16' Series Expanda! OUTBACK? – To tow or not to tow?

[Jack Lucy & Josh]

Hi,
I have recently asked another question in this thread and I have received a ton full of very good advice!
You have saved me from spending thousands of dollars for a setup that would probably not have last for very long (and not made my family to enjoy the big lap).

I am currently trying to figure out what is best for us (2A+3K), suits as most … but to be honest, I am stuck!!
Maybe you can help us as we are in Austria and not that familiar with road conditions besides what we have seen during 3 months when we toured from Perth up to Exmouth.

What are our options?

• fully equipped 4WD with rooftop-tents, gas-burner, fridge, … + expanda STANDARD
(towing the expanda all around Australia, but leaving it behind for the really hard, corrugated 4WD sections. Our car will be our home base while being outback)

• basic 4WD + expanda OUTBACK
(towing the expanda all around Australia, taking it with us wherever we go and live in it. Corrugations won't stop us!)

• fully equipped 4WD with rooftop-tents, gas-burner, fridge, … + expanda OUTBACK
(best possible setup? Or unnecessary double of everything?)

Challenge: We only have a budget of around 50K for BOTH parts of our setup ;-)
Which setup make sense?
What would you decide on?

Looking so much forward to your thoughts!
Cheers,
Uli

 

[Bluey]

If you can a 4x4 and outback expanda but you need to carry enough water and food if staying outback for a while unless you drive somewhere to get supplys
Take your van with you where eva you go if possible so your home is allways with you camper trailors can be a hassle but maybe good for you too

 

[Drover]

Thats not a lot of $$$$$$$$ for a whole rig but a doable amount with wise shopping...........I would suggest a Ute with a set up like this but with a rack on the roof and awning, this is mine in the beginning and has now a rack on top, solar panel, battery added under tray, you can access all your gear without unpacking or struggling with stuff, gear is packed into large plastic crates, no shelves added as its more versatile.........details of things Ive done to it ..http://expandasdownunder.com/threads/drovers-new-horse-rg-colorado.7294/page-2

Van wise an Expanda would be the way to go an Outback would be preferred mainly for the extra height they afford not so much because your going to need it for creek crossings and jump ups etc but for a lot of driveways so you don't drag the bum off it, folks like @Crusty181 can more ably advise the model type as they travel with a tribe.

A camper trailer either soft floor or hard floor while less expensive can be a hassle to pack and unpack all the time especially when the weather is adverse, they are great for short runs but with kids and a long tour it could get a bit much, we did it with a tribe many many moons ago with tents and I wished for a van.....

You really don't want to double up on gear, a fridge in the vehicle is about normal, if you leave the van and run with swags for a day or 2 then a small disposable gas burner is more than enough with a pan and billy, canned tucker and just basic table and chair set up, coffee machine is not really needed, you have to remember weight is a killer and will break things including your wallet, one of everything and even then better if it has 2 uses is a good start line, all in all you will need time to get it altogether and check things out and don't buy anything sight unseen, vehicles need to be checked by an Auto Club like RACQ or a trusted mechanic if your not a spanner type person, there's far too many rip off artists around.
We can certainly spend your money for you but hopefully we can help you not to throw it away........

 

[Duncanblake36]

If you have kids then I would go caravan. We have 3 young kids (2,5,8) and went straight from tent to van when #3 came along. They are simple and easy to setup. The big thing when travelling is setup and packup time. We have a 17.56.2 Outback. It has shower and toilet. I wasn't sold on the toilet but geeze would never go back. Especially when the kids need to go first thing in the morning and when bush camping.

The expanda is great as its semi light and compacts well. Each to their own though. We love ours. It has everything we need to travel with.

 

[Jack Lucy & Josh]

Thanks a lot for your thoughts! I will quickly add mine.

We have done camping with a tent for some time in WA. Cool for a couple of days or even weeks, but setting up and tearing down everyday is not our first choice.
It also takes quite some time to be perfectly set up, and hey – when kids are hungry, they are hungry NOW!!
So we need something that is done within a few minutes. > popup roof caravan with bunkbed as we have 3 kids (9/6/4) (@Duncanblake36, we are 1 year ahead ;-) )
Our visas to Australia give us 12 months time. But we don't want to waste precious time in the beginning with buying a car and than slowly transform and adapt it to our dreams and wishes. (solar, fridge, … everything second hand) We prefer a setup that is already waiting for us so that we can hit roads within a few days.
The 17.56.2 is a great setup, but it would also mean that it needs a powerful towing car. A Hillux won't do it I guess as the towing capacity is quite low. It might be just enough for a 16.49.2 without any additional gear in/on the car.

On our bucket list are the Gibb as well as Cape York (OTT). Will there be any difference in the experience if I tow a STANDARD or an OUTBACK model?

 

[Bluey]

For clearance you need an outback as @Drover said ....... if you travell on those sort of dirt roads a standard van will get hammered with rocks or stones evan branches can spear into stuff just my thoughts...... ive got an outback and my water tank cover looks like its been shot with a shotgun with big pellets ....
Things dont take long to get van ready for a trip like that but you need to protect some things under the van im sure some people from here can meet you and help depends where your starting from and when i know i would but only on a Sunday.......
As for a car check by a professional the only company i trust and use is Standard Roads much better than racv or the like they evan measure thickness of paint for any repaires a bit more expencive but very much worth it they soon tell you to bye the car or not and check everything

Im sure we can get a small list going of things for the van you need to do Without going overboard they dont need much but it will need to be done doent matter what you bye ...... evan extra tyre for the car ?? Last thing you want is to be stuck somewhere waiting for another tyre and pay heaps for a fix dont know ..... @Drover any more thoughts ????

