What the salespeople WON'T tell you | Things I DON'T LIKE About my Go Pod Plus
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- Overall, I love my Go Pod, but it's not perfect. So, here are a few things I don't like about my pod; things that the salesmen will never tell you.
00:00 Introduction
02:18 Bed slats
03:51 Hard bed
04:56 Heater location
07:01 Pop top
09:17 Awning fit
13:38 Front box gas
15:23 Vents
16:24 Water leak
18:21 Outro
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CARAVAN & TRAVEL ACCESSORIES
- Electric heater - amzn.to/3OLSOH7
- Fairy lights - amzn.to/3OH2CSA
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- Leveling block - amzn.to/4bHjSks
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VAN ACCESSORIES
- Dashcam - amzn.to/3wiQ4e1
- Collapsible crates - amzn.to/4bDJleE
- Mesh storage nets - amzn.to/49w4sO0
WINSTON (DOG) CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES
- Red lift and assist harness - amzn.to/3uAcGpA
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WINSTON FOOD AND SUPPLEMENTS
- Acana Light and Fit - amzn.to/3UHdfsf
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FUN STUFF
- Paddleboard - amzn.to/3SXFGRG
- Dog bike trailer - amzn.to/3uqzw3b
- Wet suit - amzn.to/3Sykhgg
Hey Roseanna, great video as always and we totally agree that it's very useful to speak to real Go-Pod owners to get a balanced, unbiased opinion before purchasing. That's the idea behind our owner viewings programme and we always recommend that prospective customers visit a local owner to them before travelling up to our premises, if possible.
We just want to clarify a few things if possible - and not to dispute any of the points in your video at all, as everyone's experience varies and again it is very useful to be able to hear some of the drawbacks with Go-Pods as they won't suit everyone:
BED SLATS
If you use the toggle to pull out just the first slat and then grab both ends of the first slat with your hands and pull them out evenly towards you, backing up until the slats are fully extended, you won't have the issue with the slats coming out unevenly and falling off the rails. There's a recent video on our channel showing the step by step process but the exact same process has been demonstrated in previous videos, and if customers purchase directly from us a bed making demonstration is included in the handover presentation.
SEAT CUSHIONS
This was a conscious choice we made after experimenting with a few different types of cushion foam. We found that softer foam was liable to developing impressions and dips after a period of use, so opted for a harder foam for greater longevity. As you say, it may be too hard for some people but lots of owners opt to use a mattress topper when the bed is made up to get around this.
HEATER LOCATION
The location of the vents was again, a conscious choice on our part.
I'm sure you've had a good look beneath the seats and have seen the size of the vent tubing - we preferred to leave the storage space under the side seats unimpeded and install the vents and tubing beneath the front seat only. The dual-fuel blown air heating systems that we install (Whale space heaters up to 2019, and Propex since then) are actually designed for far larger caravans than Go-Pods and more traditional caravans which are constructed with multiple joined panels rather than a single piece shell, so the heating system could actually be seen as "overkill" for a caravan the size of a Go-Pod. Feedback from customers has always suggested that the heating system is incredibly efficient and only needs running for 5-10 minutes at most to heat the Pod to a comfortable temperature, even in the winter months. We always recommend that if it's particularly cold outside, owners lower the pop top and secure it in place to prevent loss of heat through the skirt vents.
POP-TOP ROOF
Again, as above we always recommend that the pop-top is lowered in particularly adverse weather conditions (heavy rain, strong winds etc) to prevent (as you mentioned) heat loss and water coming through the mesh vents. The material is designed to withstand typical UK weather but not sure that particularly applies to the North coast of Scotland!
I stayed in my own Pod at Waxham Sands in Norfolk this Summer (a lovely site, right on the coast) during 60mph winds and did have to "batten down the hatches" for a short spell overnight. It can be a bit of a nuisance but it's a universal truth of all caravans with pop-top roofs (Freedom Caravans, Eribas etc). With the roof down, myself, my partner and 2 young children were tucked away cosily and slept through the night. The twin-axle caravan owners on the pitch next door didn't fare so well unfortunately - the wind buffeted them about all night and they were on their third cup of coffee when we finally emerged from the Pod, well rested!
AWNING FIT
The truth of the matter is that very few caravans (outside of the major manufacturers like Eriba, Swift etc) have purpose built awnings made specifically for their vehicles. We have spoken to a few awning manufacturers in the past about the possibility of creating a bespoke awning for us, but the prices quoted meant that the retail price to customers would be north of £1,000.00.
Many of the bespoke fitted awnings for caravans that you'll find online are actually aftermarket products created independently of the caravan manufacturers as the market for those vehicles is large enough that it warranted the awning manufacturers creating the product. Although we sell over 300 units each year in the UK, that still pales in comparison to the likes of Eriba/Hymer Group, Swift Group et al.
Interestingly, even the Barefoot Caravans (often held up as the “gold standard” of small caravans) don’t have a bespoke fitted awning. I’d imagine that the issue is even more pronounced for them as the dimensions and configurations of their caravans is so vastly different to anything else on the market.
Despite that, we did work with Kampa-Dometic to find the closest fitting awnings in their range; the Cross Air VW & Trip Air (tailgate versions). The dimensions of the VW T5 tailgate vans aren’t far off the rear of the Go-Pod.
Another quick point - if the forecast is predicting particularly high winds, you really should be taking your awning down if you decide to use one again. On a lot of larger sites, the wardens will come around and ask you to take the awning down in advance, as it can be a safety issue (particularly with the traditional "threaded pole" awnings - not so much with airbeam awnings).
FRONT BOX/GAS BOTTLES
I think you’ve covered this point well - but it’s worth mentioning that when you come to swap over to Campingaz, the regulator itself won’t need to be changed as it’s a 30mbar propane/butane regulator. All that will need to be changed is the pigtail as the connection for Campingaz bottles is different.
