Just putting out some feelers.... The family would like a pool and I refuse to borrow $$ for it so we're looking at a compromise of possibly of going into a late model swan with $20k change over ( yes I know the pool is a lot more than that!) from our 17.56-2 ob (purchased 19 nov 2011). I know a lot of people on the forum go from the swan to the expanda so this could be good for both parties (no waiting for selling etc). Are we correct in assuming the set up including awning and bed ends would be about 30 mins? Is pack up about the same? Our intention would be to open and clean when we get home, wash the camper, restock clothes, linen and pantry before putting it back down so all we need to do is chuck some food and refreshments in the waeco in the ute and head off. Please let me know if this is delusional!! Also are good portaloos much different from the thetford in terms of emptying? We use our van about once a month over summer and two weeks over sept holidays (and possibly a week at the end of January). We would hope to use the swan about the same... What other pitfalls should we be aware of with the possible downgrade?? I think our minimum stay would be two nights.
Old & Moved Any interest??? Our 2011 17.56-2 ob for a swan ob (plus $$)
- Thread starter andrea
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Spent 20 years with a Swan and a few with a Flamingo. It's workable Andrea if that's the way you want to go. Understand $$ imperative. Your figuring seems reasonable, too.
Set up and pack up is more involved (we had full annexe not awning) with poles ropes and pegs etc. With an extra pair of hands was simple enough though not 30mins! - 90mins wouldn't be unreasonable.
Park, level, raise roof, beds out as team, them split tasks one person inside putting bed tents up, make up beds, etc., others doing end flys, annexe etc. Not great for just overnighters unless you have a really good team.
Agree, we always have had our vans restocked at end of each trip then ready to roll. No problems with portaloo. Go for a brand name though (spares availability, build quality) and don't go for bigger waste tank than you need - can be heavy to carry and more awkward to empty. Did see someone use modified luggage trolley which would work as well as the wheeled cassette I've got now. Your Waeco will make up for smaller size fridge. If you like to avoid parks, you'll also want battery, led lights and folding solar panel.
Set up and pack up is more involved (we had full annexe not awning) with poles ropes and pegs etc. With an extra pair of hands was simple enough though not 30mins! - 90mins wouldn't be unreasonable.
Park, level, raise roof, beds out as team, them split tasks one person inside putting bed tents up, make up beds, etc., others doing end flys, annexe etc. Not great for just overnighters unless you have a really good team.
Agree, we always have had our vans restocked at end of each trip then ready to roll. No problems with portaloo. Go for a brand name though (spares availability, build quality) and don't go for bigger waste tank than you need - can be heavy to carry and more awkward to empty. Did see someone use modified luggage trolley which would work as well as the wheeled cassette I've got now. Your Waeco will make up for smaller size fridge. If you like to avoid parks, you'll also want battery, led lights and folding solar panel.
Thanks heaps xpandafan. So about 90 mins setup time... Hmmmm that does seem a lot. We can park, drop jacks, level, awning out beds out and made in about 10 mins at the moment. Another 5-10 if we put the waterproof bed ends on. I wish we had friends with one just so we could see the process (might go hunt YouTube). Do you know if the ob version comes with the battery provision like the expanda?
Not trying to put you off. Could be I'm just slow and Jenny also likes to have everything perfect before I settle down in a chair.:mmph: And maybe the three kids weren't as much help as I remembered. However it often took us 10 minutes just to sort out all the annexe and end poles, ropes, pegs, etc. (we also had an AussieMate to consider, which I highly recommend). Top half of door needed to be lowered and fitted to bottom and canvas walls connected to door frame. Once the (non adjustable) hockey sticks in the bed ends were in place the bed canvas needed to be fixed to the bed base. The canvas annexe needs to be slid into sail track, (up a little ladder), then the frame assembled (labelling the poles helps), roof bars tensioned (up ladder again) and wall and ends zipped on and pegged down. Then floor matting rolled out. Needed to unpack stuff stored inside to lift wardrobe and raise dining table and fix seat cushions.
Remember our Swan was older version and had wind down (not drop down) stabilizers...so there's another few minutes. I had a battery box under bench seat. There's a 12v auxiliary input on the transformer. I'm sure recent one's will have provision for, if not actually include, a battery. Hopefully someone with more recent experience will chip in with some help here.
Remember our Swan was older version and had wind down (not drop down) stabilizers...so there's another few minutes. I had a battery box under bench seat. There's a 12v auxiliary input on the transformer. I'm sure recent one's will have provision for, if not actually include, a battery. Hopefully someone with more recent experience will chip in with some help here.
I've never owned a Swan but I would suggest hiring one and trying it, For a relatively small outlay you should be able to convince yourself it is feasable or the family that it is not. :fencing:
Hi Andrea, that's sad to hear the Expanda has to go. Don't compromise. U can have the pool and the panda.Look into refinancing. Rates are low (5.6%) search for that one. Meet those repayments and that $30000 pool will be in by Sept. 
