Hi from new members

We have just purchased a 1999 AutoSleeper Symbol and as this is our first motor home,  we're sure we have much to learn and can't think of a better place to start.

Hello and welcome, ask away,
Chris

Thanks Chris...sun canopy or drive away awning...we have a dog

Welcome from N.E Wales.    

Welcome.
Drive away less to pack up once your there
Sun awning if you intend moving from site to site.
At least that's what I would suggest:smile!:

That seems to be the issue..I suppose it's a sick it and see..no firm plans just yet. Don't like the idea of feeling closed in, but also want somewhere we could dry off a wet dog before getting in the van,.decisions. .decisions..

Hi,
Wind out sun canopy, easy to put out and put away, think about the products from lilypad leisure which allow you to put ends and a front if you need a bit more warmth and privacy, they pack down quite small. You can get ends and fronts from the wind out awning makers but they tend to be heavy and fiddly. A drive away awning is good in that it reserves your pitch if you go offsite for the day, you can leave all your clutter, chairs etc. In it, you have to align your van accurately when you get back, some are heavy and awkward to erect,(see for sale, used once) only you can decide which is best for you,
Regards,
Chris

Hi and welcome to the forum from sunny cool Bridlington 
Boaby

I cannot manage my wind out awning so I don`t use it, for my dog I have the Dri-bag, just open it out stand dog on it, and zip it up, head is out of course, and soon they are clean and dry and the mud etc stays in the bag, I bought mine from the NEC , can recommend. information is on line.



Sorry didn`t say Hello and from Leicestershire.

From the ROI

Welcome from Durham.

Thanks everyone for your welcome messages and advice. Still finding my way around using the site. Wanted to say thanks, but the thanks button is ghosted out for some reason and won't let me select it.

We have 3 dogs and use our D/A awning quite a lot but only if we are pitched for 2+ nights as it allows them to be untethered. Also when it was warm last weekend they slept in the awning which is cooler for them and less smelly for us... It also means we can keep table and chairs, bbq etc in there rather than back inside. Much easier after a few drinks and keeps the van nice and spacious. We also got away the next day for some sightseeing in record time of 5 mins after the breakfast wash up.
 
On a Moving On day we hit the road in less than an hour with dismantling the awning and re packing the van. Often though we take it down the evening before to make sure it is dry especially if we know we are not going to be erecting it the next night. 
For us it is invaluable with the dogs.

Lancky wrote:We have 3 dogs and use our D/A awning quite a lot but only if we are pitched for 2+ nights as it allows them to be untethered. Also when it was warm last weekend they slept in the awning which is cooler for them and less smelly for us... It also means we can keep table and chairs, bbq etc in there rather than back inside. Much easier after a few drinks and keeps the van nice and spacious. We also got away the next day for some sightseeing in record time of 5 mins after the breakfast wash up.
 
On a Moving On day we hit the road in less than an hour with dismantling the awning and re packing the van. Often though we take it down the evening before to make sure it is dry especially if we know we are not going to be erecting it the next night. 
For us it is invaluable with the dogs.

Tell me. How easy or difficult is it to re-attach once you've been off site for the day. Also we been looking at awnings and there's so many to choose from. Which one do you have? We have a 1999 autos keeper symbol. I

Sorry I did not see your question until now and you may well have purchased by now. We have a Vango kela ll airbeam awning. We attach it to the via figure of 8 to the Fiamma canopy. Easy to take off and put on as it just slides out. Re positioning the van when we return is getting better with practice! For your Symbol you would want the Standard size I imagine.

Lancky wrote:Sorry I did not see your question until now and you may well have purchased by now. We have a Vango kela ll airbeam awning. We attach it to the via figure of 8 to the Fiamma canopy. Easy to take off and put on as it just slides out. Re positioning the van when we return is getting better with practice! For your Symbol you would want the Standard size I imagine.

No worries. Thanks for the info. Haven't actually bought one yet. Had a Vange Airbeam 6 birth tent.  Amazing aren't they. .but we decided not to spend too much money this time lol

Hi Tina and Bernie and a big welcome to the forum from Filey

Jaytee wrote:Hi Tina and Bernie and a big welcome to the forum from Filey

Regards  were not here long..that's exactly why we bought the van..our financial advisor kept warning us about how long we might live and have to find income to support us..but when my father in law was 65, he retired in August and was dead Christmas day the same year. He said to me when he knew he was dying..don't do what I've done and save all your money for just in case. .live for today.  Will never forget this.

Tina&Bernie wrote:

No worries. Thanks for the info. Haven't actually bought one yet. Had a Vange Airbeam 6 birth tent.  Amazing aren't they. .but we decided not to spend too much money this time lol

Sorry to read about your father in law....it is a balance of spending and sparing. My view is that when we are in our 80's we probably will not want or be able to be as active as we are now, so we spend on experiences , including the MH. Our kids know they will have what is left! Eventually we will be happy to downsize to a 'retirement' apartment [already downsized last year] which will give us more than enough to live on in our final years...



We have never had anything from Vango but we are very pleased with it. We did not want to spend too much either as we were likely to want to change our minds as we needed one rather quickly for the dogs and so we did not do our usual amount of research. We bought ours second hand on Gumtree which felt 'safer' than a 'seller' on Ebay. The 'very good condition' was as described and what is even better we are so pleased with it that it does not need changing! We paid £180 and arranged a trip out with collecting it. The owners put it up on our van before we purchased which is what we would have expected. 
We were actually after an Outdoor Revolution awning as they have the best reviews and lifetime warranty but they are expensive and we could not find a second hand one [which is an indication how good they are]. The Vango a good second best. If we see an O/R awning on a Site we avert our eyes 

Thanks for your comments. Agree it's a fine line of balance. What a great deal you got there.

Hello & welcome from S/Yorks.