Jayco style pop up campers

[LandyAndy]

People.
After finally using my home made camper trailer its not what I want.
Its difficult to erect/pack alone,my trailer is extra heavy duty so heavy to tow.It also is VERY big,it took up a van site without putting the extra room up.
Thinking I will sell the canvas top and then put all my good stuff into a pop up camper and use the trailer as a kick ass trailer.
Would like to know others experiences with these campers,the newer versions are pretty flash,the sort of thing I may be looking at.
Thanks
Andrew

[pop058]

A D4 AND a Jayco, what next, a coffee machine :p

On a serious note (well sort of :D), Nan & I got an older style (electric) lift up camper and we enjoy the trip heaps more. Setup & packup issues can put a real damper on an otherwise relaxing trip away.

[Dudela]

Andy,

Check these out they sound great although cost as much as a D4. On my Wishlist.

http://www.kimberleykaravans.com/offroad-caravans-range

The caravan show is in March so if you sort out what you want by then you can order and they usually throw in a sweetener, not much as they say with the new national pricing they are all good prices anyway. They signed up nearly 500 sales at the show last year which caught me off guard and added extra time to the build. Nearly bought a Jayco early last year so have been thru caravan land in Cannington a few times. I started looking at camper trailers after years of camping and somehow we needed up with a van.

[emoji857]

[justinc]

NO NO NO NO NO Andy!!!


Did I say NO????

😮😮😮😮

Just don't do it....


JC

[Chucaro]

If you get a Jayco, sell the Disco and get a Great Wall so the stuff up selection it is completed. :D

[spudboy]

I've never had a caravan, so not wholly qualified to comment, but we travelled with a family up the Tanami Track and across to Broome and Kununurra with a Jayco.

They had an "off-road" Jayco pop-up camper. Every morning they had to drop it down (which was no real drama) but then they spent 15 minutes going around with duct tape to try and seal out the dust.

Even doing that, they'd arrive with their bed covered in dust, and had to clean everything when they set up camp. It also took a while to un-tape it when they stopped, not to mention the waste of duct tape every day!

Anyway - I'd stay away from Jayco if you want to go anywhere that has dust.

HTH
David

Also - we had to pull a wheel off half way up the Tanami because it filled up with dirt and small stones, causing the most horrendous grinding noises. BTW - It wasn't old and crappy, it was less than 12 months old

[101 Ron]

I have owned a outback Hawk for just over Ten years.
I had options from Jayco and I have added a few things my self over the years.
Jayco production camper van wise is great value for money , but the trade off is build quality........they are rubbish.
Self tappers will unscrew them selves on the first corrugated road.
Wiring is haphazard.
They are just as heavy as a caravan , as they have similar features and a windup feature adding weight too.
The towing weight limits the off road side of things greatly.
Jayco have trouble adding anything extra to the standard production item without stuffing it up.
take note the newer smooth sided models is nothing special as it nothing more than ply wood with a extremely thin fibreglass coating.
Plastic fittings though out do not tend to last over time and need to be replaced every 5 years or so with weather exposure.
If you want true off road you need a lighter type set up.
There is a bit of work setting up and putting down the Jayco campers if you use the annex ect.
Ron

[101 Ron]

I concur with the dust if going out west.
If I was doing the whole exercise again I would look at the products made by CUB and there hard floor range with all the goodies.
Ron

[Tombie]

Stop messing around Andy...

Jurgens Australia - TuffTRAX (http://jurgens.com.au/Range/Off-Road-2/TuffTRAX.aspx)

[Vern]

Very happy with our cub daintree le, light (799kg), easy to set up and pack up buy yourself. This is our second one now, suits us to a T.
Australian made as well

[Tank]

People.
After finally using my home made camper trailer its not what I want.
Its difficult to erect/pack alone,my trailer is extra heavy duty so heavy to tow.It also is VERY big,it took up a van site without putting the extra room up.
Thinking I will sell the canvas top and then put all my good stuff into a pop up camper and use the trailer as a kick ass trailer.
Would like to know others experiences with these campers,the newer versions are pretty flash,the sort of thing I may be looking at.
Thanks
Andrew
I have had the same sort of problems with mobile accomodation, so I looked around and ended up with a Chinese CKD hard floor C/T, I paid $5200 for it new, I couldn't have built one for that price.
Over the last couple of years I have noticed some Australian camper trailer builders have been selling MY exact same C/T under THEIR names and as Australian built adding some frivolous luxury items and flogging them off for over $20K.
A friend of mine bought one of these Aussie made Chinese Campers, so it gave me the opportunity to compare mine with his.
Other than suspension (independent his, mine 7 leaf military wrap HD springs, shocks and axle), nice paint job and alloy wheels, better electric system and a price tag of $26K, it is identical to mine.
I have got rid of the crappy tasting plastic water tank and electrical system and replaced with stainlees steel water tank and a good quality elec/charging setup and some HD Optima deep Cycle batteries.
The workmanship on the chassis and drawbar is good to excellent, not a crap weld in sight, 10" drum brakes work well, camper rides well, everything is hot dipped gal.
The body outer skin is alloy plate with a material between it and plastic interior, comes with a Queen size innerspring mattress that weighs 50kgs, got rid of that and had a Dunlopillow 6" mattress made to suit, the ply floor under the bed is crap and I'm in the process of changing that out for quality Marine Ply. A couple of water leaks till the Rip-Stop canvas seasoned up. The body when closed up had a leak which allowed a little water in, found the spot and repaired, this CT weighs 760kg with the 50kg mattress, so it is down to around 700kg. now.
This C/T is good value for money and easily modified to suit, easy to setup and pack away, more so with 2 people, packing away is fiddly cause you need to tuck the canvas in along the sides while you wind the floor over, not hard just fiddly.
If you could get one of these CT's for 8 to 10K you would have the basis for a good strong Camper, I have a Post in here somewhere with a good description, see if I can find it, Regards Frank.

Previous post, description and pics of C/T.


I purchased an off-road hard floor camper, new for under $6K just over a year ago, it is a Chinese import and assembled here in Australia.
Now all the purists (who have probably never looked at my camper will say it is a POS).
It has a fully Galvanised chassis, electric brakes, LED tail lights, handbrake, solid axle/shocks, Leaf (7) springs with military wrap on shackles, springs sit on top of axle for more ground clearance. 70 L water tank w/electric pump, slide out kitchen with 4 burner gas stove, sink with tap, all stainless steel, 3 new 15" Sunraysia rims and tyres w/Toyota bolt pattern.
All of the chassis/drawbar welds look good to me, a mate who was a boilermaker could find no faults with the construction, the draw bar is bolt on which extends almost back to the axle with 6x 1/2" bolts.
the body panels are alloy/foam/alloy plating with alloy checkerplate on corners and edges, slide out compartment on drivers side (opposite) the kitchen has a battery, a charger and some switches.
All of the rubber seals are auto style (double pinch) with seals on the body and doors, never leaked the seal between the hard floor and the camper body is a triple lipped rubber seal.
A large alloy checkerplate tool/storage box sits on the draw bar, along with 9Kg. gas bottle holder and Jerry can holder, Spare tyre, rock shield and winch for winding the hard floor back.
Canvas is Ripstop type and is adequate, nothing too fancy, comes with a full annex, walls and wind breaks and floor, full set of poles (very heavy).
It is exactly the same body width as my Disco and the wheel track is the same, only weighs 760kgs.
The bed is a 6" spring type mattress, Queen size, this mattress weighs around 40kg and is too wide, very hard to fit sheets and bedding, we gave ours to Vinnies and replaced it with a Dunlopillo 6" foam which much more comfortable and only weighs about 15kgs. and about 6" narrower.
This Chinese manufactured trailer is imported with all the camper bodies in 1 container and all the drawbars, axles and tyres in another, I'd estimate they (importer) could bring in 40 camper trailers in 2 contaniers.


A mate of mine bought the exact same trailer as mine except for, nice alloy wheels, some fancy good looking transfers on the sides and a better battery/charging setup. This bloke has confirmed that his "OZZIE" built trailer is identical to mine except for the shiny items mentioned above.
He paid $26,000 for his, now I have seen many, many ads hawking my trailer as Australian made and charging over $20,000 for something that was imported from China in BULK for about $3K each, Tarting them up and making a horrendous profit on them.
So if you want a good trailer assembled here in OZ for around < $10K,have a look at a hard floor Chinese camper, sleeps 2 to 4 adults in the bed (if your kinky) 2 kids (or more) on the hard floor section and God knows how many in the annex, Good Luck, Regards Frank.
http://www.aulro.com/app/data/1367/medium/IMG_3003.JPG

http://www.aulro.com/app/data/1367/medium/IMG_3005.JPG










______________

[DoubleChevron]

If it's just gravel road use ... and not "true offroading" .... Can you go past an aussie made Bailey caravan these days. Not cheap..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO72mVDliIA

My father has a pommy version ... They are bolted and locked together... The structure being a really strong "box" ... Think of how strong a garden shed becomes as soon as you screw the walls and roof together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBrXICtUq0g

My father chatted to the guy that's setup the aussie operation. He was showed pictures on his phone of the caravan they hammered around the proving ground. The thing was unmarked structurally. However a lot of the aussie (well chinese) sourced locally fitted furniture fell apart, the fridge fell out etc.... So they went back and added extra fasteners everywhere.

No australian 'van will have been hammered to death in testing like these caravans.

Obviously no good for serious offroading, but if your just looking at gravel roads and corrugations, I reckon it'd be unbreakable.

Pitty they have fitted them out with the hideous furniture all the local 'vans are fitted with. They look really crappy inside (just like all the locally made caravans). The furniture the aussie manufactures use must be flat packed out of china.

With these caravans ... 18foot 'vans are about 1.5tons.... not really any heavier than a big offroad camper trailer :o

seeya,
Shane L.

[LRD414]

Andrew,

We have a foward-fold camper trailer and are very happy with it.
It is a chinese fabricated and australian assembled unit of which you can now find many examples, some better than others.
The photo below is not the best but gives you an idea. It is far, far easier to set up and pack up than the more traditional style of camper trailer.
It also has a relatively small footprint when setup because it folds forward over the drawbar (good for small sites).
Properly designed ones do not require you to unhitch at all and on single night stays we often remain hitched (eg overnight stop when on a longer trip).
And we can still get into the tailgate no problems.
Also comes with a full room type annex and simple awning so you can do the full setup if staying in one place for a week or more.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/01/528.jpg


Having said that, a pop-up will always be easier than a canvas-top.
When we were looking/researching all the pop-tops were quite expensive with nothing under $50k that seemed any good (that we could find anyway).
However, have a look at this pop-up by Lifestyle, called the Breakaway.
Breakaway 'Two Plus' (http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/model/breakaway-two-plus/)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/304.jpg
This is all australian and looks pretty amazing, if a bit on the small side with less storage than ours. But very light too (~1.1t).
We've had a look through their place and were impressed.
I reckon if such a product was around when we were buying we'd have got one. Their bigger products look good too.

There are other excellent products around; Jurgens, AOR and Complete Campsite come to mind. But these are all next level for cost too. So depends on your priorities.
http://www.completecampsite.com.au/hard-top-exodus11.html
http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/quantum-plus.html'mod=quantum-plus&banner=3257777

Cheers,
Scott

[Mick_Marsh]

I think my next van will be one of these:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Topaz Overview - Track Trailer (http://tracktrailer.com.au/topaz/)

[Homestar]

I think my next van will be one of these:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Topaz Overview - Track Trailer (http://tracktrailer.com.au/topaz/)

At over $80K for the base model, I think I'll pass. For that I'd get a 6x6 Perentie fully fitted out the way I want and have change to travel around the country twice.

[Mick_Marsh]

At over $80K for the base model, I think I'll pass. For that I'd get a 6x6 Perentie fully fitted out the way I want and have change to travel around the country twice.
OK by me.
I'd tow it with the Perentie.

[LandyAndy]

Sad to here so many negative coments.I hope they arent based on "I heard from a mate whos mate told him a mate had etc etc etc"
Jayco seems to be picked on,perhaps there are issues.Any other brands???? Would like to hear from those who have used them.

Andrew

[LandyAndy]

Andy,

Check these out they sound great although cost as much as a D4. On my Wishlist.

Kimberley Karavans - Range Offroad Caravans Couples Family (http://www.kimberleykaravans.com/offroad-caravans-range)

The caravan show is in March so if you sort out what you want by then you can order and they usually throw in a sweetener, not much as they say with the new national pricing they are all good prices anyway. They signed up nearly 500 sales at the show last year which caught me off guard and added extra time to the build. Nearly bought a Jayco early last year so have been thru caravan land in Cannington a few times. I started looking at camper trailers after years of camping and somehow we needed up with a van.

