Ultimate XTrak information

Submitted: Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 15:18

ThreadID: 89443 Views:5353 Replies:9 FollowUps:6

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Budgie913

G’Day all,

I have been reading a lot of the threads on the Ultimate’s over the last few months and have decided to join and open a thread about the XTrak. Some of the treads are a while ago so some things have changed since then.

My wife and I have finally decided to upgrade the soft floor Trackabout camper to an Ultimate. With the kids around now, I need to be able to put up and pull down the camper by myself and the Trackabout is not easy at all by yourself.

We have decided on an XTrak and will upgrade over the years to suit our needs. The XTrak will be ordered with the family pack minus the stove. I have spoken with the guys here in Cairns and I can make it gas compliant very easy without spending much money. Once it is gas compliant I will install a gas stove.

The biggest issue we have now is the fridge setup and the electrical set up (Battery and charger). My question from Ultimate owners is the following:

1. From experience, which has been the better setup on the XTrak, 80L upright (compressor) or the 50L weaco or equivalent (not sure if a ARB 60l fridge will sit in it). I’d be interested in the amount of time you get out of the batteries in the tropics (dual set up). The eutectic fridge is also an option but I know how many issues we had with the one in the family yacht, I’m not sure about that option (happy to receive the feedback).

2. I am going to do a different setup with the batteries, was wondering what CTek set up owners have done on the XTrak with AGM or Deep Cycle Batteries (Dual Setup). I was going to setup a DC to DC CTek on the Anderson plug (CTek situated in the Ultimate) for when towing and considering a M300 CTek or equivalent to use on mains or the Generator.

This is a huge investment for my wife and I so getting the input from XTrak and Ultimate owners would be much appreciated.

Please be honest with your feedback.

Regards,

Joe & Sal

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Reply By: olcoolone - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 17:06

Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 17:06

I would stay away from the Xtrak and buy a good secondhand Elite and get all the bells a whistles.

Ultimate hold their prices secondhand very well and if priced right don't last long.

The main thing I don't like about the Xtrak if the VW boot as compared to the gull wing boot of the Elite, the VW boot is not very user friendly and can become a pain to use.

As for fridges we have a 3 way inside and a 40lt Waeco mounted in the boot..... we also have a 60lt Waeco in the 4x4.

For batteries we use 2 x 120amp AGM's and charge it of a RedArc BMS, our previous Ultimate had 2x100amp AGM's using a Ranox DC-DC 2 stage charger and a Ctek 25000 240v charger.

We use the USA made military foldable solar panels.

AnswerID: 467116

Follow Up By: Budgie913 - Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 08:05

Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 08:05

To be honest, we both liked the XTrak. With the options we are looking at, there is still $9,000 difference once both ordered and its only going to cost $450 to gas compliant it with a stove installed.

If a good second hand one came up that I knew the history, we might consider it.

The VW bonnet is manageable but I do agree the gull wing is a nice to have.

FollowupID: 741261

Follow Up By: olcoolone - Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 11:02

Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 11:02

Can I ask why you like the Xtrk compared to the Elite?

What are you towing it with?

What state do you live in?

What is your budget?

What are you getting with your Xtrak as options?

There are plenty of Elites with low K's that come up for sale.

No real need to know much about the history, you can usually get a good idea by looking at it and being very robust not much goes wrong.

Believe me the VW boot might be manageable to start with but the fun soon wears off.

FollowupID: 741273

Follow Up By: Budgie913 - Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 18:07

Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 18:07

G'Day olcoolone,

The main reason is my wife and I are looking at what we are is that we can purchase a XTrak without getting a loan as we have approximately $41,000 cash to buy one.

I'm not a big believer in higher purchase and with a mortgage and 3 kids I want to make sure we enjoy the great outdoors but don't over capitalise on our investment.

The other issue is its nice to have something from new and option it as the way you like it. My wife is very particular about things like that. If it was up to me, the swag is all I need.

I have nothing against the Elite, the XTrak ticks all the boxes for my wife and I that's all. We did a needs statement and broke it down in needs and wants. The elite had lots of wants but I can't justify $9000 more for the wants and not the needs.

We have a 120 Series 3L TD Prado so either Ultimate will tow well.

After 3 soft floor campers over the last 8 years, the XTrak will be very much appreciated.

Cheers,

Budgie

FollowupID: 741308

Reply By: Member - Michael A (ACT) - Saturday, Oct 08, 2011 at 17:42

Reply By: Mr Z - Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 21:01

Reply By: Budgie913 - Sunday, Oct 09, 2011 at 21:58

Reply By: Mr Z - Monday, Oct 10, 2011 at 20:32

Reply By: TTD1 - Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 at 13:28

Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 at 13:28

Hi Budgie913,
We are just back from 7 weeks up to the Cape and back via Karumba and far Western Queensland and NSW with our new Xtrack. It replaced two Aussie Swags which were excellent but the wife was swayed by the internal kitchen. We covered 12000kls about half on dirt and from that angle I can not fault it,tows like a dream,no dust inside and we never broke an egg over some of the roughest roads I have travelled in twenty years.
We purchased the show special which included kids under bedroom large annex and matting,we opted for a Waceo 80lt compressor fridge and dual batteries and matching tyres and rims for our 3lt Prado.
The Ultimate is not up to scratch in the electrics department and in hind sight would have purchased the Xtrak without batteries and charger and made my arrangements along the lines that Ocloone suggests.
Overall it is a very good unit and a $30 plastic set of steps over comes the gullwing issue and I agree that having a lid rather than wings allows a lot more to be contained.
Regards,
TTD

AnswerID: 467339

Follow Up By: Budgie913 - Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 at 14:25

Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 at 14:25

Cheers TTD1,

I looked at the Engel 80lt upright fridge yesterday. How did the 80lt Waeco go.

I have decisded to buy the trailer with out any electricals. I'm going to fit it out when we get it (the wife keeps reminding me that I am an Electrcal fitter and should do it myself).

I got a heap of info emailed to me on the eutectic fridge. It doesn't look the best option for us here in the tropics plus it is a big ticket item from Ultimate.

I agree with the step with respect to the VW bonnet. With the amount of time we will be in it, I think it is manageable.

Cheers for the feedback.

Budgie

FollowupID: 741441

Follow Up By: TTD1 - Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 at 20:26

Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 at 20:26

Budgie,
The Waceo coped very well even at 37 degrees in Normanton but for most of the time we were on mains power and the Cteck 15amp charger kept up but to bring the batteries (2 x 100amp cranking ) with a 15amp charger is going to take a long time, my suggestion is at least a 25amp and a 1 Eu Honda can run the with ease.
Fitting out yourself is a very wise move and make sure you also size the solar reg at at least 20amp also the one fitted was only 7amps. In the 7 weeks we were away we had a lot of cloud cover also but if we moved every 2 or 3 days the the batteries came up to full charge.
Regards
TTD