Big changes coming for GJ

SWMBO and I have taken the plunge and put things in motion to do The Big Lap while we are young enough and fit enough to enjoy it. We have put our house on the market and hope to be able to downsize and have money left over for a motor home in which to travel. If we don't sell before the end of next March we'll put our furniture in the shed, rent the house and go anyway. We've already sold SWMBO's car and if we sell my Landcruiser, pop top van and off road camper there should be enough to buy a motor home in the $70K price range. Either way we're going, so big adventure and changes coming up.

Have fun. And be mindful of the time of year when travelling through the top end. Many roads are closed during the wet season.

I'll have your woodworking tools :P. But seriously enjoy the trip.

GJ,
Just a thought here. Consider towing a fifth wheel trailer. The advantages over a Class A motor home are:
A vehicle when you get there, wherever there is.
Only one motorized vehicle to maintain.
Fifth wheel maintenance is wheel bearings, brakes and tyres.

For consideration - SWMBO has relatives that are half year part timers. They were near by and we went to visit them in the RV park. We quickly realized that it wasn't our life style. Make sure that full time is your life style before you dispose of everything.

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Originally Posted by rrich

GJ,
Just a thought here. Consider towing a fifth wheel trailer. The advantages over a Class A motor home are:
A vehicle when you get there, wherever there is.
Only one motorized vehicle to maintain.
Fifth wheel maintenance is wheel bearings, brakes and tyres.

For consideration - SWMBO has relatives that are half year part timers. They were near by and we went to visit them in the RV park. We quickly realized that it wasn't our life style. Make sure that full time is your life style before you dispose of everything.

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Thanks, but, no thanks. If I were to tow anything I'd keep my off road camper, much more user friendly and can get in to the most inaccessible places.

You can always tow a small car behind a motor home, it can be your daily drive when you're not traveling.

We are all different and have requirements, a fifth wheeler is not for us.

Awesome, its something you have to do.

Im currently building a Campervan based on a New VW T6 transporter LWB to do a head off early next year before we hit our 40's

Thats if i get my ass into gear and completely finish it.

The motorhome is a great idea and a good size for two, and not having to tow anything behind you is a bonus.

I kept to a smaller size as we are based in the city, and the smaller transporter was a good compromise, but more space would be welcome.

Looking to get something in the 6 metre range, preferably built on the Iveco Daily chassis.

Something like this.

Attachment 424615

I can't wait to see the photographs of your trip John.
Having a talk to Ian who lives not far from you about the motor homes may help with purchase decisions??
... Cheers, Peter

He lives over the road from me, we're always chatting. He's taking SWMBO for a drive in has rig on Friday.

Thats a good size, you can explore most places with that size.

thats what we will be looking at in 15 years or most likely earlier

Iveco's seem highly regarded, built by a truck company

I use to drive a pantec about that size when fitting kitchens, not to large and heaps of space.


Good luck with the house sale, and finding a suitable motorhome.

The advantage with the Iveco is it's rear wheel drive and has up to 3000Kg towing capacity if needed.

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Originally Posted by Grumpy John

The advantage with the Iveco is it's rear wheel drive and has up to 3000Kg towing capacity if needed.

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Are any built on a Sprinter chassis because that would be my choice.

Granddaughter is saving to buy an Iveco.

She has a way to go...she's just turned 10. At least she knows what she wants.

Quite a few sprinter motor homes around, many converted ambulances, I know I worked on one :D.

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Originally Posted by AlexS

Granddaughter is saving to buy an Iveco.

She has a way to go...she's just turned 10. At least she knows what she wants.

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Lego have one :D.


Attachment 424635

That's about the only one I'd be allowed to have.:D Enjoy your travels.
If'N'when you go through Murray Bridge, let me know, I'll put the kettle on.
Kryn

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Originally Posted by Grumpy John

The advantage with the Iveco is it's rear wheel drive and has up to 3000Kg towing capacity if needed.