[emoji857]

A great mate of mine has a Kimberley Karavan.Its a space ship on wheels,would love one but they are VERY expensive.
Andrew

[Homestar]

Sad to here so many negative coments.I hope they arent based on "I heard from a mate whos mate told him a mate had etc etc etc"
Jayco seems to be picked on,perhaps there are issues.Any other brands???? Would like to hear from those who have used them.

Andrew

Members here Phil&Liz have a Jayco Penguin - one with on off-road chassis, and have towed it around Australia without issue - not on the bitumen either. They've dine 1000's of KM with it, dragged it through the high country and over countless dunes and would very positive comments about it.

[Mick_Marsh]

Members here Phil&Liz have a Jayco Penguin - one with on off-road chassis, and have towed it around Australia without issue - not on the bitumen either. They've dine 1000's of KM with it, dragged it through the high country and over countless dunes and would very positive comments about it.
And The Wombat Hilton is an old Jayco. It's been up through The Daintree and on numerous Wombat camps.

[Geedublya]

Firstly, what are you going to do with it? Where are you going to take it? How much do you want to spend?

I've had a Jayco swan and now I have a Goldstream Storm.

The Goldstreams are more expensive but aren't a lot better.

They both work well if you use them within certain parameters. As a family the pull out beds are great. For a couple the Penguin style is better.

They wouldn't be great in endless corrugations but can be reinforced to improve strength.

Dust proofing is poor but can be improved. Better sealing or positive pressure.

They are off the ground and easy to set-up especially without pullout beds.

[weeds]

Lifestyle Campers appear to be good value for money for Aussie built.....I checked them out at the last caravan show, they seems more than willing to change things around.......not sure their weight are accurate as their are a couple of owners on my swag indicating there are heavier than advertised.

[weeds]

Stop messing around Andy...

Jurgens Australia - TuffTRAX (http://jurgens.com.au/Range/Off-Road-2/TuffTRAX.aspx)


We checked these out, nice units .... however were bemused that they would not entertain any changes/mods........

[Rok_Dr]

Another idea Andy, particularly if you are constrained by budget would be a pop top caravan. Less canvas and complexity compared to the jayco camper style.

Lots of choice in layouts, features, prices and off road bling.

Cheers

Steve

[LandyAndy]

Another idea Andy, particularly if you are constrained by budget would be a pop top caravan. Less canvas and complexity compared to the jayco camper style.

Lots of choice in layouts, features, prices and off road bling.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks Steve.
If anybody can reccomend any brand of these,please do so.Must be able to do some off-road,not extreme.If there are older models worth looking out for I dont mind re-furbishment/modifying.
Thanks
Andrew

[Tank]

Lifestyle Campers appear to be good value for money for Aussie built.....I checked them out at the last caravan show, they seems more than willing to change things around.......not sure their weight are accurate as their are a couple of owners on my swag indicating there are heavier than advertised.
I was going to buy a Lifestyle C/T, wanted a few minor changes, no way would they make any changes, said I wasn't worried about the extra cost, "No we don't make variations of our design" and rude about it as well. Told him to stick his Lifestyle up his arse, glad I did now, happy with my POS Chinese, better build, design anyway, regards frank.

[Tank]

Andrew,

We have a foward-fold camper trailer and are very happy with it.
It is a chinese fabricated and australian assembled unit of which you can now find many examples, some better than others.
The photo below is not the best but gives you an idea. It is far, far easier to set up and pack up than the more traditional style of camper trailer.
It also has a relatively small footprint when setup because it folds forward over the drawbar (good for small sites).
Properly designed ones do not require you to unhitch at all and on single night stays we often remain hitched (eg overnight stop when on a longer trip).
And we can still get into the tailgate no problems.
Also comes with a full room type annex and simple awning so you can do the full setup if staying in one place for a week or more.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/01/528.jpg


Having said that, a pop-up will always be easier than a canvas-top.
When we were looking/researching all the pop-tops were quite expensive with nothing under $50k that seemed any good (that we could find anyway).
However, have a look at this pop-up by Lifestyle, called the Breakaway.
Breakaway 'Two Plus' (http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/model/breakaway-two-plus/)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/304.jpg
This is all australian and looks pretty amazing, if a bit on the small side with less storage than ours. But very light too (~1.1t).
We've had a look through their place and were impressed.
I reckon if such a product was around when we were buying we'd have got one. Their bigger products look good too.

There are other excellent products around; Jurgens, AOR and Complete Campsite come to mind. But these are all next level for cost too. So depends on your priorities.
http://www.completecampsite.com.au/hard-top-exodus11.html
Quantum Plus (http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/quantum-plus.html'mod=quantum-plus&banner=3257777)

Cheers,
Scott
T he forward fold C/T is made by the same mob that made mine, almost bought one, but I got a better deal with the one that I bought, Regards frank.

[loneranger]

I haven't had a Jayco but my parents have owned a couple of caravans as well as several other brands (they change their van about every 18months) They all break. Jayco will honour the warranty and even fix things once the warranty has expired.

Depending on your budget I would recommend Follow me campers in Wangara. We're on our second unit from them because we traded up. We have the Fitzroy model and everything slides in and out, previously we had the Frankland version. They also do a side fold hard floor model. George over engineers so the trailers are strong. Whilst we have had a few issues with the current camper I don't hesitate to recommend them because they have a great product. You can modify any of their models to suit what you want within reason and we made changes to ours whilst it was being built.

In terms of the tent, we can pull up somewhere for an overnight stop and even with the boat loader on can have the tent up and bed ready within 10 minutes. Same in the morning pack up is easy.

In terms of the kitchen, the kitchen slides out and the gas and water are plumbed so all you have to do is plug in the gas and water, turn on the gas and your ready to cook. We keep our fridge and freezer in the step at the front and take them out if we set up for a few days.

If Wangara is too far and hard to get too and your travelling anywhere near us outside of work hours your welcome to come and have a look.

http://www.followmecampers.com.au/

[LandyAndy]

Looking to move away from camper trailers.The mrs wont do camping.Trying to avoid going a full blown van,I dont think its me.I like the breeze thru canvas.
Andrew

[DoubleChevron]

Looking to move away from camper trailers.The mrs wont do camping.Trying to avoid going a full blown van,I dont think its me.I like the breeze thru canvas.
Andrew

If the wife isn't happy .... no-one is happy. I started iwth a tent and wind up caravan ..... She's happy for the moment with the caravan we have .... Well it is bloody nearly 23foot long, has seperate bunk room and lots of living space. Next step is bolting a drawbar to the house :eek: Just as well you can get most places you'd take 3 kids with a normal road 'van right :)

I betcha your wife would like air con and lots of living space (so it's like a tent space wise). You like sleeping with the breeze of canvas. I'd suggest a windsor rapid.

eg:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2006-Windsor-Rapid-Pop-Top-Caravan-/201501668478?hash=item2eea6f747e:g:gE0AAOSwGotWlEs H

I rekcon that one is a scam 'cos it's to cheap though. Note: I like the windsors 'cos the roof is solid and overlaps the canvas on the bed(s) so will protect the canvas. My brother just sold one of these, what a bloody little ripper it was.

EDIT ....>> HANG ON THAT IS A SCAM>>>>>> THAT IS MY BROTHER ACTUAL CARAVAN. YOU CAN SEE HIS Pommy van he imported in the background. And that is his house in Ballarat. DO NOT BID >>>> SCAM>>>>

seeya,
Shane L.

[Dudela]

If the wife isn't happy .... no-one is happy. I started iwth a tent and wind up caravan ..... She's happy for the moment with the caravan we have .... Well it is bloody nearly 23foot long, has seperate bunk room and lots of living space. Next step is bolting a drawbar to the house :eek: Just as well you can get most places you'd take 3 kids with a normal road 'van



Shane, I laughed and read out your post and my other half thought I had written it. We have a similar set up.[emoji106]
Cheers Craig

[LRD414]

If anybody can recommend any brand of these,please do so.Must be able to do some off-road,not extreme.
Andrew, the couple I mentioned earlier are these (pop-top caravan or sometimes called hybrid).
My father has an AOR Quantum. It is an excellent piece of kit and has been all over Australia including on plenty of rough roads. He was with us for the Cape trip last year.
The only issues have been minor things like a failed 240V battery charger and a fridge slide that played up after about 4-5 years. It's probably $70-80k new & they hold 2nd hand value strongly.
Website: Quantum Plus (http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/quantum-plus.html'mod=quantum-plus&banner=3257777)
http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/images/Quantum-plus/Features-external/Quantum-Plus-ext2.jpg

Complete Campsite make three different sizes. Can't comment from personal experience but have talked with a couple of owners and had a very quick look. Quality and functionality seem high. Similar price bracket to AOR. Also have a new 9' smaller model now too. Unsure of price.
Website: http://www.completecampsite.com.au/hard-top-exodus11.html
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

The Jurgens that Tombie mentioned is another.
Jurgens Australia - TuffTRAX (http://jurgens.com.au/Range/Off-Road-2/TuffTRAX.aspx)
http://jurgens.com.au/getattachment/0d87f958-179b-4a01-a43a-a4e7b25d8c07/.aspx

And the one Mick posted too; Track Trailer
Topaz Overview - Track Trailer (http://tracktrailer.com.au/topaz/)
http://tracktrailer.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IMG_3921-copy.jpg

They are all closer to a caravan than a camper trailer. You certainly don't get that full canvas feeling. But you do get something that's very easy and nice to be in when the weather is good, ordinary or poor. And capable to go offroad if not too extreme.

Also, I reckon the Lifestyle Breakaway is pretty close to a combo of canvas and caravan. And it's more like $30k.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/304.jpg

But if you really want canvas, maybe take the mrs to check some of the forward fold camper trailers to see if she'll like it. It's a long way from tent camping or a crappy softfloor trailer. Might be the win/win option.

Cheers,
Scott

[ADMIRAL]

Looking to move away from camper trailers.The mrs wont do camping.Trying to avoid going a full blown van,I dont think its me.I like the breeze thru canvas.
Andrew

Been there, done that. You get to the point where you will realise 'camping' to the other half now means a bed that doesn't have to be assembled or even folded down to use, and a shower & toilet facilities within the confines of the van. ( women like their comfort and privacy as they get older ) Take a decko at the vans with a pop up roof. They are a compromise but are very close to a full height van. The only real difference is the weight and available storage space. Looking at the roadtests surprisingly the lower profile makes very little difference to the fuel side compared to a full size van.
In the end, I now have a full size van. Not the biggest ( 21'6" ) I got my suspension ( outback ) The other half got the bed always made up, and a full ensuite. It sure beats a tent.
What you do need to do is get your priorities straight up front or the 'stages' on the way to a full size van will cost you. If you are going to get there in the end, make it something you will be happy with. Borrowing a couple of different options or hiring something you fancy, is a good start. Tends to quickly eliminate options from the list.

[justinc]

Sad to here so many negative coments.I hope they arent based on "I heard from a mate whos mate told him a mate had etc etc etc"
Jayco seems to be picked on,perhaps there are issues.Any other brands???? Would like to hear from those who have used them.

Andrew

Hi Mate yes we have used themj and yes the issues are accurately reported...

JC

[Don 130]

Andy, We bought a Jayco Hawk in 2001 for a trip throughout the centre we had planned for the year of the outback in 2002. We took our kids out of school for three months. We bought it at the camping show at Sydney, so got some modifications thrown in. Instead of 'outback' option, we got bush pack which gives underslung axle, protection under the water tank, shock absorbers. On the 2002 trip we broke a few things, but the two year warranty covered it all. We still break things, not so often. I fix it. Same as anything. It's not perfect, but we think it's good for the money. What we like: you're up off the ground, the roof is light coloured so it keeps cool in the heat. The ventilation and view is fantastic and probably better than anything else.
Dislikes. The dust on dirt roads. (I think I have a solution, but haven't tried it yet).
An afternoon summer storm can easily blow rain inside if the windows are open. An outside cooking option would be nice.
Other than that, we use it when we can and enjoy it.
I think the idea of trying before you buy, either borrow or hire is wise counsel.
Good luck with it.
Don.

