Camper trailer help

[njmiff]

G'day,

Just introduced my self in the appropriate thread but now seeking some advice. I am currently looking at my first camper trailer. My wife and I had a look last year at the Penrith 4WD and camping show. We were mainly looking at the budget end of the market and based on what we saw then, opted on laying down a deposit on a GIC semi off road trailer. Since then we have reviewed that decision and should we stick with GIC will upgrade to the extreme off road model. That equates to an extra $1800. Currently we are driving an AWD diesel ford territory so any off road trailer will hopefully be built to go further than my car. We plan to move into the 4WD world in the future and explore those regions where a soft roader is not adequate. Having consulted my friend google I have found increasingly that there is a lot of negative experiences coming from customers of GIC. In saying that there have been some very satisfied customers as well. I now wonder whether it is worth putting a few more dollars down and aiming for around the 10K market. I have seen recently that Aussie Jays are doing a deal on the Crusher at around 10.5K. I am yet to find anything negative about this company and their product. Hence I am almost willing to throw away my deposit and take a look here. The issue is that I live in Sydney and obviously Aussie jays are in Victoria. Is there anyone on here that has an Aussie Jays Trailer in the Sydney Region that I could possibly take a look at? If there are any other companies in NSW that might be worth taking a look at in the 10K market range please feel free to advise. Blue tongues are another that I have taken a peek at but the price adds up when you add the options. Aussie jays seem to be very good value and by all accounts well built. Their tents seem pretty good too. I welcome all your thoughts,

Cheers,

Nick

[Turbojohn]

Welcome to myswag nick
If your budget is around the 10k mark I think that you should be considering looking more towards aus made canvas and trailer. Plenty of great second hand options and a few new ones too. When I was looking for a ct my budget was around the same. The main two that appealed to me were the customline and the lifestyle, I ended up getting a lifestyle explorer + which was the display model at the Penrith show. Im glad I stretched the budget just a little bit more.  Some of the manufacturers around Sydney I also had a look at were bell canvas in minchinbury, all terrain campers. All of these manufacturers use dynaproofed canvas are well made and have displays at the sydney shows.
Happy hunting

[GeeTee]

If you are new to all this - Welcome!

Maybe put aside $1000 and spend one weekend a month for the next few months hiring a few different camper trailers. Not sure where you are (Sydney-ish?) but there are several in Sydney/Central Coast/Newcastle/Gong including *polite cough* myself.

You should figure out what type and style of camper trailer suits you best (Soft floor? Hard floor? Can you pack it up solo? Can you pack it up wet? Can you pack it up quick? Is the kitchen big enough? Does it need a big site? etc) before you go looking for deals.

Treat buying a trailer the same way as buying a car...and I doubt you bought your Territory without a test drive!

[njmiff]

Thanks for your input thus far. Yes I am very new to the camper trailer option. Camping for me until this point has consisted of swags and hootchies and progressed to a bigger tent and portable toilet with a growing family. We love the outdoors and can see the benefits of owning a trailer. Just want to make the right choice before outlaying the $$$$ on our investment.  All good advice and very much appreciated.

[evolution]

I think second hand trailers are seriously underrated for the new to camper trailer market.
For a first camper trailer I highly recommend exploring what is available.
Reasons being that first and foremost your dollar stretches much further than buying new.
Other reasons are camper trailers can be a very unique purchase, what works for some may not for others.
Being that a camper is a "luxury" item there are a heap on the market that may have only been used a couple of times, yet because they dont use it they cant justify having x amount of dollars tied up in a camper so they are sold quite cheap.
The other reason being is that buying used you are more likely to get a well specced aussie model for the price of an import.
For instance I believe that there is a lifestyle camper in the trader section here for under 10k, thats not good value thats great value.
One other advantage is that most used trailers have already had the big depreciation in price going from "new" to "used" so should hold the value well.

However if your heart is set on new then have a good look around and compare what you get for your money. Dont rush a decision and try not to get swayed by silver tongue salesmen, look at the trailers construction, how easy or hard the tent is to put up/down and how what material the tent is made out of.

Cheers
Evo

[heath74]

Sorry mate, I dont live in Sydney, but do have one of Aussie Jays. I have been very happy. probably spent clsoe to 100 nights over two years, and towed it close to 20,000k.
As far as quality finish and robust construction goes you wont fault them. Jason is a very down to earth guy, and as a qualified boiler maker his welds are spot on. in the end for me it was meeting him and having a chat that sold me.

