Family van that a Prado can tow

We are looking for a triple bunk family van that can be towed by a 2010 Toyota Prado with towing capacity of 2500kgs. We need permanent beds for 3 kids (5,7,9), plus a Queen bed for us - no more pulling out lounges or dropping down tables! We're upgrading from a 1984 Jayco family bunk van.

Must haves - large fridge and decent storage space. Nice to have - ensuite, washing machine. Would be happy enough with an external shower. Off road options would be sensible I believe as then we are not limiting our future travel options. At this stage we are not doing any long trips but this could be an something we do in the future. For now we will be doing annual 3-6 week adventures along with long weekends, school holidays etc.

We had our heart set on a Retreat Daydream or Jayco Sterling but both are too heavy for the Prado and changing the tow vehicle is not an option. Husband not keen on anything popping up or out, which again is limiting us, although I've seen a Jayco Expanda with both ends that pop out and the dinette/bunks option which I quite like.

Budget is still being negotiated between us - husband saying $50k, me $35, so no doubt it will be somewhere in between! I come to this forum often for reviews and information and appreciate feedback from those who've been there and done that! Go easy on me, first time forum user!
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Reply By: Notso - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 11:25

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 11:25
Have you checked out Jayco, they have a van for every niche in the market.
AnswerID: 466834

Reply By: Member - michael H (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 12:56

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 12:56
Hi pandaclark
Expanda 1756-2 OB
I have the onroad version and it ticks most of your boxes except up and out but the pop out beds now have a hard lid which protects them a fair bit, We have 3 kids 2 boys 7 & 9 and girl 11 the boys share the double at the back and daughter takes the top bunk and we leave the small dining table free for the kids to sit/read/play games at.
Washing machine also needs to be sorted but maybe one of those rotating bucket types would suffice.

Cheers Michael
AnswerID: 466837

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 13:10

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 13:10
thanks Michael, I have no doubt this will resurface to the top of the list as you're right, it does tick most of the boxes! Got the same kid configuration as you, so no doubt we'd run like that too. I like having the option of that extra seating area, especially if there's nasty or cold weather. Husband has been hearing some horror stories about leaks with the bed ends, but I also think, well at the end of the day you're camping so suck it up......but we'll see. I've found some local business where we can hire this van which I think will be an option maybe over Christmas or at Easter and then hit the caravan and camping show in June!
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Follow Up By: Member - michael H (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 14:51

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 14:51
Re: leaky bed ends jump on the Expanda Owners Forum I think you'll find Jayco have solved that on the earlier hard lid models.
Our first trip away was to Easts Beach Kiama for the June Long weekend and naturally the sky's opened up just to test the new van :-) All Good, coming from a Camper Trailer set up & pack up is a lot easier.

Cheers Michael
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FollowupID: 740968

Reply By: Member - John and Lynne - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 14:28

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 14:28
Hiring before you buy is a very good idea. Actual experience of various options can change you ideas a lot. This may save you a lot of money. You will be getting very close to the Prado's limits if you tick every option you list. Check all weights and limitations VERY carefully and do not rely on salesmen - they will tell you ANYTHING - we know! Insist on a weighbridge certificate before you accept delivery of the van - preferably be present when the van is weighed to check that all the items youi expect are included in the weight! The caravan forums give many examples of people who got nasty surprises when they checked their van's weight! Remember you can only use a washing machine (heavy space taker) when you are in a park (which has a laundry) hooked up to power and off road suspension adds a lot of weight if you only plan shortish trips and are not likely to go on anything worse than a reasonable dirt road. There are lots of great places to see before you need to do any really rough driving! I recommend you give priority to getting what suits your family now and in the immediate future. By the time you reach the distant future many things may have changed. Lynne
AnswerID: 466843

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:04

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:04
Thanks for that feedback Lynne. Weighbridge certificate is an excellant piece of advise! All food for thought!
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Reply By: gbc - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 16:12

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 16:12
My neighbours have the same prado and have just got an ascot somethingorother with triple bunks etc., and I believe it was in your price range as well. Nice looking van - That's about all I know about caravans.....
AnswerID: 466844

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:05

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:05
Thanks gbc, another to add to our review list!
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Reply By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 17:32

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 17:32
Have a look on the Jayco website - I think there's a Discovery, which is almost identical to the Sterling without the luxury appointments. I think there is a bunks version and also the "Outback" (offroad) version. The offroad faciltiy will add weight to the van, which already is going to be heavy because it needs to be big enough for 3 x bunks.