[DiscoMick]

We have a rather simple 13 year old Aussieswag which cost $16k which we've dragged all over the country including the OTT and its still in good shape. Being a hardtop you can get up off the wet ground in bad eather. We regularly consider upgrading but reluctant to spend the money.
I think some people over-specify their campers/caravans. I don't want all the fancy stuff. My priorities are:
Comfy bed
Waterproof
Can handle bad roads and tow well
Practical kitchen
Decent water tank
Suitable electrics for a fridge and LED lights including AGM battery with charging options and solar
Some storage.

Others may think other things are important.
Incidentally, I notice the Black series has a good deal on campers at the moment for about $20k. Might be worth checking out.

Sent from my GT-P5210 using AULRO mobile app

[TerryO]

Andy, if your good lady wants a comfortable bed then my advice would be just buy a full van, something around 21 feet works well and is easy to tow and van parks can all accomodate a 21 foot van, bigger us sometimes harder, at 21' there are plenty to choose from and at a reasonable price. I bet you can find a great one for a lot less than some of the hybrid thingymajigs that people are saying you should spend 70k plus on.

We have a twin axle 17' Jayco outback pop top and it is great, we have pulled it all over the country around here and just about everywhere there is a half reasonable bush track, we go to exactly the same places our friends with both soft and hard floor campers go no problem at all, partly because of the pop tops lower roof height. Most of our camping friends now wonder why they put up with canvas and no room or toilet/shower when we can drag our van to the same places they go. At least one so far has sold their Cub and bought a similar van to ours because of the convenience. When we first tuned up in it they all laughed that we wouldn't be able to go to the places where they camp and we would get stuck. Now they just ask if they can plug their fridges into our solar during the day as our system is on float by about 8am each morning.

Having said that pop tops in general are a pain in the butt because of set up and tear down times which average about fifteen minutes, where as a full size van is usually set up in less than five. Given the opportunity again I would have gone straight to a full and bigger caravan first up, still a off road capable one though.

All of our friends with Jayco's love them, sure there are better vans, but none I have found at the price and their resale is very good. ... ;)

[Meken]

I cannot fault our Goldstream (wing 3 ST - that means shower toilet)
It's not what I'd want for long term short stop touring as it takes 1.5 - 2 hrs to setup. I recall my conversation with the manager at Goldstream (we bought ex display) me - how does the warranty work - it is an off-road van - him - if you can tow it there we will warrant it. Comes in at 1.6t loaded. Quite a bit bulkier than a camper trailer if you off-roading on trails.

[ADMIRAL]

Originally Posted by LandyAndy https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/768.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/trailers-vans-campers/230605-jayco-style-pop-up-campers-post2477844.html#post2477844)
Sad to here so many negative coments.I hope they arent based on "I heard from a mate whos mate told him a mate had etc etc etc"
Jayco seems to be picked on,perhaps there are issues.Any other brands???? Would like to hear from those who have used them.

Andrew

Hi Andy,
Jayco have 3/4's of the market. Are they over represented from issues pro rata to other brands, I think not. Mine is a Jayco, and I knew what I was getting up front. It is a mass produced van, and may not have the final finish of the more expensive brands, but is good value for money. I had a good look under mine and put a few extra guards in place. I bounced it around Mt Augustus and apart from a few dents in the front panel had no issues. Nothing fell off, and nothing broke. A mates van ( more expensive van ) broke his plumbing off in the same area. From my experience so far, there are definitely quality issues in some areas, but honestly, the majority are nit picking stuff. If you are a handy practical person ( and you are from your projects ) you will have no problems with a Jayco. If you have 3 thumbs, the type of issues that arise will have to be fixed by a dealer, and that will drive you crazy and taint the impression of the van. i look at some of the issues owners come up with for a warranty claim and shake my head. Some people need help to replace a light bulb. Try a few brands and make your own call.

[DoubleChevron]

they are all pretty poor quality wise. At least jayco will honour there warranty though.

ROGUES GALLERY or HORROR STORY ??? - Caravaners Forum (http://caravanersforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12286)

I'd buy one of this guys caravans.... . They are smart, no front window to leak, the same wall space forward of the axles as behind (so side winds shouldn't turn it) and stuff like that. But gee's there not "pretty" inside that your wife will like :)

seeya,
Shane L.

[OzV8]

Lots of good advice, and some opinions above. I emphasise those who suggested working out what you want to do with your CT before buying it. Long stays at caravan parks with 240v and water vs free camping near Dargo or way up north. Once you've figured that out then you can narrow down options based on price. A Swan is fine for caravan parks, but are not built for lots of corrugated dirt. Build quality can be iffy but they have good back up if something does go wrong - on a new one anyway. Find a leak in your 10 year old roof join and they won't care (post 2007 have single piece roof).

If there is only 2 of you your choices are much wider with soft floors, rear folds, forward folds and a myriad of other 2 birth options. 2 kids is ok but 3 kids narrows choices substantially hence we are looking at either a Complete Campsite Uluru/Kakadu, or more likely especially given where we live, a Mountain Trail Escalade with a 10 foot tent. They pretty much compete against (copy) each other - when one comes up with a good idea it soon appears on the other. Both absolute quality. We have looked at the Swan but would have to put the kitchen on the outside as we want to camp, not caravan (ever see those people who rock up at a campsite in their $80k van, hook it up to water and power, go inside, close the door, turn the air con on and stay inside for the whole weekend.....why bother?) by which stage we will be getting close to the price of the other two anyway. Both will carry 500kg more than a Swan (bikes, kayaks etc) and I suspect a Mountain Trail will cope better in the High Country too esp with its Webasto heater:D

[Saitch]

Spotted this review a while ago on this little popper.
Know nothing more bout it
Their bigger vans have good reviews too.
Good Luck
Steve
http://www.campertraileraustralia.com.au/campertrailer-reviews/1510/spinifex-atomix-series-ii-review/

[Graz]

Hi young Andrew,

It is not out of your possibilities to go the way of a Kimberley Karavan. They often come up second or third hand as the owners finally succumb to old age issues. And the prices are affordable when you consider their resale value.

Primary advantages - Low profile towing, same track of the towing vehicle so bush track access. not smacking low or protruding tree branches, established full off road credentials. and hot shower, airconditioning and inside toilet to keep the Lady of the camp happy.......and no bloody canvas, unless of course if you erect the annex.

Disavantages - complexity

Most of the issues published on various media has been effectively been addressed by the various owners on the KK owners website - including mine! KKOG forum home (http://www.kkog.org.au/smf/)

To pull up at a camp site and knock a beer back after five minutes is normally confined to owners of full size caravans.
Something to consider anyway........
and no i have no intention of dropping dead in the foreseeable future.

Cheers from the 'retiree'

[laughto]

Complete Campsite make three different sizes. Can't comment from personal experience but have talked with a couple of owners and had a very quick look. Quality and functionality seem high. Similar price bracket to AOR. Also have a new 9' smaller model now too. Unsure of price.
Website: http://www.completecampsite.com.au/hard-top-exodus11.html
http://www.completecampsite.com.au/images/products/exodus11/Large_Exodus_02.jpg



I can comment on the Complete Campsites Exodus (14) - we own one. Not cheap, but a quality product designed and built in Gosford, NSW. Original concept for the Exodus was the brainchild of a boatbuilder who worked for a mob in Newcastle who still produce the shell for Complete Campsites. Monocoque design on a chassis (umm sounds familiar), full offroad suspension and quality all round. The small number of warranty issues we have had have been dealt with without any fuss. Now 4 versions available - 9', 11', 14' and 16' versions.

We spent 3 years researching prior to my retirement and looked at many of the offerings, some detailed above + others. My wife cannot be happier.

One of the beauties of these is that in the event of poor weather (read peeing down with rain), you can simply open the door, pop the lid and you are set up. No canvas to setup - which is a big plus for us (lazy!).

[crash]

Every setup has its draw backs.
We have a 2002 Jayco Hawk Outback.
It has been to Darwin and back including the Oodanatta track, plus local offered areas.
The Bad:
Yes dust does get in on dirt tracks - due mostly to the door vent and the vents for the fridge, most of the dust has ended up on the floor. I have put plastic over the door vents and has helped to keep dust out.
A stray rock took out one of the water tank lines on the way to Williams creek, but was a standard irrigation fitting so easy to fix - has not happened since.
One of the electric brakes failed on me a couple of years ago - easily sourced and replaced.
The inverter packed it up when about 4 or 5 years old. Later I found out that Jayco changed inverter brand due to the problems with that particular model.
I have just replaced the flexible gas line from the LPG bottle.
Just replaced the two front clearance lights - the plastic that the lens sits has deteriorated due to sun damage.
The Good:
Takes me about 10minutes to setup - excluding annex and bed flys (only use them if going to be setup for 3 or more days)
Cooking facilities are inside - good for bad weather - for outside cooking I have a small LPG bottle and a single burner with a hotplate that i can setup on a picnic table -this is accessible from the outside.
3way fridge included.
Travelled with 3 other adults for 8 weeks - had enough storage room for us. Their are a lot of hidden spots behind drawers etc. Have modified a couple of the cupboards to be able to better organise things.
Bedding can stay on the bed when packing up.

Fully loaded it is less than 1.5t. The TD5 tows it easily. I would not hesitate to take it almost anywhere - I would not take it through the dessert or up the cape - but then again I would not take ANY trailer / camper / caravan there either.

[Konradical]

Bit late on the thread, but better late than never..

We have a Jayco Dove, 2013 "Outback" model. Brought it at a caravan and camping show as a demo(instead of the camping chairs we went there for(Still havent got those chairs)).

Our (My) experience has been mixed.

I love the idea of them. Compact and gives you that bit of luxury when required. During the waranty period, we had all sorts of issues getting things fixed. Door would randomly pop open during the night, Water pump would randomly make a high pitch squeal after use and when they fitted the roof rack, they drilled tex screws through the main roof, allowing water to get in during heavy rain/storage.

That stuff has since been sorted and we are glad to not have to deal with that dealer again.

I can say that parts are cheap from online suppliers and easy to get. After our trip up here in Dec/Jan 14/15 I have had to go around and make a few repairs, but overall, the poor quality has held up.

It has towed very well behind every vehicle that has pulled it. My Rangie has dragged it through the Adelaide Hills, our old triton towed it comfortably at 105kmh everywhere and the new D4 pulls it with ease. We fitted it with a Treg hitch as a option for easier connect/disconnect and flexibility off road.

Fully loaded with water, food, luggage, solar power, BBQ, full gas bottle, fishing gear, etc etc.. it would weigh no more than 1600kg with a ball weight of 160kg. Honestly, the only reason you know it is there sometimes is because it fills your mirrors.

On our trips it has completed a few dirt roads including the Odnadatta Track, Arkaringa Hills, Merinee Loop and even all the way the the walking tracks at Palm Valley. The only issue out of all of that was the steps caught a rock and bent slightly.

As mentioned on here, it wouldnt be suitable for high country tracks, you will need towing mirrors and you become one of those caravaning people.

The only major drama we have had was blowing a tyre on the way home from Mataranka.

They dont take long to pack up, even by yourself. Once you get a set up/pack up routine, ten minutes by yourself tops. If you want awnings, thats when it drags out, but I have seen those roll out types fitted to them. If I could go back in time, I would get a Jayco Expanda. Simply because if you have kids under five, you get no help when you need it.

My suggestion to you; if you go down this path and you have no kids, get the penguin. It simple, just wind it up!

Good luck with your search and choice.

Kon

P.S. PM if you have any questions regarding this type of van, I have spent a few hours crawling around it and reading about it.

[DoubleChevron]

Check this out ... the most amazing design I've ever seen for a family caravan :o :o :o :o

1992 Custom Expanding Caravan, Suit family of 6 with Ensuite | Caravans | Gumtree Australia Queanbeyan Area - Queanbeyan | 1107712947 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/queanbeyan/caravans/1992-custom-expanding-caravan-suit-family-of-6-with-ensuite/1107712947)

[TerryO]

Check this out ... the most amazing design I've ever seen for a family caravan :o :o :o :o

1992 Custom Expanding Caravan, Suit family of 6 with Ensuite | Caravans | Gumtree Australia Queanbeyan Area - Queanbeyan | 1107712947 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/queanbeyan/caravans/1992-custom-expanding-caravan-suit-family-of-6-with-ensuite/1107712947)


Yep it must have been good, it's already gone from the page. ... ;)

[mattg]

Have a look at this not sure if you need to take kids but we love our trak shak and awesome value for money. Very easy set up in 15 minutes and our followed the disco up the OTT and the cape without issue. Trak shak camper trailer for large family on Gumtree http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/1106941125

[DoubleChevron]

Yep it must have been good, it's already gone from the page. ... ;)

Damn, I should have grabbed the photos. I was a tiny single axle van. toilet/shower in the back. beside this was 4 "pods" that rotated out like the old cabana end beds ( 4 full sized bunk beds). hard roofed with windows.

