Awning sides for less than 150€

[rolandwilliams]

I have been looking into awning sides for my 2015 Cali and was astounded by the prices I saw both here and on other sites. I am thinking about buying a few large groundsheets and making the sides myself, which to me seems like an obvious and easy thing to do. I have not seen anyone else do this though, am I missing something? (yes, the aesthetics will be a little less but to save 100s of € I am willing to deal with that).

RW

 

[hirsty]

Completely agree, many accessories are bafflingly expensive (but people will pay, so it continues).

I've just bought a Quechua Tarp for £20, plus two spare 2M poles & 2x additional guy ropes - they do amazing next-day delivery for free from the Decathlon website. Someone posted a link to some ingenious 'Tarp Clips' and bungees recently so I'm going to experiment with that, have a search for recent tarp threads, people are doing ingenious things.

 

[Max-Felix]

See here:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/that-quecha-tarp-tip.14979/

Others have used Gazebo sides or whatever from Aldi or even bought material and Kador and stitched it all together themselves from scratch.

 

[Walrus]

I'm currently using a 4.99 shower curtain from Lidl + bungee balls and tarp clips.

 

[MattBW]

Yup Quechua tarp is good value and versatile


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[RoB5urf]

Coincidentley, I'm going to try the sides from our old gazebo this afternoon before our trip tomorrow.

 

[Victor]

These posts don't arf make me laff!

We spend £60k on a van and then try to penny pinch on accessories which end up making the set up naff!

I agree some accessories are pricey (especially Brandrup) but they are really good quality and you virtually get your money back when you sell them used.

I for one have better things to do other than make my own accessories out of tat from Aldi.

 

[Andy]

I have been looking into awning sides for my 2015 Cali and was astounded by the prices I saw both here and on other sites. I am thinking about buying a few large groundsheets and making the sides myself, which to me seems like an obvious and easy thing to do. I have not seen anyone else do this though, am I missing something? (yes, the aesthetics will be a little less but to save 100s of € I am willing to deal with that).

RW

They charge these prices because they can. The are well made & worth the money in the long run.

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[bigmac77]

Bought two of the brandrup awning sides and they are excellent. They cost over £300 for the two but they are going on my Cali which cost over £40k. They attach easily and securely and have a silvery outside surface to reflect away heat, in my opinion they are good value.

 

[RoB5urf]

These posts don't arf make me laff!

We spend £60k on a van and then try to penny pinch on accessories which end up making the set up naff!

I agree some accessories are pricey (especially Brandrup) but they are really good quality and you virtually get your money back when you sell them used.

I for one have better things to do other than make my own accessories out of tat from Aldi.

I'm going to try my gazebo sides just because I have them sitting in the garage. I haven't even decided its the setup I want, I might go down the drive-away awning route. Nothing wrong with experimenting before committing.

Laff all you like but it makes sense to me.

 

[sidepod]

I hope you tarp-pikeys never pitch up next to me

 

[Max-Felix]

I hope you tarp-pikeys never pitch up next to me

Ha?! Only place I ever see T4 campers overnighting is on a beach or in a lay-by cadging a freebie...

 

[Annik]

This is like a thread on the Bongo forum ( I used to own a bongo) c,Mon guys we own £50k plus vehicles. It's like putting £8 lidl car mats in a Bentley.

 

[rolandwilliams]

These posts don't arf make me laff!

We spend £60k on a van and then try to penny pinch on accessories which end up making the set up naff!

I agree some accessories are pricey (especially Brandrup) but they are really good quality and you virtually get your money back when you sell them used.

I for one have better things to do other than make my own accessories out of tat from Aldi.

It makes me laugh that anyone would spend 300+ quid for something that can be easily made for less than 50...

 

[calikev]

I tried making my own but couldn't get them to attach properly and they looked pants I bought Comfortz in the end.

 

[Hotel California]

This is like a thread on the Bongo forum ( I used to own a bongo) c,Mon guys we own £50k plus vehicles. It's like putting £8 lidl car mats in a Bentley.

If the owner likes those mats ....why not ?
I bought some realy expecive stuff from Brandrup, but some things are very cheap and good from Aldi , Lidl , Axion,...

 

[Hotel California]

I tried making my own but couldn't get them to attach properly and they looked pants I bought Comfortz in the end.

Pants ...like the inner topper...

Sorry!

 

[briwy]

If the owner likes those mats ....why not ?
I bought some realy expecive stuff from Brandrup, but some things are very cheap and good from Aldi , Lidl , Axion,...

We had some really nice pork chops from Aldi that we cooked in the van.

 

[blakeley]

Sorry , google translate gave me no answer ....

Pikeys?

Traveller
Thief
Dirty
Fly tipper
Live in Caravan

Basically just horrible people!

 

[Hotel California]

Traveller
Thief
Dirty
Fly tipper
Live in Caravan

Basically just horrible people!

Oh yeah , heard it in that film Snatch ....with Brad Pitt wasn't it ? now it rings a bell!

 

[Stuart]

The key difference is they drive Transits and not Transporters ;-)

 

[briwy]

Bit harsh

 

[Victor]

Bit harsh

But true!

 

[Walrus]

Pikey is an early C19 term for gypsy. It derives from their lifestyle travelling the turnpikes. It is generally now considered unacceptable because of its racist overtones.

 

[Walrus]

I am unrepentant. My Lidl sunshade is perfect in practice. It's light, goes up and down in minutes, takes up very little space and didn't break the bank.