Monday, Feb 07, 2011 at 23:24
Diesel,
The problems with Jayco have been mentioned. Quality control and several trips back to the dealer. If you have owned a van before you should know what to look for when you pick it up. Secondhand, you still have to look carefully.
Look at several layouts to see which give the best wide access to the beds.
Measure the headroom in the bed area. Expando look to be small. Measure the bed width if you are tall. I am 5'7" and have no problem in the Windsor.
Get the Outback version if you can afford it as they usually have a better
suspension standard. Otherwise you will need to sit
the springs on top of the axle rather than underneath. this gives a height increase of 100mm. You need this on the road models as they can drag their bottom in and out of driveways.
Look at how the rear bed door seals as this is where the red dust comes in. My Windsor had the addition of sticky back foam strip that seals now about 95%. Paramount look like they have a better solution. Look carefully.
Your choice will be a compromise, whichever model you go for. The trick is to have only a few compromises!!
One thing confuses me, in your post and others, is this 'fear' of sending children to the shower block in a caravan park. Most children,
mine included, go with a parent, uo until a fairly old age. Can't see a problem there. Even toileting will have a parent. At some stage, children need to go out on their own and solve life's problems; including the 'fear' of being on their own. This is why they need to go to school on their own. After a lot of practice, they get good at it and are happy with their image and place in the world.
Putting ideas of 'bad' people lurking everywhere is not a sensible option when bringing up children.
Sorry, to preach but I see too much of 'helicopter' parents and dependent children.
Good luck with your caravan search. The Expanda bed concept is the way to go. Oh yes, I have seen a Coromal 'expanda' to day in
Perth. They look as big in the beds as a Windsor.
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