How many Dandy's do you see

Before we found other Dandy owners via the internet we rarely saw another Dandy on a site, think the most was 2 at a time ...... how many Dandy's have you seen on sites, apart from when at a meeting for Dandy's ?


Did you decide to buy a Dandy because you saw one on a site like we did or is it research - awful weather conditions or another reason that led you to them ?

Only seen one and that was last year just down the road at cleethorpes,had thought they would be a good idea for over 30 years as we cant leave a camper erected at home to dry but was put off by the fact they where PVC ,as we all know they are freezing cold in the winter sweat boxes in the summer and run with condensation,plus they smell something awful,or is that just the lies from the ill informed canvas capmers

It's sort of like when you buy a car and never realised that there were so many of them except there aren't in this case.
Discounting the ones I saw when I scoured almost every advert for nearly a year.
1 in Dent only one seen erected. Gone before I could get to speak to them. Did they know I'd arrived?
1 on the M62 eastbound towed by a VW sign written van something to do with weddings.
2 on the same estate going into Bolton. Must be a hot spot.
2 at Boom Trikes, Boothstown, Manchester.
Maybe another 2 towed at various points and bare in mind I live within 10 miles of where they were made.
Forgot the one I saw having an awning made at Tent Valeting Services Farnworth.

I can't say that I ever really noticed one in nearly 40 years of being on sites in VW camper, caravans and tents. I certainly noticed the TTs especially the enormous size of them when fully deployed. I had read about them and was aware of the fact that they were PVC, which seemed a bit quirky , and that they were marketed as folding caravans .
The first (and only) one that I was aware of on site was about 5 years ago at Hayfield C&CC site where we were pitched across the track from an orange (I think) one. It was obviously old (I didn't realise then quite how old) but looked to be in excellent nick and I was impressed by it's lack of support, no pegs or guy ropes (no awning) and the fact that it had been put up single handed by an elderly looking chap (well he looked older than me )
It must have made an impression as I now have my 23 year old Discovery

We were on the lookout for a usable 1960's camping rig, we don't have room for a caravan, a teardrop type thing is too small, so during my research a Dandy turned up as an option. Then amazingly our perfect one turned up - and within budget.

Then, as it proved to be so perfect, we then bought a second one for our main holidays to keep the wear and tear off the 60's one.

I'm convinced that Dandy's find their new owners.

I have seen 2 Dandys different ones at different times on Kendal C&CClub site over the last 5years and The one at Woodbridge Sept 2012, also 1 or 2 on the road and thats about it. I was given a demo of "packing-up" by a family @ Kendal and a good coversation with the folks we met at Woodbridge, who have contacted me via this forum.

My Dandy hasn't found me yet! I did contact a guy who advertised one on Gumtree in Wisbech (which is MUCH nearer to me than Bolton Cumbria or Scotland!) But after some text comunications I heard no more re a convenient time for me to view it.

Plenty of snow intermitantley throughout''

It's MOT time for Yanny my little van and a certain amount of "Running Repairs" for yours truly between now and April 6th........Then I'm hoping my Dandy will find me''

''''''All the BEST to ALL of YOU ''

We saw one arrive at a Norfolk campsite as we were packing up our tent, about twelve years ago. As I was packing up a tent and rain was imminent all I saw was a very elderly couple just erect this very elderly looking unit. I don't think it registered that it was PVC. So went and bought a FC some years later. Lovely unit but with no where to dry it at home it stayed lovely in the garden because when the opportunity arose to use it the weather was bad. Then OH remembered seeing the Dandy. Long story cut short.
Have never seen another, but did have someone come and take pictures of our delta recently, I was chuffed to bits.
Essie xxxx

I love the look on peoples faces when we're erecting or taking down our Dandy, they're still putting pegs in while we're sat with a brew

Helen wrote:I love the look on peoples faces when we're erecting or taking down our Dandy, they're still putting pegs in while we're sat with a brew

Even more when your packing away in the rain

Our tent was pitched next to one a Dart I think when we were on holiday in St Ives in 2006, we wangled a look see inside and I remember the owners saying it was 13 years old which I thought at the time was really old. I liked the idea of being able to put it away wet but didn't really think anymore about it.

Then we saw them again at a camping show at the NEC (it would have been the Dark Blue Riva ones) and fell in love, never thought I'd own one though but the rest as they say is history.

Have seen the occasional one, since we bought Minnie, and funnily enough someone just up the road from my in laws has one, but normally we only see other ones at our meets!

A friend was heading out to Darlington today to make a delivery so I chose to accompany him to pick something up from Vicky/Nick.
On the way North there is a greasy spoon in a layby just North of the Shell filling station on the A19. (OK those of you who know the road will know where I mean and for the rest it doesn't matter)
Just before we left a car arrived towing what I thought was a 90's Designer. Upon stopping to speak to the couple who were just returning home it transpired it was one of the last Light Blue Discovery models from 2003.
Long term Dandy fans this was their second. They had camped throughout Europe and told of erecting in France where they gained a major audience.
They are relative newcomers to the world of the interweb but I told them of our existence and said we would be pleased to hear from them and in particular we'd love them to post old touring photos.
There are reasons I wouldn't go into the exact occurrence but they gave the most glowing praise of Ian at Riva and his trust and decency in a particular situation.

I had never heard of Dandy's until a friend told me about a year ago that he had one in the seventies. I looked on ebay to see exactly what he was on about and it dawned on me that this could be what we have been looking for. I kept looking occasionally at the ads but never actively went looking for one until last month,and then most of you know what happened there. The two caravanners next too us last week were quite impressed with the dandy,my wife gave one of the ladies a guided tour and she was amazed at the space and comfort.I haven't seen another one camped or on the road yet but its early days.

People are fascinated by them, the guided tour thing becomes a regular event

Had never ever seen one before. My father had a caravan when we were kids and we enjoyed that. We had a tent when our kids were young then eventually got our own caravan. Impending retirement meant we couldn't afford to keep it so I started looking around for an alternative. We'd met a retired couple in north wales who had a small tent and I thiught if they can do it so can we.

Eventually started considering trailer tents then folding campers but the FCs were all to big and heavy and I just couldn't see them being comfortable with just a narrow bench with a flimsy low back to sit on.

Then saw a discussion on UKcampsite asking Dandy Desiny or conway Pathfinder Ithink. There was a lively discussion between the PVC addicts and the FC lovers which showed the gulf between them.

Had a look at Dandies online and when I saw the settee I thought that was wonderful. Add that to solid sides & door, proper windows, insulation, put them away wet, then see the low weights 300kg etc and they last 40 years or more. Asked some questions on UKcampsite then discovered this site and asked a few more. Thought about a Gobur. Well here I am now with a lovely Dandy Designer. There just is no viable alternative except possibly the Gobur, but they are very expensive, big when down, small when up.