Alistair & Sandra's First Ever Van - 17.56-2 OB (2013)

Flossymk1

Flossymk1

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Only two days to go until we pick up our first ever caravan! We've been talking about this for so many years - I can't believe it's actually happening :D

We tossed up whether to get a new 2014 model but ended up taking the 2013 floor stock 17.56-2 OB with shower & toilet, which is basically brand new anyway, as it was such a good price! Jayco Townsville have been great to deal with, so we are pretty happy :)

The van doesn't have too many extras added to it, but once we get it home & figure everything out we will work out what other bits & pieces we need etc.

So far the van has:-
* Privacy screens
* Battery
* External gas bayonet & TV point
* Provision for solar panels
* Innerspring mattresses (standard now I think)
* Roof mounted Truma air con
* 150L fridge
* LED lights
* Winegard TV Antenna

I've probably missed a few things - it's so much to take in when they are explaining it all at the yard lol

We've wired the car with a 12 pin plug so that the battery can charge while we are driving, and I believe the fridge will also run too? We will be towing with a Nissan Navara D40 Diesel.

I've really enjoyed looking at all the mods people have posted on this forum - I already have some storage ones in mind I will be getting hubby to do asap lol

We've been tent campers for years (more like glampers actually lol), and with 2 kids in tow and all the "glamping essentials" loaded into the trailer our average set up time was around around 2 1/2 hours... So I am really looking forward to the ease of a caravan!!

We are booked to stay at the Big4 Rollingstone on the June long weekend, but I think I will be itching to try and get away even for just for 1 night before that to test out the van!

Anyway will post some pics once we get the van home this weekend!

Cheers
Sandra
 
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Ren77

Ren77

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Congrats Sandra! How exciting! We are from Ayr and are picking our new van up on Monday lol! Also dealing with Jayco in Townsville and also booked into Rollingstone for the June long weekend! What a small world :)
 
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Flossymk1

Flossymk1

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Lol Ren77 yes it's a very small world!

S&k it was around 6k cheaper to go with the 2013 model, and although the new 2014 one has the fancy suspension and solar panels etc there wasn't that much difference - and we don't plan on going anywhere too rough so the suspension wasn't a big thing for us. I was also undecided as to whether I liked the new windows with the 'white' flyscreens - I cant imagine that they would stay white for very long, and they seemed quite fiddly when I was opening and closing them etc. The blinds would be a good option for those lucky folk out there that get to 'sleep in' whilst camping, but as we have a 9 and 8 year old (8 year old rises pre-dawn most days), it would be wasted on us!

Ren77 what van are you picking up on Monday? And how do you find towing with a Navara?
 
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Ren77

Ren77

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Flossymk1 said:
Lol Ren77 yes it's a very small world!

S&k it was around 6k cheaper to go with the 2013 model, and although the new 2014 one has the fancy suspension and solar panels etc there wasn't that much difference - and we don't plan on going anywhere too rough so the suspension wasn't a big thing for us. I was also undecided as to whether I liked the new windows with the 'white' flyscreens - I cant imagine that they would stay white for very long, and they seemed quite fiddly when I was opening and closing them etc. The blinds would be a good option for those lucky folk out there that get to 'sleep in' whilst camping, but as we have a 9 and 8 year old (8 year old rises pre-dawn most days), it would be wasted on us!

Ren77 what van are you picking up on Monday? And how do you find towing with a Navara?
Click to expand...
We are picking up a 20.63.1
Would have it by now but hubby works away so only gets home tonight and then we head off to Airlie tomorrow with friends (obviously staying in a villa now as timing wasn't great)
Hubby has only ever towed the boat with the Navara but it is all set up with the brake controller etc so hopefully it goes ok. Others on here speak quite highly of the Navara as a tow vehicle. We have our thread called Williams Family in the My Jayco section. Hopefully will be adding pics to it on Monday. Who have you been dealing with at Jayco? Steve has been looking after us.
 
Flossymk1

Flossymk1

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Nice one! Does it have the slide out lounge? I really liked that van, but it was a little more than we wanted to pay for our first van.. *sigh*

Yeah Steve has been looking after us too - he's really nice!
 
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Ren77

Ren77

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Flossymk1 said:
Nice one! Does it have the slide out lounge? I really liked that van, but it was a little more than we wanted to pay for our first van.. *sigh*

Yeah Steve has been looking after us too - he's really nice!
Click to expand...
Yeah with the slide out. Very similar to the one they have in stock there atm but a 2014 model. Do you have boys or girls? We have 2 girls, 11 and7.
 
Flossymk1

Flossymk1

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We have 1 of each - girl is 9, boy is 8 (well 8 in July) :)

Miss 9 has claimed the top bunk and we plan to keep the bottom bunk set up as the table & chairs so the kids have their own 'space' in the van, so Mstr 8 will sleep in the other expanda bed.
 
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Flossymk1

Flossymk1

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Just had a quick look at your thread Ren77 - lol @ all your caravan purchases! I've started buying a few things too! But I haven't had as long to wait as we purchased floor stock so my 'pile' is only small :)

Got any tips on good places to buy stuff? I don't even know what I need lol
 
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Ren77

Ren77

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We don't have a lot of options up here in regards to caravan stuff so we have sourced a lot online. Interior wise, Pillowtalk, Trade Secret and Kmart did well lol.
What fabric do you have in yours?
 
Flossymk1

Flossymk1

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I think the colours on the chairs/couches are called Wavernet Sable / Cadel Sable. I cant remember the name of the curtain colour, but it's a nice sort of greeny colour? (that makes it sound gross lol)

Anyway I liked the darker brown colour on the bottom cushion of the sitting areas as we have kids! The seat back is the lighter wavernet sable :)
 
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