Re: Rooftents - Hannibal or Eezi-Awn ???

"Jinx" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> We had a look at a AUTOHOME overland at billing, there made in Italy
and
> have a good mattress, good ladder and the quality as I remember is
very
> high, only bad point that I saw was the material is not canvas so
not as
> hard wearing or as dark when inside. see BOAB.biz, chaps name was
Chris I
> think. we are going to the LRO show to have another look at these
first
> before we decide.

At Billing 2003 we ordered and paid for a new Oztent from Chris
Simonds of BOAB. While pegging it out the first time we used it, I
noticed that the built-in PVC groundsheet was split at both rear
corner welds.

A replacement Oztent was eventually received, but this was also
damaged in the same places. It also arrived too late to be used, so
we had to go B&B.

The third Oztent arrived with a bent frame, so was also unusable. He
wanted me to pay about £80 for warranty repair work.

It is my opinion that Chris Simonds repairs customers tents with parts
exchanged from his stock of new tents and later sells them as new
tents. Excuses are used to explain the problems.

We are now attempting to have our payment refunded.

I can't recommend anyone to purchase anything from Chris Simonds.

Reg.

"Neil" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 00:18:43 +0100, "Reg" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >At Billing 2003 we ordered and paid for a new Oztent from Chris
> >Simonds of BOAB. While pegging it out the first time we used it, I
> >noticed that the built-in PVC groundsheet was split at both rear
> >corner welds.
> >
> >A replacement Oztent was eventually received, but this was also
> >damaged in the same places. It also arrived too late to be used,
so
> >we had to go B&B.
> >
> >The third Oztent arrived with a bent frame, so was also unusable.
He
> >wanted me to pay about £80 for warranty repair work.
> >
> >It is my opinion that Chris Simonds repairs customers tents with
parts
> >exchanged from his stock of new tents and later sells them as new
> >tents. Excuses are used to explain the problems.
> >
> >We are now attempting to have our payment refunded.
> >
> >I can't recommend anyone to purchase anything from Chris Simonds.
> >
> >Reg.
>
> By contrast though, I too bought an Oztent with fly sheet and side
> panels, from Boab at Trentham 2003. On inspection of the side
panels,
> I found that some of the stitching had missed the Velcro pole
> loops(which fell off) on both panels. After phoning Boab to inform
> them of the faults, I chose to return them a few weeks later at the
> Peterborough show because it was more convenient for me. Chris
didn't
> have any more in stock but promised to get replacements as soon as
he
> could.

With experience of Chris Simons that extends more than a year with the
3 faulty tents suppied, he has never had any stock over that time ,
always waiting for more to arrive. As he is always taking longer to
do anything, I suspect that he orders a replacment as required.

> OK, so it did take well over a month(probably nearer 6 weeks) for
> replacements to come through. But before they did, he did offer me
a
> full refund for the complete tent if I wasn't prepared to wait for
the
> replacements.

He also offered me a full refund, and I asked for it about six weeks
ago, but am still waiting. I returned the 3rd faulty tent's frame at
Billing 2004. I was told that it would be repaired in about a week.
About a month later I had to to send an e-mail to remind him that I
was going on holiday. Then he dicided that he wanted to charge me
about £80 for the warrenty repair. He refused to send it until I paid
him.

We went on holiday with an old tent and found a new frame on our
doorstep when we got back home, probably as I had given him a
statutary limited period to provide the full refund.

> So Reg, the chances are you may well get your refund as Chris
appears,
> from my conversations with him and Nichola, to value customer
opinion.

That was my opinion for a good year, but he turned nasty recently.

> Bottom line for me, is that I'm well pleased with the Oztent and the
> only damage I have to repair is a very small hole in the groundsheet
> caused by a sharp flint, due to my own failure to inspect the ground
> thoroughly prior to pitching.

We were also very impressed with the Oztent, but with 2 Oztents with
holes in the rear corner ground sheet corners and 1 bent frame (with
him telling me about numerous problems he has had with bent frames),
we have lost all confindence in the Oztent being able to withstand use
for any reasonable period without major repairs to the groundsheet and
bent frames. His speed and ability to service is also very poor.