Flogas have told us that the nationwide supply issues should be resolved in 2024 though, so for most owners it will just be a case of waiting for that to happen and for stock levels to stabilise. They were as blindsided by the Calor Gas decision to discontinue the 3.9kg propane bottles as the rest of us apparently, and had they received any advance warning they would have stepped up production to fill the void left in the market. Flogas will certainly be the easiest and most cost effective bottles to get hold of when the situation improves, as they're stocked by B&M stores nationwide.
There’s a page on our website (under the guides section) listing the 4 main alternative gas bottles suitable for use with Go-Pods.
VENTS
There has been a lot of discourse online about the vents this year, but for customers who contact us with issues, the answer is always the same: the vents are sealed with caravan sealant during production and as with any caravan, the seal should be checked during servicing to confirm its integrity and resealed if necessary.
Caravan sealant is designed for use in a range of temperatures, but can perish over time and the problem can be exacerbated by dramatic changes in weather patterns and temperatures as we’ve seen over the past few years (cold snaps and heatwaves).
The vent sealant should be checked on an annual basis - it’s a job that can be done at home fairly easily in under 30 minutes. Sikaflex 522 can be purchased online and a bead of sealant can be applied with a caulking gun to the rear of the facia plates and inside of the cutout that the vents sit in. You can apply an additional bead of sealant to the outside of the vent facia plate, as you say, but if the vent needs replacing at any point this will make it slightly more difficult to remove.
Perishing sealant is not at all unique to Go-Pods. In fact the problem is far worse with “traditional” caravans built with multiple joined panels, as sealant is often applied along the entire length of the seams making re-applying a mammoth job for any home DIY-er. With the one-piece shell, Go-Pods don’t have any seams to leak and so checking the vents periodically and resealing as necessary is not a tall order in comparison.
One of the dangers of buying second hand Go-Pods privately is that sellers are not always honest about whether proper maintenance work has been carried out on the Go-Pod during their ownership. Our second hand stock is always pre-vetted, given a thorough habitation check and service before being listed online.
Another point is that the outside of Go-Pods should never be jet washed or hose washed, as this can force water up through the vents, cause the sealant to perish and ultimately lead to the swelling and water damage that you mentioned. This is covered during our handover presentations and also in the Go-Pods owners manual (available for download on our website). The owners manual also covers the winterising process in some detail which can aid in preventing damage to the sealant and issues with other components.
WATER PUMP
To our knowledge, the fresh water pipe from the pump to the tap is always secured with a cable tie to prevent it disconnecting. That’s been the case with every Go-Pod in recent memory anyway - we essentially have to disassemble the entire interior of the Go-Pod when fitting them in the UK so every element of the build is thoroughly inspected, both in Portugal and our UK premises.
Without diving into it on a case-by-case basis, it’s impossible to tell whether the issue is unique to private second hand sales where the cable tie was removed at some point by previous owners or not. In any case, it’s not an issue with new Go-Pods though I will pass the suggestion of using a jubilee clip for extra peace of mind along to our workshop team.
Thanks again for posting such an informative video Roseanna, and we look forward to watching your future vids!
Taylor - Go-Pods
Apologies but I just found this comment of yours in the "held for review " section and I've approved it for future Go Pod users to check out. 👍
I agree with you regarding the slats we had the same issues with the beds in all our Caravans we did the same as you duvalay is a great investment. We reconfigured our heating tubes in our first caravan.The rest had central heating.Never use an awning in wind. Some garages refill your gas bottles we always had two full bottles. We had the same issues with all of our caravans the waste water connection disconnected this is maddening since the manufacturers are aware and continue to ignore the issues. Thank you for highlighting the negatives.❤
As you say, I think some of the problems are just general caravan problems, like the beds. Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience! 👍🏼🙌🏼
It's good to hear real reviews on these smaller caravans, there's always going to be compromises made by manufacturers and they cant please everyone. Looking forward to your adventures this year 👍👍.
Very true! Thanks so much for watching.
" I hate flapping"..😂😂😂. .yeah...with you on that one...great review...really enjoyed the ever so slight rant... perfect 👍
I got a bit off my chest in this video 😅🙈
Thanks so much for watching.
If go-pod had a dedicated person to address needs such as yours it would go a long way for sales, it is called “customer service”
Red Lion Caravans (the importer of Go-Pods) are great to deal with in my experience. I purchased a pre-owned Go-Pod privately from the original owner and had a few bits that needed replacing. Contacted Red Lion and they sent the bits to me via express courier within a couple of days.
They had no obligation to help me as technically I wasn't their customer, having bought the van privately, but went above and beyond to help sort me out.
great video, first time i've seen a go pod, looks like a great little caravan, very valid points you covered on this video 👍👍
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
@@Roz.S thanks for your videos, you visit some great places with little side kick
@@RobAlsFamilycaravanadventures You're more than welcome. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Brilliant video Roseanna and sound advice for people who may be in the market to buy one.
Than you very much!
Calor have now given in to complaints and supply the small bottles again. No problem!
Yes! Made my life so much easier when I heard about that 👍🏼 it’s great news.
Thanks, that's really helpful. Great practical advice. And solutions
Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Well balanced pro and con explanation, perfect for solo travel i suspect.
Thanks so much!
Excellent video. Thank you so much.
Thanks for watching and commenting 🙌🏼
I put a drop of washing up liquid on the runner to pull out smoothly, I do it once a year also on the bottom of sliding patio door at home,😊 comes in handy for loads of stuff 😉
Thanks for the tip. And thanks for watching and commenting.
