Can anyone with experience tell me anything I haven't thought of about these two layouts (for a single person)?
I'm considering two lighter weight Geist vans (my car has a 1600 kg limit for 20% slope, 1700 for 8%). Car is 1685 kg. 75kg ball load limit. AWD diesel. 135kW/380Nm. Gets 5.5 litres per 100km. Expecting 8-10 towing (according to UK reports). I'm in Tassie and want to winter up north.
Van A: Tare 1200, GVM 1350, ATM 1400, 16 ft (interior length), 75kg ball weight. see pics VanA
Forward twin (or double) bed/couch's, centre small kitchen, rear toilet & shower (seperate). Fold out awning.
Pro's - 1. Smaller size = easier tow (under 85% car weight), less fuel. 2. Cheaper on Tassie ferry by $100 each way. 3. Dry toilet area. 4. Listed at $4k less. 5. It's in Vic (saves a fare on the ferry).
Con's - 1. Have to make up bed each night, uneven mattress (couch cushions). 2. Smaller interior (claustrophobic?). 3. Tighter kitchen, stove against side wall.
Van B: Tare 1340, GVM ?, ATM 1500, 17.6 or 21 ft (not sure). 85kg ball weight. see pics VanB
Forward twin bed/couch's, centre medium kitchen, rear fixed double bed, toilet in shower. No awning.
Pro's - 1. Permanent flat bed. 2. More spacious, big windows both ends - good light. 3. Nice bench area for kitchen. 4. Possible good couch, big TV arrangement.
Con's - 1. Wet toilet (from shower). 2. Heavier = more fuel, borderline towable weight for car (91% car weight). 3. Bed more difficult to get out of. 4. Ball weight 10kg over. 5. It's in Perth!
The first 5 pics are Van A. Last 3 Van B.
-- Edited by wfdTamar on Wednesday 25th of April 2018 08:53:44 PM
Well my two bobs worth to get the ball rolling
Van A seems the best to my little male mind for a single traveler for the reasons you list , but being one who likes a comfortable bed my surgestion would be that a single person will not need two couches not even sure that two people would so why not alter one of those couches to a permanent bed with a proper mattress , would this then make your choice much simpler as the other creature comforts seem a better fit to me than van B especially the dry toilet
Woody
Meredith said
07:29 PM Apr 29, 2018
I agree with Woody that making a permanent bed up on one of the couches in the smaller van would seem to be a good idea. You could look at changing over the cushion on it for a proper mattress.
I'm guessing you are intending to stay in a caravan park in Queensland and along the way? Both vans have a very small payload, the larger van in particular, but I guess 1 person travelling reasonably lightly with empty water tank could manage it. Either van set up for free camping would almost certainly go over the ATM.
TheHeaths said
07:42 PM Apr 29, 2018
Be aware that the ball weights you note for the vans are probably empty ball weights, and will rise when you load the van for travel. I doubt you will be able to load the van and meet the ball weight for your vehicle
As Meredith says, the load allowance of both is low, and will mean you need to be very careful with what you pack, and also what you try to set up for free camping (if that is your aim) with respect to solar panels or batteries.
wfdTamar said
11:19 AM Apr 30, 2018
Found another van which is a compromise between the two.
Type A - Geist LV485
Type B - Geist LV555
Van C - Bailey Orion 430-4 They've squeezed the seperate bed layout into the length of the Type A by shortening the couch's to 2 seaters (which does mean you can't lay on them though). The ones I found are a lot more expensive than the other two types, but much newer (2013/4 vs 2005, $22-7k vs $38-40k).
Now looking into buying new in the UK then shipping it here. Surprisingly cheap. 16,000 pounds for van (20% of that is refundable VAT), 2880 shipping and import costs. Total 15680 pounds A$28,570. Then theres converting it to Australian standards - not sure what that would cost. Drawback is no warranty. That kind of money for one 6-8 years old here. Thought you could have a holiday in it over there first.
New price in Australia is about $50-52,000.
-- Edited by wfdTamar on Monday 30th of April 2018 11:15:57 PM
denmonkey said
04:58 PM Sep 11, 2018
As a single person who was talking into a double island bed, I can tell you I would now have much prefered a east-west bed to get the extra usable floor space.
Crawling over someone to get in bed is not an issue ...such is the shame :)
I went to a caravan to avoid the 'setup' process of previous camp scenarios.
