Thread: Outback traffic

Hundreds of grey nomads pass here every day in everything from huge million $ motorhomes to old converted coasters - at the nearby industrial site Dick White Motorhomes (I'm not advertising) does a roaring trade in converting old buses, coaches (his own personal carriage is a GM Dennings coach from the mid '70s) Coasters, Rosas and even ancient govt buses. And he has lots of staff and even flogs accessories - his mobile showroom is also a big old skool bus.

What I see that amuses me, (if it wasn't so serious) is the oldies in a new Falcon or C'dore towing a huge caravan, the car with its bum very close to the ground......

Went to a show of this stuff in Lismore a week ago - a new VW van of about 6 metres with a house inbuilt was a 'show bargain' at $139,000.

So if the van is, say, $45,000 (bare) rolling (retail) the fit out is nearly $100,000. Must be some very big profits in the fitout business........

A mate said you can buy a lot of hotel/motel nights for that money.

And there's millions of them passing thru Ballina, I love (not) the convoys of oldies in matching tow cars and matching vans -- all so shiny and new...... Prados and Pajeros seem to be the tow cars of choice, but I have seen a few D3s....

GQ

I don,t know about the TD5 towing a big van at 12lt/100km.
I have been towing my 17ft boat around the Kimberley and only getting 15lt/100km. That is with console and canopy down.
You have to take into account the headwinds and road traffic.
My previous GQ Patrol would only get 5.5km/lt towing at 80km/hr and that was diesel.
The most important thing to take into account when touring is the availablity of spares and help, should your vehicle experience problems. Just try getting a spare tyre for a SII Disco at the local garage!!
Alot of the Grey Nomads grew up on the adage of the more cylinders the better. So in their eyes a V8 Cruiser will tow and last longer than a 2.5lt 4/5 cylinder diesel.

Friends, it's simple.

EVERYBODY knows you need either a Land Cruiser or a Patrol for towing. Everybody!

You need the big, heavy chassis and a torquey motor.

Those Land Rover thingies are (a) too small (b) not heavy enough and (c) not strong enough to pull a 20+ foot van.

That the torque, chassis strength etc are better than many Nissotas and there's only 2 people in there so who really needs 8 seats, has nothing to do with it, not when everybody knows...

Of course the new Landcruiser V8 is the best, John Laws says so......

have to go to the doc this arvo scrambler, uh oh........

GQ

Its interesting.
Friend of mine had a GU 4.8 petrol. Started towing his 21 foot van and was appalled at his fuel economy, I think 20-25L per100Km.
Got to a caravan park and all the old stagers told him. "Nah mate got to be a diesel" So he went away and bought a new 2002 GU diesel 3 litre.
This story does not have the usual ending.
Had an email from them a couple of months ago. Stuck in Jerilderie with a blown AUTO , cost 5K+. The car had done 110K
Now the whole episode must have cost him 20-25K compared to keeping the GU petrol, but I bet he still reckons he did the right thing.
Regards Philip A

My '94 NJ Pajero v6 was starting to show its age. Motor/gearbox in need of a rebuild. Power steer needing overhaul, diffs etc. Seemed like about 12grand to fix it up.
I felt it was time for an up date. Get some safety features, ABS, SRS etc..
That's when I found the Disco in a lot for just Under 20 grand. Fully loaded and diesel. Change over cost me $15500. $3500 would have bought a lot of petrol. So time will tell if I made the right move.
But of course if I have to use those air bags it will be worth every cent.
And they's always bio fuel.