Zone Vans

Kenshi123

Well-Known Member
Jun 24, 2012
745
990
93
Ballarat
Wow...just wow. I wonder if it will take off? I am all for customizing layouts to suit needs etc but I don't think I could order a 'flat pack' caravan.
 

meandher (a frost)

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2013
153
391
63
66
The Vines, WA
Hey, I love this idea and the pricing looks brilliant.If the quality is good and you get their network of people to build it, then I see nothing but positives, as all of a sudden you have two interested parties that will put in what YOU actually want and not supply a cookie cutter principle of what Jayco want to give you by way of product or Quality. My only issue would be that warranties could be a possible problem with supplier and builder each blaming the other when things don't go to plan and that will always happen when disputes come about. That is about the only real downside I can see that would wreck a business venture like this and make it stall.

I know that we got pretty fed up initially with the melodramatic sucking in of breath when each good idea that came off this website, that others had had done by Jayco originally at the factory on their previous builds, was cast aside and the endless " well I'll try,but don't think the factory will like it" statements were negatively uttered ad nauseam. Only to find that you get the equivalent of the old Henry Ford statement of " only comes in black guv'nor" at each turn and you wonder if they had even checked with the factory at all but just waited a prerequisite amount of time to make it look like they had. Cynical I know, but my purchasing experience was somewhat sullied as I felt like the almost $60K we were paying was not giving us any real clout, but I guess the real problem was that we had already signed up at the Caravan and Camping Show and what potential clout we had suddenly disappeared when my scrawl went on the dotted line and the salesman had mentally moved onto his next potential victim.
I am sure that if the modifications and fitments we wanted ( that were not outlandish requests and had all been done by the factory before by members on this forum) were all part of a well thought out sales negotiation strategy, that I would have gotten what I wanted. There is nothing like waving a metaphorical wad of cash under a hungry and motivated commission salesman's nose to all of a sudden find that you are the next best thing to Mrs. God and that the pink fur lined toilet seat and matching lime green patent leather crocheted curtains not only were a really good idea, but all of a sudden can be found and installed without the merest hint of sarcasm or negativity.
Being honest, our elevation from second hand Swan Outback to purchasing what we have brand new, should have been better thought out, but the excitement of the moment brings out the 10 year old in you and you just want to get it done and the equivalent of "marry in haste and repent at leisure" statement comes true. I will be a lot wiser in future and will show a bit more restraint and patience to " play the game" if and when an upgrade ever occurs at some point in my future caravan purchasing experiences and will be well ready to ensure that I play it totally differently next time so that I don't walk away from the fitout meeting feeling like I was suckered.
I know that I am a much smarter punter when buying vehicles these days, preferring to wander in at 10 minutes before the yard shuts on a Saturday dressed in my best falling down shorts, scabby tee shirt and double pluggers as part of a time honoured buying strategy borne of similar disappointments in the past. It worked a treat when I bought the Mazda as it made my mind up for me on the spot when wanting to compare with the Ranger (what can I say? I am a Ford tragic) before handing over my hard-earned. The spotty,seemingly 20 something, smart arsed ginger haired salesman that had ignored me in the yard not five minutes before ,looked me up and down in the showroom from what he thought was possibly a safe distance not to be able to lip read from and told the receptionist that I would have to come back Monday because he was going home soon and that I should just take the brochure that had " last one" scrawled across it (in handwriting taught at remedial school for retards it would appear)and not to bother him as I obviously was a time waster. To which I loudly announced that he should keep his brochure as I was now wandering across the road to the Mazda dealer to place an order for a BT50, which I did, and he would have to look elsewhere for his bag of lollies that would not assist his skin condition which he could have bought this month with the commission he would have received for my not so "valued" order.
I digress as the memories flood back and the blood pressure rises once more. Where was I.... Oh yes - Jayco. The statement I received, which seemed perhaps unbelievable at the time but now know to be true, was that Jayco tend largely not to supply actual time served tradesmen to do their assembly and fit-outs. How else can you explain the myriad of issues that roll off the assembly line, slip through the Quality control net at both factory and dealership that sees you dragging your van for warranty in pouring rain, in heavy morning traffic to a warranty agent that has questionable vehicular access in the wrong part of town to where you actually work and have to wait two months for the appointment in the first place?
Yes, will be much smarter next time and my past negative experiences is why I like the concept of these Zone caravan thingies so much. If it can be made to work, and it will only take a committed person with some business acumen combined with trades nous and a passion for what he does well now, for perhaps a company that doesn't listen , to be very successful and make this unconventional concept work.
If I was in the market currently and could be convinced that salesman and tradesman combined could produce a decent ( not asking for perfect) solution to my needs for a house on wheels and bring it home on time and on budget as well as make it a pleasant and let's not forget profitable mutual experience for all parties , I would give this method of caravan purchase a damn good serious look.
I wish them all the best in their endeavours as there is truly a place in the market for these guys and can only be good for the buying public. I do however, see this as something that the conservative element in the caravan fraternity may dismiss because it is such a different way of doing things, and that is perhaps why this venture may fail to reach the potential it so richly deserves. Good on them for seeing the gap in the marketplace as it shows good old Aussie vision and ingenuity that if you could extrapolate across entrepreneurial types countrywide could see this nation's home grown manufacturing decline reversed in a few short years. That,however, is Utopia............
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Swerve

The Wadamses

Active Member
Jan 13, 2014
102
86
28
Tassie (near Launceston)
Anyone interested in designing and building the inside of their own van?
They even deliver as a flat pack!

http://zonerv.com.au/
Hi Hamish
Searched for a thread about these but missed yours, so began a new one just the other day. Only found yours once the 'similar threads' tool threw it up. So don't know if you've done any more research on them, but Zone are now doing complete fit-outs as well as the flat packs.
Love your thoughts if you're interested; thread is http://www.expandasdownunder.com/th...grade-tech-to-the-van-world.7624/#post-126793
Cheers :)
 

hamish22

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2013
742
641
93
West of Newcastle
www.grmotorsport.com.au
Hi Hamish
Searched for a thread about these but missed yours, so began a new one just the other day. Only found yours once the 'similar threads' tool threw it up. So don't know if you've done any more research on them, but Zone are now doing complete fit-outs as well as the flat packs.
Love your thoughts if you're interested; thread is http://www.expandasdownunder.com/th...grade-tech-to-the-van-world.7624/#post-126793
Cheers :)
Hi @The Wadamses
Couldn't get your link to work but when i originally looked at these as a design your own, by the time I did a quick calculation it was rather expensive after flat pack purchase and fitout!!
I havent looked into them any further as my mind is bending with my car project!

cheers
 
  • Like
Reactions: The Wadamses

The Wadamses

Active Member
Jan 13, 2014
102
86
28
Tassie (near Launceston)
Hi @The Wadamses
Couldn't get your link to work but when i originally looked at these as a design your own, by the time I did a quick calculation it was rather expensive after flat pack purchase and fitout!!
I havent looked into them any further as my mind is bending with my car project!

cheers
Not sure what happened with link.. Random! But appears in 'like threads' below if you want to check it out for interest's sake - they've got a funky walk-through app that you can use to check out in and outside the van.
All the best with your car project.. Sounds like a big one!