Another alternative is Coromal. They are generally lighter than Jaycos and have a good clearance on account of their independent suspension as well as the offroad option.

Somebody mentioned the Ascot, which is a model put out by Concept. I'm not sure if they actually do "offroaders" but my local van repairer has one himself and although it isn't an "offroader" so to speak, he has taken his offroad and says it is better-built than most mainstream vans. So there's another possibility. They do seem to have a pretty good reputation.
AnswerID: 466851

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:07

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:07
Thanks for your feedback Steve. We are going to hit some van yards soon and this gives us a few more options to look at.
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Reply By: Effie C (Ex NT now ACT) - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 19:30

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 19:30
Check out the Coromal website we have ordered a Princeton with the double bunks (611) but it also comes with tripple bunks (610), we are going to tow ours with a 2009 Prado diesel.
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AnswerID: 466859

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:08

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:08
Will do Effie, keep us posted on how you find your new van!
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Reply By: landed eagle - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:38

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:38
If you're open to buying s/hand I think there was a 18+foot Jayco Expanda made a few years ago ( before the hardlids came out) and I'm pretty sure it had a fold out queen size bed at the front and three bunks at the rear on the left, shower and toilet. I've only ever seen two of them and they are a full height van. Not shown on Jayco website anymore. Might be hard to find.

The 17' model is a cracker. A mate of mine has one and he loves it. The bunks are a little short though. If your kids get too tall they may vacate to a tent/swag......more space for you!
AnswerID: 466871

Follow Up By: landed eagle - Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:42

Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011 at 22:42
I will add that I have a 16-49-3 outback expanda and it was brand new in May 2009. I havent had the problem others have mentioned with the ends leaking. Must have been in the very first ones. Mine has weathered some good storms in Nth Queensland and home in Tassie, and not a drop of wet stuff has found its way inside.
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Reply By: Member - Hunnam Family - Thursday, Oct 06, 2011 at 02:51

Thursday, Oct 06, 2011 at 02:51
Hi, we are a family of six (kids are girls 14 and 11 and boys 7 and 5) and we are almost halfway through six months on the road. We have made a couple of errors and are happy to share our experiences to save others doing the same!

Firstly DON'T go for a Sterling. We bought a triple bunk Sterling before we left our home in Torquay Vic. We traded it in 3 weeks later in Adelaide! The fact that they are too heavy for the Prado is a blessing in disguise. We are towing with an early model 100 series Cruiser and since we offloaded the Sterling our fuel economy is much better, towing is much easier and we can cruise comfortably at 95-100 km/h instead of 80-85 km/h. We also have more room in our new van (getting to that!) than we had in our 25ft Sterling. We are now in Darwin after doing the Nullarbor and WA coast and we have hardly seen a family in a big Sterling or similar. Families are traveling smarter now and I think the great big vans are turning into dinosaurs. What you have to do is convince hubby of the same thing I had to convince my wife. Expander type vans are without doubt the way to go!! We looked at the Jayco Expanda but we ended up purchasing a Windsor Rapid 592 and it's the best thing we have done.

Wife originally didn't want anything with canvas ends etc but loves the new van. Our van has beds at both ends as well as double bunks, ensuite and more space through the middle of the van compared to the Sterling. It is a proper van, not a pop top and takes under 2 minutes to set up on arrival. You simply turn the handles and the bed lid opens then pull the bed base down and you are done. There are a couple of reasons why we bought the Windsor over the Jayco. Strength and quality of build was the first one. Also when setting up the Jayco you have to set two bed supports under each bed and internally the beds are supported with wire rope. The Windsor has a metal internal arm on each side of the beds which supports the bed base so once the bed base is pulled down into place you are done. The arms are rated to 300kg so the beds are very secure. We just found the Jayco a little less 'strong'. Ours was brand new and cost a little more than your hubby's budget but something in the 1-2 year old bracket would come in under your upper budget. We have struck some rain and leaks are not an issue. Having said that I wouldn't buy anything that didn't have the hard lids over the beds.