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would you need a light rigid truck licence to tow a car with that van? I think the gross combination (or GVM) would be above that allowed with a car licence.

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Originally Posted by Grumpy John

Looking to get something in the 6 metre range, preferably built on the Iveco Daily chassis.

Something like this.

Attachment 424615

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well, here in Canada, it's getting on to winter and most of the mobile homes have either gone into hibernation or disappeared to well south of the border.

One comment, the 6 m size mobile home seems to be favoured by those renting the van for a trip. Owners tend to have a ute tray camper -- similar to what Dai Sensai has -- or something a mite bigger than 6 m with push out sides. This might suggest that on a very extended trip, more space inside the van is desirable.

best wishes for the "lap"

I know this isn't exactly what you have suggested is your probable purchase, but it could be a possibility.

https://www.caravancampingsales.com....so=0&pss=Price

Mick.

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Originally Posted by ian

.......................................
One comment, the 6 m size mobile home seems to be favoured by those renting the van for a trip. Owners tend to have a ute tray camper -- similar to what Dai Sensai has -- or something a mite bigger than 6 m with push out sides. This might suggest that on a very extended trip, more space inside the van is desirable.

best wishes for the "lap"

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Most of the 6 & 7 metre motor homes come in under the 4500 Kg limit for car license. Hooking up a 1800 Kg vehicle to tow around should not make a difference as it is the vehicle being driven that determines which license is required. At least that is my understanding, otherwise all these people driving around in 200 series Landcruisers towing 3 Ton vans are in a lot of trouble. The combined weight of these rigs is approaching 6 Ton :oo:.
We may go bigger to 7 metre, nothing is set in concrete. When we get a signed contract for the sale of the house we'll have a better idea what our budget is.

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Originally Posted by Optimark

I know this isn't exactly what you have suggested is your probable purchase, but it could be a possibility.

https://www.caravancampingsales.com....so=0&pss=Price

Mick.

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That style of truck is a no no for long trips and why any company would think that they are a good thing beats me. The leg room and seating are only suitable for short distances and the original use was metro work only. They are also a death trap in any sort of front end prang, at best you break or get your legs trapped and at worse you need a wheel chair for the rest of your life. All in all horrible things however you look at them. And that is before we get into the gearing and motor issues for long distance work.

Before putting down your hard earnings on a unit, I suggest that you borrow/hire a unit for 8 -10 weeks to see how you both like it!!!
Once you own a unit and for some reason don't like it, you could loose a bit of your cash.
Kryn

It's often suggested that those planning long distance sailing voyages should try living in one room of their house before they do so. Perhaps the same applies to road trips.

Things are starting to move here, we've had an offer on the house (subject to finance and building/termite inspection) we have accepted it as it is in the mid to high range we were asking.
We have done a bit of a 180 re the motor home. We've decided to keep our off road camper and buy a more economical tow vehicle (2012 Colorado). My wife has sold her Corolla and with the trade in on our 2004 landcruiser we break even. We pick the Colorado up on 12th Dec after they fit an ARB bull bar to it.
Fingers crossed on the inspections and finance going through, when that's sorted we can look for another property.

Thanks for the update John, I spent a bit more than a month living out of a camper trailer, wasn't to bad a lifestyle.
Kryn

We've found a house that suits and made an offer that was accepted. Just waiting on our buyers finance to be approved, the inspection on our place is tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.

Update:
Both the house we are selling and the house we are purchasing have gone unconditional, this means we now have firm dates to work on and we can start making definite plane.
The 1 year lap is out and we are doing a 6 month half lap starting at the end of March next year. We plan on heading west and go up the W.A. coast and work our way across to Darwin and then down the guts and back home.
2019, head up the east coast to Cape York then wander down through Queensland to Birdsville, and then through western N.S.W.

In the mean time we have the fun job of sorting through all our accumulated "junk" and decide what to take with us, and what to chuck out. Pat, and "the guy over the road" have already scored some clamps and other bits and pieces.