18' Series New 18.58-1 Expanda - Club Lounge v's Dinette

[JMS Project]

Hi again my new found friends...

I have a little dilemma and am hoping for some thoughts.

I have ordered the new 18.58-1, and after some long thought, had decided to go with the Club Lounge over the Dinette. Was always keen on the Club, but the only downfall was the small size of the table. For a 4-5 seater lounge, the table could only comfortably seat 3. I guess there is always the small table under the bunk, but nice to have all at the 1 table.

Dinette has heaps more room, but not as comfy as the Club. The other thing is the position of the TV, which is next to the fridge. All good for viewing angle with the Club, but only any good for people on 1 chair of the dinette to be able to see the TV.

As I said, we had finally decided on the Club, however today I found out that Jayco are reducing the width of the Club lounge by at least 100mm, and who knows what is happening to the table. Apparently to widen the walkway through the kitchen.

Anyway, keen for some other's thoughts on the good old Club Lounge, and if there is anyone else that reads this who has ordered a New Release 18 series, are you aware of these changes ??

Love to hear from anyone with thoughts.....

 

[Kenshi123]

Hi there mate and congrats again on the order of what will be an awesome van.

I guess it comes down to what you will use the area for, if that makes sense? Will you be eating/playing boardgames etc at the table often? Or will it just be used to watch TV? Apart from our current trip, we rarely eat at the table and usually sit outside in the deck chairs.

Maybe worth measuring the new dimensions of the table somewhere and seeing how your family fit round it?

All the best with the decision mate.

 

[AzHaych]

Hey @JMS Project we too have ordered the 18.58.1 with club lounge and had actually signed off on the manufacturing form of a 17.56.1 but changed purely because of the club lounge and full sized fridge.

Being based in Melbourne I didnt get to see it in the flesh and placed the order on the Monday morning after its release at the Brisbane Show. With us as family there is actually only the three of us, but as most of us know when travelling and staying at all the parks we usually inherit another 3 or 4 kids that end up playing in our van.

I have compared the two actual sign off plans of both layouts and the width of the dinette is exactly the same as the width of the club (see below) The advantage with the club in my opinion will be seating position to the TV spot and just generally open out the layout when seated in it.
It is a personal decision and one I am definitely sticking with as well as I believe it will have a better resale value down the track.

Good luck with the decision

Az
P.S Sorry about the quality of the second picture but it was off one of the guys on Facebook

 

[17triton]

We have had both free standing table and dinette and we like the dinette more as it is more stable than the fee standing. We did have the silly dogleg design in a 16-49-1 though. The straight pole ones are better I think.

 

[Bluey]

We where traped in our van due to rain 2 days we did go into town but the big table was good for kids to do stuff on playing and drawing

 

[JMS Project]

Hey @JMS Project we too have ordered the 18.58.1 with club lounge and had actually signed off on the manufacturing form of a 17.56.1 but changed purely because of the club lounge and full sized fridge.

Being based in Melbourne I didnt get to see it in the flesh and placed the order on the Monday morning after its release at the Brisbane Show. With us as family there is actually only the three of us, but as most of us know when travelling and staying at all the parks we usually inherit another 3 or 4 kids that end up playing in our van.

I have compared the two actual sign off plans of both layouts and the width of the dinette is exactly the same as the width of the club (see below) The advantage with the club in my opinion will be seating position to the TV spot and just generally open out the layout when seated in it.
It is a personal decision and one I am definitely sticking with as well as I believe it will have a better resale value down the track.

Good luck with the decision

Az
P.S Sorry about the quality of the second picture but it was off one of the guys on Facebook
View attachment 34182

View attachment 34183

Thanks heaps for your reply and insight. I too had decided on the Club, for various reasons, but I have now been told that the prototype which was released at the Brisbane Show now has some changes. 1 of which is the width of the club lounge. They are reducing it by at least 100mm, to allow more walking space through the kitchen. This is my concern.

