Innehållsförteckning för Issue 605 från Caravan World

We’re headed offroad this month, reviewing dirt road caravans from a diverse range of builders — including a good proportion from Queensland. You might assume this is because Heather and I continue to hide out in that sunny northern state, and Queensland has been a beautiful and welcoming place for us to leave and work this year. But there’s more to it than that. For whatever reason, all the northern builders have dedicated adventure vans in their ranges, and some are fully dedicated to building offroaders. Perhaps it’s because the outback is right on their doorstep up here. But we haven’t ignored the industry in Australia’s caravanning heartland. Amid COVID restrictions, the Melbourne builders are finally back at work and the two Victorian vans represented here are only a couple…

Here’s a bit of news that will surely excite people — well some anyway! Mercedes Benz have celebrated something of an anniversary recently. It’s been 25 years since the German manufacturer introduced their Sprinter vans and cab chassis into the world. It was a gamechanger in all kinds of ways. It was the first of the new generation of light commercial vehicles that were more car like than truck like. In addition to that, safety features, like disc brakes all round, ABS brakes, three-point seat belts and a decent suspension system, were all standard features, and a driver airbag was an option. For the motorhome world, this was exciting news. Until then, Japanese trucks like Mitsubishi, Mazda and Toyota were the popular base vehicles. Volkswagen was around, but Ford, with…

Times change, and sometimes so do the directions and approaches of a company. Take Queensland caravan manufacturer, Spinifex Caravans, as an example. Back in early 2019 when I visited and reviewed the EpiX Premier, Spinifex were building big, heavy, fully customised offroad vans that needed a big, heavy 4WD to tow them. Fast forward to late 2020, and while Spinifex still pump out the big, full-custom vans, they have added another string to their bow. Enter stage left, the all-new Spinifex Xscape. Born from a need for a full-sized van light enough to be safely towed behind the ever-popular dual cab ute without sacrificing strength and reliability, the Xscape creates its own place within the Spinifex family. “Born from a need for a full-sized van light enough to be safely…

Anyone familiar with the caravan scene in Australia will know that over the last decade there has been a substantive increase in the number offroad caravans around. Once the domain of a relatively small number of specialist manufacturers, just about every dealer in Australia has several offroad or rough road/semi-offroad caravans available. Some manufacturers only have offroad models for sale, but others seem to offer both on-road and offroad from the same range. In order to cope with road conditions found in outback Australia, offroad caravans have to be built somewhat differently to a normal road tourer. “What breaks most vans is an extended length of time on corrugated roads,” Dave Biggar from Zone RV told me. “It can be anything from chassis issues to cupboard doors not closing properly.…

WARRANTY 2 Year (General), 10 year (chassis & frame) RVMAP Accredited No WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.23m (27ft) External body length 6.1m (20ft) Internal length 6.4m (21ft) External body width 2.4m (8ft) Travel height 3.1m (10ft 2in) Internal height 2.04m (6ft 8in) Tare 2880kg ATM 3500kg/3850kg tow vehicle dependent Payload 620kg/970kg depending on ATM Ball weight 150kg at tare Bed Size Queen (north/south) EXTERNAL Frame Aluminium Frame (welded & bolted) Cladding 2mm fibreglass sheet Chassis Hot dipped galvanised steel drawbar and laminated chassis Suspension Simplicity Load Sharing (military grade w/ 60T stub axles) Coupling Hitch-Ezy 5T Brakes 12in electric drum Wheels 16in Speedy alloy rims w/ Bridgestone A/T tyres Water 1 x 95L potable, 2 x 95L non-potable Battery 300Ah Enerdrive pro series Lithium (external BMS and cell balancing)…

