest joint surely?

pyramid products said that the warranty doesn't cover storm damage. we told them a list of parts and pyramid have just sent us the full updated version with the spare poles and bits for the ripped awning. the new version is better, but we have one problem:- we cant get it to fold up in the middle!

 

[gaz2]

Hi all

Thanks very much for all your input on this very sad situation. Hopefully this will save any one else buying this substandard product. The after sales service is very poor and I feel very dissapointed in the company and kevin Ball himself. Although I did misplace my reciept the product is still substandard and should be recogonised as such by Kevin Ball. After all this was supposedly one of the new improved models brand new in stock from towsure November 2007. it would be nice for kevin Ball to prove me wrong by contacting me via this forum to resolve the matter.

Once more thanks to you all.

Gary.

 

[wendylois]

I have to say ditto to everything. Our awning is just starting its second season, and the bag is always full of water so we get a shower when we open it. We tried using waterproofing spray without any success, so took it off the van for the winter. We were in France for the whole of last June so had awful weather like everyone. The stitching ripped at both ends in the strong winds, but we managed to repair it by hand, with great difficulty. Have just met some caravanners whose 2 year old PDQ was pristine, but they put it on the van for every use like an ordinary porch awning. This rather defeats the object, but is one answer. A case, really, of getting what you pay for, but will replace it with something more substantial - and expensive - when it gives up.

 

[CameronBurns]

the idea is good, the fact that it all folds away with the sides in aswell, unlike the more expensive fiamma awning, where the sides have to be stored in seperate bags, that defeats the object of storing the awning on the side of the caravan. it seems that we have all had problems with quality, from stitching to holding water. my grandad is carefully mending our old PDQ awning, when it is finished, it will be better than the original!

 

[David_from_Ashby]

Hi All

It is just an observation, but it sounds like the main problem with the PDQ is the bag collecting water, presumably while being stored on the side of the van.

I have the Outdoor Revolution Spacelite, which is similar in some respects to the PDQ in that it stores in a bag on the side of the van. I don't have a problem with water ingress because it only takes about 20 seconds to slot the bag into the awning rail when I get to site. I take it off again for the return trip and store it in the van the rest of the time. Although I could leave it on the van, I choose not to, which I am sure will help to prolong the useful life of a relatively lightweight and flimsy awning. Just because it *can* be left on the van, it doesn't mean it has to live on the van.

I also think there is a possibility that the presence of the bag on the side of the van could make it more susceptible to crosswinds, although I have nothing to substantiate this apart from a gut feeling and some common sense.

Cheers

David

 

[Ray R]

Hi David, I appreciate what your saying , however the PDQ was not that easy to get on the awning rail on my van whilst still in the bag, this being due to some of the poles are stored in the bag along with the awning itself.

Another point is , does this practice not defeat the object of this type of awning, there are plenty of awnings of a similar type on the market that do not remain on the awning rail, why not buy one of those?.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

Just to add our experiences.

Ditto to everything said although we do find it waterproof when erected.

I think the normal tent pegs supplied should really have told us what to expect.

It is only really possible to get the whole apparatus into the bag if you completely collapse the poles and you have to 180 deg turn the fixing clamp on the end of the roof pole if you do not want to damage the awning.

Window securing methods are not flexible enough either being closed or fully open, there is a really untidy way being able to see out of the windows without having the vented part open but not very good.

For the price we paid I would award it 2/10 and that is really only because the concept is good.

 

[green_374359760]

Hi gary

My husband and I have a PDQ which initially I was not impressed with at all.Purchased from Towsure I gave them a ring for advice on the dismantling and storage of it.Towsure gave me Pyramids number and informed me that I had to deal direct with Pyramid I spoke to their Customer Services Manager Kevin Ball who spent half an hour explaining every detail to me I was most impressed with this service.

I presume if i took a item back to Argos without a receipt I would get the same responce.

I was impressed with the service of Pyramid and I will most definately buy more of their products in future.

Happy camping

 

[gaz2]

Hi all

Once more many thanks for all your input on this very sad situation just hope there are more out there with good dealings with pyramid I am once more attempting to correspond with them to sort out this problem but not holding my breath

Gary

 

[Brian_374234561]

Hi Gary

me again, just a thought but why not send Pyramid this forum debate so they can see the feedback from its customers. Most of it is negative, it may just influence them into doing something positive for you which you can then report back to us ! a means for them to be seen in a better light perhaps?

Good luck, Brian

 

[hogrider56]

Chuck it and get a Fiamma Caravanstore...no problems at all with this make.

 

[skiddlybop]

Chuck it and get a Fiamma Caravanstore...no problems at all with this make.

we got the pyramid awning after seeing similar other makes,have to admit the fact it was cheaper swayed us, used once but could hardly get fibre poles through it was to tight put it on e bay and flogged it it proves you get what you pay for in this case crap,shoddy goods

 

[gaz2]

Thanks to all for input had a reply from Kevin Ball but still states nothing can be done without receipt just wish I had purchased a proper porch awning now would have been much easier and less trouble just hope nobody else get's any similar problems.

Gary

 

[Shahid_374365581]

Can anyone kindly tell me how to erect space lite awning. I have never erected an awning before. From the e-mails, I understand that some people even struggled to understand what is up or down.

I will really appreciate a detailed response.