We Love Our Panda!

[Micky]

Morning all,

Yes another one of those long time lurkers first time posters!! Have enjoyed reading the all the posts and picking up some great info and ideas here and there!

Finally picked up our new 14.44.2 in late March this year after first ordering in Oct 10......it regrettably then sat on its purpose built slab whilst my partner (Wendy) and I had a few weeks away to firstly get married and then enjoy a very pleasant cruise from Sydney to Hawaii, with a week in Hawaii before having to fly back to reality!!

We have managed to sneak in a couple of quick weekend shakedown trips away since our return (Dolphin Point just south of Ulladulla) - will be heading down to Narooma for an extended long weekend shortly, and will then head north for a couple of weeks in September for our first decent trip in 'Panda'!

So far very pleased with Panda, couple of minor issues on pick that were quickly addressed at the time. Have not made any major modifications with the exception of making a privacy/weather screen for the bed end from Waterproof shade cloth that we located online. At this stage have not been able to actually test it with real rain...but am sure it will work fine….we hope!

Have attached a couple of photos of the van along with one of the towing Terry! For those curious re the little buggy in a couple of the shots…….no we don’t have any small people (tad old for those) it’s for Wendys aging Samoyed (Casper) who at nearly 14 finds walking any great distance a bit of a struggle, so rather than leave him behind, we let him walk as far as he wants then when tired pop him into the buggy and he gets chauffer pushed!!

Cheers Mick and Wendy

 

[cruza driver]

G'day mate and welcome,

My parents had a Samoyed which lived to around the same age as yours till earlier this year. We never knew her actual age as she was from the pound, they are a great dog!

The Expanda looks good mate be sure to post up some pics of your travels

 

[mfexpanda]

Welcome* Van looks great :happy:

 

[Micky]

Thanks Cruza

Yes he is a brilliant dog, with a fantastic temperament. Here's a shot of him in his 'limo' last year after a recent shave! Cheers

 

[boots33]

hey there and welcome to the forum. We just picked up our 14.44-4 last weekend and also use a terry awd as our primary tow vehicle. How have you found the territory for towing and did you have to fit a Weight Distribution hitch to get it all level? Great Pics look forward to seeing some more. (I think there might be some bias towards expandas on this forum )

 

[Micky]

Morning Boots, Territory tows really well - once we get out on the highway (although admittedly at this stage only for a couple of short - bit over an hour long trips) you'd barely know the van was there. Yes I did go with a WDH (HR 550lb setup). When we first hooked up the van at pick up the dealer thought that we'd get away without one, but I had it there so we fitted it on the day anyway and will continue to use it, just seems to level everything out really well. Not sure on the Terry's fuel consumption when towing yet, given our trips to date have not been that long. Am looking foward to heading north in Sep and should then get a reasonable idea of just how much she'll drink. :madgrin:

 

[Bushman]

G'day Micky welcome to the forum, great to see more members comming onboard, this place is starting to grow now.

How did you manage a photo of your van on the delivery truck.

 

[boots33]

Morning Boots, Territory tows really well - once we get out on the highway (although admittedly at this stage only for a couple of short - bit over an hour long trips) you'd barely know the van was there. Yes I did go with a WDH (HR 550lb setup). When we first hooked up the van at pick up the dealer thought that we'd get away without one, but I had it there so we fitted it on the day anyway and will continue to use it, just seems to level everything out really well. Not sure on the Terry's fuel consumption when towing yet, given our trips to date have not been that long. Am looking foward to heading north in Sep and should then get a reasonable idea of just how much she'll drink. :madgrin:

Hi Micky

Sounds like you got the same advice we did from the dealer on needing a WDH but I am also going to fit one to bring the back of the terri back to level. It isn't down by much but once we get a bit more weight in the van i think we will need one. As for fuel consumption I think i might be better off not knowing

 

[Moto Moto]

Welcome Micky,

I see your are also from the south coast, lucky you, so many great destinations at your doorstep.

Great looking van, we also have a 14 series and love it!

How about some photos of your weather proof privacy screen, sounds perfect.

 

[chartrock]

G'day Micky and welcome aboard. :rockon: Good to see another 14 footer join the forum. I too would like to see your privacy screen as well as pix of your travels.

 

[crystal674]

Welcome!

Congrats on your marriage.

Crystalyn

 

[Micky]

Bushman, We drive past our local Jayco dealer every day on the way to work, and had seen the delivery truck parked at the side of the yard on numerous occasions early in the mornings - waiting for the dealer to open. So once we had been advised on what date our van was arriving we drove past that morning a bit slower and luckily enough the truck was there (after the overnight run from Melbourne) with our Panda onboard, quick u-turn and we snapped off a couple of photos, not sure what the poor truck driver was thinking as we assume he was still in the cab having a snooze!!

Will post up some shots of the privacy screens soon (you can see it in one of the already posted pics) - it is modelled on the standard Jayco screen (attached with press studs and double sided velcro) but made from tight knit weaved waterproof shadecloth, so weather proof and also non see through. :high5:

Cyrstalyn - many thanks for your congrats!!!

 

[cruza driver]

That was good spotting getting a pic on the truck Micky. I drive down near the Jayco Factory in Dandenong and always see the trucks leaving with vans on them. Lets say there has benn a lot of Expanda's leaving there lately.

The Samoyed's sure look different after a hair cut, there isnt much of them under all that hair!

 

[expanda]

Welcome van, dog and dog limo look like fantastic!!!!!

How in the world did you get a pic of the van on the truck???

You must visit Jayco as regularly as I do

 

[stuartcarr2002]

Hey micky,

Where you guys driving at the start of the F3 freeway heading north on the weekend just been.

We saw an Expanda with Panda stickers on it. At first I thought, what model is that, and then I remembered the forum

 

[Micky]

Stu, No wasn't us, not yet anyway! We will be heading north (via the F3) in a couple of weeks time though, with a few nights each at Laurieton, Nambucca Heads, Tuncurry and then home again. Nice 2 week jaunt!! Cheers

 

[stuartcarr2002]

Stu, No wasn't us, not yet anyway! We will be heading north (via the F3) in a couple of weeks time though, with a few nights each at Laurieton, Nambucca Heads, Tuncurry and then home again. Nice 2 week jaunt!! Cheers

Hehe, someone is copying your name hehe