VALUE FOR MONEY “I reckon the Grand Cherokee scores quite well, compared to the competition. Hi-spec double cab utes are priced similarly these days.” TOWING PERFORMANCE “Certainly the 5.7L Hemi engine was a big performer, but it might be a bit hard on the wallet.” HITCHING UP “Reversing camera works very well.” CREATURE COMFORTS “Given the vehicle’s price tag, I reckon it had most of the essentials, except for a foot rest!” ACCESSIBILITY OF SPARE PARTS “Compared to Toyota or Ford, there are certainly less dealerships.” FUEL ECONOMY “A hazard of a large petrol engine — plenty of power but a light foot is economically good.” SOLO PERFORMANCE “Cruising along the freeway was not a hardship. Neither, for that matter, was driving around town.” ENGINE POWER “Certainly the V8 was…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Considering the level of equipment and the robust construction $108,000 is good value.” TOWABILITY “It’s a heavy van but it tows smoothly on the blacktop and handles the rough stuff with ease.” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “If you want to drive the roads less travelled and stay in style, then the Extreme will go the distance.” BUILD QUALITY “The Masterpiece shows there is life in Meranti when built properly. The interior is supreme, but roof wiring could be tidier.” LIVABILITY “This van might be the ideal size for long distance touring. Mot too big but with enough room to get comfortable.” CUSTOMER CARE “Two year general and five year structural warranty. Good repair network.” SELF-SUFFICIENCY “As much solar power, batteries and water as you could expect.” INNOVATION…

Introduced last year, the offroad All Terrain was originally an extension of the Journey range. Now, though, it is part of Jayco’s Adventure series, which also includes the diminutive J-Pod, JTrak tent trailer, CrossTrak Hybrid and Toy Haulers. All are designed with rough road/offroad use in mind, but undoubtedly the All Terrain — available as both a pop-top and a full caravan — offers the most in both comfort level and ease of set up. BUNK VAN To get a look at an All Terrain caravan, we borrowed one from Jayco Sydney — to be specific we borrowed the 19.61-3.AT model. Don’t you just love those numbers? Translated, it means it has an external length of 19.61ft and is the third model in the All Terrain lineup. What the numbers…

There’s hope on the horizon for Aussie tourism operators, with the announcement late last month of a $250 million regional Australia package, with $150 million of that set aside for regional tourism and infrastructure projects. Caravan and camping tourists spend over $10 billion in rural Australia in a typical year, representing a vital part of many regions’ economies, but a difficult year of bushfires and COVID-19 shutdowns has left many regions in dire straits. This funding package aims to help communities begin to recover, and to prepare the road for an expected surge in travelers as lockdowns and border restrictions across the country continue to ease. The Caravan Industry Association of Australia has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement, with CEO Stuart Lamont saying that we have a real need to…

It’s been 10 years since our Big Lap, when we leapt from the compact world of a camper trailer into the bigger footprint of a hybrid camper. At the time, we were working as freelance contributors to sister magazine Camper Australia, and the appeal of the hybrid was strong. A dedicated seating area for compiling notes and collating photos was a key criterion, as was easy setup, comforts, while still keeping full offroad ability. Brand loyalty was also a factor. Having cut our teeth on a Tvan, which had expanded our desire for remote wanderings, it was almost intuitive to turn to the Topaz hybrid, and without so much as a second thought, we did! With a body measuring 4m (13ft), it was a good compromise between size and ability.…

WARRANTY 3 years RVMAP Accredited No WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.8m (29ft) External body length 6.8m (22ft 5in) Internal length 6.3m (20ft 6in) External body width 2.4m (7ft 10in) Travel height 2.98m (9ft 9in) Internal height 1.98m (6ft 6in) Tare 2400kg ATM 3500kg Payload 1100kg Ball weight 160kg at tare Bed Size Queen (north/south) EXTERNAL Frame Lightweight interlocking Aluminium Frame Cladding Aluminium w/ single piece fibreglass roof Chassis DuraGal steel drawbar and chassis Suspension CruiseMaster CRS2 Independent Suspension Coupling DO35 Brakes 12in electric drum Wheels 16in alloy rims w/265/75R16 Falken A/T tyres Water 3 x 83L Battery 200Ah Lithium Solar 2 x 170W Air conditioner Truma Aventa Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control BMPro Sway Control INTERNAL Cooking Swift 3 + 1 Electric/Gas cook top w/ Grill Fridge Dometic…

VALUE FOR MONEY “There is no denying $160k is a lot of money, but when a custom van is built this well and holds its price on the second-hand market, it's good value.” TOWABILITY “Did not tow.” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “As far as you can tow it, this van will follow.” BUILD QUALITY “Everything is finished to a degree that shows me the people building these vans really care about the final product.” LIVEABILITY “Comfortable living area and that bathroom!” CUSTOMER CARE “With a 10-year warranty on the chassis and frame, this is a company that stands behind its product.” SELF SUFFICIENCY “Plenty of power, solar and water for those remote adventures.” INNOVATION “Taking a standard layout and giving it a real twist with the massive bathroom.” X-FACTOR “Definitely…