AS has been suggested above, I'd rent a couple of different campers and go from there. Thats certainly what i did, I would have loved to have had 20k to spend but my budget was 10k, since then over time ive added power, and things like that.

As far as towing campers on extreme off road conditions, its not easy. To drive difficult terrain while towing, you need a very capable vehicle, and to be a very skilled driver. I wont get into departure angles, clearance and torque. If I want to access difficult areas I go with swags.

AS far as second hand units go, I spent about 9 months searching and veiwing them. My veiw differs from many on here, I think 2nd hand campers in good condition hold their value so well, I just couldnt see the saving. but thats just my veiw.
If youve got the time and skills you might be able to pick up a project camper and get it up to scratch.

[POD]

I have no interest in this, but I cannot believe this one hasn't sold. If your budget is 10 grand, you could do a lot with the 3 grand left after buying this one:

http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=26034.0;topicseen

It is truly a bargain, IMHO.

[evolution]

Thanks pod, thats the one i was thinking of.

Cheers
Evo

[POD]

Thanks pod, thats the one i was thinking of.

Cheers
Evo

Snap it up, Nick, it's a huge bargain.

[POD]

Oh wait, you mean for njmiff, not for you!

I was wondering what you were going to do with your project if you bought that one as well! What an idiot I am!!!

[evolution]

Oh wait, you mean for njmiff, not for you!

I was wondering what you were going to do with your project if you bought that one as well! What an idiot I am!!!

If i bought another camper I think the misses would kill me! Lol
Although i almost managed to wrangle out a trek camper, but it went for 500 too much lol.
I really think that this one is worth serious consideration for anyone looking to purchase a first camper.

Cheers
Evo

[baz1]

Check this out :

www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/model-details/?lct_model=lifestyle-walkthru

Brand new Walk Through for 8K, that leaves 2K to splash out on extras. I think Lifestyle are in Brissie so it's not too far away to pick up.

[njmiff]

I have been checking out the lifestyle campers after that first suggestion. Seems they are pretty popular. I am open to a pre loved trailer as well. There is a suggestion that imports are making it difficult to sell early model trailers which I can see would be in an issue. I would rather invest in quality. Are Lifestyle using imported tents now or are they still Aussie made?

[evolution]

From the pdf sheets I would guess that the budget walkthrough camper utilizes a chinese tent.
All the others say the tent is aussie made.
I am yet to hear a bad review of the lifestyle campers though and that used one here is a bargain
Its a saving of 6k without extras.

Cheers
Evo

[Kydar]

As explained to me me by John at Lifestle Campers ( whilst picking mine up one Saturday morning ) They use an imported canvas on the Explorer and Walkthru models. The imported canvas they selected is far superior to alot on the market and in fact when pond tested its really not that far behind the Aussie made stuff. I personally cant speak highly enough about the lifestyle team and their trailers. We love ours and close friends have just received their Extenda model.
Good luck with your CT research mate, its a confusing but definately exciting time for ya............

[GeeTee]

I have no interest in this, but I cannot believe this one hasn't sold. If your budget is 10 grand, you could do a lot with the 3 grand left after buying this one:

http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=26034.0;topicseen

It is truly a bargain, IMHO.

Yeah that is good price for a quality unit.
But as has been mentioned - many times here and elsewhere - cheap imported trailers are undermining the market with 'price-point' product that appeals to people who are new to camping/travelling - hence with little experience - so many great quality second-hand units are being passed over for 'new'.

However right now no-one knows what njmiff's camper requirements are yet - not even njmiff, hence my hire suggestion - so no use him buying a Commodore wagon if a Porsche Boxster works better. And vice-versa!

[POD]

Yeah that is good price for a quality unit.
But as has been mentioned - many times here and elsewhere - cheap imported trailers are undermining the market with 'price-point' product that appeals to people who are new to camping/travelling - hence with little experience - so many great quality second-hand units are being passed over for 'new'.

However right now no-one knows what njmiff's camper requirements are yet - not even njmiff, hence my hire suggestion - so no use him buying a Commodore wagon if a Porsche Boxster works better. And vice-versa!

Are you implying your campers are Porsche Boxsters?!?

T-I-C mate, don't take offence!!