Love the eyes in the front!😂
Me too! I think they giver her a personality 😀 Thanks for watching
Hi, it's a full-time faff completely. You're so right i do every day, but I enjoy it ❤
The faff is worth it....on most days, anyways 😅
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great video not seen the Go Pod before. Just a note about changing to the Camping Gaz cylinders (apologies if you already know this) . The red Calor cylinder you've been using will be propane gas, this functions very well in temperatures well below anything you're likely to experience in the UK. The blue Camping Gaz cylinders are usually butane gas and if you're using it in winter with temperatures falling to near or below zero you might find there's no gas pressure.
Ahhh thanks so much for that information. I did not know that the Camping Gaz was butane. My Pod is due it's service at the beginning of 2024, so I'll speak to my service guy about what he would suggest and what options I have.
Thanks again!
Yeah. As you say butane freezes in cold weather so little use in winter. Advantage of propane / LPG is it still runs below freezing. I just bought a gaslow refillable LPG bottle and i think the smaller 2.7 should fit in POD lockers.
@@YorkshireBeaverThank you. I’ll check those ones out 🙌🏼
Also I have a camper van and have had the small bottles before 3.5 kg - I too was prepared to swap and pay extra (£200 on my contract) for the 6 kg. However, I went to Express Gas in Speke/Gaston Liverpool - (they deliver also) and the guy there told me that at present they have enough of this small size cylinders to last until at least the beginning of 2025. Might be worth giving them a call before you pay out for your conversion.
@@cherylwayne-kevan6654 Thank you very much!! I'll give them a call.
Good comments Roseanna, I have a 2020 not had the problems you have had that may be due to improved build quality . On the bed best option the single bed extension works perfect for solo podders and much easier to put up and down and you would then get heat from the blowers, or buy a small electric plug in heater. Duvalay YES . Thermal wrap excellent really good purchase, I have had no real problems with water ingresion or the pipe, Gas two 907 Camping Gaz fit in perfect all you need is a 'pig tail' to conect £9.00 this is a univesal problem not just Pod specific. Awning have to agree tried three I now have a 'Kampa Trip Air' and it fits really well. Still I bet like most of us you would not sell your Pod !
Hey Paul, Thank you for your comments :) I did expect to hear from you since you're a Go Pod Brand Ambassador. I'm glad to hear you haven't had the same problems with the water leaking and the vents as these problems are very common in the Facebook groups. Thankfully, they're very easily fixed, and it sounds like Go Pod has corrected them going forward. 👍
I lay diagonally in my bed (I like to spread out!), so I'm not sure a single bed extension would suit me personally. But a great suggestion that may be suitable for others.
With regards to the gas. The Campingaz 907 is what I'll be changing to, too. I'm not confident about making alterations to my gas supply (even if it is a simple job), so I'd rather just pay someone qualified to change it and put in two new holders so that the bottles aren't rattling around in the box. Calor discontinuing the small gas bottles isn't a fault with the Pod, and it's not Go-Pods fault, but it has created a problem for many people.
I've just looked at the dimensions of the Kampa Trip Air awning, and that it is wayyyyyy too much material for me to be faffing around with. I'm glad to hear that you have made it work for yourself, and many other Go Pod users have come up with their own personal solutions, but for me personally, I need a better fit.
Even with these small issues, I still love my Go Pod, and it's been a great buy. As mentioned, nothing is perfect, and Go Pod won't be able to please everybody. I do still believe they're the best micro-caravan currently on the market.
May suggest trying a OZ tent as a awning Ifind it easier to use the down side is transporting because of the length
@@rogerwileman9965 I've not heard of Oz-tents before. I'll be sure to check them out. Thanks for the tip.
We have a full size caravan, so this doesn't really apply to us but this is good information for anyone thinking of buying a Pod. Since buying our caravan we have found out a number of things which might have made us think more about which model we buy had we been given good information rather than just the sales pitch. We have a large single axle caravan but would now have rather purchased a twin axle as with the weight plate upgrade you get a much larger payload increase over that of single axle caravan.
Have you considered Safefill gas bottles as these still come in the smaller sizes and are refillable at LPG points at petrol stations. This is particularly an advantage in Europe with the correct adaptors.
Regards
Peter
Thank you for the nice comment. A few people have mentioned the Safefill gas bottles, and I am going to look into them as I think they may be a good solution. And I do plan to venture into Europe at some point. At the moment, I'm just using my gas for the hob so my last bottle hasn't run out yet.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
You are welcome and keep up the good work.
"I don't like flapping." - I don't know why, but that made me chuckle
😂😂 I probably should have said that I don't like the SOUND of flapping 😅
@@Roz.S lol. Ohhh, so that's what you meant... 😮
tarp clips for the awning. go for ones with a sort of racket and TWO ends to attach the rope to. They are brilliant and I haven't had one damage the tarp/ awning.
Thanks for sharing the tip but I think I’ve gave up on awnings now 😅😅
Thanks for watching and commenting 🙌🏼
Great video Roseanna, really informative. I’m hoping to buy a camper van in a few years, so I can do a bit of exploring. 🙂
Do it! I was sitting on the fence about buying a van/caravan for a few years since they're not cheap - but it has been one of the best purchases I've made. Life's too short and the world's too big!
Excellent video. We got our Go-Pod in 2021. Many great trips away. I’m interested as to how the thermal pop top wrap performs. And I’ll be definitely checking my water pipe too. As to the issues with gas. I’m switching to Camping gaz 907 cylinders when our calor is empty.
I'll be going to the Camping Gaz 907 too when my Calor runs out. I got the thermal wrap and used it. Noticed a considerable difference in heat. Some people noted that you have to be careful that condensation doesn't build up between the thermal wrap and the pop top canvas, but I didn't have that issue. You can see the wrap at this point in my vlog - ruclips.net/video/FxPGq_576o4/видео.htmlsi=bROGCoBCViAKl2j_&t=88
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Over here (sweden), We have places that will refill your gas bottle, Not just places to trade it in for another, Might be worth looking into if you have that in the UK aswell.@@Roz.S
@@The76Jay I have tried that, but apparently they won't refill these bottles. Not sure why.