The front wound up and over like a clam shed to create a solid top queen sized bed with windows. So you end up with a huge family 'van with no canvas the given 5 minutes would wind down to a small single axle 'van.

It must have cost a staggering amount of money to build, as you would have to build as a one off the bunk pods and clamshell queen bed.

seeya,
Shane L.

[PhilipA]

Only problem with a Penguin is the bed is sideways, so whoever wants to go to the toilet at night may have to crawl over the other.
I was also talking to someone recently who found the bed too short.

Re Kimberley Karavan.
Friend bought a second hand one for 50K plus a couple of years ago. Nothing but trouble with the electrics. I haven't spoken to them recently but the owner suspected that it may have been dunked, but this is a suspicion only.
They have now sold it and bought a new one , so they liked the concept, but beware of stories about too old to travel etc.

I will stick with my 97 Campomatic hard floor, but they are no good for multiple kids.
Regards Philip A

[DoubleChevron]

Only problem with a Penguin is the bed is sideways, so whoever wants to go to the toilet at night may have to crawl over the other.
I was also talking to someone recently who found the bed too short.

Re Kimberley Karavan.
Friend bought a second hand one for 50K plus a couple of years ago. Nothing but trouble with the electrics. I haven't spoken to them recently but the owner suspected that it may have been dunked, but this is a suspicion only.
They have now sold it and bought a new one , so they liked the concept, but beware of stories about too old to travel etc.

I will stick with my 97 Campomatic hard floor, but they are no good for multiple kids.
Regards Philip A

Have you seen an "undressed" kimberly ? I ask because my father bought a modern 'van .... bloody lovely looking 'van it is. It has a small dent in the back corner where it had been backed into something.

We just replaced all the cladding with brand new stuff for a way better than new repair. Why better than new ??

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=107723&stc=1&d=1459745599

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=107724&stc=1&d=1459745599

This is a quality build "Proudly Made In Australia" caravan. It's "FULLY INSULATED" ... even states this on the sides.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=107725&stc=1&d=1459745599

The reason it's repaired better than new. Is every bit of wiring I could get too with the cladding we replaced ( it's amazing how much cladding you have to replace with brand new for a little dent in the back corner).... Anyway, the whole 'van is 12volts ... "Proudly Built In Australia" by twisting all of the wiring together and taping it with insulation tape. So I unwraped all of the wiring I could get to and soldered it, then re-wrapped it with tape. Note: the reading lights screwed straight to the interior plywood. So say you kids bump the reading lights. They break out of the plywood. The twisted together wiring would pull apart, and the wiring would fall to the bottom of the wall meaning you would have to strip all of the exterior cladding off to plug the light back in after repairing the plywood (otherwise you wouldn't be able to feed the wiring back up the length of the wall).

It's a shame .... lovely looking caravan with huge seperate ensuite.

seeya,
Shane L.

[DoubleChevron]

somoen managed to grab a couple of pics of that custom made 'van I mentioned a few comments back. Amazing right ?

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=107832&stc=1&d=1459921895

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=107833&stc=1&d=1459921895

you can see how it folds down into a small caravan with no canvas. there is a small ensuite between the bunk pods at the back wall.

[loanrangie]

Its like a Tardis, i bet all that folding gizmo adds some weight to the van.

When looking at camper trailers i originally liked the idea of the Jayco style wind ups but didnt like the bed situation, no way i could get my girls to share one end without bitching and moaning at each other and sleeping on a converted table would be a pain.

[rar110]

somoen managed to grab a couple of pics of that custom made 'van I mentioned a few comments back. Amazing right ? you can see how it folds down into a small caravan with no canvas. there is a small ensuite between the bunk pods at the back wall.
That's very clever.

[DoubleChevron]

google cache is your friend .... lol

[DoubleChevron]

;ast few they only wanted $16,000 for it ... sold within hours of it being listed.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

looks wonderful,
where do the other 4 sit when its raining?

[DoubleChevron]

looks wonderful,
where do the other 4 sit when its raining?

Kids belong outside ........ :wasntme: There's an awning right? Actually I was thinking storage space would be the issue. Where do you put the luggage for 6 given the van folds into itself. I'm guessing you use a twin cab ute as a towcar and put all the luggage in the back of the ute.

Everything is a compromise ... but I still reckon that thing is brilliant :)

seeya,
Shane L.

[DiscoMick]

Odyssey Series 2 (http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/models/odyssey)


I was quite impressed with this one at the Brisbane Caravan and Camping Show last weekend. Built on the Sunshine Coast. Seemed very solid. Priced in the high $60s.
Main thing I would change would be to try to get a combined shower-toilet inside the rear by changing the fittings.
They also have larger models, but the prices are in the $90s, so too much for me.

[loanrangie]

For that sort of money you may as well just buy a proper caravan.

[Tank]

No body has mentioned the Ultimate C/T, the business has a system that if the Ultimate owner wants to sell, Ultimate will buy it back and refurbish and resell, they had a waiting list for second hand (refurbished) last time I dropped in, they are local here at North Moruya Industrial area, funny, he used to be a fiberglass yacht builder from Fremantle before he moved over here, check them out, very capable off road with all the mod cons, Regards frank.

[DoubleChevron]

Odyssey Series 2 (http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/models/odyssey)


I was quite impressed with this one at the Brisbane Caravan and Camping Show last weekend. Built on the Sunshine Coast. Seemed very solid. Priced in the high $60s.
Main thing I would change would be to try to get a combined shower-toilet inside the rear by changing the fittings.
They also have larger models, but the prices are in the $90s, so too much for me.

That's quite smart. I'm tidying up a Driftaway little robin (the offroad version) to sell at the moment. It's a similar size to that and will fit in the "footprint" of a landrover sized 4wd. So if the towcar fits down the bush track, so will the 'van.

I'd consider the little robin more of a semi-offroad 'van though. I reckon it would get hung up on the rear step if you tried serious offroading with it. A previous owner has also swapped out the treg hitch for a standard 50mm ball.

seeya,
Shane L.

[PhilipA]

Yes I saw lots of them on my last round Oz trip.

My wife doesn't like the inside kitchen, and the number of steps up.
As you get older the steps give the potential for falling down them.

The other thing is that they only have a puny awning. If you want shade you have to sit under the bed or attach a small awning.

They seem to be way up off the ground to allow for a bed to be placed under the main bed, and there is an optional clip on wall set.


They also share the disadvantage of all camper trailers in that they have a canvas roof, that if it is packed down wet has to be opened within a few days or it will go mouldy.
I do like the front storage, and everyone I spoke to spoke highly of their reliability.
Regards Philip A

[DoubleChevron]

Whoah ..... A cheap ultimate .... the real deal

OFF Road Ultimate Oddessy Camper Trailer Damaged Project Watch Video in VIC | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OFF-ROAD-ULTIMATE-ODDESSY-CAMPER-TRAILER-DAMAGED-PROJECT-WATCH-VIDEO-/142019464000?hash=item2111050b40:g:e7oAAOSwzJ5XXgR 1)

Yes, it's a stat writeoff. It's a really easy fix though. Just stamp a new VIN into it and register it as home made. That's what happens with all the other stat writeoff caravans/trailers bought down from NSW (where they stat writeoff something if you scratch it with your fingernail)....

I've bought a caravan from this guy a month or so back (no, not a stat writeoff... I've never reg-registered one, but I talked to poeple that sell them and they reckon they have never heard of anyone failing to re-register a stat in victoria). The sellers description was very honest.

seeya,
Shane L.

[DiscoMick]

Its true the Ultimate site often has used Ultimates for sale.
In my case, I was researching options for compact vans, since we already have a CT with tent.
Mountain Trailer CTs were impressive and they talked about a redesign coming later this year which sounded well-designed.
I also looked at Jaycos at the Brisbane show. They certainly offer a lot for the low price, but I'm not convinced about their durability on rough roads.
Juergens do seem durable for the money, but a bit basic inside unless you spend heaps.
Bushmasters look indestructible, but heavy and expensive.
AORs were impressive, but most (except the Odyssey) cost from the mid-90s.
I think the most likely result is we'll stick with the CT and use the money to set the house up for retirement.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[DiscoKym]

I checked out all the options and even a used Track Trailer Topaz.. I walked away when I saw how many pop rivets were loose or pulling out.

I ended up finding a Royal Flair Minisport Off Road.

Small, light, minimal canvas, cheap and ground clearance.

[DoubleChevron]

I checked out all the options and even a used Track Trailer Topaz.. I walked away when I saw how many pop rivets were loose or pulling out.

I ended up finding a Royal Flair Minisport Off Road.

Small, light, minimal canvas, cheap and ground clearance.

That is cool!! I thought they were crazy prices for such a tiny 'van. Does it look the same as this one up close? If so it's probably made at the same place, but named differently.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Crawl under it and check the chassis between the ALKO axle mount and the shocker mounts further back. I found this one was fatigue cracked. I ended up extending the drawbar back 2/3 rd's of the way down the 'van to massively brace this area. It is quite a solid little 'van being the offroad version, but I reckon the rear step would hang up all the time if you tried any sort of heavy offroad stuff with it.

seeya,
Shane L.

[DiscoKym]

That is cool!! I thought they were crazy prices for such a tiny 'van. Does it look the same as this one up close? If so it's probably made at the same place, but named differently.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=110433&stc=1&d=1466402204

Crawl under it and check the chassis between the ALKO axle mount and the shocker mounts further back. I found this one was fatigue cracked. I ended up extending the drawbar back 2/3 rd's of the way down the 'van to massively brace this area. It is quite a solid little 'van being the offroad version, but I reckon the rear step would hang up all the time if you tried any sort of heavy offroad stuff with it.

seeya,
Shane L.

Looks very similar in the body, a few companies seem to make them.

Mine has Simplicity Independant Suspension underneath. Previous owner had it engineered with a 4" lift in the chassis, rear recovery points, lengthened & strengthened drawbar that connects to the suspension mounts. I added guards across the back just in case it drags on the ground.

I took a little off road track on the long weekend and it towed through without dragging. :D

As for cost mine cost $7,000 with 12 months rego. MG Caravans in Geelong quoted $18,000 for a new one.

[DoubleChevron]

That is an absolute bargain .... Amazing. Really $18K for a newie :o :o I was going to ask that for this one when I get around to selling it. Take a look around. There is NOTHING around for the sort of money you paid unless you go back to the late 80's.

Here is the cheapest "mini" type caravan on caravaningcampingsales:

1990 Roadstar Little Rippa Caravans in New South Wales - caravancampingsales.com.au (http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/buy/private/SSE-AD-4033586/1990-Roadstar-Little-Rippa?cr=1&category=caravans&psq=%28%28%28%28LengthFeet%3Drange%5B..12%5D%26%28 %28%28SiloType%3D%5BDealer%20New%5D%7CSiloType%3D% 5BDealer%20Used%5D%29%7CSiloType%3D%5BDealer%20Nea r%20New%5D%29%7CSiloType%3D%5BPrivate%20Used%5D%29 %29%26Service%3D%5BCaravancampingsales%5D%29%26Sal eStatus%3D%5BFor%20Sale%5D%29%26%28Category%3D%5BC aravans%5D%26SubCategory%3D%5BPop%20Tops%5D%29%29&pso=0&pss=Premium)

26 years old an about $8000 for a strictly onroad version.

To put what a bargain you got into perspective.

http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/buy/used/OAG-AD-12329052


this is an onroad version of the one here that is two years older .... And look what they asked for it :o :o It seemed to sell straight away

seeya,
Shane L.

[DiscoKym]

That is an absolute bargain .... Amazing. Really $18K for a newie :o :o I was going to ask that for this one when I get around to selling it. Take a look around. There is NOTHING around for the sort of money you paid unless you go back to the late 80's.

Here is the cheapest "mini" type caravan on caravaningcampingsales:

Roadstar-Little-Rippa?

26 years old an about $8000 for a strictly onroad version.

To put what a bargain you got into perspective.

2006 Driftaway Little Robin Caravans in Victoria - caravancampingsales.com.au (http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/buy/used/OAG-AD-12329052)


this is an onroad version of the one here that is two years older .... And look what they asked for it :o :o It seemed to sell straight away

seeya,
Shane L.

