Market Direct Campers

[lunatic]

Hi All,
Happy Queens Birthday! I thought to celebrate the old dame's birthday we'd go to the Caravan and Camping show, as my little family are in the market for a new pop top or camping trailer. We liked the look of the Market Direct Camper, specifically the Expedition Cruizer High-rise model. The blokes at the stand seemed pretty disinterested in talking to us, but when I chased one down a few alarm bells rang... They advertise that they are Aussie owned and operated, but this bloke told me that the trailer component is built in China, and he also said that the price tag that they had on it was a special show price, but once I got home and looked up their website it was the same everyday price. I found that initial experience was a bit "on the nose", but I thought maybe I was being a bit precious so I started looking at some reviews, and found quite a few negative ones regarding non existent after sales service, and trailers not having all the bits that were ordered.
I still really like the design of this particular trailer, and would like to know if anyone on this forum have one of these trailers, and what they thought of them.
Any help would be appreciated!!
Cheers!
Lunatic

[Scalem]

Hi mate,

I went to the show also, what budget are you looking? I thought MD were nice but for some reason we didn't spend a lot of time at their stand. I liked EMU ( made on the gold coast)http://www.emucampers.com.au/portfolio/4x4-camper-trailer/) but their website doesn't really tell you much - I like 3D tours so I can see the trailer in question - like these guys who I didnt see at the show but know them through a facebook friend. I can't go past this model For $16990.00 but there are other models to choose from. http://blackseriescampertrailers.com.au/camper-trailers/dominator.html

But the pick of the camper trailers in the 20 -25K was this one at the show, made locally and very easy to set up. http://modcon.com.au/ I think it was the ecomate which was one we saw starting at $17990.00

Good luck looking, there was so much to look at we spent 4.5 hours on our feet, and still didnt find all the booths to hole punch our entry forms.

Scalem

[lunatic]

Thanks for the info Scalem! Mate, those Black Series campers look identical to the Market Direct ones, just around $4K cheaper!
You are not wrong about spending 4.5 hours there. It was huge, with so many different vans to see. We forgot the pram too, so we were carrying a crazy little sixteen month old lady around too. Geez my back was knackered by the end of the day!

[anythingfishy1]

Hi Mate
look at the camptime forward folding campers in Redcliffe. They are chinese but I have had mine for over a year no worries, few teething problems at the start but were all fixed up to my satifaction .They are around the 14000 and have everything you need.
Cheers
Kelvin

[Scalem]

Looks very good value here too Kelvin!


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[The Black Unicorn]

If you have a young family I would go for an old school side opener not a hard floor. Not much room in a hard floor until you put the full annexe etc on. Depends how you intend to use it as well. We travelled around Oz for 6 months with a 3 and 2 year old. There was heaps of 1 or 2 night stops where it was heaps easier to just fold the tent out in 10 minutes and be done. A double bunk and gear on the floor soon takes up a bit of space and you don't really have that luxury in a hard floor.

[paullee]

Hi i bought an MDC although only a 6k model..offroad deluxe. We have had 2 very small quality issues and for the price of it are pretty happy...that said its the first ct i have owned. Some points about your comments imo:
You can find positive and negative reviews of every single thing on the www.
MDC have a factory in Brissie- I think parts are imported from China but assembled in Brissie (i think, pretty big factory though)
Had a boilermaker check out the welds on my ct....all good...
Is it a pita to put up....yes....getting better with practice but still a good 3 beer job.
We bought a couple of years ago and had no trouble getting "show price plus extras". No matter what brand you go for if you miss the show- rock up to the factory (preferably not on a Sat morning with every man and his dog) haggle for price and extras and leave if they don't come to the party....Good luck

[castlemaine]

I've got a Lifestyle Camper and very happy with it.
A friend of mine brings in Chinese gear, his opinion is that the Chinese can make a good product but he regularly visits the factory to make sure they don't corners. I was at the show too and was disgusted at some of the finishes ie welding,warped sides, etc
Can't say anything about MDC but it did look OK, I'm leaning to Modcon International (Chinese made). My reason is that they are a husband and wife team and seem to take pride in their product.As One More Drop said, not much good for a family though.
Good Luck

[Camhawk88]

I have a Lifestyle too. Fully Australian owned and built- not a bolt together from parts manufactured in China (not that there is anything wrong with that). You will probably pay a bit more but it is likely to pay for itself through back up service, less likely to have quality issues and of course keeping the $ in Oz. Mine is 10 years old and I brought it second hand a couple of years ago. We have taken it all the way up Frazer and to Cape York via the Tele track and it eats up anything dished out. I would highly recommend one for the price bracket you are looking at. I also second Cheech's comment about a soft floor. we have 3 kids and initially had our heart set on a hard floor til we stepped into a soft floor and realised how much room there is. I reckon I can put up and take down my soft floor in the same time as a hard floor by myself (5-7 minutes).

Also consider the Canvas quality. The consensus is that Australian made canvass of equivelant GSM is more wear resistant than most overseas offerings. Check out the quality of zippers and fastners as well as it would be bloody expensive to replace broken ones I imagine.

If you are doing some decent 4wd I would look towards an all Aussie built trailer. If you are looking at staying on the blacktop and doing mostly Caravan parks the the cheaper brands such as MDC and GIC will be fine and save you a few bucks.

[GBC]

Just did the weekend up at Gordon country with a mate who brought his mdc rear fold hard floor. For the $14k he paid for it you struggle to do better from a value perspective. Rain on Friday night was bordering on biblical there for a while. We all hung out in his annexe while the water poured down the hill under his camper. Everything was water tight and comfy. The canvas sewing isn't exactly dressmaker standard, but it's all there and heavier duty than the wax converters canvas on my trakshak. I found myself sniffing around their website when I got home.

[dogg15]

We just hire a camper trailer when we need one. $700 for 7 days. Don't have to worry bout storing it at home and they clean it when you return it.

[ozscott]

I have used a few offroad campers. I owned a hard floor too for a few years. Set up times for the soft floor ones are a pain for 2 but about same for a family as setting up a van with a full annexe and floor. I love the storage of a pop top (about 5 foot 5 before thenpop). Cheers

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[GBC]

Just ordered a MDC voyager cape York edition. It won camper of the year and gets a few good reviews so we shall see I suppose. Canvas is now 16oz, up from 15oz. This latest series is looking a lot better. It's never going to be a Kimberley but it's also less than half the price.

[ozscott]

Nice one mate.

Cheers

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[Braddles]

Just ordered a MDC voyager cape York edition. It won camper of the year and gets a few good reviews so we shall see I suppose. Canvas is now 16oz, up from 15oz. This latest series is looking a lot better. It's never going to be a Kimberley but it's also less than half the price.

I'm looking at this exact one too - be keen to know how you go / what you think of it.

Brad :-)

[GBC]

Picked it up last weekend. Heading off on Thursday for Easter 10 days so will be able to give some decent feedback after that. So far so good fitting all my crap in it though.