Which Awning?????

[Sam_374394490]

Hi

We collect our caravan at the end of February and we are new to caravanning. We will be using our caravan on average a couple of times a month and wanted to know what you experienced caravanners would recommend when we purchase our awning.

We have been looking at the Bradcot Active, and love the Isabella (but not the price) :-(

Is it worth spending the extra money??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Sam

 

[Martyn_374341486]

Hi Sam, we always buy a good quality 2nd hand awning and save a fortune.Bought our last one from the Caravan Company in Leicester.

 

[Sam_374394490]

Hi Sam, we always buy a good quality 2nd hand awning and save a fortune.Bought our last one from the Caravan Company in Leicester.

Thank you for your reply Martyn.

I will have a look at the Caravan Company as they are not too far away from us.

Sam

 

[Rick_5041348]

Hi go for the Isabella get a 2nd hand one from ebay preloved or even pc classifieds

 

[Sam_374394490]

Hi go for the Isabella get a 2nd hand one from ebay preloved or even pc classifieds

Thank you

 

[weejock]

Please do not spend a lot of money on your first awning.

I never pitch without putting mine up but I know a lot of people who see them as a damn nuisance.

Since you are new to all this do as the others have suggested and buy second hand first. If after a while it is just the quality of the awning you do not like then would be a better time to buy.

Also have a look about when you are on site. While they all look the same pegging ideas and curtain rails vary from different manufacturers so be bold pop your head in and ask for a look around.

 

[mcghee]

i used bradcot awnings for years and thought they were superb, particularly the easy system frame.

i recently bought a harringtons awning for the hobby which employs a very similar system for the frame. its an 1100 awning and i can put it up in less than 15 minutes. i believe it to be at least as good as the bradcot in every respect and its about half the price.

 

[Jeff66]

Hi Sam

you may have already decided which awning to buy so may be too late. If not you may want to consider an Inaca awning, we have bought Inaca Sands awnings for our last two vans & have a Kalahari ( mid sized between porch & full size ) for short weekends. Both very good quality & are available from Discover Caravans

JB

 

[JohnnyV]

Hi Sam,

We are in the same position, collecting a new van in March, like you think the Isabella is great but a new one is too costly - I see most of the responses suggest buying a secondhand one, this is not always that easy - we need a 1050 size and there don't seem to be any about.

Have almost decided to buy a pyramid awning as our first one - they are cheap - can get one for

 

[JTQ]

Hi Sam,

We are in the same position, collecting a new van in March, like you think the Isabella is great but a new one is too costly - I see most of the responses suggest buying a secondhand one, this is not always that easy - we need a 1050 size and there don't seem to be any about.

Have almost decided to buy a pyramid awning as our first one - they are cheap - can get one for

 

[anotherDavid]

Hi Sam

I have just unpacked a new (2008 ) Bradcot Classic that arived today. I ordered it on Sunday from Michael Jordan. I know Bradcot has the receivers in before anyone tells me but having had two previously and been very satisfied I am most pleased to get this one for a

 

[VIP640]

We are on our second Pryamid awning and find them excellent value for money, their customer service is also very good...

 

[Sam_374394490]

Thanks everyone for the advice, I will check all the info out.

Has bradcot gone into administration then??? This is the first that I have heard of it. We are going to the show in Feb at the NEC, so will have a better idea of what we are looking for.

My parents have a baileys burgundy with a Bradcot awning and having been away with them and our 3 kids we know that we will definitely be needing one. We were looking to buy new so that we get the warranty.

 

[Zbungle]

Only a thought, but one of the problems with buying an expensive awning is that when you come to sell the van, unless you are lucky and the new van is exactly the same size as the old one, you end up with an awning you need to sell. You never get a decent price for it, no matter what condition it may be in.

I decided to go for a big porch awning. It's just as heavy and cumbersome as a full awning, but generally, one size fits all (or at least, most). Change van, keep the porch awning and transfer. Quite a money saver after a couple of changes of van.