Yes I saw a few Little Rippas but all on road and not in SA. I rang MG Caravans in Geelong and he said $18,000. I guess people are working out towing 3.5 tonnes of caravan is a pain and going small.

Caravan dealers here seem to have plentiful stocks of bigger caravans and the smaller ones usually sold before I got there....

[DoubleChevron]

Yes I saw a few Little Rippas but all on road and not in SA. I rang MG Caravans in Geelong and he said $18,000. I guess people are working out towing 3.5 tonnes of caravan is a pain and going small.

Caravan dealers here seem to have plentiful stocks of bigger caravans and the smaller ones usually sold before I got there....

I wonder if his $18,000 was a used 'van. I don't think I've ever seen any new 'van even close to that cheap (in any size). The smaller avans and jayco's are mid to high 20's.

Either way, it sounds like you have a winner. It mustn't have the drop down step like this one (the step is into the body), which is a big bonus.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=110472&stc=1&d=1466480327

see what I mean by the step ? I reckon you'd hang it up all the time. So no good for serious offroad this one.

seeya,
Shane L.

[DiscoKym]

I'm sure he said $18,000???

Little Sports (http://www.mgcampers.com.au/LittleSports.html)

[russ55]

We bought one of these- about 12 foot and 12000kgs. One owner, $10k off Gumtree. We had a fair wait but weren't in a hurry. Had it raised, good LT tyres- we go anywhere.

[DiscoKym]

We bought one of these- about 12 foot and 12000kgs. One owner, $10k off Gumtree. We had a fair wait but weren't in a hurry. Had it raised, good LT tyres- we go anywhere.

WOW looks small for 12 Tonnes (12000kgs) Probably should be 1200kg. One too many zeros. ;)

Looks good, a bit bigger than mine.. So what is it and what's it got???

[TheTree]

I am currently looking at options to tow behind my P38 and I was tending towards a Cub Supamatic Off Road (I worked out they are the mid size ones)

Has anyone had experience with the CUB "off road" campers? They seem to get good reviews.

Having read the great info in this thread I am considering that a Pop Top may fill the bill a little better. That Royal Flair Mini looked pretty cool.

There may be situations where I need to stop and do some emergency help stuff on my computer, so I am thinking a Pop Top is far more practical in that regard than a C/T. One issue though is that I am 6'6" (about 2m) so headroom in a pop top may be an issue.

I will be two people max and probably sometimes just one ;)

Time to set up a "pop top" search and see what pops up :p

[loneranger]

One issue though is that I am 6'6" (about 2m) so headroom in a pop top may be an issue.

We have a camper trailer but if we ever get a van I'd be wanting a full height one. I'm 6ft and whenever we've looked at poptops I always bang my head getting in and out because of the lower door. I guess in time its something you'd get used to though.

[laughto]

Has anyone had experience with the CUB "off road" campers? They seem to get good reviews.



We have friends who have a CUB Daintree and have been away with them a few times. They are new to Camper Trailers and have taken a bit of time to come to grips with the setup etc. However, apart from some relatively minor issues (fridge plugs not fitting properly, some charging issues, what I would call poorly designed/fitting annex etc) they are very happy with their purchase.

While it is not my cup of tea, if I was in the market for this type of camper, CUB would definitely be on my list albeit I would be looking at the higher end Kakadu.

I recently had the opportunity to tour their factory in North Rocks, Sydney. They make to order and as many components as possible are either made themselves of sourced locally. Folding, Laser and Canvas cutting machines are all state of the art and computer controlled. This enables CUB to replace any part they have manufactured by simply pulling up the Van's details and remaking. A bonus for customers down the track when something gets damaged, and it can be made to the exact spec as original.

Easy access to the manufacturer is also important to me. This is obviously not always possible for everyone. It certainly has been of benefit with our dealings with Complete Campsites in Gosford.

Sent from my SM-T810 using AULRO mobile app

[TheTree]

Looking at pop tops I found this beast !!

off road Traveller pop top caravan | Caravans | Gumtree Australia Newcastle Area - Shortland | 1105378101 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/shortland/caravans/off-road-traveller-pop-top-caravan/1105378101)

It's pretty heavy (steel checkerplate floor) and it's track is wider than a Patrol so I don't thinks it's a good fit for me :p

Though the guy reckons when the top is up it has 2m headroom inside

I may start by getting a decent Cub Supamatic Off Road around the 10K mark and see how I go with that. I can always trade up.

A 4.6 litre P38 is thirsty enough without towing a huge lump behind it :angel:

Steve

[DoubleChevron]

Looking at pop tops I found this beast !!

off road Traveller pop top caravan | Caravans | Gumtree Australia Newcastle Area - Shortland | 1105378101 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/shortland/caravans/off-road-traveller-pop-top-caravan/1105378101)

It's pretty heavy (steel checkerplate floor) and it's track is wider than a Patrol so I don't thinks it's a good fit for me :p

Though the guy reckons when the top is up it has 2m headroom inside

I may start by getting a decent Cub Supamatic Off Road around the 10K mark and see how I go with that. I can always trade up.

A 4.6 litre P38 is thirsty enough without towing a huge lump behind it :angel:

Steve

That would be heavy ? I wonder if it slides off so you have a nice heavy duty trailer you can use as well :confused:

seeya,
Shane L.

[DoubleChevron]

Oh,

this is the little robin I mentioned above.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/272350140586

It's amazing the interest I've had in it. no-one wants to drive to ballarat to actually look at it though (does the snow, sleet, rain and cold really worry people that much :wasntme: ).

seeya,
Shane L.

[TheTree]

It's heavy tare for a 10ft van given a 12ft camper will be about half that and provides about twice the space. The wide track is more of an issue I reckon. Also the guy rang me and said its 183 cm with the top up and I am 198 cm so no go there !

[DoubleChevron]

It's heavy tare for a 10ft van given a 12ft camper will be about half that and provides about twice the space. The wide track is more of an issue I reckon. Also the guy rang me and said its 183 cm with the top up and I am 198 cm so no go there !

your not going to fit in the bed of anything will be the biggest issue! Caravan doubles are only about 190cm

seeya,
Shane L.

[TheTree]

Oh,

this is the little robin I mentioned above.

2008 Driftaway Little Robin Outback Nipper Tiny Small Caravan | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/272350140586)

It's amazing the interest I've had in it. no-one wants to drive to ballarat to actually look at it though (does the snow, sleet, rain and cold really worry people that much :wasntme: ).

seeya,
Shane L.

Mate

That's a lovely little van !! I wish I was closer ... any idea what the headroom is ? :twisted:

Steve

[TheTree]

your not going to fit in the bed of anything will be the biggest issue! Caravan doubles are only about 190cm

seeya,
Shane L.

Yeah it's a lot of fun being a giant (sometimes) :D

[DoubleChevron]

Mate

That's a lovely little van !! I wish I was closer ... any idea what the headroom is ? :twisted:

Steve

You might be able to stand up in it (very high pop in the roof) but you will not fit in the bed, it's a standard double. The caravan in only 7 foot wide all up... well you could fit, but you would need to remove the small bed head (that would probably gain about 6".... then you would be sleeping with your head on one wall ... on feet against the other :wasntme:

Edit: You got me interested. You right, there only 190cm high inside... and if you were 190cm ... you'd bang your head agains tthe lights and lift handles as you walked around (well you not going to walk around in it, it's to small).... As dumb as it sounds. You'd fit in the bed. If you find even a 7foot wide caravan. They put a bed head in to close the space down... otherwise they would have to get a specially made 208cm long matress made up. If you find a "lengthwise" bed, all you need to do is unscrew the bedhood. move the mattress up and put a block of foam at the end of the mattress for your feet ................. Oh and get 208cm long sheets made :)

With something like this you would just fit a table and not the 2nd seat, so you have somewhere for your legs to fit under the table :p

[TheTree]

Given my size I think a camper trailer is more sensible. The SupaMatic seems to take a standard double mattress, 170 x 230 cm.

Not quite as quick and easy as a van but still much faster and easier to set up than a tent :angel:

There is this beast but being a KampaRoo I think it's probably too small but I will take a butchers at it on Sunday

Cub Kamparoo extreme off-road | Camper Trailers | Gumtree Australia Maitland Area - Thornton | 1117974909 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/thornton/camper-trailers/cub-kamparoo-extreme-off-road/1117974909)

Thanks for all the input
Steve

[DoubleChevron]

Given my size I think a camper trailer is more sensible. The SupaMatic seems to take a standard double mattress, 170 x 230 cm.

Not quite as quick and easy as a van but still much faster and easier to set up than a tent :angel:

There is this beast but being a KampaRoo I think it's probably too small but I will take a butchers at it on Sunday

Cub Kamparoo extreme off-road | Camper Trailers | Gumtree Australia Maitland Area - Thornton | 1117974909 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/thornton/camper-trailers/cub-kamparoo-extreme-off-road/1117974909)

Thanks for all the input
Steve

Er ... my feet tend to stick out the ned of a standard double.... I'm I'm just scraping 6' ....

http://www.fortywinks.com.au/media/wysiwyg/beds/FI0436_MattressSizeGuideBanner_978x245_290914_FA.j pg

A camper trailer could bet the go. If you get a big one, the bed will be the size of the trailer bed. So if you have a 9 x 5 trailer, your going to have a 9 x 5 bed ( find out what a standard household king sided bed is and build your trailer to match.... saves getting mattresses and sheets specially made!

edit: holey crap ... You need a "super king" sized bed :o I didn't realise such a thing even existed!

seeya,
Shane L.

[DiscoMick]

No-one seems to make the caravan I'd want to buy, so I'll stick to the camper trailer.
I want a really compact single axle, off-road capable, flexible-use van with:
1. An internal shower-toilet
2. A double bed which folds away to make living space, like a Murphy Bed
Murphy bed - Bing images (http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Murphy+bed&qpvt=Murphy+bed&qpvt=Murphy+bed&qpvt=Murphy+bed&FORM=IGRE).
3. A lounge which can also be used as a bed
4. Pop-top for tall people
5. Rainwater collection system
6. Lots of fittings which slide out or have lids
7. Solar and wind power

... and some other things, including a reasonable price.
I see lots of vans with some of these features, but not one with all of them at an affordable price.

[TheTree]

I will stick with my 97 Campomatic hard floor, but they are no good for multiple kids.
Regards Philip A

The campomatic looks perfect for me, queen size bed and good off road capability. Plus the older ones are in my price range

The name is so close to the Cub campers I was a little confused for a moment :angel: Mind you I am not the only one, I have seen one listed as a "Cub Campomatic" !

One again AULRO and it's fantastic members have helped greatly in my research and narrowed down my search :cool:

Steve

[Homestar]

No-one seems to make the caravan I'd want to buy, so I'll stick to the camper trailer.
I want a really compact single axle, off-road capable, flexible-use van with:
1. An internal shower-toilet
2. A double bed which folds away to make living space, like a Murphy Bed
Murphy bed - Bing images (http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Murphy+bed&qpvt=Murphy+bed&qpvt=Murphy+bed&qpvt=Murphy+bed&FORM=IGRE).
3. A lounge which can also be used as a bed
4. Pop-top for tall people
5. Rainwater collection system
6. Lots of fittings which slide out or have lids
7. Solar and wind power

... and some other things, including a reasonable price.
I see lots of vans with some of these features, but not one with all of them at an affordable price.

My 1977 Franklin Arrow covers off most of that... :D

Doesn't go very far offroad is the only problem...;)

[scarry]

The proper off road pop tops are bloody expensive.

Even second hand and a few years old, they are worth both kidneys and a leg:mad:

SWMBO has been looking at them,i keep hiding the brochures so she can't find them;)

[DoubleChevron]

The proper off road pop tops are bloody expensive.

Even second hand and a few years old, they are worth both kidneys and a leg:mad:

SWMBO has been looking at them,i keep hiding the brochures so she can't find them;)

Any poptop strong enough to be used offroad ............. It too heavy to tow offroad. The old 60's and 70's 'vans have probably travelled "the lap" dozens of times in there lifetime... Back when the roads were actually bad and there still going strong today. The heavier you make them ... the stronger they need to be ...

That little robin I have is supposed to be the "offroad" version ... so the little lump weight in at over a ton empty :eek: How can a 10' long caravan weigh 1ton. I figure the best aspect of it is it fits in the cars track. So if you like bush camping you can go down little tracks and camp out where no-one else witha caravan can fit.

