In January of this year I bought a Conway Canterbury DL 1993, having wanted a trailer tent for the past few years.
When the weather was right I put it up in the garden.
The rats had been in - one sleeping inner destroyed, front of cabin canvas has two holes - one about 6 inches across the other just 1 inch. The cabin, mattresses and canvas stank of rat urine.
I removed mattresses to garden shed and canvas and awnings to an outbuilding; washed curtains and liners.
The canvas is waterproof - a little grubby in places.
Put it up again this week.
I love it and believe it will serve us well - want to spend some money on replacing, repairing etc.
(no holiday planned this season but may do a couple of 2/3 nighters which we could use the trusty Quebec for!!)
I plan on going to France/Italy/Spain next summer for a minimum of three weeks.
OH isn't getting the trailer tent at all especially after we went to Winfields yesterday and she's fallen in love with a new tent (we have looked at many and have not seen anything either of us loved until now!)
So - do I get the TT shipshape for next summer OR buy the new tent?
Really don't know what to do!
Which tent is it? There are some really lovely ones out there, but personally I wouldn't give up my comfy bed or breathable canvas!
Can you get everything in the boot or will you need a trailer for the kit? Towing does slow you down, and that's worth thinking about if you are planning a long trip.
we bought the canterbury (1992) earlier this year...its easy to tow, pretty quick to put up and has lots of space. also nice to have the raised sleeping/ sitting area and running water...don't think i could ever go back to a tent.
we have done several weekend trips so far and every time have had other campers come to have a nosey and comment on how spacious it is! i would say repair it, try it for a few trips and then decide!
My concern would be the dangers of rat urine on the mattresses - google Lyme's disease. I would definitely want to scrap them - you can sometimes buy replacements off Ebay or use airbeds. You will also need to deep clean the cabin and canvas to remove all traces from there.