Should I buy a camper trailer.

LanceS · Veteran Member

Should I buy a camper trailer.

dazz49 · Senior Member

Hi Lance. Could you fit a roof top tent to your vehicle,??? Would be cheaper than a camper trailer. ,5 minutes to set up. About 10 to fold down . only a suggestion. Cheers daz

LanceS · Veteran Member

Hi Daz. My thinking with getting a tent type camper trailer, based on a 6x4 trailer, was that I could take the presumably trailer top mounted 'tent' off of the trailer when required and still use the trailer as a normal trailer.
Cheers.

daffyfrancis · Senior Member

Hi Lance,

I have never owned or used one but note that a lot we see in peoples yards here in Tassie seem to be always mounted on the trailer. Friends owned one for a few years & always left it attached & under cover with all their camping gear loaded in ready to go - they never removed it to use the trailer only.

How heavy & difficult are they to remove & reinstall ? - would need help I presume.

They seem a great versatile camping option with most trailers able to carry 3/4 tonne or so & check how easy they are to erect on your own as some makes are easier than others I believe.

Think about carrying a portable drill to drill pilot holes in hard ground for tent pegs - we always carry one in our Merc Sprinter campervan for our fully enclosed heavy duty canvas annexe.

David

macka17 · Guru

Hey.
Compromises never really work fully.

I'm your age.
A Dual cab is a real compromise. Towing. Roof top camper. Yes.
Anything else. not really, (I'm on my second)
$5 or 7 grand will get a reasonable trailer tent in basic config. But after third or 4th night of putting up in rain. You'll have had enuff.
Specially after sitting watching them in pissin' rain while you in van having dinner. No Thgank's.

Roof topper. Fine. Till you get a bad knees day. then that ladder is a LOOOONG way up.

Personally. after going round on dirt bikes. Sailed round. Campervan. and vanned.
Holidays with kids in frame tent to a few yrs.
I'd go for MY comfort.

$5 to 8 grand will buy an early but good small van. Pop top or full.

You need a 6x4?. Hire or borrow.

I have a 1200 buck one here, sits under carport. Down the dump maybe 5 or 6 times a yr. same as prev did for over 30 yrs. Other 360 days of yr. It just sits there laughing at me. FOOOOOOL.

You fish?.

Get a rooftopper tinny on trlr for around $3\3.5k. (I have 3.75Quinnie with 15hp Yammie.
Handles Darwin Harbour and all dams nicely.
Rooftop tent
or\plus Roll out awning for ute with tent that fits under it. for short trips.
No ladder. sleep bag on Fold up bed (COMFORT)

Surf bars on ute with solar and 4\6in sewer pipe painted matt black and tap on end for Hot water. Shower etc.
And a solar panel or two for second battery in tub.
Can run fridge. TV. Laptop. fans. Lights etc. Shower every night with water supply.

Completely self sufficient..

For Boat. $3.5ish.
roof top tent. $1500ish. Bars and rollout\tent. $5\600ish either, iether.
Bed $30. 1 x Solar Panel
eg. $120ish. Sewer pipe shower head etc. $60. (Shower bag. $12.)

I also take a 1 man "mesh" tent with tinnie when I go to dams for Barra.
Keeps Mossie's\Sand flies at bay.
Kip on ground beside boat for predawn start.

Plus. For comfort with missus. 535 Coromal Tandem van '99 mod. $12k. collected from Melb.
Sold the Patrol and 6.5mtr Off roader.

Nowadays I PREFER the van. Fish off banks. (or hire boat with missus). But run both systems.

Tony Bev · Guru

I see no reason why you should not buy a camper trailer, LanceS

There are plenty out there, and it will give more flexibility, than what you have at present

One of the best rigs I have come across, was a man with a camper van, (like a wizz bang), towing a trailer

Inside the van, there was a bed, fridge, stove, wash basin, and nothing else

All his possessions were inside the covered trailer

macka17 · Guru

Don't forget you ARE on the point where you start to slow down. No matter how you feel now.

I raced the Outrigger canoes (6 man) with the 55\60 yr olds till I was 68.
Started tearing ligaments and core. Time to slow down. We all do.
Didn't cruise. Just Race.

