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We revisit our 2003 Slide-On of the Year to see how it stacks up against increasing competition. Words and photography by Richard Robertson Not such a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away – well, Tasmania, actually – a jack-of-all-trades caravan retailer took a small slide-on business under its wing – and the result was the Austin Star. Distinctively styled, it combined traditional caravan construction with some thoughtful design features, and found a small, loyal following. And in 2003 it picked up our Slide-on of the Year award – so you know it had to be pretty good! Fast forward to 2005 and the Austin Star is still finding converts, drawn perhaps by its old fashioned values and unusual looks, and I think it could even be on the way to cult status – albeit in a rather modest way! Measuring just a whisker under 2.5m long at floor level, Austin’s will also custom build to suit your vehicle. This is particularly useful in keeping the gap between the cab and bed to a practical minimum. ON THE OUTSIDE If you lined up all the new slide-on campers available in Australia, by far the most distinctive would be the Austin Star. And what sets the design apart is its unusual roofline and angular ends. The sloping roofline is more for streamlining and appearance and does compromise interior headroom somewhat, but the ‘pointed’ ends serve a worthwhile purpose. In the nose it allows a wider mattress, while at the rear it provides an angled backrest for the dinette seat, thus providing a more comfortable seating position. Apart from that there’s nothing high-tech about the design, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The unit is built on a steel chassis, with a hardwood frame that’s stapled, screwed and glued together and covered with traditional, quilted aluminium sheeting. All models get styrene bat and foil insulation around the bed area, with foil-only insulation throughout the rest of the camper unless optioned otherwise. The upside of this construction method is its easy repairability and light weight, while the downside is the potential for wood rot if water finds its way in, and lots of seams and joints to weaken over time. It’s worth noting that smooth exterior fibre glass panelling is available and it would be interesting to see an Austin Star thusly equipped. Slide-on manufacturing is just a small part of what Austin Caravans do, but Dennis Austin is proud of his small band of workers. He refers to them as craftsmen and from what I saw of several units in various stages of construction, I think it’s a pretty accurate description. All the hardwood framing appeared very well constructed, while the standard of fit and finish on completed campers was first class. Every panel seam was meticulously sealed, the windows and door fitted perfectly, as did all internal cabinetry. By Dennis’s own admission it’s a slow way to make something, hence the price tag, but the quality of the finished product speaks for itself. I can think of quite a few caravan and motorhome manufacturers whose quality of finish pales by comparison. Camec wind-out glass windows are used on both sides, while at the rear a fixed perspex window allows for any body flex. A tri-lock security door is standard on all but the most basic model and access to the camper while its vehicle mounted is via a set of hinged stainless steel steps. These fold flat against the door when travelling and are held in position by the entry grab rail which swivels and hinges across to lock them in place. It’s a clever and convenient arrangement that’s easier to use than the removable steps I’ve tried with other slide-ons. The legs slot into place and have a simple mechanical wind-up mechanism that should prove trouble-free, but is quite slow in operation. Fixed hydraulic legs are an option and would be quicker and easier to operate, though at a weight and cost penalty. And speaking of cost, a standard Austin Star is priced at $26,460. It’s a fair ask for a camper that lacks a house battery, water pump, microwave, security door, hot water system and full insulation. The unit tested cost $28,890 and included a fridge upgrade, rangehood, four-burner stove upgrade, glass stove lid, mains pressure sink tap, lockable water filler, an additional shelf over the fridge and bed, two sliding pot draws and a security entry door. Even at perilously close to $30,000 it still lacked a house battery, water pump, microwave and full insulation, but I guess that’s the trouble with small-scale manufacture and having to ship everything to Tasmania. At least there are no on-road costs! IN THE KITCHEN Entry is via a mid mounted door and the kitchen is directly across from you, with an L-shaped dinette immediately to your right and the bed in its usual over-cab position. The kitchen itself is compact, but with the sink jammed up against the cooker and the only usable bench space in the rear corner (with the dinette extending below so you can’t stand in front) it’s not an ideal set up. The lack of internal electrics means water has to be pumped to the sink by hand, except in a caravan park when you can connect the (optional) mains water hook-up. Even with a four-burner cooker the 9kg gas bottle should last a fair while, given the lack of a hot water system. Also, the optional rangehood is worthwhile, as the cooker is quite close to the wardrobe end-panel and it would help reduce heat in this area. Kitchen headroom could also be an issue for taller people as the roofline slopes away at the rear. AT THE DINETTE A rather comfortable L-shaped dinette occupies the kerbside rear corner and also runs across the back wall to the kitchen. As mentioned earlier, the angular design of the rear wall is specifically to provide a more reclined seating position, and in this regard the design works quite well The dining table is okay, if a little on the small side, but the base is rather cumbersome and it lacks much in the way of adjustment. The sideways facing seat has a much more upright sitting position, but overall the dinette is comfortable and the long rear seat allows plenty of room to stretch out. There’s also Porta Potti provision under the shorter seat. IN THE BEDROOM The over-cab bedroom has room for a standard 4ft 6in double mattress, although it’s only a foam item unless you upgrade to an innerspring one. It’s an easy step up, thanks to a carpeted box that contains the camper’s 55L poly water tank. The bed itself is slightly separated from the living area by a small bulkhead on one side and the full-height wardrobe on the other. This helps give the bedroom a more cosy feel, but makes making up the bed a little more difficult. There are pelmeted windows at either end of the bed and while the sloping roofline restricts headroom a little, it’s these that prevent you from easily sitting up in bed. Nighttime reading is accommodated thanks to a large, wall mounted light above the bed head. Clothes storage is provided in the tall, bedside wardrobe, but the hanging space could easily be reduced to provide extra shelving. WORTH BUYING? The Austin Star slide-on is an interesting and unique camper. It’s well made and very well finished, and for lovers of traditional caravan construction and style it’s probably a walk up start. It’s also relatively light, at around 550kg in standard form, which will suit owners of less powerful utilities. However, increasing activity in this market segment will, I believe, require higher equipment levels and sharper pricing to remain competitive. Our 2003 Slide-on of the Year is still a worthy contender, but my, how the challengers are lining up... Factfile Contacts
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