It's simply a slightly more sturdily built onroad 'van as far as I'm concerned. You see if your into serious of road, your going to be stuck with a 1 ton anchor strapped to your towbar as soon as the road is soft (or any real axle articulation is required). Those 3ton+ monstrosity offroad monsters are pointless. You'd need a tracked vehicle to move them down any sort of even "moderate" offroad trail. For an average corrugated road ... A standard onroad 'van is fine (and has been for the last 50years) ... so long as you take your time and your careful.

I figure jacked up offroad 'vans are a pointless exercise in futility myself :)

seeya,
Shane L.

[scarry]

I wonder how many actually go off road?

We looked at a few,one of the first questions I asked was what is its track?Most of them had no idea.

If they are one tonne empty,they are gonna be at least 1.3t loaded.

[Ranga]

We had a little 2003 Windsor Rapid off-road model for 6 months on the road. I was surprised to see independent swing-arm suspension, and was very impressed with the layout. The fold up beds were a first at them time (Windsor had a patent I'm lead to believe). For a 13' van, having 2 double beds fold out with hard roof and poptop made them quite roomy. Being short, we could pull up and have lunch inside without lifting the roof. Would buy one again if the need arose.

windsor rapid offroad | Caravans & Campervans | Gumtree Australia Free Local Classifieds (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-caravans-campervans/windsor+rapid+offroad/k0c18374'sort=rank&fromSearchBox=true)

[DiscoMick]

We inspected the showroom examples of the Lifestyle campers the other day at Slacks Creek in Brisbane and came away impressed.
Seem to be very solid, lots of layout choices and they are quite light considering their size - from 1.2 tonnes upwards. Also reasonably priced in the $40-50,000 range depending on size and options. They skip the showy fluff and concentrate on the important stuff.
Basically, each camper is hand-built to what you order. They are about to build one close to what appeals to us, so we are going back to see it under construction. They use a lot of aluminium for light strength and seem capable of coping with almost anything. Strong chassis and suspension and big wheels and mud tyres.
The people behind the company use their own campers too, which is good. One of the display vans is actually privately owned and has just come back from a three months Outback trip, so I had a good look around it for cracks and damage, but couldn't find anything. Fully made in Australia too.
The Navigator likes them, so that's a big plus.
Off Road Caravans & Camper Trailers For Sale in Brisbane, Queensland (QLD) (http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/)


We started off favouring the Reconn, but are now leaning towards an AT 10. We might skip the internal shower/toilet unit to gain extra internal seating space, as it also has an outside shower, but there is an option of an internal seat which lifts up to reveal a toilet underneath. Would add an extra battery and solar, plenty of water, plus a full awning and an 80 litre fridge. We would probably end up around $55k with options.
We are using the benchmark question: Would we be prepared to drag this up the Old Telegraph Track, like we did with our current camper, or out to Mt Dare? As of now, my answer is No to the OTT (weight and the exits are too steep), but Yes to Mt Dare, although not the steeper dunes. For flat rocky desert it would be fine.

http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/model/lifestyle-at11/

[scarry]

We inspected the showroom examples of the Lifestyle campers the other day at Slacks Creek in Brisbane and came away impressed.
Seem to be very solid, lots of layout choices and they are quite light considering their size - from 1.2 tonnes upwards. Also reasonably priced in the $40-50,000 range depending on size and options. They skip the showy fluff and concentrate on the important stuff.
Basically, each camper is hand-built to what you order. They are about to build one close to what appeals to us, so we are going back to see it under construction. They use a lot of aluminium for light strength and seem capable of coping with almost anything. Strong chassis and suspension and big wheels and mud tyres.
The people behind the company use their own campers too, which is good. One of the display vans is actually privately owned and has just come back from a three months Outback trip, so I had a good look around it for cracks and damage, but couldn't find anything. Fully made in Australia too.
The Navigator likes them, so that's a big plus.
Off Road Caravans & Camper Trailers For Sale in Brisbane, Queensland (QLD) (http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/)


We started off favouring the Reconn, but are now leaning towards an AT 10. We might skip the internal shower/toilet unit to gain extra internal seating space, as it also has an outside shower, but there is an option of an internal seat which lifts up to reveal a toilet underneath. Would add an extra battery and solar, plenty of water, plus a full awning and an 80 litre fridge. We would probably end up around $55k with options.
We are using the benchmark question: Would we be prepared to drag this up the Old Telegraph Track, like we did with our current camper, or out to Mt Dare? As of now, my answer is No to the OTT (weight and the exits are too steep), but Yes to Mt Dare, although not the steeper dunes. For flat rocky desert it would be fine.

AT11 Hypercamper (http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/model/lifestyle-at11/)


We had a good look at them as well.

One interesting thing the sales guy said was resale is considerably easier if the ensuite is fitted.He said vans with no ensuite are often difficult to sell second hand.

The 11 with no ensuit,just a porta would suit us,with outside shower.The small sink inside is a good idea,which the reconn didn't have.

The reconn seemed to have heaps of storage space,though.

The awning on the AT11 is much better than on the recon,although it doesn't cover the fridge slide area.

I don't know about dragging it over to the eastern beach at Moreton,though.Maybe after the sand hardened up after a bit of rain it would be OK.That eastern beach is one of our favourite places.

Agree,no hope on the OTT,but many other parts of the cape,would be no worries.

Around MT Dare would be OK,Finke area,but I don't think going actually across the desert would be much fun.

Fraser would probably be OK as the barge lands at bottom of the eastern beach,so no inland tracks would have to be nogotiated to get a good camping spot.

Four max trax would be essential��


NTB on here has an AT 12 and is happy with it.

[DiscoMick]

We had a good look at them as well.

One interesting thing the sales guy said was resale is considerably easier if the ensuite is fitted.He said vans with no ensuite are often difficult to sell second hand.

The 11 with no ensuit,just a porta would suit us,with outside shower.The small sink inside is a good idea,which the reconn didn't have.

The reconn seemed to have heaps of storage space,though.

The awning on the AT11 is much better than on the recon,although it doesn't cover the fridge slide area.

I don't know about dragging it over to the eastern beach at Moreton,though.Maybe after the sand hardened up after a bit of rain it would be OK.That eastern beach is one of our favourite places.

Agree,no hope on the OTT,but many other parts of the cape,would be no worries.

Around MT Dare would be OK,Finke area,but I don't think going actually across the desert would be much fun.

Fraser would probably be OK as the barge lands at bottom of the eastern beach,so no inland tracks would have to be nogotiated to get a good camping spot.

Four max trax would be essential��


NTB on here has an AT 12 and is happy with it.
The Reconn has heaps of storage. We also liked the kitchen being on the side of the structure opening out rather than as a pull out. If it was just me I'd have a Reconn with a bed which could be either single or double.
That's a good point about resale being better with an ensuite. I shall point that out to The Navigator.
We noted the difference in awnings too.
Weights of 1.2 - 1.4 tonnes depending on options are not too bad - our Aussieswag is about 1.2 fully loaded.
It looks tough enough to go anywhere it could be towed. It would be great in the desert, I think, but not on sandy dunes. I wouldn't tow a camper over dunes anyway, just because I'd rather go light.
Agree about the Maxtracks.
The AT12 is a fair bit heavier and more expensive than the 10, while the 11 is in between.
The Lifestyles look tougher than the equivalently-priced Jaycos.
They are all a lot cheaper than Aussie Off Road (AOR) vans from the Sunshine Coast, which we also looked at, which are up in the $90k plus range, but have more features. We're a bit minimalistic - more interested in durability than extras.

[scarry]

The Reconn has heaps of storage. We also liked the kitchen being on the side of the structure opening out rather than as a pull out. If it was just me I'd have a Reconn with a bed which could be either single or double.
That's a good point about resale being better with an ensuite. I shall point that out to The Navigator.
We noted the difference in awnings too.
Weights of 1.2 - 1.4 tonnes depending on options are not too bad - our Aussieswag is about 1.2 fully loaded.
It looks tough enough to go anywhere it could be towed. It would be great in the desert, I think, but not on sandy dunes. I wouldn't tow a camper over dunes anyway, just because I'd rather go light.
Agree about the Maxtracks.
The AT12 is a fair bit heavier and more expensive than the 10, while the 11 is in between.
The Lifestyles look tougher than the equivalently-priced Jaycos.
They are all a lot cheaper than Aussie Off Road (AOR) vans from the Sunshine Coast, which we also looked at, which are up in the $90k plus range, but have more features. We're a bit minimalistic - more interested in durability than extras.

We saw a half built AT 11 or 12 in the shed that has that inbuilt kitchen on the side.But inside the bed slides out the side not the rear,so room is limited.They haven't got any drawings of this design drawn up yet.I prefer the slide out kitchen,although SWMBO doesn't like the fridge being a fair way from the kitchen,doesn't worry me at all.

That side built kitchen would be excellent for roadside stops,the lift up cover would also keep the rain off.

When comparing weights and prices with other brands,you have to be careful,as the lifestyle lightness,and less costs is because it has heaps of options,many that are standard on some other brands.
Second batteries,solar panels,fridge,heaters,etc come to mind.

These vans also track very similar to the D3/4.

[DiscoMick]

We saw a half built AT 11 or 12 in the shed that has that inbuilt kitchen on the side.But inside the bed slides out the side not the rear,so room is limited.They haven't got any drawings of this design drawn up yet.I prefer the slide out kitchen,although SWMBO doesn't like the fridge being a fair way from the kitchen,doesn't worry me at all.

That side built kitchen would be excellent for roadside stops,the lift up cover would also keep the rain off.

When comparing weights and prices with other brands,you have to be careful,as the lifestyle lightness,and less costs is because it has heaps of options,many that are standard on some other brands.
Second batteries,solar panels,fridge,heaters,etc come to mind.

These vans also track very similar to the D3/4.

Yes, there is one with a side slide bed extension.
We have all the lists of options.
Interested to hear how they track. We were told they don't need stability/sway control. Is that right?

Sent from my GT-P5210 using AULRO mobile app

[laughto]

Interested to hear how they track. We were told they don't need stability/sway control. Is that right?

Sent from my GT-P5210 using AULRO mobile app

Take a look at this thread - http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread.php?p=1592800

I have had our camper (2.3t) at around 140kph on unrestricted part of Stuart Hwy recently for a short burst. Nil issues with stability, and reliant on LR Trailer Assist only.

Sent from my SM-T810 using AULRO mobile app

[NTB]

Hello All,

We have had our AT12 for about 2.5 years now.
We had looked around at offroad caravan options for a number of years but none of them of them would cater for kids unless you went for a very large caravan. (Our kids were getting older as well) We looked very seriously at the AOR (Australian Off Road) products as well and found then to be built very well and priced accordingly. We have friends who have had a couple of AOR products and both have been very good but AOR did not have a product that suited our needs.
The trick I believe is to get a layout, size and chassis that suits your own needs otherwise you may be disappointed after purchase or not use it as often because it does not suit what you want.
The reason we ended up with a Lifestyle Camper Trailer AT12 is because they had drawn up a layout which would suit us. I had spoken to them a couple of years earlier and were not interested in having a layout for 4 because their market was for 2 (Grey Nomads) which is fair enough. But in 2013 at a October Caravan and Camping show I spoke to them again and they show me a proposed layout. This would suit what we wanted and had a closer look at the chassis and size. So we asked them for a formal quote on a AT12 with a Dinette /Bunks, Internal Kitchen, Extended Draw Bar with Tool Box, extra Spare Wheel Carrier for a 2 second spare for the D4 and some other options. The quote came back at a very good price in our view and with a few changes a deal was done. During the build they were very good because it was only the second AT12 with Bunks that they had built and we were given options on a number of items which I believed to be extra but did not end up costing any extra. We had a issue after the first shack down trip with the door and was resolved very quickly. We also had some issues on our first big dirt trip but again all was resolved very quickly on our return. In fact when I spoke to them to let them know about the issue they did not want me to do any repair at home until they could have a look themselves. This was to see what went wrong, what they need to do so it does not happen again and they also wanted to fix it for me. So my experience with after sales service has been very good.
I would also agree about having a Shower/Toilet for resale. We were not looking for a shower/toilet for some time. But when we realised that we would be spending a fair bit of money to get what we wanted and saw how long caravans were on the market without shower/toilet. So we decided to go in that direction. I do not regret that because the girls love it and makes for a nicer time for them.
I have found it to tow very well on both dirt and sealed roads. Nothing have broken from towing on the corrugations etc either. Our AT12 fully loaded with water, food etc it not the lightest small caravan around but it has everything we want and we are very happy with it.
There are many caravans/campers on the market and you just have to find the one that suit you. There is no write or wrong answer.