You looking to go for a few yrs yet. (I am) Think of the comfort a little bit mate.
I also did. Still ride bike in hills round here. Walk the beach, take boat out fishing.
Do 30 laps in pool twice a day (heated)

Roughing it. Will catch up with you quicker than having a bit of comfort in the roughing it bits.

My old brains thorts on it anyway.
Best of luck whichever way you go.

oldbloke · Guru

Perhaps a small 12ft van or pop up. pita those trailer tents.

Possum3 · Guru

If you do go for a camper trailer make sure you get a hard floor fold-over type with a ratchet pull over.
We have a soft floor that is heavy at the best of times to pull over by hand and a Herculian task when wet.
Tip; use a six inch strip of Corflute around your mattress to stop it getting wet (even heavy dew gets in).

This mob makes campers in Tamworth NSW www.aussieinlander.com.au/ seem to be reasonably priced seen a few out on our Safari Trips.

jgb · Senior Member

Hi Lance
I started living in a camper trailer when started out, mine was a soft floor, would recommend a hard floor same as Possum, if going for a camper trailer,also depends on how much going to use of course your budget will decide what you can afford, the bad side of soft floor camper trailers are the setting up and taking down especially when raining and cold weather ,mould can be a problem due to all being canvas .loved the camper trailer as mine was fairly large but took time to set up and pack up.
suggest get to a caravan camping show and see whats available, whats invoved in putting them up etc or around to a caravan dealer new or 2nd hand and see what they have, what you can afford, and what suits you for the purpose you are going to use it for, a cheap pop up caravan van means apart from hooking up to car and the unhooking all you really need to do, plus put up the roof, can jump in and out without to much trouble if raining, can leave van attached to car if don't need to unhook, everything has it good and bad points, caravans, motorhomes, camper trailers,even camper vans spend some time looking to see whats out there.
with my camper trailer purchased a fold up shower tent (not the easiest things to fold up)got an aquacube to heat the water, got an engel fridge freezer to freeze and keep drinks etc, can buy cheaper units than engels but engels are probably one of the best, or use an esky but not much good if need to freeze food, I had two batteries for car one to run accessories for camping, plus the one needed to start the car, isolated them so starting car battery didn't go flat.
if want to know more happy to help
but again best advice can give is get to a show, caravan or camper dealer new or 2nd hand and see what need, can afford and best suits your needs

jgb · Senior Member

sorry posted twice

-- Edited by jgb on Tuesday 24th of October 2017 05:56:53 PM

Ubif · Veteran Member

Hi Lance
maybe look at 2nd hand Avan Sport Liner good for one person
has kitchen , fridge etc and no canvas to get wet .
Dougwe had one he may be able to add more
cheers Mark

LanceS · Veteran Member

Tony, that just about pinpoints my own thinking to a tee. Have the camper trailer as light as possible with just the canvas top folded down, a mattress and bedding inside it with the various poles and things inside for travelling. Everything else would be locked away inside the ute canopy.

My only other thought was to maybe somehow attach a tent setup to the open back of the canopy, using the ute floor for the mattress.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Think of where your going and how cold things get st night ? IMO camper trailers are very good in summer . But lower than SA boarder in winter gets very cold st night . The top half of Aust is ideal . If traveling as they are light and easy to manoeuvre ., some with anex take a while to assemble ? But if thereâs only two of you? Not required !!

LanceS · Veteran Member

The weird part of my upcoming travel plans is that I/we do have a 17ft Jayco pop-top, 1998 model sitting at the end of our driveway, lovely caravan, a/c, double bed, 3 way fridge, stove, oven, etc, ..all the nice stuff and tows like a dream but for a whole heap of unavoidable circumstances has only been out on the road once in the past 5 years and no immediate likelihood of it being used in the near future either.
I could quite easily hook that on behind for this trip but it weighs around 1400kg with gear on board and that WOULD knock a pretty big hole in my fuel wallet. My ute is a V6 petrol which gets between 23 and 27 mpg depending on where my foot is in relation to the speedo reading. (My best so far has been about 26.8mpg sitting on a steady 70 to 90kph when kangaroos are ever present). The Jayco hooked on behind would knock a good 5 mpg off of that without even blinking and with me travelling alone again, it's not a viable option to even consider.
I'm not going for another 7 or so weeks yet so I do have a bit of time yet to come up with a plan.
Thanks everyone.
Lance.

