Hi to everyone. Thank you so much for the full history of posts, it made the task of selecting the van and all the options/accessories much easier and less nerve wracking! No photos yet, will do so shortly. As a brief background I'm 68 YO and my camping companion is my 77 YO father-in-law. My wife and kids no longer come away with me so it's just the two of us and an ocassional family friend (to sleep in the annexe). Our preference is to free-camp but sometimes will also go to a caravan park. The Expanda will make it easy for a 68YO and 77YO to set up. Our last two trips were in pouring rain for one and 40 degree heat for the other - not much fun to set up and pack up a campervan in those conditions!
My tug is a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the diesel motor and a new 12 pin plug to replace the 7 pin fitted when I bought the Jeep. I'm told that this van will be one of the last 14.44 Expandas since Jayco has ceased to make them. I bought it from Bayswater Jayco (a good experience, but not the first van I've bought from them). This is my 4th van, the first three being campervans, I traded my Jayco Swan Outback, bought from Bayswater Jayco in 1995! Prior to that one I had a Jayco Dove and prior to that a Windsor camparvan, so I started caravanning in 1982.
The new van was a display model so I had to be prepared to give up the idea of an Outback model and settle for a Touring model but most of our free camping has been where you'd be prepared to take a normal sedan - not 'bush-bashing - so I decided to get the van as presented on display with just a few additional options added prior to pick-up. I hope I won't miss the independant suspension, that ground clearance won't be a problem and that leaf springs will be fine. It certainly towed well and easily when I brought it home.
I have the following upgrades and options fitted:
Drop down Jacks
Roof mounted windup TV antenna
19'' TV/DVD & Pivotal Bracket
External Picnic Table
150 Watt Solar System and in-van battery
Fusion Stereo System External Gas Bayonet
2 X 9kg Gas Bottles
2 X 86 litres water tanks
ESC (a good insurance discount to have it fitted and a bit of peace-of-mind for not having independant suspension)
Bed converter (with fabric) for the dinette
Water Guage and Vault Meter
I also purchased 2 X 5 metre sullage hoses, an AMP Fibian Plus adaptor, 2 X towing mirrors (not needed when towing the Swan),Rafter for the Awning, an ARK Extreme Offroad (XO) Jockey Wheel (ORJW750D), an Alpine Annexe, a 3 Stage level ramp and a Pop Top 14 - 16 Cover.
The Hand-over was extremely comprehensive (2.5 hours) and my mind is still reeling with all the information but I'm sure it won't take long for the datails to be absorbed and become 'second-nature' with how we use the van.
That's a big enough post this time and will post again with photos and feed back on first/shakedown trip. I plan to use a caravan park first, and make it near a Jayco dealer, to have one nearby if I have any big warrantee problems or breakages. The easy option is down to the Bellarine Peninsula (Ocean Grove or Queenscliff) which (for interstate members) is close to Geelong and thus Geelong Jayco.
Cheers and happy vanning, Gags.
My tug is a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the diesel motor and a new 12 pin plug to replace the 7 pin fitted when I bought the Jeep. I'm told that this van will be one of the last 14.44 Expandas since Jayco has ceased to make them. I bought it from Bayswater Jayco (a good experience, but not the first van I've bought from them). This is my 4th van, the first three being campervans, I traded my Jayco Swan Outback, bought from Bayswater Jayco in 1995! Prior to that one I had a Jayco Dove and prior to that a Windsor camparvan, so I started caravanning in 1982.
The new van was a display model so I had to be prepared to give up the idea of an Outback model and settle for a Touring model but most of our free camping has been where you'd be prepared to take a normal sedan - not 'bush-bashing - so I decided to get the van as presented on display with just a few additional options added prior to pick-up. I hope I won't miss the independant suspension, that ground clearance won't be a problem and that leaf springs will be fine. It certainly towed well and easily when I brought it home.
I have the following upgrades and options fitted:
Drop down Jacks
Roof mounted windup TV antenna
19'' TV/DVD & Pivotal Bracket
External Picnic Table
150 Watt Solar System and in-van battery
Fusion Stereo System External Gas Bayonet
2 X 9kg Gas Bottles
2 X 86 litres water tanks
ESC (a good insurance discount to have it fitted and a bit of peace-of-mind for not having independant suspension)
Bed converter (with fabric) for the dinette
Water Guage and Vault Meter
I also purchased 2 X 5 metre sullage hoses, an AMP Fibian Plus adaptor, 2 X towing mirrors (not needed when towing the Swan),Rafter for the Awning, an ARK Extreme Offroad (XO) Jockey Wheel (ORJW750D), an Alpine Annexe, a 3 Stage level ramp and a Pop Top 14 - 16 Cover.
The Hand-over was extremely comprehensive (2.5 hours) and my mind is still reeling with all the information but I'm sure it won't take long for the datails to be absorbed and become 'second-nature' with how we use the van.
That's a big enough post this time and will post again with photos and feed back on first/shakedown trip. I plan to use a caravan park first, and make it near a Jayco dealer, to have one nearby if I have any big warrantee problems or breakages. The easy option is down to the Bellarine Peninsula (Ocean Grove or Queenscliff) which (for interstate members) is close to Geelong and thus Geelong Jayco.
Cheers and happy vanning, Gags.