What do you want Practical Caravan to test?

[Steve L]

I think solar charging is a good one as it would help people to understand the product and it's limitaitons better.
Another form of charging batteries more frequently seen on boats, is a wind powered generator. I've not seen one yet that could be used while the van is under tow, but just imagine if that could be used for charging while cruising down the M5.

Just think if that were possible, we could recharge our prius's while towing our solar powered wind charged caravan, then caravanning would be greener I guess.

 

[Soozeeg]

A 'fun' test might be the lightweight flagpoles and windsocks or flags that we see more and more of on tourers. There are also different ways of fixing them from ground stakes to jockey wheel brackets.

You just want to show off your great big one in the mag, Steve

 

[Parksy]

You just want to show off your great big one in the mag, Steve

Far be it from me to boast about such things Sue

 

[PaulRT]

Hi Nigel
My response concurs with others, but also reflects the accessories I have recently bought and/or am now considering. These are a motor mover and a lightweight porch awning.
A comprehensive review of motor movers would be very useful. When in the maket for one last autumn, I found it really difficult to make an informed choice - and this included a visit to the NEC to review them all there. I was concerned not to increase the mass of the unit too much and, as we travel on the continent quite a bit, I was very concerned not to reduce the ground clearance too much (French 'sleeping policemen'). As we use CLs/CSs all the year around, I was also keen on a mover where you can vary the pressure of the rollers on the tyres (and increase it in very slippery conditions). Based on my research at the NEC, I opted for a Reich, but when it came to be fitted to my Swift Challenger 480, it was clear that unless fitted behing the axle, it would badly compromise the ground clearance. It could not be fitted behind the axle without moving the spare wheel carrier. The fitting company was very cooperative and changed it for an Ego mover and I have been very pleased with this in operation. A full review would help others with similar choices without such mistakes.
I am now in the market for a lightweight, easily/quickly erected porch awning. As we now have a dog, the boss says we have to get one to dry it off etc outside the van, but out of the rain/snow. (I am reluctant to extend the time/effort of pitching up, but...!). A full review to assist my choice would be very helpful.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
Paul

 

[Steve L]

Just a small foot note.

We have a scenic proch awning that I use on the right side of our caravan to protect the water barrels and waste water from freezing. A dozen pegs see's it errected and it does a brilliant job. Our water never froze in Jan & feb this year and we had opto 180mm of snow. Got a picture somewhere of us in the worst snow in 30 years in Herefordshire. I'll post it when I find it.

 

[DeliDave_]

Thanks Nigel, it's great to be back online.

I've always been led to believe that bonding the panel brackets with Sikaflex to the caravan roof and then bolting the panel frame to the brackets was the way to do it.

We are seeing more caravan newbies at rallies than ever, with site price increases local rallies and temporary holiday sites are becoming a seriously considered alternative for families. Our d.a. in the West Midlands had 53 units in the snow at their first rally of the year last February !
If the NCC ever manage to force through their ideas on regular electrical inspections for tourers after they have charged their approved service engineers two grand each there is sure to be many deeply sceptical tourer owners who would be very interested in renewable 12volt power.

We are thinking of a solar panel so we'll hold fire just in case

 

[GrahamDerby]

Although you show how many replies there are to topics, it would be interesting to see how many people have viewed a topic. This would give an insite into what members are most interested in even if they dont reply.

 

[Heethers]

After reading about a tragic deaths due to carbon monoxide poising we have just purchased a Carbon Monoxide alarm from Tescoes £30, would be glad to see this type of alarm tested, a caravan could well have a problem with undetected leaks of this type. Wife upset me, she said if l had gone to my local firestation l would have got it for free, l know they give smoke alarms out for free as we got two but not sure about gas alarms.
NigelH

 

[Surfer]

It is very unlikely, but not impossible, to die to carbon monoxide poisoning in a caravan if all the floor vents are open and not covered up. Do you have a link to this accidental Co2 poisoning as it would be interesting to find out the cirumstances that resulted in the deaths?

 

[Heethers]

Read it in the paper a couple of weeks ago think it was the mail on sunday but not sure, if l remember their was somthing on this forum about smoke alarms and someone said we should also carry co2 alarms. We have one now so we will use it, belive it can pick up the gases that the scrotes use to rob you when you are a sleep abroad.
NigelH

 

[carper2]

How about looking at Caravan Covers?
I have noticed on quite a few forums including this one, that a lot of people have been asking about them.

