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Just got back from Mablethorpe area. We experienced some high winds and loads of rain during the week. Our Esterel was great, no leaks at all and thanks to an extra awning tie down it stayed put. We had some strange looks as we pulled up on the Cherry tree 5 star site at Sutton on sea. There where some very posh caravans with all the mod cons. You could see them all chatting to each other when I put my water bottle and black waste bottle on my trolly and wheeled it to the washrooms. I dont have a fancy casette to pull out of the side of our van. Infact ours doesnt have a lavy. We put a porta potty in the awning. Did the job ok. In a previous life I have lived in a 6ft slit trench for a week. Had to stay in it for 24hrs a day. A black plastic bag was our lavy.That also did the job ok. Most of the people on this site where ok, there where a few snoty ones who looked down at you on the site because they where 'exceedingly richer than us' (I bet they play golf as well!). We had a great time. It was easyer than our previous Rapido as most of one's gear can be stowed in it before you set off. Peolpe who sell Rapidos on E bay say you can tow it with a small car! You can, but where do you put all of your stuff? There is just enough room to stow a few pairs of undies in one when it is folded! We have an estate car and needed it! Our Esterel has a strange 12v system when plugged into the mains. When the awning light is turned on, 1 of the inside lights comes on at the same time! When the light switch at the other end is turned off, it switches it all the lights off!. Cant quite get my head around it yet. I will have to get my sonic screwdriver out and investigate it all.

Any one who is thinking of getting an Estrel. Get one they are great, Very easy to tow. Steady as a rock. Sits in your front garden just nice and doesnt block the veiw.  If getting one off Ebay buy a damp meter or just ask the seller if he wouldnt mind if you probed it first before you hand over the money. It frightens them into telling the truth! I was saved twice!

Went to a weighbridge 600Kg unloaded 690kg loaded.For those that are interested Estrel Primatic. Look at photo.

welcome to folding caravans badger.

my van is a gobur it is 25 years old and is in pristine condition, when we get on site we usually get an audience as we put it up (approx 5 mins and the kettle is on)

most people come and ask questions about it and are quite friendly.

as for storage you can't beat a folding caravan.

regards

John

Snap, we kept the awning and chaires under the cover. We loved our Rapido. We didnt know how much until we handed it over to its new owner. I think the construction of the Rapido is brilliant. Ours looked as if it would last for ever. I wasnt quite sure about the running gear. The backs of the wheels on ours where so rusty the brake adjusters looked as if they where shot. The brakes worked ok and where adjusted ok. Most people thought ours was a trailer tent, it did look like it. One site nearly didnt let us on!

I was bidding on a Gobur on Ebay before we got this Esterel. They look ace inside. It went up to high in the end (last 30 secs). I won an Esterel on Ebay last Nov and travelled all the way from Hull to Gillingham in Kent to find a green mold covered van with a broken door and window. Also it looked like the 'A' frame was bent. Needless to say I didnt hand over any money and came back very disapointed. The Esterel we have now is in ex condition. It is like having a new one. I need to do a few mods on it like more elec sockets as it has one at the moment. I would have liked the one with the lavy but the extra table/bed is handy as we like one each.