Just joined

[Katangga]

G’day everyone
We just got back a week ago from the sunshine coast & had an excellent holiday . But the start was a little shaky with the tail end of cyclone Omar .
We agreed that it’s time for an upgrade from the Jayco penguin to a poptop or full van
The penguin got snapped up fast – maybe I should have asked for more lol .
So now I’m looking for a caravan that is :- single axle , not low profile ( need clearance for driveway ) , island bed , around 16feet & most importantly is the budget of 15k . Oh & because we are no longer cool our seventeen year old’s choose to stay at home .
So far there’s been a lot of frogs but I’m looking at a jayco freedom tomorrow .
I’ve got a Mitsubishi Pajero Sports so I can tow just about anything .
Looking forward to chatting with you all & thanks for letting me join .

[Lance]

Gooday mate, good to have you with us.
A bit of a step up will change your travel ideas quite a bit I think.
The basics you’ve given on your want list should open up a heap of options in make/model.
It sounds as though you have a bit of a strategy in place for selection but obviously don’t let emotion tie you to a particular van. The market is wide open, enjoy the chase.

[Katangga]

Thanks
One thing I should have mentioned is that I looked at an American import a trail lite by r-vision . I couldn’t find any information about them in Australia only in the states . So I called two insurance companies & asked them but they both said that they wouldn’t insure it . Apparently it’s called a grey important meaning that it was personal imported – if the manufacturer had done it then it’s okay .
We have that one a wide berth .
I hope that may help anyone looking at unfamiliar makes as it would be extremely upsetting finding out after buying one .

[rredbeak]

Hi Katangga,
WELCOME to the Family and of course the greatest forum out there..Rod

[Archer63]

Welcome K !
We currently have a swan OB and will also be looking to upgrade to a single axel van with en-suite at some stage. And like you, we don’t have any worries about selling when the time comes as these things are snapped up very quickly.
We are leaning towards something like the Nova Bravo, Snowy River SR-17 or New Age Manta Ray.
Van height is also a consideration as we don’t want to be restricted to going potentially off road anywhere, although definitely not anything extreme, and we also have a driveway that does not have good clearance where it meets the road….as various gouges in the bitumen confirm from when we had a boat !
Be interested in seeing what you end up with and why.
Cheers
Rob

[Jeffie]

Katanga,
Do yourself a favour and try to get something with a shower/toilet.
Makes life much more interesting when you can do the odd free/bush camp.
Friend of ours had a Jayco, about 16ft, which had a shower/toilet so they are out there somewhere.
Good hunting.

Jeff.

[dieseltojo]

Hi and welcome Katangga .

[Katangga]

Hi everyone
Just an update on van :- we ended up getting a 2000 Jayco freedom 15 & a half foot poptop . It has been lifted ( axel under springs ) but has single beds , no AC ( but I’ve got a portable ) & side kitchen .
So after searching far & wide the neighbour put me onto one a stone’s throw away .
Going for a blue slip this afternoon as the van hasn’t been registered since 2012 . Just got new tyres & repacked the bearings . Only other fix is a globe in the rangehood & a reading lamp . Water tank has never been used or the cooktop but I’ll get a new drinking water hose . Still has the plastic over the carpet & the van has had very little use . Also it’ll come in well under anything else I’ve looked at