Overall we now have a lighter more spacious van that gives us better fuel economy, is easier to tow, easier to manouvre and all 6 of us have our own bed. As a 5 person family you can leave the lower bunk as seating, use it as extra storage or perhaps remove it completely to fit in a WM if that is a must. By the way we wanted a washing machine but we have got by fine without one. We do have a large fridge freezer which is a must for family travel, the van also has reverse cycle AC, a good functional layout and good storage. The Sterling with triple bunks was a nightmare. 3 kids jammed in with the ensuite adjacent meant they couldn't get around each other and the fighting began! When it comes to the big long and heavy triple bunks vans I can only say one thing DON'T DO IT!

Hope this helps and see you on the road.

Hunnam family - " Just the six of us..."
AnswerID: 466882

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:06

Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:06
Thanks for your feedback and sharing your experiences. We looked at the rapid years ago and I loved it, so will definitely be putting this into the mix. Starting to think from feedback that washing machine neither here nor there, but big fridge a must!

Hope we see the Hunnam family on the road!!
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Reply By: Livin On The Road - Thursday, Oct 06, 2011 at 18:55

Thursday, Oct 06, 2011 at 18:55
Most of the companies we looked at would let you have your own design. It depends what extras you want as to how much it would end up costing. We saw very little that was decent or workable that was a "display model" or "standard layout" that would work for a family of our size (4 kids, aged 10, 9, 6 and 3). We ended up designing the layout ourselves and having it built to our requirement. We got a lot of extras, so well over the budget you mention. But I would suggest that you have a look at talking to the companies that allow your own design.

By the way ... the washing machine is not as great as it sounds. It's a 2kg washing machine. I'm not convinced that I'd have it again, as it is often hard to find a campsite with water so we can use it. It's just as easy to find a laundromat with the amount of time and water to wash enough clothes for a family.
AnswerID: 466943

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:12

Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:12
Thanks for your feedback. Am starting to think that washing machine can go down the list to nice to have not have to have!
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Reply By: Graham C3 - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 06:54

Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 06:54
Funny thing about washing machines. When we bought our pre-loved van it already had a 2kg washing machine installed. The previous owner made a fuss about how good it was to have your own machine etc etc etc.

I laughed at the thought of this "Mickey Mouse" machine and said that it would never be used. I thought that my wife would think the same.

Surprise, surprise it gets a hammering whenever we are in a van park. Used almost every day for small stuff and shorts etc are always clean and back in storage.

Would not buy another van without one or more specifically would not be allowed to.
AnswerID: 467054

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:27

Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:27
I can see I'd give a washing machine a hammering too, especially with 3 kids!!! Just not sure for trips we're currently planning that the expense will be warranted, but will be a happy camper if we find a preloved van with one installed!! Thanks
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FollowupID: 741183

Reply By: snoopyone - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 10:56

Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 10:56
Something else you need to watch is the amount you put in the Prado.

With 5 of you and the weight on the towball you may find a picnic lunch will put you over the vehicles GVM.

Just another thing to consider
AnswerID: 467085

Follow Up By: pandaclark - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:32

Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 12:32
Thx Snoopyone. After kids are in, we dont really put anything else in car other than small car fridge with our lunch and a few snacks for the road. We'll be making the weigh bridge our friend before we make any decisions!!
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FollowupID: 741184

Reply By: pandaclark - Saturday, Oct 22, 2011 at 22:04

Saturday, Oct 22, 2011 at 22:04
Thanks everyone for your feedback and suggestions. We've today put a deposit on a 2008 Retreat Moreton with triple bunks. Right within budget, heaps of storage, big fridge/freezer, right weight,, loads of extras and we're all super excited to get on the road!!

AnswerID: 468366

Reply By: Robert47 - Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 11:06

Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 11:06
On friday we have taken possession of our brand new Retreat Daydream with three bunks. We knew when we ordered this that our Prado Grande wouldnt be able to tow it, but We have a Landcruiser Military Wagon and it tows this van without a problem.

the problem with toyota is that they build the prado so its towing capacity is limited so if you have a larger van that your wanting to tow, your pushed into buying a bigger cruiser or another brand of car.
Personally im a toyota lover and our military altho is not as luxurious as my prado, does the trick quite well. Were off to tasmania for the whole of january and cannot wait.

hope that whatever van you decide on, you have many happy ventures.
AnswerID: 469319

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