[EDIT] Sorry, I found a five-page thread [via google] about the PDQ awning and hit 'reply' but seem to have created a new thread :blush:
I was close to buying one but the positives and negatives found on this forum have put me on the back foot.
If I decide to buy one....
...I don't think I'll travel with it on the caravan [don't ask me why but], I figure I'll just store it on the caravan floor.
I guess it's very simple to thread on the rail, right?
I have a 1996 Swift Bounty which [measuring from the back to the front of the van] has a slight slope at about 2.5m.
Does the PDQ awning have to have a straigt rail of 3.5m?
There must be some tolerance built in, for even ground for instance surely> Will it not slide in on anything other than a straight rail due to the poles? Thanks, Will
Oh yeah, I see you have a slope to your upper rail channel too. Is your awning the smaller one, the 2.5m wide type? [First shot at the top of the page, a very impressive still; nice job.] Thanks, Will
I carried mine on the rail for over a year. Not a problem - believe me they are a faff to get on and off, you won't put up with it for long. To get it on and off the awning rail, you have to fold the legs out and sort of manhandle it. I reckon you put more stress on the rail doing that. They are designed to go on the rail and Im living proof they dont damamge the rail. These awning have been discussed on this group for a long time and no one has mentioned rail damage. Think about the stress your rail gets when a full size steel pole awning is hanging on it in a big storm! A little bag of steel and material isnt going to matter.
If you wanted to take it off, then I see no point in getting one. They are ok, but they aint the best porch awning you can get, there are better about for the price, you are paying for the rail fitting and the fact they go up damn fast - and they do! Putting it on and off defeats the object of why you want one. It wont be quick, and you will gain nothing. When you can get your porch up within minutes whilst the rest of the world messes around is worth the cheapy feel and the water ingress into the bag.
You dont have to have a full straight rail but it doesnt look as tight if you have it bent down a bit - when we first got ours we had it to the edge which rolls down so as not to cover the window. But later we just let it cover the window. If you intend to take it off other than during storage, then I wouldnt get one - honestly. We had one for over a year and they are great but have their niggles. We put up with the niggles for the great fun and speed they are.
The post you refer to was vast Will, and most of it was me defending it. Trust me on this one. If you intend to take it off then buy a better and stronger bit of kit which will last for a long time. Don't get a PDQ as they are designed for the purpose of speed and simplicity.
We go away twice a year for one week and over, it's at this time I'll use a full awning. With two young children we need the space and comfort a proper awning provides.
The other times, the ten or so weekends we stay away for one or two nights, I need something quick. I suppose I could leave it on and only take it off when we go away and wish to use the full size awning.
I've already bought one, second user [used four times]; seventy pounds. It was more than worth the risk at that price. I'm using it this coming weekend and will report back.
Yeah, I read every one of the posts in the 'mammoth' thread, very entertaining! Thanks, Will
Just one tip invest in two storm poles we love our PDQ but don't forget it is a lightweight awning.!! when the weather gets bad we put these either side of the awning attached to the fron pole going down at angle to the van and anchor them down with tent pegs it gives the awning much more stability, and carry these in the van, we have the awning on the van when travelling with no bother another tip if you have an outside light secure the leather bag away from the light just with a couple of pegs, as to my cousins cost he left the light on his and it put a hole in the bag from the heat !! hope everything works for you
good luckI hope your movie doesn't show two different vans like the PDQ one, have you seen their video !!! I never noticed but Ced did no one has commented on that!
It might not show two different vans, but it will have a soundtrack to drown out the undoubted obceneties between my wife and I [that happens during every single awning erection].
I envisage it's going to be like a harold lloyd or charlie chaplin video, many comical moments [but none funny at the time]
bet your language won't be stronger than ceds he hates putting up awnings, we're going away in 2 weeks and are going to try the full size one,(I talked him into it space you see we've just gone from a 14ft to a 21ft owned the former 17years!! so that'll be fun as it's still in the box yet
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Topic: PDQ Awning - Close to a decision!
no one has commented on that!
we've just gone from a 14ft to a 21ft owned the former 17years!! so that'll be fun as it's still in the box yet