If you want a awning go to a boat canvas company they can custom make you a awning, also the calor gas 3.9kg and 4.5kg bottles are now back in cerculation
Yes, I heard about Calor bringing them back. Luckily, I've not changed my gas over yet, so this is great news. And thanks for the tip on the awning. 👍🏼
Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Thank you for the information 👍
You're welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Omg , I agree i would have thought gopod would have designed a awning for the back anyway but as you say i don't like flappy bits, its got to be a nice tight fit tbh. Keep safe xx
An awning would make my life sooo much easier, but yeah, it's got to fit right. 👍🏼
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Honest appraisal lovely lady keep up the Sterling work.😊
Thanks so much!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hi roseanna, I think you are doing brilliant it's just practice 😀 turning left for pod to go right ✅️ and turning right for it to go left 😀
I'm guessing this comment was for my reversing video 🤔 No idea how it ended up on this one 😅 But thank you so much anyway!! I'll get there with practice.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great video, I’ve thought about buying a go pod and this video has answered a lot of questions 👍
Glad I could help. Thanks for watching and commenting.
My advice - just go for it. Every caravan has it's issues and compromises are made in the design process, but if you're looking for something that's well made, easy to use and can be stored at home, you can't really beat the Go-Pods. Sure there are a few cheaper alternatives around, but you get what you pay for with those and especially with vans like Freedoms, expect to have lost all of the value within 5 years or so.
I enjoyed your review, we don’t have gopods in the US, I prefer small campers, currently camping in a 1996 Jeep, ARB makes an awning room that might fit one of your sides, I camp in the western desert and mountains in the US, 20+ mph winds are a daily issue, I agree flapping tents are annoying
Nothing more annoying that then sound of a flapping tent when you're trying to sleep! Thanks for the awning recommendation. I'll check them out and see what the measurements are.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thank you for a great video
Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great video, some really good valid points. It’s a shame some of these companies don’t listen to and resolve some. Well done 👍
I think they may have resolved some and made improvement. But in fairness to them, they'll never be able to please everyone.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@Roz.S Yes I think you are correct there, pleasing everyone. I had my own van purpose built and it still wasn’t exactly how I would of liked it. “perfection” is hard to please.
I don’t have a GoPod but I still found this an interesting listen. I totally get the height thing as I have a VW camper with a pop top. At 6’ tall I’m constantly either sitting or kneeling if the top is down in high winds or really cold weather. I also share your frustration at awnings that don’t fully fit, I’ve know made my own (with the help of a local seamstress) from an old tarp and some kadar strip, it’s not perfect but it works for me.
I've gave up on awnings for the time being 😅 The thermal wrap that I got for my pop top has turned out to be a really good buy. Currently sat in the Pod all toasty and warm and the pop top is up. But yeah, it's no fun when you're stuck inside and cant stand up. Thanks for watching and commenting.
P.S. I noticed your profile picture. I'm off on a "try dive" at the beginning of Jan. If I don't freak out I think I'll be doing a PADI course next year to add to my adventures. Excited but also nervous!
@@Roz.SI’ve just seen your reply. How did the try dive go? I really hope you enjoyed it. I did a try dive about 25 years ago and diving has taken me all over the world. My favourite dive was in Iceland last year. It’s the only place in the world where you can touch two tectonic plates at the same time. Look up “Silfra”. Good luck on your diving journey. 👌😎
😀 Most caravans have good and bad things, nothing is really perfect i guess ... my 2017 Adria has the new type ergo bathroom ... with a folding sink over the toilet , which i don't like but it is not a big issue and it saves a lot of space ! And I didn't have any problems with fridge, water system, lights , Alde heater or anything yet ... I'm a very happy Adria caravaner so far 🥰
Sounds lovely. I do sometimes wish that I had bathroom. But yes, nothing is perfect and they're never going to be able to please everyone.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
🥰@@Roz.S
lol, It sounds very much like you had the same experience that we had at Durness, Sango Sands. We were pitched on the top on one of those cliff top pitches in our pop top van. We also had to put the pop top down because of the gale force wind and rain but that night the wife had panic attack because we were being rocked about like clothes in a washing machine. The next day the wife ordered me, to ask the lady at reception to change pitches. Luckily somebody else wanted our pitch and my wife was happy then.
The first day I arrived, the wind was strong. I almost lost a rear door on my van 😅 Luckily, the wind died down and I was able to enjoy the views. But I think I would have moved pitch too if the wind was going to stick around. It’s no fun when things start shaking around inside. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Have you tried a pull out awning attached to the van? You could then hook the other side to the pod and utilise both vehicles as well as the covered space in between.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think my little van is big enough for a pull out awning 🤔 I'll have to have a look! It would have to be easy to pull out and put away because I do like to pitch the caravan and then still have my van to explore in. But definitely something to think about.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Your entitled to your opinion !
to get over the wonky slats, first pull them out as you would normally, then slide them back as if to put them away, but at this point, get a marker, reach under the slats and make a line where they run out along the seating units, then get some thin strips of either wood or plastic and glue them to the slats at the line, now when you pull the slats out these strips will stop the slats from going off track, job gone
Re the Heaters, what I did was bought some expanding air ducting, and T pieces, and put the T's in behind the vents, ran the ducting under the seating and put vents on the end of the seating bench, when making the bed I closed the vents that would be under the bed, forcing the warm air up the ducts and out into the open space at the end of the bed, cost wise, around £15 comfort wise, cost effective, will mean a little work to make pass throughs under the seating but it really is worth it. and you don't need to be a skilled DIYer or need expensive tools either
Thank so much for the tips!! They would certainly make my life easier. Appreciate you watching and commenting.
Hello. Just watch this video a bottle that will fit are the small safe fill bottles also you fill them at any LPG petrol station.
Carry on camping
James
Thanks for the tip. I'll check them out. 👍
Thanks for watching and commenting.