-- Edited by LanceS on Tuesday 24th of October 2017 10:08:12 PM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Thought of turbo diesel ?

daffyfrancis · Senior Member

Hi again Lance,

I would think a camper trailer is also going to increase your fuel useage considerably so why not just take the Jayco, travel a bit slower, enjoy the extra convenience & comforts - the cost of a camper trailer would buy a lot of extra fuel & with the Jayco you know what you have.

Sooner or later fuel will be one of the least of your travelling expenses so consider not going so far if the budget is tight. (breakdowns, repairs & towage can be extremely expensive & murphy can be just around any corner) smile

David

jgb · Senior Member

you are still going to have to purchase a camper trailer, an additional cost, plus what you need in terms of a fridge, cooking etc, say around 3,000 or more depending how much your gonna spend on the camper trailer, anything less wouldn't think you would get much for, the money saved and time could travel with the money saved not buying the camper,and using the van , the van would probably be worth it, have a budget, plan staying an extra day or two before moving on, will help reduce your fuel costs, will still get where want to go just a few days later, if youre not on a time frame take an extra week or two to do the trip

LanceS · Veteran Member

Thanks everyone for your ideas and thoughts. Because I am sticking this trip into a 3 week break from my lawn bowls season, I actually do have a time frame that I need to stick to and because of the places that I want to re-visit would require a fairly solid 3 week time frame (based on the same 5 week trip that I have just completed)... I won't have time to add any days on.
I really don't think that I could take the caravan anyway because of it restricting me on some of the places that I will be returning to...including several of them being on dirt roads out of Kalgoorlie.
I still think that a dual purpose 6 x 4 camper trailer ( trailer use only when the canvas etc is removed) would be good, or one of the basic rooftop campers for a lesser cost outlay, would be even more applicable to most overnight stopping points. Also not as greater loss to the pocket if future events ever restrict my travel thoughts,....as it enivitably some day will.
I do have a pretty decent vehicle that I don't see giving me any troubles just yet and I do have the top RAA Australia wide accomodation and towing cover as well so I shoukd be okay for the forseeable future.
Once again I thank you all.
Cheers
Lance.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Lance - we travelled 10 years with a camper trailer - before we retired - so only part time. But we had one that could be set up in 10 minutes to be in bed - it was a soft floor model (Dingo) with off road gear. Some of them are so complicated, make sure you get an easy oe to put up - ours was take cover off - pull "tent" off, grab two end ropes, pull them out till the "tent" stands up - hammer pegs in - you are up - we always left the bed made up, often with a tarp over it on the inside, if the weather was iffy.

Guy I know had a small one that he towed behind a motorbike, easy to put up, and ample size for two people, but one it would be terrific, Not sure if he still has it - I could ask for you - very reasonable price he wanted as well. Not new, but kept under cover and is good condition.

You can get a free standing unit to put on the back of the ute, gives you sitting room, set up stove etc. - good idea.

macka17 · Guru

If you buy a camper. to go with the Petrol Ute.
You've still got outlay of camper plus bits (there's ALWAYS bits.)
THEN. You still have to pay for heavy fuel bills with what you have.
While vans sits there collecting dust.

Why not see what you'll get for your ute. against a Diesel second hand unit.
Put the camper money plus Current ute, towards that.
and go in comfort with van.

A well mainained veh don't have to be new to be reliable.
my '02 Patrol I'd put against any modern units.
This 2010 D-max better than a lot of newer ones and cost me $23.5 on the road.
ANNNND. The pre Common Rail or early. are a lot cheaper to service\Maintain.
Than the latest super common rail systems.

Stay away from Toyota and you'll get some real good prices for the quality.
A 5 cyl L.R. Disco with full service history will be one of the better ones. with good pricing.
As is the 3 ltr one after it.

I nearly bought one for G Daughter a while ago (Over in the West.)
$6 1\2 grand. full books and good paint job.
They cheap as and probably the better one of the MID Range tugs. (up to 2.5ton).
While definitely being the best drivers seat of all.
Check them out. And the forums.

macka17 · Guru

Sorry.
But I can't get my head round the fact you have a thirsty tug.
Already own a van and are going to buy another trailer
to tow with the thirsty tug.

