Date:         Wed, 23 Nov 2005 08:58:00 -0800
Reply-To:     Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Awnings: Fiamma vs. A&E
Comments: To: Richard A Jones <jones@colorado.edu>
In-Reply-To:  <43849671.3080505@colorado.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

RE: Who Makes the Awnings?
I don't think we have an argument here Richard.  I've looked at one older
Carefree of Colorado 10' awning that was identical to a Fiamma f35 of the
same era.  I've only seen the online information on the newer and crank out
Carefree awnings (just looked again) and they appear to be nearly identical
to the Fiamma except the crank mechanism is at the other end.  And IIRC the
dimensions available in comparable models are a little different.
I think what we have here is either copy cat designs (not likely) or one
design/manufacturer involved with more than one production plant in the US
and Europe.  Or a design licensing agreement?
The bottom line is that right now the selection of new awnings all seem to
be the same or nearly the same from Fiamma, Dometic/A&E, and Carefree.  All
of these products are (in my opinion) better than the old A&E 2000 or 2500
series, both of which I've owned and used on a Westfalia.  BUT the Fiamma
F35 that I have looked at in the showrooms appear very flimsy because of the
plastic parts in areas that can easily get a lot of stress.
And back to the question that started this thread:  Where are the best
prices on any of these?


>
>
> Carefree makes the awnings over in Broomfield, Colorado.
> I have had a Sidewinder II for ten years or so and it is
> a great awning unless you want "crank out."
>
> Perhaps they now resell some Fiammas, although their
> website http://www.carefreeofcolorado.com
> says that they buy some designs from Omnistor, which
> is European and (now) part of Thule, but manufacture
> them.
>
>
>                                 Richard A Jones
>                                 Boulder, Colorado
>
>
>


--
Loren Busch