Les

 

[Ancientcaravanner]

How about testing inboard water pumps for noise level and efficiency? There have been lots of complaints about them - it could be a laboratory test.

 

[Parksy]

Looking out at the sharp frost and snow I wonder if a toastiness test for fleeces, gloves and winter socks could be tried under real conditions.
Whoever does the Practical Caravan office sandwich run would be the best guinea pig

 

[Collin]

Following on from the thread in Technical, you might consider tyre pressure gauges bearing in mind the apparent difficulty in obtaining accurate readings, a) because of unreliable petrol station gauges, b) because of inaccurate gauges in the accessory market, and c) because in safety terms correct tyre pressures are crucial.
I would suggest that caravanners have more reason than other motorists to get tyre pressures right because with a caravan on the back the issue is even more critical, not least because wrong pressures are a major cause of snaking and caravan blowouts, and also because caravanners have to adjust rear car tyres every time they tow - and then adjust again when they're unhitched.

 

[Surrey_Chris]

Sorry if its been mentioned already but how about Dealers, buying , trading and servicing ? You could try mystery buyers or customers, would be interesting to see what comes up.

 

[Surfer]

Sorry if its been mentioned already but how about Dealers, buying , trading and servicing ? You could try mystery buyers or customers, would be interesting to see what comes up.

PC Magazine would never consider this in case they lose some advertising. You never bite the hand that feeds you!

 

[NigelDonnelly]

Uvongo93,
If that was true, we'd never write bad reviews of cars, caravans or sites. I get plenty of calls from grumpy manufacturers querying the results of tests, but they still advertise because we tell the truth, no matter how unpopular...

 

[Surfer]

Fair enough but can you please supply a date when there was an article critcial about a dealer or the service they offered?

 

[HerinDoors]

Hi while at the NEC, we saw a prototype of a blow up awning, and wondering if anyone rated this, and how it proformed in the "real " world, ie in wind, etc. This would make a good test, also things like slow cookers, and other kitchen appliences, ie as to weight size and storage.
thanks Julia

 

[DerektheSecond]

Hi while at the NEC, we saw a prototype of a blow up awning, and wondering if anyone rated this, and how it proformed in the "real " world, ie in wind, etc. This would make a good test, also things like slow cookers, and other kitchen appliences, ie as to weight size and storage.
thanks Julia

This one?

http://www.aireshelta.co.uk/the-aire-awning-3/

 

[ValA.]

I've seen several blow-up awnings this year - Dutch caravanners seem to have adopted them quickly, but they are much more stylish than the prototype demonstrated. They were extremely quick to erect, and you could get on with doing other things whilst they pumped up, or deflated! I was very impressed. Unfortunately we didn't get makes or models!

 

[HerinDoors]

Hi Derek, like that one, they just plugged it in , and up it went, very impressed. think how many awning divorces it would prevent!!!
Ta Julia

 

[Surrey_Chris]

Nigel , I think what Uvongo93 is trying to say is , that if for intance I were to provide you a review of a Dealer who always takes a two page add, in the Mag, which was not favorable, would you print it?

 

[Parksy]

Nigel , I think what Uvongo93 is trying to say is , that if for intance I were to provide you a review of a Dealer who always takes a two page add, in the Mag, which was not favorable, would you print it?

What's the difference between a review and an opinion?
I can't speak for the magazine but many complaints about dealers which appear on forums are centered around subjective experience when all of the facts of the matter are not known or are unclear. This is because the caravan owner who is complaining describes what happened in their case as they see it but the dealer doesn't put their side of the story.
Obviously the caravan owner wants to seek advice on forums and put their point across and the UK caravan industry needs to significantly raise standards so that the level of complaints is dramatically reduced. The main reason why responsble caravan forums (and magazines) can't allow the 'naming and shaming' of dealers and service providers is because there is no method of determining all of the facts outside of a law court.
No matter which caravan dealer is mentioned, for every group of satisfied customers there will always be a case where someone has felt that the standard of service that they received was less than satisfactory.
Perhaps a more generalised review of the standards of service offered by the UK caravan industry as a whole might be of interest to Practical Caravan magazine readers? Caravan manufacturers and dealerships urgently need to leave the 'cottage industry' mentality behind and start to approach standards set by the automotive industry when most caravans cost over £12000 and many are around the £20000 mark.

 

[Surfer]

If a customer has a factual complaint and writes / emails to PC magazine, why can't PC contact the dealer and give them an opportunity to respond to the complaint like Swift do?
I also notice that Nigel has avoided an answer to my question.