I have loved this review. You have made me laugh, and I have no idea why. What a girl :)
😅😅😅 Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hi ,I think you did a great job, I’ve got a camper trailer in Qld I would buy a egg shell topper you’ll love it, over here in Australia they usually give you things for free to review as you go camping ,Cheers Merry Christmas from Mt Morgan Qld Australia
Thank you for the tip. I ended up buying a Duvalay and now sleep comfortably.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
regards your awning issue have a chat with Tent Valeting Services there's a good chance they'll be able to make your awning fit
Thank you, but I've given up on awnings now 😅 I've travelled for about 8 months without one, including through winter, and I'm kinda use to it now.
Well there we are a perfect opportunity: a gap in the market - an awning
I would LOVE an awning that fits and that was quick and easy to put up 👍🏼
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Try a rechargeable fan , put under foot 👣 of bed on low ,it should fix it .. 4 the awning check into a batwing awning , it mounts on 1 side of camper u pull it around 2 other side. It will cover the whole back half of camper. 😊
Thank you for the recommendations, especially the awning, I'll check it out.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thanks for some interesting videos about the Go Pod, particularly this "I don't like" vlog. I am looking for something small to go out photoing stars, since the increasing light pollution of my little town has blocked my balcony observatory. A van like yours is too little, and a bigger van or caravan are too much. The Go Pod seems like a reasonable compromise, though a longer space for permanently my telescope tripod had been nice to have.
However, a tip regarding the bed and getting warm air out under it, I would go to a computer shop asking for a really silent computer fan that can run on the USB or similar. A holder to stand on the floor just under the bed where it opens to the rear will be needed, but such fans are long-duration fans, built to run 24/7/365*a couple of years. Have one for warm summers, running all night long to at least move the air around for 3 years now, and on 9 V. In order not to be too cool, I have to direct it a bit off not to catch a summer cold without sounding a bit, a mosquito or a fly is noisier.
Then, neither here nor in Go Pod's videos the battery compartment shows how much space the battery takes up. If place, I would install an extra or a larger battery and add another one in the cupboard under the Domatic. But thanks for some really great insights.
Thank you so much for the tips.
With regards to the battery space, the battery is stored under one of the seats and takes up about two thirds of the space under there, and you may be able to fit another battery. I'll try to do another video of the electrics and systems in the future.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
I think (if I am remembering correctly - I sold my Go-Pod last year due to health issues) that the battery and box take up about a third of the space under the righthand seat. Still plenty of space for bedding, clothes and bits like that under there, and you have the full length beneath the opposite seat for storage too. There's also a bit of storage under the front seat beneath the window.
From the point of view of gas, Calor discontinued the gas last year. You can get Flogas that fits and that is what we have.
Tried all my local stockists, and none of them stock the small flogas. I even tried to order online, but Flogas cannot guarantee that I would get the bottle with the smaller neck height. So, to make my life easier, I'm just going to get it changed.
@@Roz.S From your accent, you cannot be too far away from us and we emailed a few places and then got an email back to say they had some in stock and we could go over and get one. It really wasn't a big effort. Maybe you could send a few emails places or ring up?
@@ChilliPod
And where so you think my accent is? ... I have lived all over the country.
Even if you could place my accent (you'd be the first), I'm very rarely at home. I need to be able to locate gas EASILY. I do not have the time to ringing and emailing several places in the hope that they have a gas bottle that fits.
We watched your autumn/winter break one first, I only wish my schnauzer was as well behaved as your dog. Both interesting and informative videos.
Winston is such a good boy. i'm very lucky; I often forget how good he is.
Thanks for watching my videos and commenting.
@@Roz.S missed the point? He certainly did!
I think it’s time for you to give up camping or podding. I have had a full size caravan for 12 years. The slats are always coming off, the heater ducts are under the bed at night, never had an awning that fit so bought one and altered it. Beds always uncomfortable but just got a duralay when they first came out. Water never attaches properly wind though vent is an age old problem, but none of these things I hate or even dislike just life/caravanning stuff. We got a lecture off some know it all at NEC last year we just ignored them and eventually they pushed off.
There are better alternatives out there that use more of the space, they lack the teardrop design so are roomier. I was told by a former owner that Go Pod are good at marketing but to get something else, they had moved to a different micro caravan (I can't remember what it was but I had a look and it was better and cheaper).
They also put their prices up quite a lot a recently, I think it was 3k. This is not to say they are bad, just there are better micro caravans available. This was at the NEC show this year.
I can't say I disagree with you. Yes, they have recently gone up a lot in price and the teardrop design does limit space and headroom and there are some other really great micro caravans out there. And although I don't love everything about my Go Pod, I still like it and have had many adventures and made lots of memories 😇
Thanks so much for watching and commenting 😀👍🏼
There's drawbacks with everything though, I'd wager most of the alternatives you refer to are too big to store in a garage, which is a major selling point for Go-Pods. There also aren't many vans on the market with a 750KG MTPLM which means you can tow them with some of the smallest cars around.
A lot of the vans that people class as "small caravans" are actually medium sized (looking at the Basedamps, smaller Adrias, some of the Eriba Touring range) and usually have an MTPLM of 1,000KG, or if they do have a 750KG MTPLM, have less than 100kg of payload which limits the items you can bring, and you'll likely find yourself storing most of your gear in the car which is impractical.
The Go-Pods sales team I spoke to at the NEC in October 2022 were very honest about their product. They told me that Go-Pods won't suit everyone, and many people will find the limited space difficult to manage. If you're a well organised person it becomes a total non-issue though. The fact they were so upfront and honest about the limitations of their product is what convinced me to go out and buy one. I would have loved to buy a new one if I had the budget, but I've had ongoing health issues for a few years which have eaten up a chunk of my savings.
Wow! There’s a lot of negatives!
