How to Choose a new rig,van,camper trailer,motorhome,4x4 vehicle.

grahos · Guru

How to Choose a new rig,van,camper trailer,motorhome,4x4 vehicle.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Suggest hiring any you've picked ? Then make your decision ! What you or Mrs like is personal preference and budget ..

Bunkerbob · Senior Member

DON'T BUY NEW 1ST UP.

Look for a really good pre-loved that nearly fulfils your requirements. Guaranteed that not everything suits everybody but until you have been in a van with a pop up and an ensuite, you won't know the possible problems. Some liked the idea of an shower/toilet combo but then others have found it is a pain.

Some like pop tops, I wouldn't get one as a) I am tall and b) we use the van during the day for breakfasts, lunches etc and the thought of having to pop up each time did not appeal.

Wife wanted an L shaped lounge but now we have had one our next van will have a Club Style Lounge.

Current van has a standard Q/size bed. New one will have an East/West. What SWMBO wants and please don't respond to what if we sell. This, hopefully will be it.

DON'T BUY NEW 1ST UP. Once you have experience and have used the van, if you have haggled well you shouldn't lose too much but your new van will be exactly what you wanted. You will/should have it for a long time. As they say, Buy in haste, repent in leisure.

As for the tug. How heavy and long is a piece of string. Light vans, light tugs. Heavy vans, Patrol, Landcruiser, F250. Buy the tug for what you will need, not what you currently have.

Bob

grahos · Guru

Thanks Guys for your response to my problem,we had a poptop years ago but not a full size pop up roof,
good for knocking the scone.
Not real keen tho on a climb over bed,prefer an island bed.

Rip and Rosie · Guru

We made heaps of mistakes on the first van, but we learned from it.

Decide what made you unhappy with the camper, and make a list. For example, not enough storage, too hard to set up, etc, and put those things on the things you want next time around.

Pop-top or full van? Lots of pop-tops are high enough to let you walk around in them without the roof up (depends on your height and the internal height), so base your selection on function and price. If weight is a factor remember full pop-tops can be heavy.

For us, we are looking this time for single beds, more storage which is accessible from outside, larger water tanks, full ensuite, solar, more 240 & 12 volt power points over a good shelf for charging phones and ipads, more clearance at the back, etc. The "pretty" stuff comes later.

My only other advice is get the vehicle first and match your van to it in terms of towing capacity etc.

freehazzas · Senior Member

Go to a caravan show and look at hundreds, that will give you an idea of what is what. Best place to start without going all over the country.
Once you know your new van species, you can plan your car around it.

grahos · Guru

Thx freehazzas ,wow that is some rig you guys have,
I have a friend who converted a drop deck 42 foot trailer and pulls it with his 500 HP Kenworth.
Right here and now I am telling you I am not going to that extreme.
Yes we fully intend to go to the Caulfield show on the 6 & 7 March.
The show sure has lots of choices ,the strange thing is they all say they have the best,ROFL.
I like something well built that will last and not break up on rough roads.
I will have a check list prepared with Q's and must haves.
Ummm where do I start tho?

johnq · Guru

How deep are your pockets to buy and run?

Physical well-being into the future to be able to handle what? Self and spouse.

Live in?

Keep moving, or trips from base?

Experience in handling big units, where one is preferred?

Secondhand or new? - Should the extra tens of thousands be a nest egg and sinking fund for replacement, repair and life's unexpected twists and turns?

Re-sale. - Not everything will sell again, or for anywhere near its dealer's price. A function of brands and size.

Having some in reserve, being able to afford to pay bills and a few of life's little luxuries, happiness.

The experts can take it from there.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

As a starting point ... ask yourselves "What do we want to do/where would we like to go in this rig?". If you want to "go bush" for example to fossick for gold/saphires/whatever, you will need a rig that can manage a rough and corrugated road. That would be heavier than a highway-only type and might need a stronger/more expensive tug.

oldbobsbus · Guru

I'm going to push the MH barrow to you..

We started in a 7m converted bus and then changed to an 8m bus so we had a bit more room then to a 9m that had more room and also more modern with a mid engine for quieter traveling then we found a 9.8m rear engined bus with an auto gearbox so we tried that and as someone wanted to buy it we have gone back to our 9m bus..

We tow a small car with us and can be unhooked in about 4 mins and do the tourist thing at towns we like or just go shopping..

We like it over a caravan and tug becoz we can get up and get a drink or have a pee on the run.. when we stop for a break we just have to get up and put the billy on without having to go and open up the van etc..

We have miles of storage and living space and carry 300lts of water for showers anytime we want one..

We have 600w of solar charging 4 x 200ah AGM batteries that run our 320l 240v fridge (from Harvey Norman) that runs 24/7 365 days per year through a 1500/3000w pure sinewave inverter..

We don't go off road with the rig but do like to run around in the car as often as we can..
We always buy out of service school buses and convert them ourselves..

deverall11 · Guru

Can't go wrong with a cruiser. The only other choice would be a VW Amarok or VW Toureg, a bit pricey for the ones with balls. Our cruiser from factory is rated at 650 Nm and our experience is that it will tow a full size van (2.5t) at a true 95kph and return 17l/100. Very comfortable, does not feel like a 4WD.
If you want more proof, have a look at the Landcruiser forum (LCOOL.ORG) and see for yourself how many owners use this vehicle as a competent tug.

grahos · Guru

Wow,thanks for all the comments and advice,
I have owned semi trailers when I was farming so heavy vehicles no problem.
We do like the bush roads and still want to complete the ann-bedell track,broke a spring last time 230kms
down the track and had to return to Laverton where we met the Bedells personally at the c.van park.
That calls for a slide on tho,or a tent.
Yes I have had a cruiser and love them.
Resell is what scares me with a 5th wheeler,but a bus,yes that could be OK.
Still favouring a poptop outback model,I love independent suspension.

Kaid · Guru

Isn't the Caravan and Camping Show on in the next couple of weeks?
At Caulfield Race Track. That's where I'd be going

grahos · Guru

Yes we fully intend to go to the Caulfield show on the 6 & 7 March.

Wombat 280 · Guru

As other have said don't buy new you blow up to a third of the price the moment you sleep in it . There are heaps of SH rigs around with low k's and heaps of after market extras. May be not all the extras will suit you at first but surprising how your priorities change as you motor on . How many times have we all said we don't need that only to find down the track we bless the day we got it included. Make sure you research the power plant pulling the shell as their are a lot of motor homes out there, New and Old, with power plants and transmission ratio's that wouldn't pull the skin off a custard when new.

grahos · Guru

Point taken Wombat,being a farmer I love horses as long as they are under the bonnet.
I do follow and search different configurations thru ebay and Gumtree,they are great sites ,
I notice some try to get new price for their rigs others are fair dinkum sellers.
We will go to the Caulfield show,work out what would suit our needs and some wants then go from there.

grahos · Guru

Thanks everyone for great info,will post here again when we take the plunge.
We will sit down 1st and work out our needs,then our little luxuries,then see if we can find
something to suit on gumtree/ebay after checking out rigs and prices at the show.