Caravan and Motorhome Show - NEC October 2023
- Thread starter denz1968
- Start date
We’ve been today to look closely at wobble boxes to stick on the back of the van.
We had a shufty at a few t6.1, crafter/MAN tge, PV conversions as well, & a general nose around like you do
Overall the show was underwhelming for us TBH not a lot new or interesting & very few accessories etc
Maybe I’m just a grumpy old git before my time
We had a shufty at a few t6.1, crafter/MAN tge, PV conversions as well, & a general nose around like you do
Overall the show was underwhelming for us TBH not a lot new or interesting & very few accessories etc
Maybe I’m just a grumpy old git before my time
Whose MAN TGE / VW Crafter conversions did you see and what did you think of them please? Any comments would be of interest. We've grown out of a T6.We’ve been today to look closely at wobble boxes to stick on the back of the van.
We had a shufty at a few t6.1, crafter/MAN tge, PV conversions as well, & a general nose around like you do
Overall the show was underwhelming for us TBH not a lot new or interesting & very few accessories etc
Maybe I’m just a grumpy old git before my time
VanWorx had their £100-130k 4motion ones ones which I’ve seen for a few years, some on the Birchover stand which seemed cheap @70-80k on 3.140’s. Jerba also had some info & a bare van saying they had 3 new layouts but lots of T6.1’s.
Other than that the Main MH mnfrs were there, like the Knaus Boxlife/Boxdrive, the Wetfalia one & the new Adria one is there but mostly these are just existing layouts transferred from their Ducato PVs to MAN.
I believe some of this is due to availability of base vans & deals that Erwin Hymer & Adria have done with VW/MAN as they can’t get all the Ducato’s they need/want.
Anyway unless you have a spare ~£100k & 6/12+months you won’t be getting one of them.
Other than that the Main MH mnfrs were there, like the Knaus Boxlife/Boxdrive, the Wetfalia one & the new Adria one is there but mostly these are just existing layouts transferred from their Ducato PVs to MAN.
I believe some of this is due to availability of base vans & deals that Erwin Hymer & Adria have done with VW/MAN as they can’t get all the Ducato’s they need/want.
Anyway unless you have a spare ~£100k & 6/12+months you won’t be getting one of them.
Thanks, I think we'll pass then. We've got a LWB TGE being converted now and well aware of the cost!
I’m going there on Thursday, mainly to look at drive away awnings.
YT can help, but ultimately if the dealers near you don't have stock vans/layouts etc it's one of the few shows where physical stuff can all be eyeballed from every manufacturer.
(I'm specifically talking wobble boxes here, esp new 24' models/layouts & continental mnfrs who have few dealers nationally)
YTubers never show you all the stuff you find looking yourself
No I get it was just being tongue in cheek just dont look at the Tuberists or you’ll feel like your going to something you’ve already been tooYT can help, but ultimately if the dealers near you don't have stock vans/layouts etc it's one of the few shows where physical stuff can all be eyeballed from every manufacturer.
(I'm specifically talking wobble boxes here, esp new 24' models/layouts & continental mnfrs who have few dealers nationally)
YTubers never show you all the stuff you find looking yourself
Oh what’s a wobble box …..is it a Special Saturday Night present?
Was there 1st thing on Tuesday… unbelievably some stands were still setting up when I can’t imagine they were cheap to rent.
Lots of salesmen just looking at their phones. The Feb show knocks spots off this one… if you are looking for someone to sell you a converted van for big bucks or want some inspiration on how to do yours, then this show is for you. If you want more innovation or to get excited about some lifestyle products then wait till Feb.
Two highlights for me: 10% discount at Vanshades and really enjoyed one of the presentations around circumventing Iceland!
PS - if you didn’t already know then the train is a great way to get here… just a 15 mins through the skywalk.
Lots of salesmen just looking at their phones. The Feb show knocks spots off this one… if you are looking for someone to sell you a converted van for big bucks or want some inspiration on how to do yours, then this show is for you. If you want more innovation or to get excited about some lifestyle products then wait till Feb.
Two highlights for me: 10% discount at Vanshades and really enjoyed one of the presentations around circumventing Iceland!
PS - if you didn’t already know then the train is a great way to get here… just a 15 mins through the skywalk.
As a first time visitor it met what i needed.
- Bought a duvalay mattress topper with 15% discount
- Secured 20% discount on top loader fridge - just need to check which one fits
- Great chat with vanshades - spoke to the owner and he sorted out a minor issue we had with a couple of our screens.
- Had a good look under some vans at underslung water tanks - the obnoxious salesman on Hillside Campervans told me his tanks were underslung and custom designed/built. He said he didn't know where they were mounted. I wasn't satisfied with his answer so i went under a couple of vans and confirmed in my mind they were CAK skirt mounted tanks. The salesman came back and asked me if he could help me down there. I got up and replied "no its ok, but your tanks are skirt mounted and supplied by CAK" LMAO.
I went up on Thursday. I walked around every hall and concluded that overall it was a fairly lacklustre exhibition with very little new stuff to be seen. Added to which, the poor level of product knowledge shown by many stand staff was breathtaking and made me wonder how, after decades of sales training, I could have got the same information from a 10 year old child or a touchscreen salesbot. And, I‘d have hoped that after 47 years, the NEC could finally have got round to clearly signposting the halls and putting up “You Are Here” signs that actually show you where you are, not to mention actually organising traffic exiting the NEC.
With the Transporter T6.1 being killed off by VW, most of the campervan converters seemed fairly vague about what their 2024 ranges would look like once VW have fulfilled their existing T6.1 orders. A couple of VW converters were openly talking about using the new Ford Transit as a base vehicle instead of using VWs. The other trend amongst campervan converters was the increased use of MAN panel vans instead of VW Crafters. Are we seeing the demise of the VW brand in the campervan sector perhaps?
Naïvely perhaps, I was hoping that the show would have evolved and attract new exhibitors with more solar, van electrics, accessories, wheels, etc. on display. In reality, it’s just a traditional (read boring) caravan/motorhome show with smattering of campervans in one hall. The fact that so many medical appliances, health products and mobility aids were on display kind of tells you all you need to know.
I did end up buying a drive away awning and a couple of seats. That said, I could have bought these online and avoided wasting a day of my life and getting a cracked windscreen on the way home.
Last edited:
Similar threads