If you unsure about Motorhomes, caravans or campervan is to Hire one before you buy, then you know if it's for you.
I have had caravans, motorhomes and campervans you find fault with them all.
I call my Pod a campervan without an engine. But have the use of my car when parked up.
I don't know how your video got to my feed but your voice is amazing.. you should venture out and do voiceovers
Haha, thank you. I usually get told that I have a funny accent 😅
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Jubilee clip: £1.00!
Nice video, I know what you mean about caravan beds, I have the same trouble with a firm mattress, my hips ache and I don’t get a good nights sleep. However, my wife sleeps like a baby, it doesn’t bother her. 😏
Get a single Duvalay for you to lay on and your wife can lay directly on the mattress. It's the Duvalay that saved my back. I sleep soundly now. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hi Roz. You really sold the Go pod 😆think I will look at a Base camp .
😅😅🙈
You mean a "Base Damp"?
Wouldn't touch those things with a barge pole, lots of stories online of owners whose vans developed massive leaks in the first 6 months after buying, and an ongoing issue with damp buildup inside that they still haven't sorted in the latest models.
They're also about twice the size of a Go-Pod, so if you're looking for a caravan to keep at home, prepare to sacrifice all of your driveway to store a basedamp and play "car tetris" every other day.
great video. we have a folding caravan as we didnt know these existed. how are they to tow?
I'm a first time tower and I find it okay; I did managed to tow it around the Scottish Highlands.
The only problem is that because it's very light, it can get quite bouncy. And because it's small, reversing can be a bit trickier.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@Roz.S If you are towing it and it feels bouncy, you possibly are not towing it with the right vehicle. Ours doesn't feel bouncy when towing.
@@ChilliPod I'm towing it with a van. And all caravans feel slightly bouncy (they're not invisible on the back of a car); the Go Pod is just a bit bouncier because it's lighter than conventional caravans.
Hi Roseanna, Like me looks like you love caravan’s. Just listening to your opinions on pod. Have you looked at the little freedom caravans?. If weight is the issue but hopefully want to rid some of your issues with pod then maybe worth a look. I have always had swift caravans over the years. I actually towed my last swift with a vw golf gtd no problems. Think I will have a look at NEC & maybe Glasgow as I live in Northumberland. Ok happy camping for 2024. Marc.
Hey, I going to keep the Pod for now. I still love it, and I'm happy with my purchase. I'll keep it until the time comes for me to change my van. I'll then get a van with a bigger towing capacity and a bigger caravan. That's the plan anyway 😅 ..but my little Pod will suit me for now.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Freedom caravans are awful quality in my opinion. They're mass produced at a factory in Poland and it really seems that they've gone for quantity over quality.
The interior looks so dated (to me at least - that older style of furnishings will appeal to some of course) and the finish just feels very cheap. You can feel how flimsy and thin the furniture is, and it's all constructed with melamine chipboard which will swell up and warp if it comes into contact with ANY water whatsoever.
Considering the larger Freedom models have a bathroom inside, it's no wonder they have so many damp issues and makes you wonder why they decided to use melamine for the furniture knowing what it's like when coming into contact with water.
It is quite small unless that orange cup is massive 😄
😂😂😂 It's small. It's less than 5 meters long, and that includes the hitch! 😅
@@Roz.S I honestly think it's amazing. I love it 👍
'feel his presence burning inside of you'??? You better get that checked 😖
🤣🤣🤣
Seal your outside vents with white sikaflex. 👍
Already done 👍😉
You wouldn’t have liked to live in the 1920’s, the flapper era!😂 But I know what you mean. I hate it too. Deb from Oz
😂😂😂
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Have you thought of selling and buying a caravan. Just a thought !
😂😂 My little van only has a small towing capacity, so if I got a bigger caravan I would need a more substantial towing vehicle. I love my little van (I’m her second owner and she’s only got 30k miles on her) so I’m not ready to part with her yet, hence I bought a pod. I’ll probably get a bigger caravan one day, but only when I’m ready to change my van. 👍🏼 thanks for watching and commenting
What is the name of the Facebook group that you mentioned. I am new to GoPod’s and would welcome some advice. Thanks for a really useful video.
It’s called “Go Pod Owners (Go PodPals)”
Personally, I think it’s the best group on Facebook. It’s got no affiliation with Go Pod or Red Lion. It’s just a helpful group of owners sharing information.
Thanks for watching and commenting 🙌🏼
Thanks for the info. I’ve asked to join so hopefully will hear soon.
@@Roz.S I don't think any of the groups have any official affiliation with Go-Pods/Red Lion. I was a member of 3 - PodPals, Go-Pod Information and another open group that also welcomed people with similar vans. Some of the groups are moderated quite strictly but that's often a good thing, as you tend to get a lot of strange people on Facebook who feel invincible when they're sitting behind a keyboard.
Fix the table between the two seats and then pull the slacks up to it.
Sorry, I don't know what you mean. Can you explain that again, please?
@@Roz.S instead of putting the table on the floor under the bed. Before you pull out the bed slack place the table top where the slacks go and bring the slacks to meet it and so it makes the bed easier and so the slacks are not pulled out so far least space to fall off the runs.
Little wonder you're on next years NEC ban list!
At this rate the Walls icecream club will have you down as a trouble maker; the wardens will be keeping a close eye on you😂
😂😂😂 You'll see my face on "wanted" posters 🙈
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Sounds like you should have got a bigger van😊
Not getting rid of the van. My van’s great; just passed mot with no advisories and only 38k miles on the clock 🙌🏼
@@Roz.S I meant caravan
@@heatherread5314 I don't have problem with the size of my Go Pod - that wasn't on my list of things I don't liked 😅
Not too much wrong with it then 😂
😂😂 only a few things. I like more about it than I dislike. And I can live with those little things. 😇 Thanks for watching and commenting.
