Camper or caravan with a low roof?
Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 14, 2013 at 23:04
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Road Warrior
Guys I have a bit of an issue here. We're looking at primarily Jayco Outback campers (Hawk/Eagle mainly) but they seem to be thin on the ground at the moment.
However I'm seeing a lot of pop top caravans for sale at the moment which is great, but most of them wouldnt fit in our garage. They offer pretty good value for money compared to the campers though.
I have a max height of 1870mm to play with then its game over, and I'm not storing it out in the street or whatever.
Does anyone know of a pop up caravan of this ilk? There was a beaut listed on Gumtree last week, an Opal and it had 2 bunk beds in it which would have been perfect for us as we have little ones, but then he told me the closed height of it - 2170mm...buh-bowww.
Perhaps I just need to be patient...?
Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Aug 14, 2013 at 23:55
Wednesday, Aug 14, 2013 at 23:55
I don't think much of your chances. you could try looking for a Pratline low tow. They are getting a little long in the tooth, I don't think any were made this century -
See this link
For something a bit newer you could try an
ECO Tourer. Their standard model without shower may scrape in, if it doesn't then you can purchase or construct some
storage wheels for it.
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Follow Up By: Road Warrior - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 08:54
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 08:54
Hey now that Prattline is an interesting contraption and a great concept!
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 09:31
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 09:31
Interesting but expensive. To try an keep their productions up they started to produce conventional vans and they were $5 - 6K cheaper (a considerable difference in the mid 90s.)
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Follow Up By: Member - Keith P (NSW) - Friday, Aug 16, 2013 at 12:37
Friday, Aug 16, 2013 at 12:37
Road Warrior.....I have one that you may be interested in...but for the life of me I cant find out how to contact you privately. We are away in it atm...n will be
home in a few weeks.
I,m sure I can be contacted through my profile...but you dont seem to have one that I can find.
Cheers Keith
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Follow Up By: Road Warrior - Saturday, Aug 17, 2013 at 15:00
Saturday, Aug 17, 2013 at 15:00
Thanks Keith, but we're looking to buy locally (
Perth) and have a 20 grand budget we'd like to stick to.
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Reply By: braggy - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 06:48
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 06:48
You could let some air out of the tyres to reduce the height abit
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Reply By: jacent - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 06:54
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 06:54
You can buy small rubber wheels that replace the vans wheels designed purely to lower the height so you can fit them under low roofs etc, caravans plus sell them, you obviously have tho change to your proper wheels once its out of the shed!
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 09:35
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 09:35
Are you referring to the ones I gave the link to in an earlier post? they just have a solid rubber tyre. There are others made from cast iron and look a little like the weights on weight lifters bars.
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Reply By: SDG - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 16:33
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 16:33
One thing I noticed when looking for a camper last year, was that they seem to hold their value. The prices some people were selling them for, was not a lot of difference from buying new. Obviously depending on condition and age.
Have a look at the new ones, then go back in a couple of months. Towards the end of the year, prices seem to go down, or bonuses get to be put on. Showing cash also worked.
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Follow Up By: Road Warrior - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 16:34
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 16:34
Yes I've noticed that the prices of some second hand campers must surely be approaching that of a new one.
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Follow Up By: SDG - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 16:48
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 16:48
At least there is some warrantee on a new one.
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Reply By: Ross M - Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 18:37
Thursday, Aug 15, 2013 at 18:37
Road Warrior
Something to consider about the height, it isn't just the height of the van when on level ground and your garage opening height, because:
Most approaches to carports and garages are sloped, and if reversing a caravan up the slope, the height at the rear of the van will be considerably higher than the nominal van height measurement.
It will then be, bum up in air, particularly when the van weight transfers some of it's weight to the vehicle which then sinks a little lower than normal and accentuates the height of the rear edge.
Depending on the length of the van and the sink of the vehicle
suspension there may be 150mm or even more height as the rear upper edge tries to go under the carport/garage opening.
Only as the axle goes directly under the opening is the caravan height correct and it is that measurement which many use as the reference measurement only to find out what they though was enough clearance is not enough at all.
You need to
check the attitudinal change when looking at any van.
Cheers
Ross M
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Follow Up By: Road Warrior - Friday, Aug 16, 2013 at 10:33
Friday, Aug 16, 2013 at 10:33
Thanks
Ross, another reason to stick with a camper/pop up then.
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