Throughout Australia there’s a something of a theme among tow vehicles, particularly at the heavy-duty end — they are all mostly made in Japan. There are a few exceptions of course, with the British offerings of Land Rover and Range Rover. From the USA, apart from the large pickup trucks, the standout is the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s a real yankee doodle American vehicle too, being made in Detroit, Michigan, the one-time headquarters of the US car industry. I suspect, like a few people, my interest in the Jeep Grand Cherokee was piqued somewhat because it’s not made in Japan. The Grand Cherokee has been around in its basic form for the best part of 10 years, but there have been a numerous upgrades and model changes, of course. There…

Some travellers pare things down to the basics, while others fly by the ‘more-is-more’ theory, loading up their vehicles with an excess of toys and innovative time-savers to make the road trip easier. But does it? We all travel differently, but what really separates travellers in every campground is how much gear they take on board. Here’s my pick of things to leave behind when you next hit the road. HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES They eat into your power supply, take up precious space on board and add weight to your rig, and though they might be incredibly convenient, household appliances really do belong at home. Think coffee machines, bread makers, food processers, rice cookers, electric knives, power tools and cleaning machines — all those gadgets we get for Christmas that fill…

If first impressions account for much in the caravan buying experience, the designers at Masterpiece Caravans have done a pretty good job. When I initially saw the Optimum Extreme glinting in the early morning sunshine on the forecourt at Brisbane RV’s, it looked stunning. Part of the appeal is the unusual Desert colour of the body, which turns out to be exclusive to the brand, but there’s more. The high stance and tasteful graphics add to the positive impression, and perhaps there is a positive subliminal message that the branding of ‘Masterpiece’, ‘Optimum’ and ‘Extreme’ all transmit. THE COMPANY Masterpiece Caravans started out in 2016 when Remon Raffaello put his 15 years of caravan building experience and engineering background into establishing his own brand. His plan was simple — to…

The RV industry has been through the wringer over the last few months thanks to COVID-19. Dealerships and manufacturers of caravans, campers and motorhomes, as well as other associated service-based and accessory supply companies have had their operations disrupted as government-enforced lockdowns shuttered sales yards, customers were home-bound, and borders slammed shut. Every Australian state and territory has had its own experience as measures dictated by respective governments differed. Of course, as we reported in the last issue of Caravan World, the extended stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne meant the majority of Australia’s RV manufacturers had to down tools for nearly two months as the virus ripped across the state. As around 90 per cent of all vans are manufactured in Victoria, that has had a significant impact on supply…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Body length 6.05m (19ft 8in) Overall length 8.32m (27ft 8in) Width 2.47m (7ft 11in) Height 3.06m (10ft) Tare 2474kg ATM 2924kg Payload 475kg Ball weight 200kg EXTERNAL Frame Aluminium Cladding Fibreglass composite Chassis Endurance hot dipped galvanised Suspension JTECH independent coil spring Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 Brakes 12in elec brakes Wheels 16in alloy Water 2 x 82L Battery 2 x 100Ah — 2021 Model to have 100Ah lithium battery Solar 2 x 160W Air conditioner Dometic Ibis 4 Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control Lippert ESC INTERNAL Cooking Thetford Triplex 4 burner & grill/oven Fridge 171L three way Bathroom Thetford cassette toilet & separate shower cubicle Hot water Suburban Nautilus on demand PRICE FROM $70,990 (2020) / $72,490 (2021) OPTIONS FITTED Washing Machine $55 /washing machine will be…

If you’re travelling through the NSW Riverina or Lachlan and Macquarie valley regions, you might notice some of the road side guide posts are red, not white. Just like most ‘red things’ in nature, they mean ‘danger’. In this case, they’re a signal that the verge is infested with a known weed and that it’s illegal to pull over into those areas. If you’re alert, you’ll notice that the first sign says start and the next one says end. This signifies the total area of infection. In some council areas, they also have the name of the weed on the post, but if you get close enough to read it, you’re probably already too close!…