Surely the Alternative.
IE. More economical tug WITH current van.
Would be more sensible way to go???.
2 rego's\Insurances over 3 for a start.

A bit like me with a Yacht. 2 fishing boats, plus a 6.5mtr van.
and 2 x 4wd's. with Honda Civic.

Till Di drew the line and said ONE of each. OR NONE of any. Whoops.
2 fishing boats. (one "car topper" shhhh) One caravan. one ute. one Civic. Phew.

I'd be checking an earlier Diesel first.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

LanceS wrote:
Tony, that just about pinpoints my own thinking to a tee. Have the camper trailer as light as possible with just the canvas top folded down, a mattress and bedding inside it with the various poles and things inside for travelling. Everything else would be locked away inside the ute canopy.
My only other thought was to maybe somehow attach a tent setup to the open back of the canopy, using the ute floor for the mattress.

Lance - this is on sale at BCF for $399 at the moment.

Mike Harding · Guru

The use of a rooftop tent by anyone of 75+ years is stark staring crazy.

I am early sixties and have used a RTT for about four years.

Just *one* slip on that ladder and you are going to be injured, probably,
seriously, in the bush in the middle of the night.

Whilst erecting a RTT is pretty easy packing the damn thing away is
a whole different ball game.

I could go on but am pressed for time... suffice it to say I
*strongly* recommend you *do not* buy a rooftop tent.

LanceS · Veteran Member

I must admit, I DO like the side attached tent from BCF that Jules showed. Seems to be the most cost effective solution for my probable future usage. I only bought my 011 hilux a year ago so changing to something else now would be right out of the question.
I knew that the V6 was going to be a couple more stops at the petrol pumps but I weighed that up against my already having had four Toyotas over the years and never a problem with any of them so if my biggest running cost was going to only be petrol cost, spread over a time frame of X years, I'm going to be well and truly in front. (Something that my late uncle who owned and ran trucks, drummed into me over 55 years ago and I never forgot it.)
My last hilux ute, a 2000 single cab model, put up an effortless and completely trouble free life of 260,000 K's and still going strong when I traded it on what I have now.
A diesel would give me better fuel mileage but I keep hearing horror stories about the lesser quality diesel fuel that comes into Australia that has been known to eventually cause VERY expensive injector problems.
I was getting just under 27 mpg across the Nullarbor, sitting on a constant 100 kph and down to around 23 in the cities and built up areas. Highest price petrol was $1:78 to $1:81 between Nullarbor and Balladonia while Eucla and Mundrabilla were both the cheapest at $1:69,... Nundroo was $1:33 with Penong and Ceduna a more respectable $1:26 to $1:29. Norseman on the other side was $1:46 with Esperance and Albany down to between $1:25 and $1:28.
I was more than happy with those prices which put my overall average litre cost for 8,000 klms travelled at something around $1:45 a litre. I dont think that I would have saved too much more had I had a D4D diesel.
Apart from that, its a lovely vehicle to drive on a long trip, quiet, comfortable and very smooth.

Cheers
Lance

-- Edited by LanceS on Saturday 28th of October 2017 11:48:32 AM

macka17 · Guru

Hey. That was suggested earlier.

PLUS. You can have a mesh tent on other side too for daylight..

Surf bars. Roll out BOTH sides. Tent att one side of. Mesh t'other.
Boat loader on top with tinny on,
OR on trlr behind you,

Panel and spare fishing rods etc on bars.
for battery in tray
to cover. Teev. Movies. Ph Charge etc
Electric 240 fan and 150\300 Inv.
THAT is great. on a windless night trying to sleep.
Don't use much, and magic airflow.

4in sewerpipe on top with shower outlet. You made.

Foldup bed with super mattress. no snakes etc.

UP North. a single man Sand fly\mesh tent is a must.
Takes NO room and keeps the bities out.
without having to lie in clothes at 35\38 deg's.with NO wind.

Sticky. Then some.

tip.
With ute. IF travelling light. Just tinny NOT van TRLR on back
have a second set of rims with O\Size tyres.
Less rotation Less juice.
As long as you travelling light.
makes a difference.

