16' Series To Outback or Touring?

[mime_perth]

Hi All

Firstly great forum..wish I'd found it 4 months ago!

We are looking for and have been looking for a few months for a expanda, due to budget restraints we are looking for a used model around the 2005-2008 range, we would really like a toilet/shower and are more than happy with the smaller combo bathroom.

But I suppose my real question is do we get an outback knowing (well 99% thinking) the closest this van will ever get to anything like outback is the gravel driveway into a country caravan park/bush camp. Seems they are a bit easier to find with the ensuite in the outback models but are also more pricey - what has your experiences been with resale and demand for the outback vs touring versions?

I'll be towing with the latest model Holden Colorado (company car before everyone tells me it's rubbish - we all know company cars pull harder and go better in reverse than any other car known to man...and fuel consumption when towing doesn't bother me in the slightest!) so will the extra weight and height beall that noticeable from a safety point of view?

Thank you to anyone able to offer some advice - can't wait to join you all out there

Cheers
Mike

 

[bigcol]

company cars are also the quickest off the lights.........................

small problem with towing a touring model with a 4WD....... the bum of the van will drag on the ground

now

if you wanted to go to the extreme and flip the axle,
that would give your van more height - also depends on just how handy you are with a spanner

the Outback models do keep their value, because they are more versatile than the touring

but budgets and parking restraints need to be taken into consideration as well......

 

[Crusty181]

Welcome @mime_perth, is this your first venture into the world of caravaning?

I had a 2009 Expanda and loved it.

In the earlier Outbacks, I think the only real difference was higher leaf sprung suspension, and some pressed check plated veneer around the bottom of the van. Price wise I would suspect its more a case that the Outbacks have kept their value, so the tourers would be more bargains; but with a tourer you'd be subject to the same resale issues. As @bigcol mentioned flipping, and under slinging the axel on a tourer will basically give you everything that an Outback has (minus the check plated veneer). Relatively easy task which for random periods the factory or the dealers would do on request for new van orders.

2008 is the first year of the completely redesigned models with fibreglass walls and hard lids on the bed ends. They would hold their value better, in fact the lids on those are better than the newer lid incarnations

 

[Drover]

Welcome to the mob firstly and stated above the Out back will give a better tow profile on the road as you won't be dragging it's bum getting out of garages but the rolling of the axle as said by Big Col is relatively easier if your handy with a spanner.........I would add that I would most certainly go for a hard lid model, where the lid covering the bed ends becomes the roof over the bed not the soft top version.....

You will certainly not go wrong having a Colorado towing your van.....

 

[bigcol]

You will certainly not go wrong having a Colorado towing your van.....

biased much......................?

 

[NoWorries]

Welcome and as said above
Touring will save you money but at least flip the axles
Outback will hold its value and has a stronger chassis but if you are seriously not going to go over hard corrugations or big bumps you may want to save the money.

 

[Drover]

Either way the screws in the cupboards will still fall out.

 

[Crusty181]

Either way the screws in the cupboards will still fall out.

Funny thing is Ive had thousands of screws suddenly appear on the floor, yet nothing has ever come apart. I think they just put random screws inside the cupboards and hidy holes so they fall occasionally appear to fall out so team jumping "former" Jayco owners have something to bag poor old Jaycos about, and feel better about their new Coromals

 

[mime_perth]

Welcome @mime_perth, is this your first venture into the world of caravaning?

Thanks All

No Crusty this isnt our first venture into the world of caravaning - my wife and I spent a year doing a lap of Aus in a motorhome I built myself ( http://honeymoonin.weebly.com/ for those that want to look) and once we sold the motorhome (designed for 2) we got ourselves a Jayco Dove to test the waters with 2 young girls (3 & 5) but have recently sold that to help fund the expanda - the setup and pack up was just too time consuming with the Dove and 2 little kids running around especially just for a 2 night weekend which we did alot of - having setup a hire expanda with most of our stuff crammed in I was pretty instantly sold on the idea!

Im on the hunt for a 2008 hard lid with toilet and shower - we sat down last night and wrote our must have list AGAIN and its decided - Toilet/Shower, L Shaped couch in dining area, Oven (my wife and I love to bake) and a well cared for exteror - I am a pretty fussy bloke and I like to look after my rig but man have we seen some vans that look like theyve been left outside in the simpson desert for 20 years then polished with beach sand and water! I understand Im not buying a new van and it wont be like it rolled off the factory floor but a nice clean example is a must.

Cheers for the advice so far all

 

[1DayIll]

i just love the way you guys keep saying turning the axle over is easy!! Of course if you know how, anything is easy!

