Hi All

I need some information (not salesman talk)

So I decided to go to the source and ask the experienced...and honest...forum members.

The time for me to buy my camper is approaching fast...Yeahhh!!!

I know how I want it set up inside etc; and I am looking at buying a Toyota Hi Ace van with a mid roof for head height.

What I need to know is...If I Buy a Hi Top instead...will it have a lot more wind resistance than the mid roof?

I thought that one...or more...of you would be bound to know and maybe wouldn't mind sharing your knowledge with me.

Thanks in advance. Pam. (aka travel bug)

Hi Pam, I am doing the exact same. If you browse back through you will see the same questions asked and some wonderful answers given. Can't advise exactly where, there are a few threads about different aspects of the Toyota Hi Ace / Pop Top other similiar brands. Hope some of them help as they have me and I am still looking. I have noticed there are a lot more for sale up in Qld than there are down here in Vic.

Also if you browse the Ebay site you will get ideas of how you want it set up. Bed in the middle or bed at the back. Kitchen in the middle or kitchen at the back and so on.

Hi Travel Bug and Happywanderer, Doing the same thing myself. Just had an email from a salesman. Still don't know which way to go. My thoughts on high tops are that they would be quite high and was wondering how they handle and also think the windrag question would make them more expensive to run. I think I might look for a pop top. but then I am only a little over 5ft so height is not so important. Oh! the choice! but still can't find the one that suits me and is the right price, age,miliage etc.

Hi Happy Wanderer and ChiChi1

Thanks for the replies.

Marj, I will look back and see if I can find those old threads that you mentioned.

I already know how I want the inside laid out...

My only concern is the wind resistance difference between the mid top and hi top.

ChiChi1, others may disagree but I have friends who had a pop top and didn't keep it for too long because they said it was far colder in the winter than the closed top.
Also, if you are only short you would probably find it quite difficult to open and close.
Just a couple of points to consider.

Happy searching. Pam.  

Good points Travel Bug. I can see why it might get cold. Maybe being short won't need to open pop top lol

I have friends who own a pop top and who are of short stature and they usually don't bother to pop the top if they only stopping for one night.

Good thoughts all round. I had virtually decided on a pop top until my son pointed out the maintenance factor with them, who knows the cost to keep that up. I am a bit against the hitop because of its height when travelling which you have mentioned. Am now thinking towards a midtop, better travelling and think it will still go through the car washes. I wouldn't think you could take a pop top through the car wash. Would I be right there? By the way I am only 5' 3" so really don't need a really hi top either. Once up in the warmer weather intend doing all cooking and eating out under the awning.

midtop? that's a new one for me, is that a name for the type of rig I own (see avatar) or is it a name for rigs like the A-liner or Eco-tourer?

No JIm, I'm talking about a campervan (driving one) not pulling one. There are two heights in Hiace. The high one and then have seen one which is about half the height of that top bit. Then there is the poptop. I'm talking about the one which is about half the height of a Hiace, don't know what its called.

Hi Happywanderer

Didn't think about car washes. Was in Yarrawonga recently and they have a open one that is do it yourself (i think) I am a little chlostrophobic (spelling???) and get my son to take my car to have it washed.  If you had a pop top best to keep it down.   The other thing are poptops expensive to maintain?

Nothing beats more space inside..... more storage room maybe??

Happywanderer wrote:

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No JIm, I'm talking about a campervan (driving one) not pulling one. There are two heights in Hiace. The high one and then have seen one which is about half the height of that top bit. Then there is the poptop.
I'm talking about the one which is about half the height of a Hiace, don't know what its called.

---

Thanks for the info and bringing me up to date.... My type of unit is often referred to as a camper trailer but I find that a bit confusing as I also own a box trailer with a fold out tent on top which is also referred to as a camper trailer.  (any buyers out there?)

I usually refer to my rig as a van or "wind-up" van.

 

I do find it very confusing too Jim, as has happened on here a few times, two different types of poptop, one you drive, one you pull. They need different names. The OP (opening poster) asked for help inf on a Toyota Hiace Van with a midroof, not sure if thats what they are called either but have no idea of another name for them.

Happywanderer wrote:

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Good thoughts all round. I had virtually decided on a pop top until my son pointed out the maintenance factor with them, who knows the cost to keep that up. I am a bit against the hitop because of its height when travelling which you have mentioned. Am now thinking towards a midtop, better travelling and think it will still go through the car washes. I wouldn't think you could take a pop top through the car wash. Would I be right there? By the way I am only 5' 3" so really don't need a really hi top either. Once up in the warmer weather intend doing all cooking and eating out under the awning.

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Hi Marj, You don't normally drive with the Pop-top up anyway. Mine goes through the local Car-wash [pop-top down]. Just make sure you have enough height. I need 2.1metres clearance, and the Car-wash is 2.3. It takes buses too. There is a name for the other one which I can not think of right this minute. Hang on, I think they call it a Commuter. [Like a Mini-bus, or Maxi-taxi.] Has rows of seats originally. I find high winds can rock the van a bit some-times, even with the top down, so I'm glad I haven't got anything higher. I never put the top up if only overnighting. Cheers, Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Wednesday 20th of October 2010 08:57:45 PM

Haha!! No I didn't mean go through the car wash with the poptop up. I meant would it leak with such a concentration of water being aimed at the edges around the poptop area. I usually go through the laser wash. Just thought it might not be up to such a lot being aimed at the closed poptop.