[TheTree]

Well I looked at a 1994 campomatic for $10K, a 1997 Kimberley Kamper for $9K and a 2004 Cub Spacematic Drover for $12.5K. Also had an online look at the various new chinese campers for around $8K. My brother has one and is pretty happy with it but he hasn't taken it anywhere rough.

In the end I picked up a 2007 Bushranger Country for $9.5K it's in very good condition and has everything I need. Very solid and has independent leaf spring suspension. Easy quick setup and pack away plus good headroom and a queen sized bed :p

The owner bought to do a trip to the Kimberleys with some friends, the other two couples had campomatic traliers, he said the bushranger went everywhere the campomatic's did plus it has more storage and is wind up.

Picking it up Monday, will post some pics then

Steve

[DiscoMick]

We saw a half built AT 11 or 12 in the shed that has that inbuilt kitchen on the side.But inside the bed slides out the side not the rear,so room is limited.They haven't got any drawings of this design drawn up yet.I prefer the slide out kitchen,although SWMBO doesn't like the fridge being a fair way from the kitchen,doesn't worry me at all.

That side built kitchen would be excellent for roadside stops,the lift up cover would also keep the rain off.

When comparing weights and prices with other brands,you have to be careful,as the lifestyle lightness,and less costs is because it has heaps of options,many that are standard on some other brands.
Second batteries,solar panels,fridge,heaters,etc come to mind.

These vans also track very similar to the D3/4.

The AT12 has the side-extending bed and the kitchen in the side, but the standard price is $65,950, so its outside our price range, plus the tare weight is 1800kg, so too heavy.
As others have said, you have to decide what you really need. We are 2 so don't need a big van.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[scarry]

The AT12 has the side-extending bed and the kitchen in the side, but the standard price is $65,950, so its outside our price range, plus the tare weight is 1800kg, so too heavy.
As others have said, you have to decide what you really need. We are 2 so don't need a big van.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

There are actually two standard AT12 models,one is narrower than the other.The narrow one has the slide out at the rear,as does the AT11.

We need to get to Aus off road,they are on the sunny coast to look at their vans as well,but work has been in the way lately:(

We looked at the Kimberlies,but they are not what we are after.

[NTB]

Hello All,

There are 2 models of the AT12.

AT12 which is a 2200mm wide with the Queen Bed folding out on the right hand side.

AT12NB (NB standing for Narrow Body) or used to be called the AT12EVO which is 2000mm wide with the Queen Bed folding out the rear.

[DiscoMick]

I like the Lifestyle vans a lot, but we're not ready to spend any money yet, so when we are we'll look at them again and also see what else is available in the price range, including the Jaycos, which are good value for money, but I doubt if they are as tough. Horses for courses, I guess.

[DiscoMick]

I probably did the wrong thing by hijacking this Jayco thread at post #96 to talk about Lifestyle vans, which deserve their own thread. Maybe a mod might like to separate that bit off into a separate Lifestyle thread, so the Jayco people can talk about their vans in the one place? Just a thought.

[ytt105]

Been camping for many many years.

Started with tents as do most, then went to an old Cub Supermatic.

It had an inside kitchen, which we loved. We didn't use it most of the time, we used a two burner outside on a table, but when it rained it was wonderful.

We sold the Cub because we found that although it went up VERY quickly, we had to pack all the rest of 'the stuff' into boxes and into the car or under the bed. Usually the first thing I wanted to put away into the car was the last thing the wife wanted to pack.

So, we bought a Jayco camper trailer. Although it took much longer to set up the 'van', all 'the stuff' was readily available. So overall it was a better option.

The Jayco was sold in favour of a Paramount Duet, (14' Expander). Very good layout, supposedly quality van.

The independent suspension tore away from the chassis half way between Darwin and Alice Springs. Long story but it was written off and we replaced it with a Jayco Sterling pop top, 17'. Still using and loving it.

All these units have been towed anywhere I've wanted to go. Not OTT, but Oodanatta Track, Roper Bar Rd, etc OK.

Comments from this experience.

Jayco are fantastic! IF your prepared to fix a few of the silly things, they are the BEST value available.

All vans have silly things and the money doesn't really seem to matter. For example the best quality, youngest, and dearest van I've ever owned is the one that spat it's suspension!

If the OP is only 2 people, wants to be as close to camping as possible, then the Cub Spacevan is the go. Its got all the advantages of the quick Cub setup but as its got much larger sides the inside has much better storage for all 'the stuff'

Another comment I would make is that pop tops are great. In my experience they are taller inside than most full height vans, and you can put stuff on top of the cupboards when your camped. We use it for all 'the extra stuff' grandkids bring on a camp with Nanny and Poppy.
Also, you can get into more spots because its usually the low tree branches that stop you.

Also, can anyone please explain WHY you would want mud tyres on a van.

A van has NO traction!

[TheTree]

Been camping for many many years.

Started with tents as do most, then went to an old Cub Supermatic.

It had an inside kitchen, which we loved. We didn't use it most of the time, we used a two burner outside on a table, but when it rained it was wonderful.

We sold the Cub because we found that although it went up VERY quickly, we had to pack all the rest of 'the stuff' into boxes and into the car or under the bed. Usually the first thing I wanted to put away into the car was the last thing the wife wanted to pack.

So, we bought a Jayco camper trailer. Although it took much longer to set up the 'van', all 'the stuff' was readily available. So overall it was a better option.

The Jayco was sold in favour of a Paramount Duet, (14' Expander). Very good layout, supposedly quality van.

The independent suspension tore away from the chassis half way between Darwin and Alice Springs. Long story but it was written off and we replaced it with a Jayco Sterling pop top, 17'. Still using and loving it.

All these units have been towed anywhere I've wanted to go. Not OTT, but Oodanatta Track, Roper Bar Rd, etc OK.

Comments from this experience.

Jayco are fantastic! IF your prepared to fix a few of the silly things, they are the BEST value available.

All vans have silly things and the money doesn't really seem to matter. For example the best quality, youngest, and dearest van I've ever owned is the one that spat it's suspension!

If the OP is only 2 people, wants to be as close to camping as possible, then the Cub Spacevan is the go. Its got all the advantages of the quick Cub setup but as its got much larger sides the inside has much better storage for all 'the stuff'

Another comment I would make is that pop tops are great. In my experience they are taller inside than most full height vans, and you can put stuff on top of the cupboards when your camped. We use it for all 'the extra stuff' grandkids bring on a camp with Nanny and Poppy.
Also, you can get into more spots because its usually the low tree branches that stop you.

Also, can anyone please explain WHY you would want mud tyres on a van.

A van has NO traction!

I was very close to getting a Cub Spacematic Drover but it was in Melbourne and was a little out of my price range. Also it was quite a bit older than the Bushranger.

The Cub Spacevan looks awesome and I will probably go for one of those in the future when I want a little more luxury.

In the end I decided to go for hard core off road capability so we can go to the gnarlier places while I am "still young" :p

Looking at the massive ALKO swinging arms and leaf springs on the bushranger one would have a hard time ripping any of it off !!

As far as mud tyres go you are right that a Trailer has no traction. I think (at least for the off road versions) it's about having strong sidewalls with good penetration resistance.

The other nice thing about the camper is the headroom inside :cool:

Steve

[DiscoMick]

The Echo Kavango looks interesting, particularly the slide-out ensuite. Haven't seen one in real life though, but it gets a good write-up.

https://www.campertraileraustralia.com.au/features/best-camper-trailers/1403/best-camper-trailers-echo-4x4-campers-kavango
https://www.campertraileraustralia.com.au/spec/detail/echo-4x4-kavango-39072


There's a good comparison of hybrid campers here:
https://www.campertraileraustralia.com.au/features/best-camper-trailers/1403/best-camper-trailers-hybrid

[Fatso]

Andy has this thread done ya head in yet , maybe just an ausie 30 second tent and a 12v fridge is the answer Lol . I had a 2010 Jayco Hawk Outback , You get what you pay for and to my mind Jayco are good value 4 money , i put a air vent in to get positive pressure inside when towing on dirt etc , bit of dust sometimes but hey your camping , the only reason i sold it was as it was an outback the whole thing was to high 4 pulling out bed ends with a bad back sold on and downgraded to a second hand 2009 Jayco Flite for $10k , which is nice and low to operate and light as , great to tow as dont need sticky out mirrors to blow off any more and a big double bed at each end, and seating for 4 with gass electric, fridge, kitchen etc inside out of weather . It only has slipper spring suspension but hasn't stopped me from going where i want too go , Cape Sandy north of Jurian which is as bad a road as you can get at times is and example , take it easy and no problems . I can set up & fold up and get on the road as quick as anything else and is a simple and an easy camper trailer to , tow , service , store , and clean ,. Now a Happy Camper .

[AK83]

......

Also, can anyone please explain WHY you would want mud tyres on a van.

....

:D
LOL! makes me laugh too.

.. but! ...


.....

As far as mud tyres go you are right that a Trailer has no traction. I think (at least for the off road versions) it's about having strong sidewalls with good penetration resistance.

....

The only reasoning I can think of is:
in the event of an emergency, you could use that trailer tyre on the tow vehicle to get you to somewhere other than the rig may have got stuck.
That is, if worse came to worse and you had no other option than to leave the van behind a mud type tyre could get you out of muddy conditions a little easier.
Other than that there is no reason to do so .. other than the typical 'urban look'.
On a technical side a closed tread, high strength sidewalled tyre is still going to be stronger and more resistant to any damage.
So unless you're driving at 250k/h all the time(as some seem to think is neccessary! :p) then a nice 8 or even 16 ply truck tyre would be the best option if strength is a priority.

For many years that I used to do the Oodnadatta track when I could, it always amazed me that all the tyres dumped on the side of the road were predominantly muddies and the rest were those pokey little 10 or 12 inch jobbies used on some campers(and boat trailers!)
Of course now it's not as much of a problem as it once was, as they're extending the bitumen further and further every time I go out there.

[LRD414]

Way back at the start of this thread I posted about hydrid pop-top caravans and it's been a long and winding road of options in here since then.

We had been thinking about upgrading from the forward-fold camper trailer that has served us well for about 2 years now on long trips and short getaways.
But we've been looking for something with an easier setup for single night stays and more comfort when wet and/or cold than a canvas tent.
We don't tend to use it for extended stays in a single location where the full size canvas room would really come into its own.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago we committed to buying one of these:

Scorpion Hybrid - Rhinomax (http://rhinomaxcampers.com.au/models/scorpion-hybrid/)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/207.jpg
Photo from CampMountainCampers Off-road caravan hire (http://www.campmountaincampers.com.au/scorpion.html)

We researched a fair bit, both online & climbing through a number of different makes and products and believe that this one represents the best value for what we want:
- 2 people
- reasonably light (1,320 tare & 90 ball with water in the tank)
- ease of setup/take-down including the awning (no ropes)
- comfort level
- not too big (wide or high) & descent clearance
- suitable for 6 month or longer trip (planned for sometime in the next few years)

We think it compares well with the likes of AOR/Lifestyle/VistaRV/Ultimate/Echo/KK/CompleteCampsite

- AOR, KK and Complete are significantly more expensive and in most cases heavier.
- Ultimate is a bit cheaper but is still majority canvas and has more setup (including making the bed)
- Lifestyle is cheaper and good value for money too but you also get a bit less
- Echo has quite a lot of canvas and a pole/rope type awning

Only downside is the waiting time, we are anticipating May/June delivery. This is ok for us, allows time to sell the camper trailer. Plus we won't be doing the really big trip for a couple of years.
They're also not very big on making changes/modifications. The fibreglass laminate panel construction means that panel cuts and penetrations are all pre-planned for each model. Changes can be done but are expensive and not really preferred from a production-line perspective. This is ok for us because it is already well thought out for our intended use.

Cheers,
Scott

[DiscoMick]

Thanks. We've read up on the Rhinomax. One thing we liked was the outdoor shower which is inside a foldout section and just drops down. Much better than others.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[LRD414]

One thing we liked was the outdoor shower which is inside a foldout section and just drops down
Agreed Mick, it's one of the things that sold us after seeing it in real life. Very easy to use.
The amount of storage is very good for such a small unit. The lift-up bed concept is excellent too .... full size queen plus inside seating.

Scott

[rhinosm]

We have ordered the Patriot Camper X1 LE.
Its actually a shared purchase between 3 -4 families.
One still seeking approval from the minister for finance in the family.
That way it will get used often and not sit in the shed 11 mths of the year, and shares the capable cost outlay, $40K.
So the families can use as is, and When the boys go outback we can remove roof top tent and put on a rack for carrying swags. Luxury!
Delivery April 2017.