 

[mfexpanda]

i just love the way you guys keep saying turning the axle over is easy!! Of course if you know how, anything is easy!

When we bought our 2011 OB expanda new we had the dealer do the axle over on our outback $250

 

[Drover]

Funny thing is Ive had thousands of screws suddenly appear on the floor, yet nothing has ever come apart. I think they just put random screws inside the cupboards and hidy holes so they fall occasionally appear to fall out so team jumping "former" Jayco owners have something to bag poor old Jaycos about, and feel better about their new Coromals

Well the bloke who built my Coromal either did his apprenticeship at Jayco or taught them how to pop screws, Big Mal at 6 yrs old still spits them.....lol.

i just love the way you guys keep saying turning the axle over is easy!! Of course if you know how, anything is easy!

Only easy the second time, not the first time........lol......stop by and I'll show you, well I have the tools and will sit back and instruct...send wives and kids to beach so they won't hear you swearing...lol.

 

[Vere]

I have a 16' Expanda and it is the touring model and I tow with a 4wd (Jeep GC)
I am unsure why everyone thinks you need to flip anything. I use an adjustable hitch and have the van sitting completely level. I picked the tourer as I did not see any point in towing a crap load of weight which I did not need. Also my wife is short and did not want to get a 5 step ladder out every time she want to get in van. My view is I am not going to drive through creek beds so why have a van which can. I would take my van along any surface where I would take a car so no problems with dirt roads etc. Maybe OB will hold value better but have to spend more to start with.

 

[Drover]

My old 14 was a tourer before I modded it, getting out of garages like the Shell at Moree it would drag its bum, roll the axle gave it an extra ,80mm and just made it much more manageable.
......

 

[Crusty181]

I have a 16' Expanda and it is the touring model and I tow with a 4wd (Jeep GC)
I am unsure why everyone thinks you need to flip anything. I use an adjustable hitch and have the van sitting completely level. I picked the tourer as I did not see any point in towing a crap load of weight which I did not need. Also my wife is short and did not want to get a 5 step ladder out every time she want to get in van. My view is I am not going to drive through creek beds so why have a van which can. I would take my van along any surface where I would take a car so no problems with dirt roads etc. Maybe OB will hold value better but have to spend more to start with.

I think it was more about the limited difference btw Tourer v OB, ie an underslung axle on a Tourer and you basically have the OB anyway.

I hear you with the ladder. The first step on the J-Tech OBs is a doosie, Im 6ft and old poppy knees here needs a nanna step

 

[Crusty181]

Thanks All

No Crusty this isnt our first venture into the world of caravaning - my wife and I spent a year doing a lap of Aus in a motorhome I built myself ( http://honeymoonin.weebly.com/ for those that want to look) and once we sold the motorhome (designed for 2) we got ourselves a Jayco Dove to test the waters with 2 young girls (3 & 5) but have recently sold that to help fund the expanda - the setup and pack up was just too time consuming with the Dove and 2 little kids running around especially just for a 2 night weekend which we did alot of - having setup a hire expanda with most of our stuff crammed in I was pretty instantly sold on the idea!

Im on the hunt for a 2008 hard lid with toilet and shower - we sat down last night and wrote our must have list AGAIN and its decided - Toilet/Shower, L Shaped couch in dining area, Oven (my wife and I love to bake) and a well cared for exteror - I am a pretty fussy bloke and I like to look after my rig but man have we seen some vans that look like theyve been left outside in the simpson desert for 20 years then polished with beach sand and water! I understand Im not buying a new van and it wont be like it rolled off the factory floor but a nice clean example is a must.

Cheers for the advice so far all

You guys are certainly old hands at this traveling caper. I start picking your blog apart, thanks for the link. Quick look; nice van

 

[Brougham]

Yeah I compared my 2011 OB vs my brothers new Starcraft OB and I reckon there’s at least 100mm of difference on the j-tech height. Nice for trekking, bad for getting in and out all the time.

 

[bigcol]

My old 14 was a tourer before I modded it, getting out if garages like the shell at Moree it would drag its bum, roll the axle gave it an extra ,80mm and just made it much more manageable.
......

for this reason

and also if you need to reverse it up a curb on a slopping driveway

your right @Vere you dont need it if your never venturing off the beaten track

 

[Drover]

If you like to DIY stuff on your van it also makes it easier to get under the thing.

 

[Ssil2000]

all the obvious benefits/drawbacks of an outback aside, the one thing i love about the outback is if you need to do any work under the van its so easy! so much room to move and work!