Happywanderer wrote:

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Haha!! No I didn't mean go through the car wash with the poptop up. I meant would it leak with such a concentration of water being aimed at the edges around the poptop area. I usually go through the laser wash. Just thought it might not be up to such a lot being aimed at the closed poptop.

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What is a laser wash ? Mine hasn't leaked yet with a normal [?] car-wash. Also Jim, it would help if posters referred to their things as eg. "Pop-top Campervan," "Pop-top Caravan", and in my humble opinion, a Camper Trailer is just that. A Trailer for Camping in. Not a Camper Van. To me, a Camper Van, or Campervan, is something you drive. Just saying "Pop-top" is not clear enough. Cheers, Sheba.

That is my thinking too Sheba. You can get a poptop caravan or a poptop campervan, but for some reason they call the caravan a campervan. A laser car wash, you sit in the car once you have driven it in and it does all the work for you with jets of water or soap or wax or deluxe if you want. 12.00 for the lot.

Chichi, take something with you to do while inthe carwash. I suffer claustrophobia too and try and work around it. I will take the paper or go get a takeaway coffee and a cream bun on the way in. Lots of things you can do. Pick up you mail on the way out and go through it once in the car wash.

-- Edited by Happywanderer on Wednesday 20th of October 2010 09:33:50 PM

Happywanderer wrote:

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That is my thinking too Sheba. You can get a poptop caravan or a poptop campervan, but for some reason they call the caravan a campervan. A laser car wash, you sit in the car once you have driven it in and it does all the work for you with jets of water or soap or wax or deluxe if you want. 12.00 for the lot.

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That's what I get every time Marj, and I've never had 1 drop of water inside yet, and I have a Solar Panel on top as well. Cheers, Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Wednesday 20th of October 2010 11:46:01 PM

Travel Bug wrote:

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Hi Happy Wanderer and ChiChi1

Thanks for the replies.

Marj, I will look back and see if I can find those old threads that you mentioned.

I already know how I want the inside laid out...

My only concern is the wind resistance difference between the mid top and hi top.

ChiChi1, others may disagree but I have friends who had a pop top and didn't keep it for too long because they said it was far colder in the winter than the closed top.
Also, if you are only short you would probably find it quite difficult to open and close.
Just a couple of points to consider.

Happy searching. Pam.  

---

Hi Travel Bug, I went to Mildura in the middle of Winter last year in my Hi-ace, and was warm as toast every night, once I'd gotten into bed. I don't have a heater, but I have 2 live hot-water bottles, who help, but even without them, with proper bedding, you should not be cold in a campervan. Cheers, Sheba.

i too have been doing research, looking around and have seen a few i liked but alot around the price tag i could afford have very high amount of ks, normaly when you buy a car you try , if not buying new to try and get the lowest amount. some ive seen and on the net are over 250,000 ks and that kind of scares me.
i looked at small caravans too, but then you need a car and a van, its all so complicated
also i too like the pop top for the height.. but i do like the hi top too..so confusing!!

this is what i consider as a high top
, http://www.southernrv.com.au/HITOP-TLG796.html

sheba has shown me pics of her pop top which is great too, but im kind of thinking, do i always want a pop top..

ps any one know what it would cost to rent one of these for a couple of weeks ?


-- Edited by milo on Thursday 21st of October 2010 01:13:46 AM

Google Campervan Hire Milo

Re washing a van at a car wash..... Last year a Jayco Sterling (full height dual axle) van camped next to me in Cairns that had just come back from a trip up the Cape (true). He took his rig to a nearby car wash (for the locals, the one near Raintrees) and was able to wash it. He went early (7 am) and the owner was there and helped guide him into the wash.  He did check with the owner the previous day who was most helpful.


-- Edited by jimricho on Thursday 21st of October 2010 07:26:10 AM

Ma wrote:

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Google Campervan Hire Milo

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Hi Ma, I've been looking at the campervan hire places ,like britz etc and for 3 weeks , which is  a good enough time to be away , your looking at almost $3-5000 , for a hitop..
probably better off buying one..
i saw this one
http://sydneyrvcentre.com.au/overview.html?id=424

but at that price for those k's? should i be worried?

i was always tought when buying a second hand car to look for the lowest k's

is this still applicable for campervans? would the vans on these sites be fully tested etc
i guess they'd have to be ?

milo

 

That is a very high cost milo. Have you looked on ebay or trading post just to get some ideas, even if not to buy. I've seen the same year for well under 20,000. It will at least give you some idea. The one you show above looks really good but I wouldn't be paying that much for it. I have looked at earlier models and asked a few questions from buyers but find a lot don't have air conditioning. Most annoying as need air-cond when travelling up north. Have my eye on a couple of good ones at the moment between 5000 and 10,000 earlier than 90s though. No air-cond. I wonder if anyone knows how much it would cost to put air - cond in to a van??

thanks Happywanderer

the mazda van that i looked at locally was perfet, it had 150,000ks but it was in great condition , early 90's model i think, but they wanted $27000, i think its rediculas..


It seems if you want one with low k's then  you have go aroudn the 2000 year etc and expect to pay around the $30-40k
unless you take out a loan..
i guess I'll just keep looking...

-- Edited by milo on Sunday 24th of October 2010 02:56:47 PM