Be thankful you have these luxury's most of country struggling to survive
I sacrificed my 20's building a business so that I could have these luxuries and lifestyle.
And for anyone that wants to hand over their hard earned cash for a Go Pod, I would like them to be aware of some of the negative, and what to look out for, so they can make the best decision for them. That's the point of this video.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Buy a cheap electric heater. You seem to only use sites with hook up so why wear out the vans heater fan. You will get something for less than £15.
Just bought one for our winter adventures 😀
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Comment comment comment 😍
😂😂😂
Thanks for watching and commenting
No worries girlie it's a subject I'm interested in
Plus I'm told it's important for you tubers to
Get comments you deserve it for the quality
Of ur vids
Keep banging gangstarr 😁👏😉👍
@@Roz.S Here you are. I rest my case!
@@ChilliPod ...and yet, you keep commenting.
Thanks for video, go pod not for me...
No problem at all. I love mine, but the point of the video is to share some stuff that might make it not suitable for other people. So, I'm glad the video has done it's job.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
You need to move down under, so easy to get a gas bottle recharged, all over the place.
That's quite a move to make for the sake of a gas bottle 😂😂😂
Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@Roz.S australia = awful place, so don’t bother.
@@johnnunn8688 😂😂 I'm guessing you don't work for the tourist board 😅
Sadly you have definitely put me off buying a go pod, your comment that they might have improved the build quality since your one was built doesn't fill me with confidence.
I've actually been looking at trying to import a campervan built on the long wheelbase Ssangyong Musso pickup truck (A) great for off grid camping 4x. (B) build quality (C) the Koreans love them.
This is a manufacturer and who listens to the dealers and owners clubs around the world
I am sorry about that. I love my Go Pod and I am still happy with my purchase. However, they're not for everyone and I hope you find your perfect set up and adventure vehicle 😃
Thanks for watching and commenting.
A caravan technician I had to work on a go-pod recently and I found all the points you mentioned, but given the ludicrous cost and poor build quality I could never recommend anyone to buy one.
@@markwidgery1922 They're definitely not cheap to buy, and you can get a lot more for your money elsewhere. However, my little van has a small towing capacity, and there are not many other caravans 750kg or under that offer the same features, especially on the used market. My Pod suits me for now, but when I upgrade my van, I'll probably upgrade my caravan. Thanks so much for sharing your experience 👍
@@markwidgery1922 Perhaps the owner of the Go-Pod you worked on just didn't look after it properly. Had mine for just over a year before health problems forced me to sell and had no problems whatsoever, aside from needing to replace a single rusty hinge which is to be expected on a caravan that was (at that point) over 6 years old.
As for the "ludicrous cost" it sounds like you haven't looked at other comparable vans on the market. You can't compare these to a traditional caravan as they're a totally different concept and appeal to a different market too. Most similar vans to Go-Pods are the Eriba Touring range (£25k + new), Freedom Caravans (a bit cheaper but the quality is rubbish) and Barefoot Caravans, which of course are lovely and beautiful quality, but are more than double the price of a new Go-Pod. I looked at all 3 of those mentioned and none of them could hold a candle to the Go-Pod for what I needed it for.
As good at this video is, and credit to Roz for prefacing it with the admission that these are things that she personally doesn't like and YMMV, a review of a second hand Pod isn't the best way to decide if one is definitely for you. There are so many other factors that could affect a van when buying pre-owned, my Go-Pod was 5 years old when I purchased it and had no issues whatsoever as the original owner had looked after it meticulously; having it serviced every year, checking the vents and sealant every 6 months, lubricating the hinges with WD40 semi-regularly and always storing it under a protective cover.
As with every caravan, if you do your due diligence and look after the thing, it'll pay you back dividends in return. I had a look at the new Go-Pods last year at the NEC and the build quality was superb. If I'm ever back in the market for a caravan I'll be looking to get one.
If I were to buy a very small caravan I think I would choose a Freedom caravan.
When I was buying, I did look at freedom caravans, but not many second hands on the market and I didn’t want to buy brand new. Lovely little caravans though 👍🏼
We had a look at Freedoms and found that the finish on them was very poor. Everything is glued and they smelt strongly of glue. The Carpento cannot be used off grid as it doesn't have a fridge that will run off gas (I haven't checked this point but someone who reviews caravans that I know told me this). They are not aesthetically pleasing at all I'd rather not have a caravan if the only caravans available were Freedoms. We also found that the worktop height was at the wrong height. Great if you want to chop vegetables bending down. The worktops were at hip height. The Carpento with the ladder had a dangerous ladder for kids just made out of interior plastic wrapped chip board. The top bunk had a curve upwards meaning children could roll out and the bottom bunk was made from such a hotch potch of cushions (including tiny triangular ones) that nobody could get comfortable on there, even with a Duvalay.
Forgot to say, the Freedoms are well known for the inside lining completing falling to bits. I think that's why they all smell of glue. You really need to go and have a look at them at the NEC.
@@ChilliPod "How can someone tell people about issues when they are YOUR issues?" I think these were the words you wrote above.
Please note that I think ChilliPod has some form of affiliation with Go Pod. They run a Go Pod Facebook group that is highly censored (I left it for another Facebook Group). They've left an essay of a response above about how fantastic a Go Pod is (I didn't read it all), and now they are slagging off another well-known micro-caravan brand that I don't think they have owned and experienced themselves.
Really bad attention to detail and build quality from GoPod in those last elements you mentioned (the vent and water pipe). Astonishing!
They've definitely been a problem in the older Go Pod, however, I'm not sure if they have corrected them in the newer models. I should hope to think they have.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
As mentioned above, the vents are sealed with caravan sealant during production but this can perish over time (especially during periods of dramatic weather changes i.e. cooler weather to sudden heatwaves).
We always recommend that customers check their vents on an annual basis and reseal as necessary. It's a 30 minute job with a caulking gun and can prevent issues further down the line - any reputable caravan workshop should be able to do this during servicing upon request.
