Go to caravanners forum.com and look in the main forum and type in delaminating awning in the search topic and you will get some interesting reading Ken
We purchased a van about 12 months ago and notice the vinyl top coat is de-laminating. The van is 7 years although the annes is a lot newer. Is this common.
When we bought our van it was only 5 years old and the top layer was gone. Then a branch from a tree we parked under fell and went through the awning so we were able to claim it back on insurance paying only the excess.
We weren't going to bother replacing it for sometime as they are a bit pricey.
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I must be a binge thinker. I do it a lot at times, then, not much at all.
My Colorado roll-out awning is almost 6 years old, and has been exposed to the elements, including the tropics most of that time. It is delaminating rapidly now, and I will have to replace it. Bits keep flaking off in the strong wind. I have a quote of $1200 for supply and install from a mob way south of Adelaide, while I'm on the north side. It's a pretty good offer, as all the other quotes were much more than that. The later ones are supposed to be coated with UV resistant surface, but I can't speak from experience yet. After a couple of storms in Cairns I had it assess for insurance and they wouldn't touch it. So I'm on my own, and put it down to wear and tear. There are some things we just have to accept as "normal" and do what we can to work with it or replace it. However, I think your annexe should hold up better than it has if it hasn't been out in the elements full time. Do they make any claims about the quality of their stuff?
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
The short answer to your question Sue is 'Yes' it is common place.
You can have the skin (vinyl only) replaced, you do not have to buy a whole new awning and when I replaced mine a couple years ago it was $600 for a new skin.
Just Phoned Dometic. As we are not the orginal owners of the van we have no claim. They are saying it only has 1 year warranty. Our annex would be 5 years although we have only had the van 6 months. It is undercover at all times when home. Thanks Guru will look at this. Such a saving.
I have looked at Aussie Traveller but it doesn't appear to be as strong as the one I have now. To my mind recoating is not an option. The warranty on new ones is only 1 year. I understood that when I bought it. It does pay to shop around as there are several thicknesses of vinyl, and strength of hardware structure. Dometic was the most expensive quote and I don't like their construction of the ones I have seen.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.