Baby Caravans

Eaglemax · Guru

Baby Caravans

Ron-D · Guru

I think you have done a nice job with your Van, but the trend these days is the new small van has a body lengh of 18 foot,ensuit ,island bed , the entry level in my opinion seems to be second hand vans ,pop tops mostly being sold to younger people that used to start out like we did when we had tents, unfortunately I think the only tiny vans that sell these days are the avan Aliner series....

macka17 · Guru

Sensible sized vans . specially for a couple.
Shower inside or out. is around 18 ft Single\tandem, and full height.

Unless you a Victorian,
they seem to go for the pop tops to sit under carport?.

It's the Ideal size and weight. easy to tow and nicely inside the UTE weights.
around 2 ton. FOr TOURING.
Living in. Maybe Around 19ft 6in\20 ft.
Mine was always half empty. (19ft 4in, inside)

Blame the magazines and van dealers for the con
that the missus MUST have this size van. It carries more. more room inside.
"It's bigger than everybody elses" (Mr Jones)

He just slides over the fact that he and his mate the builder will make a LOT more money from you.

If they ever built them as more than just a horsebox with windows and wiring.
Then they may be worth what they ask.
A Euro van with susp to suit. would be the best all rounder on market

Most here, are just stapled softwood with a few screws.
With some riveted cladding to keep rain out,
and Maybe? 2 that make a decent fibreglass body.
NOT counting Jayco there.

My first van with Di was a 12 ft 6 rear door.
Spent it's first 5 months of life up in Darwin. with fold out, end canopy.
side roll out. and a factory Air cond sitting on a 44. Stuck in window over bed.
Beer carton sealing round it.

A GREAT base camp for work and fishing.
Ideal size and towed with Navara 2.4 petrol.

Grubbygypsy · Senior Member

I couldn't be bothered setting beds and roofs etc up. Or struggling for space. I like to just open the door of my 25' and all the difference is,.......l.is that I've changed location.
Being that I live it...that's why I want the larger van. It's just like living in a flash apartment, but I can move everyday.
I think maybe more people travel for longer now, so like me, they just want ease of living. Something small would be a weekend thing for me....but then I'd swag it.
How big is yours compared to the little joeys? I thought they were really well set out for the size of them.

Eaglemax · Guru

Yeh the Joey is at least 15' long from what l googled. Mine is 10'6". If l was single I'd need more room no doubt. I have seen the euro vans that are really compact, well built and one had a shower and toilet made in an eastern block country i think. I owned a t@b van in 2008. A large teardrop it was the fastest caravan in the world when towed by a Porsche Cheyenne at about 240kph. No shower but light 500kg tare. Then there is the barefoot. 12' long but at $47000 it's a bit rich. All good points made here.

hako · Guru

Back in to 60's and earlier tow vehicles were much less powerful and also smaller - that plus the normal human desire for bigger and better gives the result we see today.
I reckon the whole philosophy behind caravanning has changed from the van being a 3 week a year means of getting away to an always available and almost permanently liveable home away from home.

Good Luck.

Wizardofoz · Guru

Eaglemax wrote:
What happened to them?. Back in the 60's and earlier full height caravans went as low as 10' in length. They had a bed that doubled as a couch and the bare essentials. But it was an escape capsule from the hussle and bustle. Regular readers might recall our 10'6" x 6' van i made with 8" wheels and shower and toilet and we spent 13 weeks doing a quick "lap" last winter. Cost of the van $12,000. What was amazing was the interest for it. Many people would comment that they preferred full height rather than erecting canvas or roofs. Many preferred the economy of pulling sub one ton vans and ease of maneuvering. So why arent small full height vans being made....the answer is- they dont sell. Just because they are interesting or desirable doesnt mean such admirers will buy one. We designed a longer van 13'6". We put our little cutie on ebay for $18500 (valued at $22000). One offer of $12000. We'll keep it! Up till then, with the amount of interest received, i was planning on building 4 vans a year. Not now (besides l havent the health to do it) Just as we felt a 14' van would be more desirable so do most van buyers. 14x7' is far greater in size than 10x6. One third larger however means heavier and if the 10x6 is kept at a tare under 449kg you can do without brakes and still have 300kg for load which is needed.. The other reason there of no solid interest l think is the strapped up older generations that allow the luxury of large vans and 4WD's. But you'd still think they'd be a market there?

Perhaps they just grew up like the rest of us!

PeterD · Guru

Unfortunately that is the way Australians are going. Most of them are burning up too many resources. It's the same with housing, look at all the MacMansions being constructed all taking up too much land and very little use being made of the interior. The same is happening here in our manufactured homes village, you waslk down through the village and as you progress into the newer parts the houses have over doubled in size. You go into them and most of the interior is just open space.

That progression is why the largest homes in Oz are the largest in the world. Completely unnecessary.

Desert Dweller · Guru

Both of our parents did several laps of Australia with a Holden/Falcon dragging a van no longer than 13ft. They had a great time!

Who needs a caravan as long as a railway carraige to impress everyone? Shiny immaculate vans don't impress us at all. We could easily afford to join the prestige club but can't be bothered keeping up appearances.

aussie_paul · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
Both of our parents did several laps of Australia with a Holden/Falcon dragging a van no longer than 13ft. They had a great time!

Who needs a caravan as long as a railway carraige to impress everyone? Shiny immaculate vans don't impress us at all. We could easily afford to join the prestige club but can't be bothered keeping up appearances.

I don't need to impress anyone DD!! Why would you make a comment like that?

Aussie Paul. smile

grahamg · Senior Member

we have a Coromal 402 - 12ft rear door Van. very happy with it. Spent 3months in it a few years ago. It is a pop top but only small. see no need for extra space unless you need a ensuite.

KevinC · Senior Member

The house you live in is your choice. No-one should knock you for it. The car you drive is your choice. No-one should knock you for it either. The beer you drink is your choice. Ditto. The van you own is your choice. Ditto. Please, let's not degrade the forum to a knockers paradise frequented by experts who want everyone to conform to their own personal point of view.
Australia is big enough for all the 35' vans as well as the 10' ones. Let's be Australian and accept each other for what we choose.

aussie_paul · Guru

KevinC wrote:
The house you live in is your choice. No-one should knock you for it. The car you drive is your choice. No-one should knock you for it either. The beer you drink is your choice. Ditto. The van you own is your choice. Ditto. Please, let's not degrade the forum to a knockers paradise frequented by experts who want everyone to conform to their own personal point of view.
Australia is big enough for all the 35' vans as well as the 10' ones. Let's be Australian and accept each other for what we choose.

Well said Kevin. So true.

Aussie Paul. smile

Eaglemax · Guru

A graceful acceptance aussie Paul. We all trip up from time to time. I'm sure most GM's dont buy big to impress. Its what they want. If my super had been bigger l might have built a larger van lol. Being 10"6" long and 6' wide, squeezing in a toilet/shower area (965x565mm) wasnt easy. But we decided it was essential. That made it even more compact/snug inside. I dont think i could do without that convenience again.