Like I said, just a thought.

 

[Sam_374394490]

Only a thought, but one of the problems with buying an expensive awning is that when you come to sell the van, unless you are lucky and the new van is exactly the same size as the old one, you end up with an awning you need to sell. You never get a decent price for it, no matter what condition it may be in.

I decided to go for a big porch awning. It's just as heavy and cumbersome as a full awning, but generally, one size fits all (or at least, most). Change van, keep the porch awning and transfer. Quite a money saver after a couple of changes of van.

Like I said, just a thought.

Thank you for your reply.

We will be keeping our new caravan until it has green moss growing up the side, and we can then put it in the back garden for our grandchildren to play in ......lol

The next van we will get after this one will be a very luxurious 2 berth as all the kids would have left home by then and would have reached that age when it is so not cool to hang out with your parents ;-)

The awning we buy is going to have to live as long as possible!!!

 

[mistermac]

I think there's a law of diminishing returns that applies to awnings. If you buy a reasonable quality one - which is where most awnings seem to sit in the market - Bradcot, Dorema, Apache etc, they're all pretty much of a muchness.

Remember - the poles on ANY awning are pretty straight forward to put up. The alloy easy-ones are a tad easier, but by no means THE answer to quick erection (oo-er missus!). I have an Apache full awning with steel poles and a Bradcot Portico Plus with the easy-alloy-thingy. Yes, the alloy ones are a smidge easier. The way they win is that they're just so much lighter.

It's the pegging-out of an awning that takes the time. Making sure everything's squared-up, even, taut etc.

Buy any awning in that mid-price bracket and you'll be fine.

One thing I DIDN'T think about when I bought my full awning was that if you change your 'van and the new one is a different size to the last one....you'll also need to change your awning! Therefore, is it really worth spending over a grand on an Isabella if you might change it in a few years.

Food for thought.

Mac

 

[Paul_5064559]

Sam,

We changed our van for a larger model and our Isabella Capri was surplus. Sold it last spring on e bay to a delighted man from Cardiff. However we also had a Isabella porch awning which was ok for fitting to our new van.

Think how much awning space you actually need, If you have children with bikes toys etc then a full awning is a must but for the two of us + dog we were finding less and less the need for the full awning. One other consideration is the MIDI which is just like a big porch awning. If you have one of these it can usually mean you can fit to most any other van so when you come to change vans you do not have an obsolete awning. These can again be picked up on e bay especially at this time of the year....

Happy vanning

PS- Always buy quality, remember that you will encounter bad weather and a good quality awning bears less risk of wrapping round your caravan roof some stormy night.

 

[Chrisbee]

Thank you for your reply.

We will be keeping our new caravan until it has green moss growing up the side, and we can then put it in the back garden for our grandchildren to play in ......lol

The next van we will get after this one will be a very luxurious 2 berth as all the kids would have left home by then and would have reached that age when it is so not cool to hang out with your parents ;-)

The awning we buy is going to have to live as long as possible!!!

Don't you believe it. By the time the last child leaves home the first grandchild will want to go away with you! You'll end up with another 4 berth.

 

[Donnalesley]

I lived with my Bradcot for 3 years before deciding that I couldn't live with it any longer.

Like most the cost of a new Isabella was too much but I went for Ventura at half the price and would recommend them to anyone.

Vastly superior to the Bradcot for the same price.

 

[Toro]

I only use our awning if we are away for at least a week. If it is only for a weekend I do not find it necessary, and there is nothing worse than taking down a wet awning, and then having to dry it out when you get home

 

[alan_374404065]

I only use our awning if we are away for at least a week. If it is only for a weekend I do not find it necessary, and there is nothing worse than taking down a wet awning, and then having to dry it out when you get home

Just a word on Isabella awnings,

I sold a freind an Isabella awning (1982) model in 1985 and he is still useing it on a seasonal pitch every year for about six months.

Also Ventura awnings are part of Isabella.