Just Browsing How important was an ensuite option for you (those with children)

[Drover]

Ha, ha............I really think those of us without a diesel heater are just a teensy bit envious but never letthat get in the way of some good fishing.
And for the record, we don't avail ourselves of packed like sardine parks or for that matter dustbowl free camps to save a bob, as an old Bush Fireman I'm not that chuffed with camp fires, but I do like Bundy.

 

[mrhappi]

We've also gone the Camper > Expander and now Journey route. We've just had a first 10 day trip in the Journey which has an ensuite and we would never be without again. The convenience particularly in the evening or during poor weather was soooooo good.

Is it necessary? What I think the ensuite does is greatly improve the camping experience. We do a mix of CPs and Free-camping and find both of these experiences improved with the ensuite. Like everything though it's about choosing the compromise that's best for you.

Oh...btw, I have a pretty weak stomach but find emptying the cassette down a dump point reasonably painless.

 

[Dobbie]

I agree!!

 

[Drover]

Yep, yep and yep @mrhappi , well said.................................also you can camp further away from the amenities block or some evil long drop.

 

[Meanderthals]

Lol I find the fact that being able to fill my cruiser at a super hi flow truck stop in seconds more than convienent in the great access they afford with a van and the time saving more than makes up for the 30 second Inconvience it takes to swap over a bottle to one of my own in date spares at home. And if the van isn't used for 6mths months during the winter I don't have to worry about algae in the bottles or if jamed up in a beach side Caravan park like I was last week at cresecent head and it turns cold I don't need to be worried about Being inconsiderate to the poor family camping right by my exhaust!

OT bit Each to the own I'd happily have either given the circumstance and belive there's an argument for both pending. Nobody needs to justify thier chioce to anybody but themselves and Ofcourse SWMBO but as per this thread it seems often we do.

An LC200 must have a wonderful tank size and filler neck to be able to fill so quick. Not so with the Ranger and its pathetic 80 litres. I've only come across one place that had a diesel mix with a good anti-foaming complement that allowed me to nearly fill the tank before the foam cut off point came. The rest of the time it first cuts off with between 5-10 litres to go. With many of the truck bowsers that I used they did allow filling at a car rate by finding a suitable minor touch of the handle that allowed it but some others it was off or full speed and therefore foamed too much. With all this it means that I'm generally filling the last 5-10 quite to very slowly.

Only did 2 gas swap overs last trip. One was at a Caravan Pk with its higher cost but as I would never cart a gas bottle in the back of the Ranger it was done for both convenience and safety. With the other change over it was first park next to the servo, find only one staff person there so was given the key to the cage full of mostly empty bottles and after about 20 mins had a bottle changed over. Then it was the Rangers turn to fill up and filling up car, jerry and heater tank was far quicker. Not trying to justify it to anyone but especially with being able to regularly top off the heater tank I see distinct advantages. As to diesel fumes from the heater I did a check a few times and apart from during initial startup it seemed to be unnoticeable and no worse than a nearby diesel car running unnecessarily, or bloody smokers nearby. As to algae, that's what additives are for and even with living in the tropics I don't find it a problem anyway. Just in case though as the van spent all last year in carport as we failed to get away and therefore tank was kept full, I drained it and donated it all to our son who has an alternative use for diesel as a release agent for concrete work so not likely to be a problem for us. I've been more concerned with it gelling in severe cold weather such as a few months ago in Northern NSW as I had no idea if those areas get a Winter Mix.

 

[achjimmy]

Yep the LC takes every high flow bowser at full tilt (with the handle clip on) except the super ultra high flow (which are rare and I have only found one to date) I hate squeezing in the joke servos with van in tow and the diesel pump placed out of the way.

I won't use swap and go thats how you'll end up a story in the news imo. I just get it filled, some parks like Cowra yes charge a bit but picks the bottle up on his ATV and drops it back. But he fills God honest full too , swap and go not only have don't be rude bottles but there not always filled either. But in all my travels I have only had to have a bottle filled once so really it's irellvent.

And yep I wouldn't idle a car next to someone or light up either.

Iam happy ur happy that's all that matters Phil

 

[Drover]

Ever since you mentioned ages ago about swap bottles not being full, I've weighed a few of mine and found them okay but have been short changed on the refills as the nongs don't know how to fill a bottle, I suppose it's all a lucky dip. I usually get to pick which bottle I want so go for a brand newy .

The Colorado can only be filled by slow flow as the stupid filler is nearly horizontal and about 25mm above the tank line, drives me nuts I can tell you, especially when I get to the diesel pump and it's hi Flow, when I get back home will be making a mount position somehow higher up on the tray, then it will at least take Hi Flow and not spit at me. With the Jeep I could stick a tent pig in to hold the flap open and jam the nozzle of the Hi Flow against the restrictor and let it rip.

 

[Meanderthals]

I know it's continuing off topic but I used to own an XY Falcon with the 36 gallon tank. Got tired of warning staff back in the days when you had servo's that they did the filling. As they put their ear near the filler to try and tell them when it was nearing full I'd give them one warning then stand back. Particularly on a slope you would get an air bubble trapped in the tank then it came out very suddenly and gave people an ear full, literally, of petrol. If they tried to blame me I'd just say "I warned you".

 

[Culateralligator]

Toilet was top of the list when we looked for a van,shower is a bonus.Spent a few years taking kids and G/kids to toilet in the middle of the night,no fun when raining or freezing cold .We plan on free camping as well .

We have a 17.56.1 (2 Adults & 2 Girls U10) & have been travelling around Oz for the last 12 mths. Not having an ensuite has been a real blessing. We have a ThundaBucket for night time emergencies & if no showers available, the old flannel wash in the basin/bucket works fine. We have camped in a mixture of Free Camps, Caravan & National Parks & have not once felt inconvenienced. The additional storage we have by not having the ensuite has been a real blessing, particularly on such a long trip. Glamping is not our style, but everyone has different priorities. Storage & less weight was ours. Our van has performed unbelievably in the 40,000+ kms so far. It has done the Gibb River Rd, Cape Yorke & many kms on Gravel roads. Too bad the 12mths has almost ended!!

 

[Meanderthals]

We have a 17.56.1 (2 Adults & 2 Girls U10) & have been travelling around Oz for the last 12 mths. Not having an ensuite has been a real blessing. We have a ThundaBucket for night time emergencies & if no showers available, the old flannel wash in the basin/bucket works fine. We have camped in a mixture of Free Camps, Caravan & National Parks & have not once felt inconvenienced. The additional storage we have by not having the ensuite has been a real blessing, particularly on such a long trip. Glamping is not our style, but everyone has different priorities. Storage & less weight was ours. Our van has performed unbelievably in the 40,000+ kms so far. It has done the Gibb River Rd, Cape Yorke & many kms on Gravel roads. Too bad the 12mths has almost ended!!

Trying to make us all jealous, are you?
We need pictures and a long report.