Cheers again

 

[AzHaych]

@JMS Project thats what I was trying to show, the dinette is the same width as the club because of the same reason that it will encroach too far towards the bunks. The advantage with the club is that it is has the extra seating length because there is no cupboard near the door.

Az

 

[JMS Project]

Hi, sorry. Maybe I am misunderstanding. I am meaning the width between the seat and the kitchen sink. Therefore the seats that face toward each other in the club will be 100mm narrower. Distance between sink and club will now be 100mm wider.

 

[AzHaych]

We are on the same page, they would need to do exactly the same thing with the dinette seat as well. I spoke to a senior Jayco salesman today and he said it was the first he had heard of it, but would ask the question for me.

Az

 

[AzHaych]

Where the red arrow is the same for the club and the cafe option

 

[JMS Project]

Hmmmmm.... It was something I was advised of at the Brisbane Show. The Expanda head planner was also there who also confirmed.

The other small adjustment was that the end panel of the bunks was to have a curved top corner, which is a no brainer. Straight edge looked rubbish.

Really concerned about the width of the club now, and what, if anything then happens to the table. It's small enough as it is.

 

[JMS Project]

Actually, I forgot to mention something else I noticed.

The new Thetford fridge in the 18, has a locking pin on the right side of the door. I noticed that this is about 1mm above the flooring when you open the fridge door.

I visited Brisbane Jayco last week and they had the 18.58-1 that was at the show on display, and I noticed that the pin on the door is now scraping on the vinyl floor, marking a huge semi circle scratch.

I have now asked that Jayco lift the fridge off the floor. There is a small cupboard above the fridge, so I'm guessing they will put this under the fridge.

 

[New18.56.2expanda]

Hello,

We have just ordered a jayco 18.56.2 today off the floorplan, we haven't been able to see one.
Can someone please tell me where the TV goes? I was thinking that it went next to the door when you walked in on the left side. But does it go on the kitchen wall? I thought the left side would be good so you can watch it in bed aswell as from dinette. Our salesman was meant to check this for us but forgot to let me know...

 

[JMS Project]

Hi there... Congrats on the purchase.

I take it you mean the 18.58-2 ?

Anyway, the TV is located on the RHS of the fridge at top of panel. However the bracket is a Tri fold swivel bracket and I believe it can be twisted around to view from bed.

Hope this helps...

 

[AzHaych]

Hi @New18.56.2expanda, welcome aboard!
All you need to know about the 18.58 layouts and pics are here

 

[New18.56.2expanda]

Thanks AzHaych your a legend!

 

[New18.56.2expanda]

Hey guys, just got off the phone to our local jayco and she told me that the TV can't go on a swivel, it comes on a stand on the bench top?? I said no the display expanda at the Brisbane show had one on a swivel next to the fridge otherwise it takes up valuable bench space (who wants a TV on their kitchen bench!!??)
Anyway she said she spoke to 2 people who both said no u can't have it on a swivel but we can add one later. I said well I want a swivel and I read that you can't wall mount it later as the wall won't be strong enough. Anyway she's going to get back to me but she said she's not making any promises. How annoying. Can anyone clarify if their TV is on a swivel or not? I like the look of the display one at Brisbane and that's where I want it now!

 

[JMS Project]

Your kidding. That wouldn't surprise me, considering the conversations I've had with them of late.

 

[AzHaych]

Hi guys, @New18.56.2expanda not sure what or where your dealer is getting their info from. But this is the official manufacturing plan from Jayco that I have signed off on that shows the TV is mounted in the position that it was for the Brisbane show. There is actually another point on the "dressing table" as marked by the red arrows.
Just a thought is that my order was done with the "Show Pack" which included the TV and Fusion Pack. Our dealer (Page Bros) has said that when a TV is ordered it comes with the mount.

Az

 

[JMS Project]

Thanks heaps. This is pretty much what I was told also.