VALUE FOR MONEY “There’s a lot of capable offroader for the price.” TOWABILITY “Good balance and well-sorted suspension.” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “Caters well for family travel. Comfortable interior in the most popular touring size van.” BUILD QUALITY “Good fit and finish to the interior, on-trend composite frame and fibreglass exterior.” LIVEABILITY “The layout makes the most of the available space. The combination shower and toilet is a sensible solution.” CUSTOMER CARE “Five years on suspension and three on the body along with a 24 hour hotline.” SELF SUFFICIENCY “Plenty of off-grid power and water to head off-grid.” INNOVATION “Composite body construction, thoughtful layout and extended benchtop on the pantry are all positives.” X-FACTOR “With its high stance, big toolboxes and noteworthy colour scheme, the Blackhawk has plenty of appeal…

Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2020 — $29 Shaw and Smith has quite a reputation for quality when it comes to fine wine production. For them it’s about the whole experience — the look, feel, and taste. Their Sauv Blanc is one of the best examples of this variety from Adelaide Hills. The golden yellow colour is harmonious with the labelling, and notes of freshly cut grass and passionfruit hit you when you smell the glass. The palate is light, but fruitful, with notes of white peaches, passion fruit and lemon. It’s a delight on a warm summer's day! SOUMAH Equilibrio Chardonnay 2018 — $80 Having just won the ‘Best in Show’ at the biggest global wine competition in London, the Decanter World Wine Awards, this chardonnay is a special…

Q Hey 12V Guru, I’m getting confused with what everyone is calling a BMS with the new Lithium batteries. I thought this was part of what they call ‘smart chargers’? Can you elaborate? I can’t keep up! Allen Brevis, Murray Bridge SA A Hi Allen, I agree it is getting more and more difficult to keep up with all these changes, so here is my explanation! New technology brings new acronyms, and with the introduction of Lithium batteries starting to gain traction in the RV and camping market we are off on a new learning curve. There is a common misunderstanding as to the function and definition of a Battery Management System (BMS). Historically a BMS is defined as a device which manages batteries — obvious — however…

Firstly, congratulations on publishing a really informative, quality caravan magazine. We have frequently benefited from the magazine's technical articles and touring tips over the years, maybe now we can make a contribution. My wife and I have owned a Goldstream Pop-Top caravan for around 15 years. During this time we have travelled extensively from our home in Perth to explore this wonderful country of ours, clocking up many thousands of kilometres in the process. How lucky are we! The Goldstream has proven itself as a fabulous touring van all around Australia and in all conditions. In fact the van has stood up to the passing years better than us, given we are in our 70s now. Because the van is so solidly made, we are finding the raising of the…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Plenty of standard inclusions makes for a well-featured, well-priced van.” TOWABILITY “Felt good behind the HiLux.” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “From weekends at the beach to extended touring, the Xscape will take it in its stride.” BUILD QUALITY “Attention to detail evident from chassis welds to interior trim.” LIVEABILITY "Modern interior and overall feeling of space" CUSTOMER CARE “3-year, gazetted road, Australia-wide warranty.” SELF SUFFICIENCY “Plenty of water, but loses points for lack of grey water tank as standard.” INNOVATION “Innovative approach to reducing overall weight across all aspects of the design.” X-FACTOR “A traditional styled van whose secrets are hidden beneath.”…