 

[Drover]

Well the long and short of it is preperation and that is something that can't be predicted, though if starting out on the east coast would possibly allow a wider variety of vehicles to choose from and places to source equipment, WA is not known for its variety of choices nor it's abundance of supply.

A vehicle that is already kitted out would be the go if you can find one that isn't way overpriced or flogged to death, they are around just finding them is the thing and as said before a very robust mechanical before throwing down any money.............................Depending on which state you register these vehicles in will also either lighten your wallet by a large amount or limit the pain , NSW vehicle rego will slug you around $1000 each, while QLD near $900 for tug and $200 for van, Vic is the best with probably under a grand for both all up, stay away from ACT though, big time gouges there. The others I can't recall but someone will pipe up for sure....................of course then having an address to register them to can also be a problem in some states......................but then again one with 12 mths rego would be magic.
As for a list of things, really a van with shower/toilet, solar and 2 batteries would be ideal, awning plus a grey water tank for the Nimby mobs, good rubber but doesn't need great knobby tyres, oversized boxes usually mean overweight problems and anything else is really just bling, with the vehicle LR tank a bonus but jerry cans do a great job and save a $1000, same as for water, plastic jerries work well...good rubber but not oversized muddies or oversized suspension lift, no good for towing, bull bar is handy and always check the seats, if they are knocked about then walk away as the rest of the vehicle probably is too.

 

[Jack Lucy & Josh]

Wow! Rego is that expensive?!
We have friends in WA, is rego cheaper there? Does the car need to be in that state physically for rego?
Thanks @Bluey, @Drover and @Duncanblake36, you are a great help!
Might get in touch with you as we hit Sydney to make the car ready for our big adventure.
I can use any possible hand and expert ;-)
Your advices are pure gold for me ;-)

Found 3 cars that might fit:
Any thought about those?
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/de...MI-YCJ-New3QIVyE0YCh2u7gP8EAAYASAAEgIPwfD_BwE

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/de...MI-YCJ-New3QIVyE0YCh2u7gP8EAAYASAAEgIPwfD_BwE

https://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Toyota-Hilux-2011/SSE-AD-5652982/?Cr=3

PS: Can you recommend a offload-driving-course in and around Sydney?

 

[Bluey]

Im in melbourne ........ if iwas looking at all 3 cars for towing id go v6 navara i think that one is 4 cly

 

[Drover]

I'm up in QLD ....... But think I would agree with bluey.

 

[Lensim]

Hi, Here is my 2 cents worth, we have a dual cab ute and an Journey Outback 17.58-3(shower/toilet model) that we tow to post places and any extreme places we take a centre pole tent and basic camping gear. I always have the engel in the ute anyway and a centre pole tent is cheap and packs up flat on the roof racks. As someone previously stated, go for toilet and shower if budget permits, i originally wasn't to fussed about it but the wife and kids use it and we would not go without one now. Our ute has just the usual mods, AT tyres, bar work snorkel.... but i am in the process of getting the suspension upgraded, but don't tell the wife
Hope this helps.

 

[Jack Lucy & Josh]

Hi, Here is my 2 cents worth, we have a dual cab ute and an Journey Outback 17.58-3(shower/toilet model) that we tow to post places and any extreme places we take a centre pole tent and basic camping gear. I always have the engel in the ute anyway and a centre pole tent is cheap and packs up flat on the roof racks. As someone previously stated, go for toilet and shower if budget permits, i originally wasn't to fussed about it but the wife and kids use it and we would not go without one now. Our ute has just the usual mods, AT tyres, bar work snorkel.... but i am in the process of getting the suspension upgraded, but don't tell the wife
Hope this helps.

That helps a lot and I won't tell your wife! ;-) I am more and more tending towards an easy setup. Basic 4WD with some camping equipment and an Jayco Expanda, but the Outback version. (but hey, they aren't that cheap!). Hard to find anything under 40K

 

[Lensim]

That helps a lot and I won't tell your wife! ;-) I am more and more tending towards an easy setup. Basic 4WD with some camping equipment and an Jayco Expanda, but the Outback version. (but hey, they aren't that cheap!). Hard to find anything under 40K

We looked for ages for a second hand van with bunks and in the end got a new one. The reason was that the second hand market prices weren't much cheaper and there wasn't a lot available. We ordered ours at a local caravan and camping show late last year, Jayco were throwing in some free extras and we haggled on price. You would be surprised how negotiable they can be if you play hard.

 

[chartrock]

What @Lensim suggests is not such a bad idea. In our travels around the country we have met a number of families who have bought a new van, travelled for 12 months then arrived back home and sold the van, partly because they had done the trip and often because they had no room to store it. The second hand price for a 12 month old van is not far off what you paid new making it a very cheap holiday.

 

[Drover]

Problem is folks he has 50K for tug and Van, thats makes for a very special buy that will cover the most important BOX, no damn maintenance while on the road, you CAN but a good tug for 25K and you can but an excellant Van for just 25K, minus rego and insurance you can still get a set up better than buying new for 80K, just need time to find them...............

 

[Jack Lucy & Josh]

I bet you can make a good deal on a new van when you know how to talk to the people selling it. The problem is, I don't want to be driving around in a van that was a bargain but still cost 50K. Those 50K want to look flawless when the return from that 12 months trip in order to get a decent amount back again. I want my family to have great time on that tour but that won't happen if we have to keep an eye on my kids every step they make in and out of that van because it is brand-new. No, that doesn't feel right and free in my head. I go for a second-hand van and try to get a good bargain though ;-) A 17.56.2 OB with some accessories and tools in the toolbox for about 35K should be possible. Keep your fingers crossed!