That meant having a bed that I can crawl into even on the side of the road as a pit stop without having to set up all the time.
BUT I also like smaller sized vans with what I need in them over having a larger van just to have more space between the things I need.
So basically as small as I can get it with only the things I need.
All that said, what is it you need and what from your van ?
Is setting a bed up every day going to poop you ?
Can anyone with experience tell me anything I haven't thought of about these two layouts (for a single person)?
I'm considering two lighter weight Geist vans (my car has a 1600 kg limit for 20% slope, 1700 for 8%). Car is 1685 kg. 75kg ball load limit. AWD diesel. 135kW/380Nm. Gets 5.5 litres per 100km. Expecting 8-10 towing (according to UK reports). I'm in Tassie and want to winter up north.
Van A: Tare 1200, GVM 1350, ATM 1400, 16 ft (interior length), 75kg ball weight. see pics VanA
Forward twin (or double) bed/couch's, centre small kitchen, rear toilet & shower (seperate). Fold out awning.
Pro's - 1. Smaller size = easier tow (under 85% car weight), less fuel. 2. Cheaper on Tassie ferry by $100 each way. 3. Dry toilet area. 4. Listed at $4k less. 5. It's in Vic (saves a fare on the ferry).
Con's - 1. Have to make up bed each night, uneven mattress (couch cushions). 2. Smaller interior (claustrophobic?). 3. Tighter kitchen, stove against side wall.
Van B: Tare 1340, GVM ?, ATM 1500, 17.6 or 21 ft (not sure). 85kg ball weight. see pics VanB
Forward twin bed/couch's, centre medium kitchen, rear fixed double bed, toilet in shower. No awning.
Pro's - 1. Permanent flat bed. 2. More spacious, big windows both ends - good light. 3. Nice bench area for kitchen. 4. Possible good couch, big TV arrangement.
Con's - 1. Wet toilet (from shower). 2. Heavier = more fuel, borderline towable weight for car (91% car weight). 3. Bed more difficult to get out of. 4. Ball weight 10kg over. 5. It's in Perth!
The first 5 pics are Van A. Last 3 Van B.
-- Edited by wfdTamar on Wednesday 25th of April 2018 08:53:44 PM
Van A seems the best to my little male mind for a single traveler for the reasons you list , but being one who likes a comfortable bed my surgestion would be that a single person will not need two couches not even sure that two people would so why not alter one of those couches to a permanent bed with a proper mattress , would this then make your choice much simpler as the other creature comforts seem a better fit to me than van B especially the dry toilet
Woody
I'm guessing you are intending to stay in a caravan park in Queensland and along the way? Both vans have a very small payload, the larger van in particular, but I guess 1 person travelling reasonably lightly with empty water tank could manage it. Either van set up for free camping would almost certainly go over the ATM.
As Meredith says, the load allowance of both is low, and will mean you need to be very careful with what you pack, and also what you try to set up for free camping (if that is your aim) with respect to solar panels or batteries.
Found another van which is a compromise between the two.
Type A - Geist LV485
Type B - Geist LV555
Van C - Bailey Orion 430-4
They've squeezed the seperate bed layout into the length of the Type A by shortening the couch's to 2 seaters (which does mean you can't lay on them though). The ones I found are a lot more expensive than the other two types, but much newer (2013/4 vs 2005, $22-7k vs $38-40k).
www.campertraileraustralia.com.au/detail/bailey-orion-4304-caravan-2013-model-561228
Now looking into buying new in the UK then shipping it here. Surprisingly cheap. 16,000 pounds for van (20% of that is refundable VAT), 2880 shipping and import costs. Total 15680 pounds A$28,570. Then theres converting it to Australian standards - not sure what that would cost. Drawback is no warranty. That kind of money for one 6-8 years old here. Thought you could have a holiday in it over there first.
New price in Australia is about $50-52,000.
-- Edited by wfdTamar on Monday 30th of April 2018 11:15:57 PM
Crawling over someone to get in bed is not an issue ...such is the shame :)
I went to a caravan to avoid the 'setup' process of previous camp scenarios.
That meant having a bed that I can crawl into even on the side of the road as a pit stop without having to set up all the time.
BUT I also like smaller sized vans with what I need in them over having a larger van just to have more space between the things I need.
So basically as small as I can get it with only the things I need.
All that said, what is it you need and what from your van ?
Is setting a bed up every day going to poop you ?
cheers Brett