“Check out Bushtracker's catchphrase and you'll see where these vans are designed to be used.” I'm not too sure if it's appropriate to start a review with a mild expletive, but I'm going to anyway. “Damn!” See, told you it was mild. The good thing is it was said in a good way. Sort of like when the kids of today say “sick” when they really mean it's pretty darn good. Actually, do kids still even say that, I wonder as I sit here typing this review just days out from my 44th birthday? But I digress. Just what was my good, “Damn!” moment when checking out this newly built, full custom 20ft offering from Sunshine Coast manufacturers, Bushtracker? ROLLING AROUND ON THE GROUND Getting up close and personal with…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Length 4828mm Width 1943mm Height 1802mm Wheelbase 2915mm Ground clearance 215mm Kerb mass 2302kg Gross Vehicle Mass 2949kg Gross Combined Mass 6099kg Towing capacity 3500kg Towball (max) 350kg DRIVETRAIN Engine 5.7L petrol Transmission 8-speed auto, Quadra Trac II 4x4 full time Max power 259kW@5200rpm Max torque 520Nm@4200rpm Gear ratios First 4.71:1, Second 3.14:1, Third 2.11:1, Fourth 1.67:1, Fifth: 1.29:1, Sixth1.00:1, Seventh 0.84:1, Eighth 0.67:1, Reverse 3.30:1 GENERAL Fuel capacity 93L Suspension Independent double wishbone, coil-over shock absorbers, stabiliser bar (front); Multilink, coil sprung, gas damper, aluminium lower control arm, independent tension, camber, tow links (rear) Brakes Ventilated Disc (front and rear) Wheels 20in alloy Tyres 265/50 Warranty 5 year/100,000km Roof load 68kg PRICED FROM $72,950.00 OPTIONS FITTED Velvet red paint Hitch receiver Brake controller PRICE AS TESTED…

1. National park passes: If you actually fork out for them, you will use them and end up seeing more, staying longer and saving yourself money — and let’s be real, the best bits of Australia are mostly protected within the sanctuary of our finest national parks and you won’t want to miss them. 2. A kayak: No one wants to be sidelined with nothing to play with, and a boat that floats will get you out onto any river, dam, gorge, flat bit of ocean or inlet you come across. It’s low-impact exercise that takes you places too, and if you troll a line, you could come home with dinner. Teamed with a mask and snorkel, a kayak is my toy of choice wherever I travel in Australia. 3.…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.8m (28ft 10in) External body length 6.3m (20ft 8in) External body width 2.5m (8ft 2in) Travel height 3.1m (10ft 1in) Internal height 2m (6ft 7in) Tare 2965kg ATM 3500kg Payload 545kg (calculated) Ball weight 189kg EXTERNAL Frame Meranti Cladding Composite panel Chassis 6in A Frame, 6in Main Frame 2in Riser Suspension 4.1T Cruisemaster XT Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 Brakes 12in Drum Wheels 16in alloy with 265.75 Cooper Tyres Water 2 x 95L, 62L drinking, 100L grey Battery 2 x 150Ah lithium Solar 3 x 175W Air conditioner Truma Aventa Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control AL-KO INTERNAL Cooking Swift fan forced oven Fridge Dometic 220L compressor Microwave 25L Bathroom full width with Shower and toilet Washing machine 3.5kg Hot water Instant Options fitted nil Price as…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Priced quite well for an offroad van.” TOWABILITY “Van tows well and is not excessively heavy.” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “Designed for offroad travel and has most of the essential features.” BUILD QUALITY “A few items looked like they missed the factory check.” LIVEABILITY “It’s a family van and, apart from the east-west bed, there’s room to move.” SELF-SUFFICIENCY “The electrics are good to go but how come an offroad van doesn’t have a grey tank as standard?.” CUSTOMER CARE “Two-year manufacturing, five-year structural warranty, and components individual manufacturer’s warranty.” INNOVATION “Fairly standard Jayco product and nothing particularly innovative.” X-FACTOR “Probably family bunk layout and offroad caravan.”…

When cleaning your rig, pay attention to the inside as well as the outside, by using a brush or vacuum on the foot wells, dashboard and seats — after all it’s not just gold coins that fall between the cracks. We love our 12–18V blower vac for this task. It helps dislodge seeds, pollen and dust from the radiator, engine bay and caravan. When the cleaning’s done, it’s also handy for putting life back into the campfire after we’ve finished with the coals from camp oven cooking!…

As we learn to adapt to an isolated Australia, more and more young travellers are hitting the road along with the traditional mob of grey nomads. Lots of these young families are planning travel to destinations off the beaten track, where adventure awaits around every corner. Even before COVID, the Titan Caravans range aimed at value-conscious travellers wanting to travel rough roads without compromising on features to make the trip enjoyable. The Blackhawk range has all the ruggedness of a true offroader, but with the luxuries we are coming to expect for extended off-grid camping. "The Blackhawk 595 reviewed here is a 5.95m or 19ft 6in van and is proving to be one of the most popular of the Titan models." Over the last five years, Titan has developed a…