Blimey was busy, busy, busy. Just getting everything set up must be a massive job, got there at 10 and didn't leave until 3. The people on the Pennine stand were fab, as was the chap from the Conway owners club, if any are on here <waves>.
So, what swung it? The space was great, felt much bigger than we'd get in any of the small folding caravans or pop top caravans on show. Can fit up the drive and in the garage, where space is limited. Plus nice being a tent top, very airy. No hard sell at all, the team were very sweet and honest.
Chose the countryman as the fixed beds were more comfortable than the fiesta's settee/bed. The fixed seats also felt more comfy and were at a better height for being around the table. The kitchen provided a lot more work and storage space without the loo taking up room. Also advised the loo chemicals (loo in this model different from pathfinder) can pong a bit, so decided to buy a loo separately and put it in a toilet tent.
The colours for this year are very smart, greys and whites with grey and white speckled curtains, grey carpet, black granite effect work tops.
So, very excited now. Bought some duvulay memory foam sleeping bag thingies and some nice new robust caravan crockery. Will pick up in new year.
All the stands in the trailer tent, folding camper and folding caravan area were really busy, a lot more so than I remember them being a couple of years ago.
We had a look at Raclet, they had a nice robust folding camper which felt more utilitarian than the Pennine/Conway. Camp-let were mega busy and those are lovely built, spacious, high quality units. Would probably have bought one but for the British weather recently. Gobur caravans were very cute, the build quality was excellent. They should probably update the furnishings, a little old fashioned. Eriba caravans were a lovely build and internally modern in design. We felt too tall, even with the roof popped.
Won't bang on about caravans and motorhomes as this is the trailer tent forum but was very glad wasn't in the market for one as there were so many to choose from. And some were £££
Forgot to say had a look around the Opus. Beds were nice and big and the seating area is very nice. They had a version which allows you to store motorbikes on the top of the trailer, it's fitted with a crane!!! To lift them on. Goodness knows how much it all weighed. I didn't like the canvas and it all felt a bit...gloomy. Very dark.
Congratulations on your new purchase. We have one of the original 2010 Countryman. I,m with you on the toilet space its much better to have the full kitchen width and use a portaloo.We love ours there is plenty of storage space and the main unit is quick to erect either for a overnight stop or a couple of nights. Hope you got the underbed skirts as theses are great for storing tables, chairs and portaloos etc. The awning is a good size too for longer stays. You are going to enjoy your new purchase.
Congratulations! We bought a 2007 Countryman in August, but only used it for the first time this weekend in Barmouth. It was really good, nice and warm (with a small fan heater) and very cosy. The only slight problem that we had was that the double bed were only 4' but still comfy. The kitchen work surfaces were quite spacious, more so than many caravan\ motorhomes we've seen.
The build quality and thought that had gone into designing and having the unit was quite impressive. If you need confirmation of that, just look how many 20/25 years old units are still being used. You can't say better than that.
Thanks all, we'll report back and do a review once it's here. Will be great to do some long weekends in the great outdoors next year. Plan to try an early and late season trip if we can bear the cold
Congrats... We have just bought a Countryman 2009 direct from pennine and are going to NEC tomorrow to see Julie to discuss it. Will be nice to see the new models but same layout as ours but different colour and the older canvas. We pick up on 4 Nov and can't wait though won't use it till hopefully Easter next year.
John
I don't know if you've taken delivery of your Countryman yet. If not, it just might be that yours triggered us to buy ours!
We were at Pennine's place in Accrington to hand over our 9yo Pathfinder that they purchased from us. We had absolutely no intention of buying anything and in fact had made an appointment to see the Opus at the NEC exhibition later this month. Anyway ... we got talking and Julie (or was it Nick?) mentioned they had a Countryman ready for pickup by someone who bought it at the October NEC show. Those sneaky soft-sellers :)
We had a look at it and were very impressed despite it being a less expensive model than the Pathfinder and missing the toilet. In particular the kitchen looks so much better. Before we knew it we'd paid a deposit and looking forward to an April (hopefully) delivery.
Now just need to source a decent portable loo to go into our awning annex :)
Hello Krispy,
I don't think it was ours as we picked up from Camping International in Kent. Glad it persuaded you though, the new model has a very attractive interior.
Ours is at home now, with a motor mover fitted and waiting for a wet morning / dry afternoon so we can weather the stitching. Hoping for first trip in March or whenever a dry mild spell appears.
We opted for a countryman as wanted to garage it at home and the pathfinder doesn't fit. I think it has everything we need and like you plan to pop a loo in the awning / toilet tent. I was adamant about the loo until we saw how much smaller it made the kitchen, plus the chap told us the loo chemicals smell quite a bit. You'll find it a doddle to put up as you are used to the bigger one. I'm sure it will take us ages the first time.
Possibly a little disconcerting that you can't tell the difference between Nick and Julie, Krispy. For future reference, Nick is the one with the shorter hair!
------------- The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..
Thanks for the tip BlueSky :) Oh ... while you're on...
Something that intrigues me about the Countyman/Fiesta that you might be able to answer while I wait for ours to be ready. I saw a video of an older Countryman which seemed to need a step of lifting the top of the kitchen unit to a working height. How have they got around that in the current version? Is the camper (folded) taller now to accomodate the fixed kitchen? I hope that the kitchen working height is 'normal'.
Hi John
Yes we're hoping the Countryman will be easier overall (unit+awning) than the Pathfinder which was starting to feel a bit of a chore now our 'helpers' (kids) are all grown up and not with us so often. For that reason we'd started to skip the awning but then it all felt a bit claustraphobic (sp?) with a dog as well.
So we're really looking forward to the smaller awning, lighter canvas etc. and plan always to put the whole thing up even when there's just two of us.
I haven't come across the idea of "weathering the stitching". I feel a bit of a Google is required!
BTW we've ordered a Fiamma Bi-Pot 39 Camping Toilet which we got at a good price (£50.99 + £3.75 delivery) on Unipart website. Probably won't get used much though as we almost always end up on sites with 'facilities'. Handy in the middle of the night when it's raining :)
First outing is booked for Scotland in May. Can't wait.
Hello Krispy,
The kitchen height feels fine.
I'm as far from an expert on these things as it's possible to be but my understanding is the acrylic canvas is already waterproof but where it's stitched the cotton stitching needs to become wet and swell to fill the stitching holes. That's how it was explained to me anyway.
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Topic: NEC- ordered a Conway Countryman