Look at that Landcruiser picture from this year. Ok we'll find leveler ground for u next time!
Matt can up his brewing and get his liquor Licence to on sell. LOL.
Look at that Landcruiser picture from this year. Ok we'll find leveler ground for u next time!
Matt can up his brewing and get his liquor Licence to on sell. LOL.
Lol Deano! As an accountant it's me that's decided no more borrowing (it would wreck our retirement strategy). Sorry I won't budge there so it's either save some more or look at options (which is what we're doing).... Or not get a pool of course... I personally think they're way over rated and amortize at a rate of about $30 a swim! Not to mention eat into my solar generated! But... The longer we wait the less it will get used and so the per swim rate will go up....
Ps hope you had a great Xmas!!
Pps the big boy is getting into cricket at the moment (and its a GPS sport) so chances are we'll lose our summer weekends away in the next couple of years too
Chart rock... Thanks for the idea I hope you had a good Xmas to and didn't get rained out
Ps hope you had a great Xmas!!
Pps the big boy is getting into cricket at the moment (and its a GPS sport) so chances are we'll lose our summer weekends away in the next couple of years too
Chart rock... Thanks for the idea
I hope you had a good Xmas to and didn't get rained out
Hi Andrea, It is a common dilema, but gee if you amortize things like that, how much does each day away in an expanda cost. I don't think any of us really want to know! Even worse when you include our BT50 in the equation although we need a car anyway.
If you have to sell then what about this!
http://www.britz.com.au/CentralLibr..._Britz_ProductCamper_Expanda_1314_English.pdf
I followed one the other day. I had never seen a Britz Expanda van before.
Geoff
If you have to sell then what about this!
http://www.britz.com.au/CentralLibr..._Britz_ProductCamper_Expanda_1314_English.pdf
I followed one the other day. I had never seen a Britz Expanda van before.
Geoff
Andrea, $30 a swim, well get some other friends to share the cost when they come over for a dip. LOL! Hate to know what the Expanda cost......
Better get those panels working in the hot Ipswich sun.
Look at Matt enjoying the serenity in the below pic. Are we getting LCMP off the ground in 2013? Even if there is no long week-end.
Nice van Andrea!
Better get those panels working in the hot Ipswich sun.
Look at Matt enjoying the serenity in the below pic. Are we getting LCMP off the ground in 2013? Even if there is no long week-end.
Nice van Andrea!
We've got the pool & the panda although in our case it is the pool that is going!
The last 3 years the pool has hardly been used, uses power for 6hrs a day and needs cleaning weekly. This summer has been a bit different because it's been hot so usage is up a bit.
We are lucky however, because when the pool became the necessity we opted to install an above ground and sink it.
The pool won't add anything to the value of the home and can actually make it harder to sell.
It's sort of like having to look after that pony that seemed like a really good idea at the timehwell:
Think long and hard about it
Anyway, here's what we did,
The last 3 years the pool has hardly been used, uses power for 6hrs a day and needs cleaning weekly. This summer has been a bit different because it's been hot so usage is up a bit.
We are lucky however, because when the pool became the necessity we opted to install an above ground and sink it.
The pool won't add anything to the value of the home and can actually make it harder to sell.
It's sort of like having to look after that pony that seemed like a really good idea at the time
hwell:Think long and hard about it
Anyway, here's what we did,
Attachments
Geoff, while a good idea we live way to far from any depo to even make it a possibility. Most of our weekends away we haven't made a decision until the Friday morning. The panda isn't too bad.... Providing we aren't always paying $70 a night for a site.... They hold their value well and so we just have to get a way for about 20 nights a year for it to pay it's holding costs.
Andrea, $30 a swim, well get some other friends to share the cost when they come over for a dip. LOL! Hate to know what the Expanda cost......
Better get those panels working in the hot Ipswich sun.
Look at Matt enjoying the serenity in the below pic. Are we getting LCMP off the ground in 2013? Even if there is no long week-end.
Nice van Andrea!
What is it with Fraser Coast people and assuming ipswich is so exceptionally hot!! My dad is always complaining about this too so we checked the long term averages... 1 degree colder on average during winter and 1 degree hoter on average in summer (comparing to Maryborough).
I don't think we will be able to make LCMP without a long weekend. Footy doesn't finish until 11am on the Saturday and Matt starts work at 1am Monday mornings..... If it is before footy starts in March we could be able to go up after school on the Friday.
See my next posts..... we are looking at alternatives.....
We've got the pool & the panda although in our case it is the pool that is going!
The last 3 years the pool has hardly been used, uses power for 6hrs a day and needs cleaning weekly. This summer has been a bit different because it's been hot so usage is up a bit.
We are lucky however, because when the pool became the necessity we opted to install an above ground and sink it.
The pool won't add anything to the value of the home and can actually make it harder to sell.