I have a set of mag's. x 4 with larger Road tyres. (Smooth tread.

Normal driving round. Home. Town, etc.

I get an average over 3 yrs of 10 to 10.1kmpl.

At road\traffic speeds.

Bridgy A\T's give. at road speeds. 9.5 to 9.7KMPL

A set of second hand rims\tryes can save a bit of juice.

I had tyres. NEW from prev van Spares.

New Mag's off e Bay Del $250.(Owner wanted steelies and muddies from new. A lot do it)

-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 29th of October 2017 01:37:55 PM

DarylC · Veteran Member

If you get a camper trailer be sure to get one that sets up & packs away easily & doesn't have an awning permanently attached.
Apply the old KISS principle.
I have owned caravan parks & frequently had people staying in cabins with the camper trailer parked beside it because they are "sick of setting the bloody thing up"

& on roof top tents.... can someone please explain why it is better than a normal tent that you can leave set up & go exploring?
Surely tents these days are quick & easy to set up & you can still throw it on the roof rack for travelling?

I've had them all (except the roof top tent) & much prefer my caravan these days.

Cheers & remember that what ever decision you make it is the right choice for you

jules47 · The Happy Helper

LanceS wrote:
I must admit, I DO like the side attached tent from BCF that Jules showed. Seems to be the most cost effective solution for my probable future usage. I only bought my 011 hilux a year ago so changing to something else now would be right out of the question.
I knew that the V6 was going to be a couple more stops at the petrol pumps but I weighed that up against my already having had four Toyotas over the years and never a problem with any of them so if my biggest running cost was going to only be petrol cost, spread over a time frame of X years, I'm going to be well and truly in front. (Something that my late uncle who owned and ran trucks, drummed into me over 55 years ago and I never forgot it.)
My last hilux ute, a 2000 single cab model, put up an effortless and completely trouble free life of 260,000 K's and still going strong when I traded it on what I have now.
A diesel would give me better fuel mileage but I keep hearing horror stories about the lesser quality diesel fuel that comes into Australia that has been known to eventually cause VERY expensive injector problems.
I was getting just under 27 mpg across the Nullarbor, sitting on a constant 100 kph and down to around 23 in the cities and built up areas. Highest price petrol was $1:78 to $1:81 between Nullarbor and Balladonia while Eucla and Mundrabilla were both the cheapest at $1:69,... Nundroo was $1:33 with Penong and Ceduna a more respectable $1:26 to $1:29. Norseman on the other side was $1:46 with Esperance and Albany down to between $1:25 and $1:28.
I was more than happy with those prices which put my overall average litre cost for 8,000 klms travelled at something around $1:45 a litre. I dont think that I would have saved too much more had I had a D4D diesel.
Apart from that, its a lovely vehicle to drive on a long trip, quiet, comfortable and very smooth.

Cheers
Lance

-- Edited by LanceS on Saturday 28th of October 2017 11:48:32 AM

I have a story about petrol at Penong - coming East one year, we stopped at Penong for Diesel, we were very low. Parked at the diesel pump, and next to us was a Double B - the driver got talking to Billy, where ya going etc. He was heading 200k north of Kalgoorllie. Anyway his boss hadn't put his pay in the bank, so he had no money to buy food that day - he says how about you put $100 in your tank, hand the nozzle to me and I will fill mine, put it on the company card - we thought this was a good deal, so we handed him $50 and proceeded to fill up. Spent the other $50 of our fuel money on two nights at a nice caravan park in Ceduna. Cheapest diesel ever.

the rocket · Guru

dazz49 wrote:
Hi Lance. Could you fit a roof top tent to your vehicle,??? Would be cheaper than a camper trailer. ,5 minutes to set up. About 10 to fold down . only a suggestion. Cheers daz

Saw in an ad roof top tent $685. Think it was 4wd super centre On fb.

johnnz · Senior Member

If your to be a serious traveler get motorhome, there so quick to set up. I travel in my Coaster, had it now for 9 years it's paid for it self several times over saving on camp fees. We can park, quick level check, awning out, chairs and drinks out in about 10 minutes. If there's bugs or it's raining you don't even have to get out.
Yes, we love our Coaster!!