[DiscoMick]

Agreed Mick, it's one of the things that sold us after seeing it in real life. Very easy to use.
The amount of storage is very good for such a small unit. The lift-up bed concept is excellent too .... full size queen plus inside seating.

Scott

We saw the pictures of the lift up bed and wondered how that would work in practice. Does it lift right out of the way or is it a bit of an obstacle? It's hard to tell from pictures. Does it seem to work OK in real life?
We're renovating to prepare for future retirement right now so it will be 1-2 years before we decide to either stick with the existing basic but functional camper or buy something fancier. Its good to take the time to look around.

[DiscoMick]

:D
LOL! makes me laugh too.

.. but! ...



The only reasoning I can think of is:
in the event of an emergency, you could use that trailer tyre on the tow vehicle to get you to somewhere other than the rig may have got stuck.
That is, if worse came to worse and you had no other option than to leave the van behind a mud type tyre could get you out of muddy conditions a little easier.
Other than that there is no reason to do so .. other than the typical 'urban look'.
On a technical side a closed tread, high strength sidewalled tyre is still going to be stronger and more resistant to any damage.
So unless you're driving at 250k/h all the time(as some seem to think is neccessary! :p) then a nice 8 or even 16 ply truck tyre would be the best option if strength is a priority.

For many years that I used to do the Oodnadatta track when I could, it always amazed me that all the tyres dumped on the side of the road were predominantly muddies and the rest were those pokey little 10 or 12 inch jobbies used on some campers(and boat trailers!)
Of course now it's not as much of a problem as it once was, as they're extending the bitumen further and further every time I go out there.

That's OK if the tyres are the right rating to fit both, but Lifestyle Campers won't fit Defender wheels/tyres to their campers because the two wheels/tyres on their campers need a higher rating that the Defender units. In other words, the Lifestyle wheels/tyres have to have a higher rating than Defender units to share the weight of the Lifestyle campers on just 2 wheels. They prefer to fit two spare weels/tyres. Interesting.

[LRD414]

We saw the pictures of the lift up bed and wondered how that would work in practice. Does it lift right out of the way or is it a bit of an obstacle? It's hard to tell from pictures. Does it seem to work OK in real life?

It lifts up to ~45 deg. and this gets it out of the way quite well. The whole floor space can be used and the seats too. We were concerned about the bedding but it all stayed in place properly.

Scott

[weeds]

That's OK if the tyres are the right rating to fit both, but Lifestyle Campers won't fit Defender wheels/tyres to their campers because the two wheels/tyres on their campers need a higher rating that the Defender units. In other words, the Lifestyle wheels/tyres have to have a higher rating than Defender units to share the weight of the Lifestyle campers on just 2 wheels. They prefer to fit two spare weels/tyres. Interesting.



Way back when we were looking at a hybrid/cross overs I'm pretty sure I have an email from lifestyle confirming I could supply my own axle with defender hubs, discs, calipers etc

We have decided to go a completely different way now and ditch the trailer all together.

[weeds]

We have ordered the Patriot Camper X1 LE.

Its actually a shared purchase between 3 -4 families.

One still seeking approval from the minister for finance in the family.

That way it will get used often and not sit in the shed 11 mths of the year, and shares the capable cost outlay, $40K.

So the families can use as is, and When the boys go outback we can remove roof top tent and put on a rack for carrying swags. Luxury!

Delivery April 2017.



Great idea having a group purchase......it's the exact reasons I built my own camper for $7k as I couldn't justify $40k sitting under the house with limited use.

Q. What happens when two families want to camp at the same time?? Or go away together?

[rhinosm]

Currently 2 of the families share a boat.
Works well.
We will probably share a calendar on google or iCloud.
We will have to communicate and take turns.

[apom]

I tried one of this as a hire unit. I loved the idea of it, especially with the solar on the roof. Good in principle but sadly many of shortcomings to use on a regular basis with lots of improvements.

To make things worse the hire company was say they are hard to deal with to get issues sorted.
.
Breakaway 'Two Plus' (http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/model/breakaway-two-plus/)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/304.jpg

I have just started to look and can get these units factory direct (ie where they are made in China.) They are less than 20K USD

You can find the same unit here

New JAWA TRAX-12 OFFROAD HYBRID CARAVAN - SLEEPS 2 for sale in Maroochydoore | Best Offroad Camper Trailers in Maroochydoore - Maroochydoore, QLD (http://www.jawacampertrailers.com.au/for-sale/Caravans/JAWA-TRAX-12-OFFROAD-HYBRID-CARAVAN-SLEEPS-2/HMG9MY/details)

This one is much cheaper than the Rhinomax but still needs some sorting IMO

To be honest, i cant find anything i like 100% at present that is light, affordable, rugged and quick to setup.

[TeamFA]

We have ordered the Patriot Camper X1 LE.
Its actually a shared purchase between 3 -4 families.
One still seeking approval from the minister for finance in the family.
That way it will get used often and not sit in the shed 11 mths of the year, and shares the capable cost outlay, $40K.
So the families can use as is, and When the boys go outback we can remove roof top tent and put on a rack for carrying swags. Luxury!
Delivery April 2017.

We've looked hard at the X1 and X2, and have instead gone for a Drifta DOT6 Equip with a custom Howling Moon XT Deluxe Camper Trailer tent fitted to it...

Interested to hear about how you go with the X1.

[SimonM]

Kelly Campers (http://www.kellycampers.com.au/) have a couple of Hybrids that I quite like. They are built in Bundaberg.

[loanrangie]

We have ordered the Patriot Camper X1 LE.
Its actually a shared purchase between 3 -4 families.
One still seeking approval from the minister for finance in the family.
That way it will get used often and not sit in the shed 11 mths of the year, and shares the capable cost outlay, $40K.
So the families can use as is, and When the boys go outback we can remove roof top tent and put on a rack for carrying swags. Luxury!
Delivery April 2017.

I hope that the joint venture works out for you, not a gamble i would take.:o

[rhinosm]

Most of us have been friends for over 40 years.
We've had greater challenges in life then a shared camper trailer.

[DiscoMick]

Anyone know about Trakmaster vans? I've seen a few and heard good things, but have no direct knowledge.
http://www.trakmaster.com.au/

Sent from my GT-P5210 using AULRO mobile app

[weeds]

Anyone know about Trakmaster vans? I've seen a few and heard good things, but have no direct knowledge.
http://www.trakmaster.com.au/

Sent from my GT-P5210 using AULRO mobile app



Going bush or goingbush has one from memory....if it's the case he has dragged it all over the place.

[Narangga]

Agreed Mick, it's one of the things that sold us after seeing it in real life. Very easy to use.
The amount of storage is very good for such a small unit. The lift-up bed concept is excellent too .... full size queen plus inside seating.

Scott

I came across these recently Scott.

12ft Off Road ST Camper Trailer – North Coast Campers (http://www.northcoastcampers.com.au/campers/12ft-off-road-st-camper-trailer/)

Have you or anyone else looked at them? They don't seem to have many decent photos on their website unfortunately and provision of dimensions is a bit spartan.

[LRD414]

I came across these recently Scott.

12ft Off Road ST Camper Trailer ? North Coast Campers (http://www.northcoastcampers.com.au/campers/12ft-off-road-st-camper-trailer/)

Have you or anyone else looked at them? They don't seem to have many decent photos on their website unfortunately and provision of dimensions is a bit spartan.
Did notice the website ages ago but have not had a physical look.
Looks good but still pretty expensive. Reminds me of the AOR Quantum that my father has.

Our camper trailer is now sold and the long wait for the Rhinomax continues.

Cheers,
Scott

[DiscoMick]

Reminds me of some of the Lifestyle Campers.

[Narangga]

Way back at the start of this thread I posted about hydrid pop-top caravans and it's been a long and winding road of options in here since then.

We had been thinking about upgrading from the forward-fold camper trailer that has served us well for about 2 years now on long trips and short getaways.
But we've been looking for something with an easier setup for single night stays and more comfort when wet and/or cold than a canvas tent.
We don't tend to use it for extended stays in a single location where the full size canvas room would really come into its own.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago we committed to buying one of these:

Scorpion Hybrid - Rhinomax (http://rhinomaxcampers.com.au/models/scorpion-hybrid/)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/207.jpg
Photo from CampMountainCampers Off-road caravan hire (http://www.campmountaincampers.com.au/scorpion.html)

We researched a fair bit, both online & climbing through a number of different makes and products and believe that this one represents the best value for what we want:
- 2 people
- reasonably light (1,320 tare & 90 ball with water in the tank)
- ease of setup/take-down including the awning (no ropes)
- comfort level
- not too big (wide or high) & descent clearance
- suitable for 6 month or longer trip (planned for sometime in the next few years)

We think it compares well with the likes of AOR/Lifestyle/VistaRV/Ultimate/Echo/KK/CompleteCampsite

- AOR, KK and Complete are significantly more expensive and in most cases heavier.
- Ultimate is a bit cheaper but is still majority canvas and has more setup (including making the bed)
- Lifestyle is cheaper and good value for money too but you also get a bit less
- Echo has quite a lot of canvas and a pole/rope type awning

Only downside is the waiting time, we are anticipating May/June delivery. This is ok for us, allows time to sell the camper trailer. Plus we won't be doing the really big trip for a couple of years.
They're also not very big on making changes/modifications. The fibreglass laminate panel construction means that panel cuts and penetrations are all pre-planned for each model. Changes can be done but are expensive and not really preferred from a production-line perspective. This is ok for us because it is already well thought out for our intended use.

Cheers,
Scott

What is the proposed delivery date Scott as we are now almost in June?

[LRD414]

What is the proposed delivery date Scott as we are now almost in June?
Sadly the May delivery has slipped to mid June due to overall production delays. But we have recently agreed a couple of minor improvements and modifications with them, which is now getting us excited to take delivery. Our first proper trip is planned for August so this timing is still ok.

Scott

[Narangga]

Sadly the May delivery has slipped to mid June due to overall production delays. But we have recently agreed a couple of minor improvements and modifications with them, which is now getting us excited to take delivery. Our first proper trip is planned for August so this timing is still ok.

Scott

Hopefully it will be mid-June so that you can have a hands-on play with it before the August trip.

[LRD414]

Hopefully it will be mid-June so that you can have a hands-on play with it before the August trip.
Ended up being a shorter than hoped for period getting used to it but we have it now and have made good progress in the list of little things to tweak and improve before the August trip to the Flinders.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/07/532.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WiVbTu)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/07/531.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/V65WUS)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/07/468.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WtW7Ey)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/07/533.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/W9CXmE)

Very happy soon to be campers :)

Scott

[DiscoMick]

We've looked at those, so be interested to see how you go.

[rangiewoman]

Just got an older style Goldstream Crown. Pretty happy with it as it is lighter than the newer ones and easy to tow. Plenty of storage space and very quick and easy to set up. Only negative so far is that we are going from a King size bed in our camping trailer down to a double bed. Haven't had it off road as yet but it looks very hopeful.

[loanrangie]

So Chris has gone soft :)

[trout1105]

A couple of years ago we bought an old Jaco "Dove" as an "Impulse buy".
We had Never owned a caravan before and this old girl was only $4,000 so we handed over the cash and towed it home, Don't ask me how old the van is But it would not surprise me to find out that it was first towed behind a brand new HR Holden.
You have to wind the roof up with a crank handle setup at the front of the van, then you pull out the double beds at each end, This is the easy bit.
It came with a thumping big canvas annex which is a little ripper when erected But it takes a lot of work to put up and bang in all those bloody pegs (Normally in rock hard ground) and is the source of many a yelling match between Me and the Missus.
Over the last couple of years we have towed this for over 10,000K's and to places it was never designed to travel and it hasn't Died on us yet.
Nothing has fallen off, No dramas with busted springs or anything else and as far as dust getting in it isn't that bad.

However when I go on an extended fishing trip by myself or with my young blokes my awning and double swag is pretty much all I need as a mobile home, So much easier to setup and dismantle.
The Missus wants to get a newer van with a dunny and a shower in it and I suppose I will end up caving in and end up getting one But give me a swag and a campfire anyday [thumbsupbig]

[rangiewoman]

So Chris has gone soft :)

He is trying to be nice to me or maybe he is just getting old (lol) [wink11]

[DiscoMick]

I've been wandering around the camping and caravan sales website and I must say that the Jaycos are generally very good value for money compared with their rivals.