Camping Trailers

[PinHead]

Son has been harassing us about buying a camping trailer..does anyone have experiences with one and what makes are recommended???

[snatch]

Depends on how much you want to spend. It isn't hard to lay 50 grand on one.

[PinHead]

certainly not spending 50k on something like that.

[Big Shaun]

Hi PinHead,

How much do you want to spend? I have seen some nice setups for around $6K but you can spend over $30K on a camper trailer. On the budget end you can pick up a box trailer and throw an Oztrail camper tent on it. I think new it will be about $2500 including a 6x4 trailer. If you are in Brisbane there is a company called Ozzie Off-Road located near the Bribie Island turn off who in my opinion make really great value trailers. Also checkout the second hand market. We bought one a few years back. A family bought it new in perth for about $7500 used it coming across to Brisbane. We got it for $2500. My prefered setup would be the a camper called the Explorer Off-Road with staircase from Jimboomba Camper Trailers. As the name suggest it includes a staircase but it some really great features that I find appealing and you can option the hell out of them. Like anything it just comes down to budget.

Cheers.
Shaun

[Luxyboy]

Used to build/sell them, buy secondhand and save some dollars

People buy them and don't realise how much of a difference they make to driving speed and fuel consumption and then get rid of them; you get a bargain.
Also the cost of getting a big enough tarp to cover it and setting that up takes time and man power.

The chinese ones like oztrail have very thin walled steel for the base, nasty chinese wood, thin matress, poor stitching quality and insta-rust steel poles even away from salty air.

There is also a big variance on trailer quality between companies.
Most trailers are built to be lighter in weight making them cheaper; these will deform and rust from rocks being thrown at them by the tow vehicle. I thin full length extra plate of steel underneath will prevent this. Think of it like a sacrificial annode like what you have on your boat motor; it gets real rusty and deformed you bolt on a new one and your trailer doesn't need a need floor welded in which is thicker and costs more. Check the welds when you go shopping some are not linnished and the paint does not get in everywhere so you get rust in about two days.

Bottom line check out exactly what you want/need out of it (write a list of all options & differences from manufacturers) and shop around new and secondhand. You can hire from several places which may help you decide, cause i guarantee you will want to change something after your first trip out in it.

If you go beach camping water tanks are heavy! seen them get instantly emptied straight off the barge at fraser.

Some things can be done on the cheap like instead of getting a $100 ladder to get into bed buy a $5 plastic step or learn to jump (make sure it is properly stabilised).

[chisel]

This forum would be useful for research
http://myswag.org/forum/index.php

[snatch]

http://www.thommoscampers.com.au/

This will give you some idea of what to expect. I would agree with the post above regarding second hand.

[Derek Bullock]

Son has been harassing us about buying a camping trailer..does anyone have experiences with one and what makes are recommended???

Hi Greg

It has been said above. Depends what you really are looking for. There are dozens of manufacturers around all with heaps of models.

Here is mine. It's a Camel Nomad with upgraded suspension to make it a light off road model. http://www.aussiecampovencook.com/homeawayfromhome.htm

Follow some of the links to see all of the bits and pieces. I love it.

Cheers


Derek

[Mr__Bean]

May want to consider hiring one before buying, they may not be for you.

We bought ours second hand (12 months old), it had only been used twice before the owners decided they wanted a caravan style camper instead of a camper trailer. They do take a bit to set up if you want a bit of comfort.

This is the place that made ours, they offer campers for hire in addition to new and used sales: http://www.abetterlifestyle.com.au/index.html

- Darren

[PinHead]

thanks all...will have a look when we get back home and scour for second hand ones also

[Jomaweb]

i bought this last year, great idea. Spending 50k on a trailer is rubbish, if you wanted to buy Cape York - which in my opinion is bee's knees you might be looking 45ish new with everything possible which i guess is close enough to 50 but there are plenty of manufactures selling cheaper trailers and not too many pushing 50's, Johnoo's Campers make an ok camper and they allow a hire system also so you can probally hire it before you buy it look them up anyhow, being in the industry i come across camper trailers quite often, If you do decide to buy something i really suggest a hard top, that way you can carry a boat on top and they are much easier to set up. Only reason i bought what i did was because i can use the trailer seperate to the camper. Do your homework, dont spent 5000 on something and expect quality. They are a good investment and will bring you plenty of enjoyment. Just make sure you WANT to use it before you buy, don't let it sit and perish in the backyard.

[snatch]

The guy I bought my tinnie off was selling it to buy a smaller one to fit on top of his camper trailer. He was retired and was travelling all over the top end. He had spent 15 k modifying his hilux and $49,000 on a camper trailer. So I wasn't exaggerating. It was a Cape York for the record and was custom built.

It is all the extras you can buy into the trailer that will quickly jack the price up.

I wasn't suggesting you pay 50k for a trailer. Merely highlighting the fact that they go that high. For that money he has bought a trailer that is made of stainless steel. I suspect he will have it for the duration of his retirement.


15k will see a good quality trailer for most needs off road.

[kind_cir]

I got a Travel Sleeper for $5000 brand new. Very quick and easy to set up. plenty of windows for breeze ect. The trailer is just painted steel and it goes to the beach 6-8 times a year and it lives outside. I have had it for 6 years and it has only just started showing signs of rust in the last 12 months. They are located out the back of the Big Cart Track at Landsbourgh, and if you drive through the car park at the BCT you will find em.

One thing in a camper is a must - Have the door close to the middle and NOT on the outside edge where the rain can come in.

[Higgins Family]

Hi Pinhead,
We recently bought a camper for our growing family... We have used tents ect for years to cater for 2 adults and 2 kids but now we have 3 kids and 2 are girls so we were looking to go that bit bigger and easier.
I found with tenting I often over loaded the boat with all the equipment, it took ages to pack and far to long to set up camp. Now it just means we take 2 cars 1 towing the boat the other the camper.
Our step brother had one 2nd hand he used for a Cape York trip and was selling it. Its a custom build Bradco camper with the lot!
A few things you have to consider: 1) How many people ? 2) Your budget? 3) what extras?
And don't think you have to buy a new one, so long as the previous owners have looked after the canvas then you can save 1000's.
You can pick up a great camper from between 5 and 10k.
Other questions for each camper are set-up time and extras.
If you are interested in one see if you can be involved with setting it up for a demo first that way you can see how big it is how hard or easy it is to set up ect. ( Mine is massive sleeps 12 and takes 2 people 45mins to set up, inc 1 main room floors and annex).
Extras such as a 12volt system for lighting or a 12 v fridge, storage space under the deck or on the sides, a kitchen at the rear or side, water tanks or storage lts., tool box on draw bar ect.
The camper doesn't have to already have all this they can be added but it will cost unless you can do some your self.
We just spent 2 weeks solid camping in SEQld , temps up to near 40c down to 17c, through Severe wind storms, and heavy rain we saw 90% of open camps/tents sustain damage along many tears but with the camper trailer it was like a brick house!
A highly recomended investment for any serious camper, with added security and comfort.
Ours cost10k at family rates and was advertised for 14k it has far to many extras to list but the main ones were water storage (180lts on board), and a 120amp hr deep cycle 12volt system.
Here are some pix hope this helps!

[GBC]

Greg,

I'd hire a few different ones's before buying one - esp if you haven't used many.

There is a world of difference in build quality and ease of use out there.

C.J.

P.S. If you want to see a Trak Shak, just p.m. me I'd be happy for you to come and have a look over it to get some ideas.
They are different to anything else on the market, and not everybody's cup of tea, but built more like a farming implement than a camper. Ours (dad's) has been round the block a few times and show's its age, but will keep going no worries.