Madrilleno
Member Since: 13 Oct 2014
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 1788
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I was surprised by how much of the show was taken up by motorhomes/campervans. Seemed to make up two thirds of the halls. There are two rules for success,
1. Never tell everything you know.
D4 gone!
D5
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 17th Oct 2016 6:14 am |
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JackNorris
Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Beds/Bucks Border
Posts: 1879
  
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Had a look at swapping up to a bigger swift but the figures didint meet so shall wait a bit longer. MY2023 Discovery 5 R-Dynamic 3.0
MY2020 Discovery 5 Landmark 3.0 - SOLD
MY2005 Discovery 3 V8 4.4 HSE - SOLD
MY2019 Discovery 5 SE 3.0 - LR Replaced !
MY2005 Discovery 3 S 2.7 - SOLD
MY2016 Discovery 4 Graphite - SOLD
MY2015 Discovery 4 SE Tech - SOLD
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| 17th Oct 2016 7:48 am |
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JackNorris
Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Beds/Bucks Border
Posts: 1879
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Had a look at swapping up to a bigger swift but the figures didint meet so shall wait a bit longer. MY2023 Discovery 5 R-Dynamic 3.0
MY2020 Discovery 5 Landmark 3.0 - SOLD
MY2005 Discovery 3 V8 4.4 HSE - SOLD
MY2019 Discovery 5 SE 3.0 - LR Replaced !
MY2005 Discovery 3 S 2.7 - SOLD
MY2016 Discovery 4 Graphite - SOLD
MY2015 Discovery 4 SE Tech - SOLD
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| 17th Oct 2016 7:48 am |
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SouthernWombat
Member Since: 30 Aug 2014
Location: Devon
Posts: 224
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Went up Friday from Cornwall, easy traffic until junction for NEC - 45 mins to get from there to the car park. 
Purchased an air filled awning, even got further money off the show price by asking. Now have my 2009 full size awning for my Bailey Senator for sale, will put in For Sale when I have the details together.
Interesting show, did not realise how many different vans are all actually Swifts with dealers designing their own version and decals.
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| 20th Oct 2016 7:05 am |
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D4mation
Member Since: 29 Jul 2011
Location: Ruralshire
Posts: 593
 
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mattpenrose wrote:Unfortunately we're not going, but having ordered a new 'van after seeing them at the Lawns show, I would like an air awning. We've been looking at the Kampa ones, and wondered if anybody that was going would be so kind as to let me know what offers Kampa are doing on the Frontier awning?
Alternatively, does anybody recommend any other makes of air awning?
Thanks! 
I recently bought a Vango Kalari 420 and am very impressed. I chose this over the Kampa Ace Air because:-
- it's a heavier duty fabric
- it's got a three year warranty
- the side doors are double width and open either side so you don't trip over the caravan step when you enter
- it's got very neat zip up blinds for privacy, as opposed to dangly curtains
- it's made in Scotland (Govan, hence Vango) not in China.
Downsides:-
- each airbeam needs to be inflated individually but no great problem
- because of the fabric it's a heavy awning and two of us struggle to get it through the rail
- It's 420 (actually 415) cm wide, but it's 320 cm deep, so may exclude using some Caravan Club "car park" type sites, which is not such a bad thing anyway.
I've also got a full poled awning for the van, and as well as erecting the poles (yes, I do use Isabella's Steve Biggs method, which helps), there are also 40 pegs to be put in which is no joke on a hardstanding. You can get away with 12 pegs on the 420 Kalari which is a godsend for my old back.
But the great thing about air awnings is resistance to wind - there's no flapping of canvas on the poles and the caravan doesn't get pushed about by the awning movement (disconcerting at night) - an air awning just flexes slightly. I don't bother with any of the supplied guy lines and storm straps - it survives perfectly well without them, even in very strong winds.
Best investment I've made in caravanning, but it's still a lot of dosh at £900 plus £70 for the fitted carpet. An electric pump is £60 at Towsure.
Edit: spelling MY12 D4 HSE Ipanema Sand
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| 20th Oct 2016 8:30 pm |
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