Pop Top Caravans

Im also looking at one of these, from what i have found on this site, and there has been quite a bit the Jaycos are cheaper but less likely to take the knocks. I have a friend with a Cormoral and it has had the suspension lifted. It looks fairly sturdy and capable, certainly a comfortable place to live for a while. Having done the last year of travel around oz without a trailer im going to make the step and just choose my paths a little more carefully..will look forward to comments. I am guessing the standard '80 series will be able to pull it without much fuss, considering im left hand lane all the way around anyways

Over the past few months I have been through nearly all the brands to look for the ideal van. I started looking at cloth tops but I have stumbled upon what I think is the best product on the market.

www.innovan.com.au (i think thats right)

it is basicly a small caravan with all the good stuff inside but its got a moveable hard case, its not to heavy but gives what I think is an excellent balance between a full caravan and a small rag top. It uses gas struts to move the main mechanism up and down. It also has lots of storage. I am looking at taking this thing to fraiser. One more point, it can come in a trailer or be mounted onto a ute.

Pop-top advantages...
1. Lower height means easier storage and less wind resistance when towed.
2. Big zip-open panels in vinyl sleeve are excellent for ventilation.

Pop-top disadvantages...
1. Some extra steps required when setting-up/packing-up.
2. Not as many, or smaller, eye-level cupboards.
3. Entry door height is usually lower, so care required to avoid banging head.
4. Vinyl sleeve does not provide much insulation in cold weather.

It might seem that the pop-top is outscored, but for me the advantages are more important. There is an urban myth that pop-tops are heavier, but they're not. The vinyl lasts for years and is easily replaced when necessary. My Coromal has spring-loaded scissors and gas struts with simple push-up handles inside and is no problem to operate. Can't comment on other types of roof lifters.

Stephen.

G-day all !
One of my neighbours had a Prattliner ( spelling ? ), pop top caravan.
Size is reasonable.
Definately not an off roader.
The top was a hard top, that was lifted by hydraulics..( jacking system ) about 20 pumps and it was ready to lock out. The upper skin was slightly wider than the lower, and sealing was a problem till he went right thru it, and replaced all seals with car door type ones, that when the van was popped it was seal on seal, and a neat fit ,,, perfect seal.
Wow it was the best thing I have ever seen.
He modified it to lift quicker by using a bigger pump, and at one stage contempleted an electric type pump, but the mighty $$ stopped that , ( as he has bad arthritis and has very few good days that he can work on it. )
There was a single axle on it initially, and he put a second axle on it and it towed like a dream, from then on.

Recon if ever I had to choose a van then the Prattliner would be high on my list.
They are really practical inside too, and warm.
he tows the van behind a Nissan Terrano 2.7 TD and it does it easy due to the fact that it packs down fairly low.

Hope this helps

Site Link

Cheers All
Bucky

Hello Damien, My wife & I are fairly new to the caravan way of life. We bought a
second hand 98 Jayco 16 foot pop top two years ago and have managed a few trips in that time, the longest being about 8000 Kms through central western Qld, as well as some of the NT & SA etc.
We are very happy with it, it has gas struts, is easy to pop up & down & cant help but agree with Richard F response in particular in relation to ventilation when you open up the ventilation flaps. Magic!! Yep ,cupboard space a bit limited because of the pop up concept, but for our needs more than adequate.
We decided on Jayco I guess because we did a fair bit of "tyre kicking" before buying & were influenced by their popularity & they were a bit cheaper than some others. Our rationale was that whilst some said Jayco were on the cheap end of the market they cant be all that bad given their dominance on the road.
Mind you, I have to admit that we have looked at some of the current model Jaycos, including the upmarket models, & they leave a bit to be desired in my opinion.
We have'nt had in maintenance issues, had wheel bearings,brakes etc checked out after purchase. We make a point of cleaning top to bottom after a trip & pay particular attention to the vinyl pop top section to prevent mildew.
All the best

I spent months looking for the right poptop,a 16footer, but wanted a few changes to the standard fitout. Jayco and others refused and sold only thier type or nothing.
Also wanted a G&S chassis as they appeared the best constructed.
Finished up buying a Coronet from Regency Caravans in Bayswater Vic.
The owner Andrew had all the answers as he also has a caravan repair business and has seen many a flaw in other vans.
He built the van interior that I wanted at no extra cost, fitted second spare tyre had shackles instead of slipper springs and shockers as I will be towing on many a gravel road.
I've had it for 12 months and during that time if I had a queiry or any minor fault he was always willing and abliging to fix it.

It weighs 1200Kg empty and tows well.

It think any bigger van would have to have dual wheels as they appear to travel smoother. I tow my with a Prado Diesel getting around 15lt /100km.
Cheers
P.S. This is my 11th van and the best
Danman

Hi Damian - we have an offroad Coromal Poptop - (Pioneer Corvair).
Weights in at around 1.8 ton. Single axle, independent suspension.
Roof raises/closes by spring assisted scissors with gas struts. Simple and fool proof. The large ventilation in the roof is rarely a problem in our climate, where heat is more often the issue than cold. Even at Innaminca in mid winter the cold on the vinyl was not noticeable. (If used in the snow fields, perhaps you would consider dropping the roof at night - always an option.)

We have towed it down gorges into Gem fields, into 4wd national parks, across rivers etc. Never even a screw loose.
I have done some minor work strengthening the inside supports under chairs and cupboards, more as precaution as we are off to the Gibb River and Plenty highway in 4 weeks. (Also ran heavier wire to the fridge, again more from abundant caution than need.)
Inside comfort levels are excellent.
(Noticed a similar model in a sales yard last week, with shower and toilet inside.)
Prior to this we had a Coromal magnum (wind-up style) and several years of reasonably serious offroad work convinced us of the build quality.

Our Coromal is not much higher than the Patrol, so if the Patrol can get in the van can. For the places we like to go, a full van was just too high, and fuel economy is gaining more importance as prices increase.

There is a significant difference both in build (chassis/ fittings etc) and price between on and off road models. Take this into account when comparing.
Unlike motor vehicles, Vans often increase in value as demand increases with the retirement of the 'baby boomers'. Second-hand offroad models can be hard to find even now. They can be considered both a lifestyle and an investment.

The standards today are very high for all manufacturers. Enjoy the research....Keith.

Thanks everyone for your posts. I have read them all and it has helped me a lot.
Much appreciated.