I just checked my compliance plate and our van was made 9/89. It is a 14ft Viscount. We paid $9,500 for it and we are very pleased with it. Having said that, we saw an awful lot of junk before we paid up our hard earned. We must have visited every used van park in the Northern Brisbane area. The search took us approx 4 months. Eventually we purchased privately through the Trading Post on line. We saw a lot of vans with prices up to 15,000 that were not as good as ours. So, my advice would be - take your time. Look everywhere, be prepared to travel. And do take someone else with you, take a torch to look under beds and in nooks and crannies and search out each and every one of them. As for a tug - I would definately go diesel.

We took our tent with our Kombi if we were staying in one place for a few days but then we picked up a one family owned Cub Campomatic. New paint and new mattress and away we went. 

-- Edited by Brookie on Wednesday 20th of October 2010 01:53:25 PM

-- Edited by Brookie on Wednesday 20th of October 2010 01:56:56 PM

HI Milo, I don't think age of van matters. It depends on its condition, and is not falling to pieces. Our Viscount poptop is a 1980 model. Previous owners kept it in good order. We have had it for 2yrs and have done a couple of alterations and added things like solar power and roll up awning. When we brought it it came with everything in it, microwave, tv, crockery cutlery bed linen everything. Tea towels towels, you could have put some food in and hit the road!! We are very happy with it. Good luck with your search, Val

-- Edited by valnrob on Thursday 21st of October 2010 12:41:07 PM

I have a 1976 Baravan!
It's in better condition than stuff that is just a few years old, though somewhat more 'spartan' than some of the latest models.
The previous owner had fitted electric brakes and a Vitrifrigo 24/12 volt compressor fridge shortly before he upgraded to a newer van with full ensuit facilities.
$5,800 but I needed to buy new tyres.
I am fitting 420 watts of solar panels, an MPPT regulator, and a couple of 110Ah AGM batteries with the appropriate voltmeter and ampmeter.
I'm also removing the two single beds and replacing them with an 'East - West' double.

milo wrote:

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any one had any experiance with avans?
i kind of like this one.. or something like it

http://www.avannsw.com.au/index.php?option=com_rdautos&view=detail&id=80%3Aavan%3Aaliner%3Aalite&Itemid=26

just wonder how well they stay up when theres a big windy storm around etc ??

-- Edited by milo on Friday 22nd of October 2010 04:22:51 PM

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 We've had a 17ft Avan for the past 12 years bought new in 2010.

It's been OK, but nothing to write home about. Probably no better or worse than say a Jayco or similar.

It's the only caravan that we've ever owned & will ever own. Basically it does the job.

Over the years we've managed to iron out any problems with it.

 

-- Edited by 86GTS on Wednesday 26th of January 2022 04:33:12 AM

AWL, how I managed to come to such an old post, was, it was on the search engine Bing, not realising that both it and this post was dated 2010, but still relevant today. As I also have had older model vans and campers. Baravans were the best design c.van in their day, as they were very stable, very light, and even loaded you could pick up at the hitch of the van and move it around, very good concept.

our van is a full one its a QUEST 14 foot van weight is 850 k and towing it i have a falcon .....we go all over the sa state but stay in van parks were not setup for cheap camping ......the van is a 1967 one in very good condition and is 2 berth there is an awning we use when away
.......

Dougwe wrote:

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I'm not sure if anyone has noticed but this is a very old thread and sadly, Milo, has ridden on ahead many moons back.

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could be a few more that "have ridden on ahead " some haven't posted for years