Hi, I'm looking a purchasing a Lotus Trooper so just wondering if there are any forum members who own one and can give me some feedback. We're trading a Jayco Sterling pop top for it. Our hope is that the van will be able to be towed off road, without going to hardcore. How was the delivery process have read a review that indicated delivery times may be a problem. What was the build quality like.

G/Day
We have a Lotus Trooper, it's a well constructed van, and great finish external and internal, it has the 3000kg Simplicity Suspension, with a Hyland Hitch, Solar Panels and 2 x 120 amp batteries, the Cook is happy with the Gas electric Stove and Oven, as well as the Ensuite and Lemair Washing Machine, over all it's good value for the dollars we out laid just over 70K, this is our fourth new van in 6 years, our last van was a semi off road with raised suspension ect and a solid construction but we did not take it to places that the Trooper can tackle, it's not just a dirt road type, we can now tackle rough tracks with a bit of common sense and care, ok it's not a Kedron or Bush Tracker ect but the van is not as dear as those what I mentioned, also it tows like a dream behind the Patrol, we had one of minor problem and the Lotus dealer came out to our house to fix it.

Cheers

Hi Daza & Cook
4 new vans in 6 years and you now settle for a lotus. That sound like pretty good recommendations to me. A happy Cook should see Daza with a full belly. I am guessing your payback is that Mrs Cook serves you breaky in bed every morning the road? If so half your luck.
Jay & Dee

[quote="delar"]Hi Daza & Cook
4 new vans in 6 years and you now settle for a lotus. That sound like pretty good recommendations to me. A happy Cook should see Daza with a full belly. I am guessing your payback is that Mrs Cook serves you breaky in bed every morning the road? If so half your luck.
Jay & Dee[/quote

Yes we had been Tenting for many years, mainly up at Fraser Island and Teewah Beach, and then in 2004 we purchased a new Jayco Finch Ourback, a step up from tenting, we got tired of pulling the Bed Ends out every time we set it up, so in 2006 we purchased a York full caravan with Toilet and Shower, later we found that it was scraping it's bottom along the ground when we towed it over uneven ground ect, 2007 we upgraded to a York Lassiter full van with Shower / Toilet with a raised suspension ect, that was good for dirt roads and some uneven ground, but it didn't suit our needs for going off the beaten track, so we bought the Lotus Trooper in July this year, I must say with all our wheeling and dealing with vans we allways got excellent money for our trades, now as for the Cook looking after me with breaky ect, nah! while we are away I do the cooking outside under the awning, the Cook prepairs it inside, can't stand having the van smelling of cooked food.

Cheers

Ok Daza
I will come clean and admit that I do 80% of the cooking at home and about the same on the road. She is the one who often get breaky in bed. I think it is time I asked for a rise in my weekly allowance for all the hard work I do.
But I would not swap the sweetheart for anything.
Our motto is
Don't worry be aappy.
Jay&Dee

Hi Dazza and the cook
Thanks for your reply it makes us feel so much more relieved and comfortable. It was only recently that I had even heard of Lotus. Sounds like you use your van like we want to, just to get off the beaten track. We've also come from the full range of tents, camper trailers, and most recently (once the kids left home) a roof tent. All of which were good but now we want the comfort of a van but the Jayco was a bit restricing. So the set up at the moment is the van plus an RV1 Oz tent for the really off the beaten track stuff.
In the middle of the year we spent 2 months up in the Kimberley and crossed the Gibb with the tent. Great trip, need to go to enjoy some spots a bit more. As for cooking, me the wife (better half) does most of it but I love to cook and it's part of the enjoyment our holiday. Brekkie in bed we take turns at an early morning cuppa.

To Jay & Dee love the motto.

Regard
Wendy
PS. I'm new at this forum stuff so if any comes across weird i'm sorry.