Black Friday: Deals & What Have You Bought or Buying?

Deffo, but when a company wants a 50% deposit for a time slot over 4 months away alarm bells start ringing to me. Every 10 bookings gives them £30k cash flow to shore up an ailing business.
If they are failing, they've been doing so for 5+ years now. I suspect the payment structure is a carry-over from when the Horizon business owners we're reliant upon purchasing their roofs through a third party, namely Hilo.
 
I simply haven't got room to carry any more stuff inside the van , I bought a 100w folding panel ..it was heavy and chunky ...sent it back .
They're solidly built (the Renogy basic folding) - which is handy for not blowing over if you want a ground array - and they're just small "normal" rigid panels with a hinge between them so you could mount them on a wall or shed. They're very good bang for buck if you want a general tinker solar panel to add to power packs or self powered fridges you already own. If you find them useful for cmaping then yes the lighter ones made of tough cloth and flexible panels are asy to transport in a small van - but then you also need to deal with the robust ness.
 
What about this solar blanket. Down to £159

Yeah I was thinking along those lines as the cloth folding type tends to have a junction box and zipped bag for cables on the back and as @Bav says could be scratchy.

Possibly with trying these flatter cables through the tailgate (link for example):


It's a shame they don't do a smaller 100w version as that would be ideal (for both size and budget)
 
Those flat cables look interesting 🤓 :thumbsup:
Yeah - I'm not sure I'd trust them long term for the use they are advertised, in particular the sealing around the connectors is likely not super waterproof - but for something you use for a few days at a time and can double check every time I think they offer options through tailgates and side doors.

I'd be happier leaving a panel lashed to the roof using these than one standing on the ground if I needed to leave the van for an hour to grab coffee and lunch, while not totally stealthy few people look up a lot.
 
If they are failing, they've been doing so for 5+ years now. I suspect the payment structure is a carry-over from when the Horizon business owners we're reliant upon purchasing their roofs through a third party, namely Hilo.
Any business can have a turnaround in its sales combined with an increase in costs and have liquidity problems very quickly. I don’t comprehend how booking a time slot 4 months in the future costs £3k. Combined with a hefty discount to suck people in.
Also there is no mention on the website as to whether or not Vision Tech is a Ltd Co, yet a search would indicate that Vision Tech Systems Ltd has the same address as VisionTech Automotive. Although their last submitted accounts (unaudited) indicate that they are solvent, it’s interesting to note that for 2023 AND 2024 their stock valuation on the balance sheet is the same for both years at £378k which seems very suspect.
An easy way to make a company look solvent is to over value stock. Reduce that figure to £100k and they are insolvent. Be interesting to see what the 2025 YE shows.
 
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Like I say, I'm aware they've been requiring a 50% deposit for well over 5 years. Whilst that doesn't make it any more palatable, it does suggest it's not in response to short term liquidity problems.
 
Like I say, I'm aware they've been requiring a 50% deposit for well over 5 years. Whilst that doesn't make it any more palatable, it does suggest it's not in response to short term liquidity problems.
I’ve edited my post with a bit of digging. You may well be correct, but I’m always very suspicious of a company that requires a hefty deposit.
 
For anyone who is annoyed with having to plug their phone in to get android auto, the AAWireless TWO Android Auto Wireless Adapter is currently reduced from £55 to £40 on Amazon. Cheapest it's ever been according to Camelcamelcamel.


I think it is generally considered to be the best wireless adapter. I've just got one, it is very simple to set up and use, and fits very discretely with some adhesive velcro.
 
Like I say, I'm aware they've been requiring a 50% deposit for well over 5 years. Whilst that doesn't make it any more palatable, it does suggest it's not in response to short term liquidity problems.
you pay your money you take the chance. if someone does this they should make sure to pay it on credit card

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Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is a vital UK consumer protection law that
makes your credit card provider equally responsible with the retailer if something goes wrong with a purchase. This legal protection is available for purchases of goods or services costing over £100 and up to £30,000.
 
you pay your money you take the chance. if someone does this they should make sure to pay it on credit card

--

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is a vital UK consumer protection law that
makes your credit card provider equally responsible with the retailer if something goes wrong with a purchase. This legal protection is available for purchases of goods or services costing over £100 and up to £30,000.
Good thinking. That gets you the deal without the risk.
 
Do you remember when a Curly Wurly seemed to be about a yard long……saw one in a shop the other day and I was gobsmacked at how crap it looks now!

(For the benefit of the teenagers, a “yard” is roughly 90cm!!!)
I spent about five minutes groping bags of nuts in Sainsbury’s the other day.

They are mostly just air now.

Worst was a ‘snack’ bag of almonds for £1.20 - literally had 6 nuts in it.

I can kind of understand chocolate bars as the sugar tax hits those but nuts!
 
I spent about five minutes groping bags of nuts in Sainsbury’s the other day.

They are mostly just air now.

Worst was a ‘snack’ bag of almonds for £1.20 - literally had 6 nuts in it.

I can kind of understand chocolate bars as the sugar tax hits those but nuts!
I did that once - never again!

Not only did I nearly get arrested for indecency but I got thrown out of the checkout too. Naturally, I thought that was a tad unfair as it was the self-checkout and I was only trying to weigh them. Anyways, when I finally got home, I discovered that there were only two in the bag after all.

SWMBO wasn’t happy with me either as I’d forgotten the tea bags, but that’s another story!
 
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