It's sort of like having to look after that pony that seemed like a really good idea at the time
Think long and hard about it
Anyway, here's what we did,
Interesting you posted this Turtle, I mentioned this option to Matt this morning. Do you know if they can safely go fully in the ground? If we deck the back patio as well we can probably have it no more than 30 cm above the ground level. We have a 5000m2 flat block so don't really want anything sitting above the ground. Anyway those pools are about $5K, excavation is about $1K installation will probably be about $2K so that would leave about $7K for decking which other than the post and bearers we would probably do ourselves...... and the panda would stay.... Ahh the decisions..... lucky we have until Winter to decide.....
Absolutely! They can go all the way down and they even give you the engineering detail to do it when you buy the pool.
All you do is over excavate the hole by 300 mm ( I think) and back fill around it with stabilised sand.
Hi Andrea,
Was just reading about your pool/expanda dilemma. So thought I'd share my thoughts with you!
If you have kids you will never ever regret getting a pool. We have 2 girls aged 9 & 11 and they practically live in the pool. Our youngest is a mermaid, she spends more time under the water than above it. But having said that I think you should find a way to keep the Expanda too.
If you really want to save some dollars, go owner builder. We did and I would do it all again too. We saved so much money doing it ourselves. Did lots ourselves and subbed in for the things we couldnt do. We did have the benefit of a mate in WA who is a pool builder, we flew him over for a week to help get the ball rolling.
Pool companies should be ashamed of their over charging, but they all do it.
Another thing to think about is the size of pool. Now please try not to laugh, but our pool is 3m x 3.5 m. Small I know, but I love it. Easy to clean, kids can still bomb away, and doesn't cost nearly as much to run. When the kids are older and not using it as much, the maintenance will still be low and I know I will be using it for ever. Small pool works for me, I just dip in to cool off then it's back to the sunlounger. How many adults do you know that do bombs or laps in their pool? None? Small pools are becoming more populate, especially as land sizes decrease.
Have a think about it, but I think you can do both, a small pool and keep the Happy days!
Just my 2 cents!
Lara.
Was just reading about your pool/expanda dilemma. So thought I'd share my thoughts with you!
If you have kids you will never ever regret getting a pool. We have 2 girls aged 9 & 11 and they practically live in the pool. Our youngest is a mermaid, she spends more time under the water than above it. But having said that I think you should find a way to keep the Expanda too.
If you really want to save some dollars, go owner builder. We did and I would do it all again too. We saved so much money doing it ourselves. Did lots ourselves and subbed in for the things we couldnt do. We did have the benefit of a mate in WA who is a pool builder, we flew him over for a week to help get the ball rolling.
Pool companies should be ashamed of their over charging, but they all do it.
Another thing to think about is the size of pool. Now please try not to laugh, but our pool is 3m x 3.5 m. Small I know, but I love it. Easy to clean, kids can still bomb away, and doesn't cost nearly as much to run. When the kids are older and not using it as much, the maintenance will still be low and I know I will be using it for ever. Small pool works for me, I just dip in to cool off then it's back to the sunlounger. How many adults do you know that do bombs or laps in their pool? None? Small pools are becoming more populate, especially as land sizes decrease.
Have a think about it, but I think you can do both, a small pool and keep the Happy days!
Just my 2 cents!
Lara.
Hi Andrea, we bought our place 15 year ago with a pool and no regrets but I'd hate to pay for one to be put in. Our girls also 9 & 11 and while we use the pool only get about 4 or maybe 5 months use tops so maybe look into heating. If you do decide on a pool then salt is less maintenance, infact in winter I do nothing but run filter and doesn't go green. I don't have trees around that drop leaves so it really doesn't take alot of time to maintain, I often have a chuckle when people say how much maintenance they are!
Test the water yourself and do not buy what the pool shops want to sell you, I'd be more than happy to advise you on what to do and how so your cost is minimal and will always have sparkling water, advice I took years ago from a water treatment specialist. Anyway pools are a good thing and good luck with what you decide, it would be nice to keep the Expanda though!
Here's an idea, just pack up the Expanda on those hot weekends and use the pool in caravan parks.....2 birds 1 stone!
Cheers.
Test the water yourself and do not buy what the pool shops want to sell you, I'd be more than happy to advise you on what to do and how so your cost is minimal and will always have sparkling water, advice I took years ago from a water treatment specialist. Anyway pools are a good thing and good luck with what you decide, it would be nice to keep the Expanda though!
Here's an idea, just pack up the Expanda on those hot weekends and use the pool in caravan parks.....2 birds 1 stone!
Cheers.
We are going to put a pool in eventually but an above ground to keep costs down and nothing massive but just enough to not feel cramped and be able to cool off.
Burnsy you are spot on, there really is very little maintenance and running costs, especially if salt water. Salt water is also much kinder to the kids eyes.
Hopefully will bump into you and your family someday at a caravan park, our girls would have a ball!
Hopefully will bump into you and your family someday at a caravan park, our girls would have a ball!