Incidently does yours have a loop handle for pulling up the front top
of the frame?

The 1st and 2nd Oztent had one, but was missing on the 3rd. He told
me that the manufacturers had stopped fitting them as users were using
the loop to hang heavy items and then bending the frame top. The 4th
frame however did have one fitted!

Reg.

On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:12:29 +0100, "Reg" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>With experience of Chris Simons that extends more than a year with the
>3 faulty tents suppied, he has never had any stock over that time ,
>always waiting for more to arrive. As he is always taking longer to
>do anything, I suspect that he orders a replacment as required.
>
>
>He also offered me a full refund, and I asked for it about six weeks
>ago, but am still waiting. I returned the 3rd faulty tent's frame at
>Billing 2004. I was told that it would be repaired in about a week.
>About a month later I had to to send an e-mail to remind him that I
>was going on holiday. Then he dicided that he wanted to charge me
>about £80 for the warrenty repair. He refused to send it until I paid
>him.
>
>We went on holiday with an old tent and found a new frame on our
>doorstep when we got back home, probably as I had given him a
>statutary limited period to provide the full refund.
>
>> So Reg, the chances are you may well get your refund as Chris
>appears,
>> from my conversations with him and Nichola, to value customer
>opinion.
>
>That was my opinion for a good year, but he turned nasty recently.
>
>> Bottom line for me, is that I'm well pleased with the Oztent and the
>> only damage I have to repair is a very small hole in the groundsheet
>> caused by a sharp flint, due to my own failure to inspect the ground
>> thoroughly prior to pitching.
>
>We were also very impressed with the Oztent, but with 2 Oztents with
>holes in the rear corner ground sheet corners and 1 bent frame (with
>him telling me about numerous problems he has had with bent frames),
>we have lost all confindence in the Oztent being able to withstand use
>for any reasonable period without major repairs to the groundsheet and
>bent frames. His speed and ability to service is also very poor.
>
>Incidently does yours have a loop handle for pulling up the front top
>of the frame?
>
>The 1st and 2nd Oztent had one, but was missing on the 3rd. He told
>me that the manufacturers had stopped fitting them as users were using
>the loop to hang heavy items and then bending the frame top. The 4th
>frame however did have one fitted!
>
>Reg.

Reg,

To answer your last point first, yes, mine(an RV4) does have the
pull-up loop, but I do not use it, as I consider it a liability as it
is has a tendency to slip to one side and then you end up pulling up
the frame one-sided, which could easily bend the frame. I use a cord
through the two eyelets near the top corners of the frame top rail and
use two hands to keep the frame level. I will be completely removing
the fitted loop next time the tent's used.

It doesn't surprise me that the tents are coming in with differing
bits fitted, it seems the manufacturers in China haven't yet got their
production properly sorted. Chris does seem to have to find excuses
for these differences. Chris himself doesn't have the same
professional approach to selling the tents as does Nichola. I have
personally seen him open up sealed boxes to see what tent bits he's
got, and then neglect(or forget) to put them back in. It's not very
professional, but alas it seems that's just the way he is! Nichola by
contrast, is so much more organised, and would make a much better
person to take charge of selling the tents completely, being far less
slap-dash in her approach. Chris is probably better at arranging the
trips and raids they organise!

I can't think why Chris would be wanting you to pay for warranty
repairs unless it was to cover carriage costs. But I'm glad you've
got your replacement frame at last. I hope your tent will now serve
you well, as does mine.

Incidentally, it looks straight forward enough, but how easy is it to
remove and re-fit the frame, should I need to do so?

Lastly, my tip for a really good repair to any part of the fabric or
ground sheet, should the need arise: A tube of McNett's SeamGrip and a
small bottle of McNett's Seam Excel. I have successfully repaired my
ground sheet with these, and many other tents and awnings previously.

Neil

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