Warning! The risks of buying a used awning

[Fouldsy]

Okay..... so when I thought I had bagged the deal of all deals I gloated on the Forum and said how good it was to buy a used Isabella awning.

It was a cracking deal...Isabella Ambassador Crown 975, blue, IXL frame, bug nets the lot. Got the price down ....travelled to Kent from Leicestershire met at the services, deal done and back home...only 350 miles but a good deal.

In the car park of the services had a peep in the bags and all looked in good nick....now because we were waiting for the delivery of the new Swift 540 no chance to try the awning before the first trip out.

So 2 months later the side and front panels had been out in the garden v excited about the 1st trip.....and we arrived at Lose Hill CC...new van great! all set up and now for the awning.

We had to do a little file job as the awning rail was a bit sharp round the edges...so the great threading.....slides round the rail ...the long suffering says thats it...but I still need more canvas...so I keep pulling...stop! stop! she cries...the awning is now threaded and is hanging from the rail like a 6 foot guy in 5 foot trousers...half mast or what.

Well the 975 awning turned out to be a 875....bummer

How lucky were we...... still had the number of the lady who sold it to us and after a couple of frantic calls she rang us back.

The lovely lady was mortified so I said I would try to sell the awning and she would make up the difference (an 875 just doesnt make the same money as a 975)

Tried and tried but the market is just flooded with small awnings so if you want an 875 or smaller you will get a fantastic deal just push for it.

Not a sniff so the vendor agreed to take it back...well done her.

Now if you want to get a used Isabella 975 they are like rocking horse muck and tomorrow I pick up a new one, more than we wanted to spend but needs must.

So the moral is get it all out, even in a car park and check the size.....you can get a good deal but make sure what you buy is right before you drive away....you might not be as lucky as we were.

F and tlswof

 

[joeby]

THe moral of the story is allways take a long tape mesasure,lay it out on the grass ,or ask them to erect it it around there house,so you can make sure all the poles fit or are not warped

 

[GillW]

Fouldsy

Know what you mean about buying second hand awnings

A few years ago we bought a second hand caravan and decided to go away within a few days On the day we saw and bought the van from a private seller it was raining cats and dogs,he offered to show us the awning but it was obviously going to get so very very wet we decided against,bad idea

The seller said he had used it two weeks previously and it was fine Off we ent meaning the two teenagers to sleep in the awning that weekend

Got to the site put the awning up,well tried The skirt was only attached to the awning on part of the front and 6 inches of one side The outlets where the poles slot through were torn to make a hole big enough to put a football through It was a disaster

Tried to find a new awning while we were away but of course not our size in stock,luckily for us the weather was fine and dry for the week Didnt even bother bringing it home with us,just wasnt worth it

Rang the seller after we got home to be told we had caused the damage as it was immaculate when he sold it to us!!

Wont get second hand again

Gill

 

[Andrew_5124618]

We Brought a secondhand caravan in the winter with a 12 month old dormer awning was told it had only been used a couple of times but was not told the last time it was used it was but away soaking wet so the first time we but it up (nearly four months later) you can emagine the state of it lookely it is made of modern materials so has cleaned up quit well but still has a few stains on it

It just goes to show always check every little thing

Andy

 

[Steve L]

I'm afraid you've learned the hard way. NEVER trust what anyone says, even a professional will fib if it closes the deal.

As Joby has already said take a tape measure. Even better take a length of no-stretch cord (6mm Dia)that you have tried round the van and taken to the ground where you want the awning to finish. You can do this on the fore court demo model if you are waiting for your new van to be delivered.

This will give a representative size

 

[PC_5119929]

Most Awning will shring on the beading that runs into the Awning Channel so you should always measure the Awning.

The Awning may not have been used many times, but if the fabric on the outside has faded a lot compared to the inside colour walk away as UV light will have weakened the fabric and it is likely to split or tear!

Awningsmade from traditional looking woven cotton canvas are prone to UV damage and can pull apart allthough they look quite healthy. Good traditional looking but woven Acrylic fabrics last longer and are stronger, if they have a coating on the inside brush you hand firmly on it to make sure it is not flaking off and look for cracks on corners and outside edges on exsterior shiny coatings.

An Awning that smells of Fabsil will leak after a couple of uses as well quite often, if you can smell chemical/ Fabsil you can bet it has been leaking. Just walk away !

 

[GrahamF.]

I have to say that I bought a second hand Isabella Magnum + groundsheet on Ebay last year at a very good price. Travelled down to Somerset to pick it up. It was as new, used only 2/3 times IXK poles all numbered, curtains unused.

Went off to France, my first time at putting up an awning, but after an hour......hey presto perfect!. So if you're lucky like me there are some good bargains out there.

Regards

GrahamF

 

[Fouldsy]

Our first ever awning was a used Isabella which was a bargin and almost new.....you just need to be careful and yes there are some very good deals around!

 

[Debbi_5109580]

You have been unlucky. I bought a second hand 2005 Cardinal awning which was sold as being used only twice. It turned out to be perfect. Unfortunately used it once and then had the chance to move onto a bigger caravan. Sold it easily (size 4). The new caravan had an awning thrown in and although worried what it would be like turned out to be an old, but immaculate Isabella Statesman with fibre glass poles and tinted windows.

Sold a Monza 1983 caravan with an awning which had a rip in the zip and a couple of tears in the plastic skirting but was totally honest with the caravan buyers about it. They have never complained, mind they got the caravan and all the attachments they needed plus old awning for