Mobile Home vs Off road Caravan

Hi Guys

Lucky you having a few years off! I would personally go with an off road caravan as you can then unhook and go a explore further afield in the car. Most of the popular off road caravan makers like Kedron, Bushtracker, Australian Off Road, Kimberley etc would be able to help with the power (solar & battery) requirements and they would probably assist with fridges. We have a fridge in the camper, and one in the car for the day trips.

In terms of the bed - unless you like jumping over each other in the middle of the night - I'd go for the "north/south" solution. Finally, the adage of "you only get what you pay for" is true in off road caravans...many claim they are "off-road" - but are not. So I would go for the best you can afford...

Chris

Hi Folks, Well I reckon to get the best of both worlds and to see as much of the country as possible the best combination is a 4 wd set up as genuine camper for the rough and ready roads combined with a caravan all so fully set up as to sustain life in the harsh conditions. Use the caravan as a base, tour in the 4wd to the out of way places for a couple of weeks, then come back to 4 star luxury in the van, gives you a lot more options, less cost and a lot less head aches in regard to going into hard places towing a van with the likely hood of sustaining damage.

Example; store van in mango grove Kunannura, do the tour to Broome, Cape Leveque, come back via Gibb to cheap luxury, couple of weeks of amazing scenery and a 4 star hotel at the end.
cheers
Kev

Seems to me Sandra that you are not comparing a Mobile Home to an Off road van but rather 2 different lifestyles.

You need to sort out the lifestyle choice before deciding on how to implement it.

Off road van to most of us is one that gives the ability to tackle many 4wd tracks, this is not an option for most mobile homes.


If free camping is to play a big part then an off road van will fit better into that, but I would really wonder how one would live with the smaller tougher off road van for 3 years.
Personally I'd want a bit of real easy living within a 3 year journey.

Comparing a mobile home to a regular van might be more what your after as this still offers the real opportunity to leave it and go off for a few days.

Some do it the other way with a Mobile home that carries a small 4wd for off road excursions.

If basic low cost is a factor (not stated) then I would have a different recommendation.

Sandra
There are 4x4 motor homes that are the best solution. Towing any thing is constant source of stress. Caravans made sense when vehicles were very expensive and fuel was cheap. Now the vehicles are cheap and the fuel is a major cost. We travel in a 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter that cost $20k second hand and does 10l/100k .The longest we have lived in it was 7 months. That was good and cost us less to live than towing a van because we had no repairs to pay for. Eric

Many 2WD MHs will go where off road caravans will not go.
A 4WD MH is the best answer and if it is not too big, it will go most places. This gives maximum campsite choice away from the crowds.

Solar, as much as you can fit on the roof. You can't have too much. Reducing weight is an essential plan, but will cost quite a lot extra. Do it.

Water, depends how often you want to shower. We carry 280L. A shower can easily be had with under 10L per person.

We have a N-S bed over the cab. We love it that way. You can climb in or out without disturbing your partner.

Fridge needs to be compressor for maximum performance in all conditions. Get one with a remote compressor and add lots more insulation to reduce power consumption.
Also, it does not need a "hole in the wall", so dust ingress is very much reduced.

Stove, yes, but oven is optional.
External antennae for the modem.
PSW inverter to run the laptop and camera chargers and the electric blankets :)
Good insulation is important, but so are lots of big windows to maximise ventilation.
Shower and cassette toilet are essential for full time on the road. Consider a diesel HWS (and central heating). Diesel is cheaper than gas and you will have it anyway. LPG bottles and filling can be hard to find in remote areas.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome

Take a look at something like this. I've come across a few in my travels and most seem happy with them. If you are looking to travel (almost) anywhere, this could be the go without the hassle of the vehicle and van behind.

They are expensive, but so is a Toyota LC 200 with a suitable off-road van.

Ultimately, 2-years on the road will involve compromise, you just need to have a clear picture in your mind about what type of travel you will be doing, on average, and what works best for that...

Amesz 4WD Off Road Motorhomes

Just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has replied. We are taking on board all suggestions/opinions and working through them to see what fits with our needs.

We are just at the starting point of planning so we can take our time and (hopefully) make informed choices. We are certainly not going to rush in to anything.

Haven't decided whether we will buy new or second hand. We can afford the new up to 150K but just want to be certain about our choices in whatever we choose!

Sandra & Adrian

Hi Sandra and all,

We are in a similar situation so very happy to see your question.

We have the Caravan and the 4x4 with the canopy with the intention to drop the caravan and go off exploring in the 4x4 as suggested by Kev.

Lately though, I have been wondering whether this really works in practice? Kev has found it has certainly worked for him but I wonder how many others have found it to be as simple as it sounds.

Are there others who have done the same and can report on positive experiences?

Are there some of you who have found the idea to be not as practical as it sounds?

I know there is no such thing as the perfect answer... I thought Peter and Margret's Oka was getting pretty close but I dare say even it has negatives. I must admit I have been trawling the 4x4 motorhome for sale adds a lot lately but I suspect I am not going to find a 4 wheel drive Tardis any time soon.

Cheers,
Neil & Di