Camper trailers

You get what you pay for if you want to get 'off' road. I bought an Ultimate off-road trailer, second hand, from Ultimate. They completely renewed all the important parts so that mechanically it was nearly as good as a new one. The trailer performed brilliantly, was very comfortable and easy to set up and down. I preferred the older type front boot (VW style) to the gull-wing because you can pack more in. Take some rubber matting to put on the top and you can collect firewood or carry bikes etc., without scratching the fibreglass.

Gecko,

I think available budget comes into it a fair bit.

Before I bought my soft top (second hand), I was looking at a hard top and the Pioneer brand really appealed to me. Seemed a quality built camper, with all of the important features, that was a few thousand less that the KK or AOR brands.

When I win the lottery, I'm going to buy a Pioneer Argyle.
(Not saying what 4WD I would buy. Might start a war)

Pioneer Campers

Ah!....One can always dream hey.

In 2003 we purchased a flip-over hard top C/T with full off-road frame, Treg offroad coupling, 60l water tank, 12/240 approved wiring & plugs, queen size longways bed, bags of storage space (16" height under the bed - enough for 40l Engel - if thats' where you want to keep it, we keep ours in the car), dust proof /water ingress proof v. good, off-road wheels & tyres, standard Ford wheel bearings, etc. Well known builder Preston chassis (Melb.), INDEPENDENT CANTILEVER SUSPENSION, leaf springs (for easy alignment & replacement or repair out bush) This cost us brand new LESS THAN 1/2 equivalent KK/Campomatic or similar. We did over 40,000 hard work km and never had any problems at all (loved it). Innamincka, Otways, Buchanan Highway, Gibb River Road, Tanami Road, Birdsville Track, Thargomindah etc. Look at www.beachsidecaravans.com.au (SA Roma Caravans & Bushranger C/T agents) or phone 08-8382-1741 and check for yourself. Traded it in for aircon caravan (XYL's instructions, gettin' soft) & use tent again now for 4WD stints in winter.

Hi Gecko,

Have just got back from a 3 month stint throughout SA, Vic, NSW, Act and home to Qld......some rugged areas travelled with our 6 month old KK - limited ed, stayed away from the black stuff as much as possible.

No problems with the trailer going everywhere we went (obviously). Stopped in at the dealerships throughout (to talk shop and drool) and they were very friendly. The word is that the aftersale service is second to none.

The best advice i can give is to hire one first and try it out before committing to any one brand. What you see in the shop is not what happens in the field eg. The hardtop generally shuts easier in the shop as they don't have any bedding/pillows/tables etc on the bed. Only by taking a hire model for a weekend etc can you test this out.

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Hire one first
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Anything else you really want to know??

Andrew

I am not too sure about these hard top Campers, We spent a lot of time in ours with the soft top camping and travelling the Gibb River and oodnadatta Track and a couple of travelling companions with their hard tops were always getting dust inside.

They would spend ages knocking dust out of their bedding and tentage before they could live in it.

Our soft top O'Briens never had a problem.

We have just bought and used a Sundowner soft top from Mudgee. It has the tent going over the back (ala hard tops), has miles of storage, Queen bed (bed lamps) stainless kitchen L/cruiser wheels. We opted for an Alko suspension rather than their usual leaves and shockies. This camper is very well made, strong and reliable. It has a 60 litre water tank, annex, 240v in and out, battery charger, large gas bottle and two 20 litre jerry cans. Price around $21,000. I did not think that their was enough room under the hard top for bedding etc in the KK. Ours has plenty of room under the top cover and the slide out _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx underneath are excellent.

There are quite a number of good Hardfloor CT's.

You have the Ultimates , and Gulflander (Top end $$$$).

KK's, and Pioneer trailers.

Paul from OzRoamer(member here) , sells a nice CT in the Cape York Trailers.

Gecko

I've ordered a Modcon from Capalaba in Brisbane and will get it in 3 weeks. They have the most room & storage I have seen in a hard floor and the build quality and price is very attractive.

They have some interstate dealers if you're not lucky enough to live in Brisy.

Grif

Hi Gecko

I've got a KK for sale. Limited Edition with boal loader 2003 model.

It has served us extremently well........Have a look in trader adds.

Hi Gecko,

We have had our Australian Off Road Camper for three years and found it to be excellent. Look at www.Campertrailers.org.au They have a page of units for sale - ours included.

We found that you get what you pay for and in our case 'dust free' was the claim and thats just what we got.

Kevin J