R.e. the water pipe - they're secured with a cable tie to prevent damage from water freezing if owners don't follow the winterising process correctly. With second hand Go-Pods purchased privately, it's impossible to know whether the cable tie was removed by the previous owner (or owners) but the pipe is definitely secured with a cable tie in all new Go-Pods.
I think the tone of the video might feel overly negative just focusing on the "bad points" that Roseanna has identified, but if you've been following her channel for a while you'll have noticed that she's published lots of videos focusing on the good aspects too. It is definitely useful to show some balance with videos like this as Go-Pods won't suit everyone!
@@GoPodsCaravans
@arnoldsnodgrass2953
I have the full-service and ownership history of the GoPod I bought. It had only been used a number of times and was stored under cover. The small problems in this video were not caused by a lack of maintenance. Also, if you join the "Go Pod Owners (Go Podpals)" Facebook Group and do a quick search, you'll see I'm not the only one who experienced these issues.
- The vents on my caravan had NEVER been sealed. That was obvious just by looking at them.
- There was no cable tie on the pipe, and the previous owner had not removed it because I had asked them if they had ever done anything to the water before I removed the plate and corrected the issue. (That being said, mine is a 2017 model, so maybe they're on the newer models).
Also, as I mentioned in the video, I still love my Go Pod, and I do not regret my purchase, but these are just some things that I think buyers should be aware of.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@Roz.S Thanks for your reply.
Apologies if you thought that I was insinuating that your Pod is rife with issues or wasn't looked after by the previous owner. That wasn't the intention at all.
We service over 100 Go-Pods a year for owners and sell a high volume of pre-owned stock too, and in many cases issues are caused by improper maintenance or user error. Obviously this doesn't apply to every case though.
The issues mentioned are definitely not present in new Go-Pods but I'll seek some clarification from our UK workshop team and also speak to the factory in Portugal to see if we can shed any more light on the situation and work on permanent solutions for any owners whose Go-Pods may have been affected.
Thanks again for your feedback and the great video.
@@GoPodsCaravans Thank you for your reply. I'd also like to apologize if my response came across a bit strong, I had just been bombarded with a one-sided dissertation from ChiiliPod.
This was not meant to be a negative video, and I thought I had clearly stressed at the beginning that 1) I have an older model, so not everything will apply to every Go Pod, and 2) nothing is perfect, and I still love my Go Pod and believe it has been a good investment that I have got lots of enjoyment out of.
Apologies if it came across as though I was attacking Go Pods; that was not my intention.
Thanks again for your reply.
Sounds like shoddy workmanship ! I like the idea, but at the price with faults like that, it seems built to fail !
The newer models are much more expensive and the price has recently gone up on them. BUT I am hoping that those faults are just in the older models and have been rectified in the newer models (although I'm not sure)
Thanks for watching and commenting.
With any caravans, especially those bought privately second-hand, it's luck of the draw as to whether previous owners kept up with the maintenance properly.
We've had Go-Pods that are over 15 years old in for servicing this year and they were as solid as the day they went out brand new, because the owners looked after them properly. There aren't many things to go "wrong" with a Go-Pod and of those few things, all of them can be prevented with proper maintenance and yearly servicing.
It's like buying a second hand car - lots of people (myself included) would instantly discount a potential vehicle as a possibility if it doesn't have full service history. Thankfully, most people recognise the importance of having their car serviced on an annual basis but it does seem that there are a few caravan owners who think the same shouldn't apply to a caravan.
Taylor - Go-Pods
@@GoPodsCaravans@GoPodsCaravans @ToiToiTrimmer
I have the full-service and ownership history of the GoPod I bought. It had only been used a number of times and was stored under cover. The small problems in this video were not caused by a lack of maintenance. Also, if you join the "Go Pod Owners (Go Podpals)" Facebook Group and do a quick search, you'll see I'm not the only one who experienced these issues.
Thank you for watching and commenting.
@@GoPodsCaravans if you can’t take constructive criticism it proves to me you are not a good company to deal with. Blaming previous owners when the problem is so obviously shoddy workmanship and a company that doesn’t care for its customers. Here we have Kpods, they don’t have shoddy workmanship ! They don’t leak through air holes, what a catastrophic design flaw. I really feel for those caught out by it. I bet your company was no help to them either. Stop blaming everyone else.
I have to say that our 2016 Go Pod has been very reliable, and the very few times we've contacted the company for advice or spares, they've been very helpful.
Sounds to me like you should be staying in a hotel mate ,trust me I've been camping and van lifeing for over 40 years and there are always compromises and sacrifices to make
I think you may have missed the point of video 🤔😅
No worries though. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Yes, I agree with you. I don't think any caravan is perfect for everyone. We have a Go Pod and love ours and have none of these issues.
It's nicer to sleep in your own bed and wake up in the countryside and a hotel probably wouldn't let you bring Winston.
@@SB-dg8hq Great point! I also wouldn't want to pay for a hotel for 150+ nights of the year 😅😅
In the "Land Down Under" we tend to have awnings on our vehicles. These can have attachable sides to give you a separate enclosed space. Not the same as the back of your caravan but very useful. On RUclips look up "Darche" which is a great brand that I have in the side of my Landcruiser. Just a thought!
Maybe buy a newer model to stop you whining...
A newer model still has ...
- Bed slats
- Heaters located at the back
- Awnings that don't fit
- A pop top
- A front box that only fits small gas bottles
PLUS as I said CLEARLY at the beginning of the video. I still like my Go Pod and I'm happy with my purchase. The purpose of the video is just to let potential buyers know of some of the small issues (some can't be helped) before they invest £10k+ into a caravan.
Thanks for watching and commenting anyway.
Maybe read the description and listen carefully to understand the informative video to stop you making a juvenile comment!