17' Series First Caravan 17.58-3

[LivingTheDream]

Hi all
We have recently placed our order for a 17.58-3 OB after 2 years of talking ourselves out of spending the money and a bad experience with a Jayco salesman who could probably tell i am new to this game. We live in WA but purchased a bit further to the east because of a considerable price difference. We added a few things one item im not even sure what it is and the dealers could not even tell me what it is, (Tv sensor pro) we also added Wind up antenna - External shower with light above, roof air, fusion premium, 150L fridge, bed converter, increase A frame, coast control panel, picnic table, 16inch wheels, tv/dvd on arm, and upgraded solar from 120w to 150w. We are very excited and counting the days to pick up. We were restricted in type of van because of $$$ and our 4wds tow capacity at 2500kg. Not sure if we got a good deal or not so many different prices for exact same product. Have other questions like do i need a weight distribution hitch, will the jockey wheel be in the way if so. How much is 16inch wheel upgrade and what is tv sensor pro. and have i missed anything. We will be doing a few small trips after pick up and the big lap late November.

 

[Moto Moto]

Big lap in November, Lucky buggar!!!

Welcome to the forum @LivingTheDream . The Starcraft 17.58-3 is a great van, you are onto a winner there.

 

[Brownie]

Hi LivingTheDream! Sounds like it will be a great rig. As I also live in WA i noticed east has better deals and more selection sux doesnt it! We made the mistake of buying the van only to realise we are at limit with tow rig, so looks like a vehicle upgrade or second tow vehicle! Being a relatively newby myself i cant help much with ur questions but im sure you will find the help you need here great site. Cheers

 

[LivingTheDream]

Hi LivingTheDream! Sounds like it will be a great rig. As I also live in WA i noticed east has better deals and more selection sux doesnt it! We made the mistake of buying the van only to realise we are at limit with tow rig, so looks like a vehicle upgrade or second tow vehicle! Being a relatively newby myself i cant help much with ur questions but im sure you will find the help you need here great site. Cheers

Hi Brownie. yeah I love this forum I don't post much but read a lot and learn a fair bit. I'd like to think if I had a bigger tow rig I would have still got the same van. I'm 15k under in price on another van I also liked (option RV tornado) but couldn't tow because of weight. But the 17.58-3 is compact and has everything we need plus I don't think we missed to many upgrades either thanks to Adelaide jayco Awesome people. So this little van will probably be going down some tracks I might have said no to in a bigger van

 

[LivingTheDream]

Big lap in November, Lucky buggar!!!

Welcome to the forum @LivingTheDream . The Starcraft 17.58-3 is a great van, you are onto a winner there.

hope so took two years to let go of my cash on a van. can't wait to post pics early may

 

[BigSkiddy]

G'day @LivingTheDream welcome to the forum.
Sensar Pro is probably what you have ordered, looks like it's some kind of boosting channel finder.
I gather your probably towing with a Prado maybe, so likely you'll need a WDH and yes the jockey wheel will be in the way. But only preventing you from using the jockey wheel whilst WDH bars are attached.
You might be able to ask Jayco to mount on inside of frame. Otherwise you can sort it when it arrives.

Looks like a good setup there for doing a lap. Nice to see a young bloke having fun for a change. Seems like all the oldies get to have all the fun.

 

[Fabulous]

We use the jockey wheel to add one of the bars, then remove the jockey wheel for the second bar. Not difficult at all

 

[LivingTheDream]

Has anyone swapped the standard table in a 17.58-3 for one of those fold out ones with the little storage compartment underneath it. seems like it would give more room in van, but may make the bed converted a bit small which isn't a big deal for us. And not sure if the fold out table would seat 4.

 

[davemc]

Those fold out tables around the same size.. You loose a little leg room and those next to the window already lost a bit with wheel arches..
Worth a ask.. Our table pulled out of the wall by the time we drove 20 mins home Hopefully its more secure now.. Not a big fan I want to replace it with a bunnings table I already have

 

[LivingTheDream]

Those fold out tables around the same size.. You loose a little leg room and those next to the window already lost a bit with wheel arches..
Worth a ask.. Our table pulled out of the wall by the time we drove 20 mins home Hopefully its more secure now.. Not a big fan I want to replace it with a bunnings table I already have

Thanks Davemc I might ask for fold out table I'm not sure if you even use inside table a lot or just sit outside
but it looks like it might buy us a bit more room to move around

 

[davemc]

yes I would ask make it more usable we wanted and now started using it as a bed. I keep saying to Sarah lets leave the table at home ours was too big to use as a bed convertor so they cut us another piece of wood to use instead. Which sits under the bottom bunk.
We left the ladder behind after the first trip as the kids get up ok
I like it without and as we probably make it a bed from now on might just leave it at home

 

[Soaring]

We use the jockey wheel to add one of the bars, then remove the jockey wheel for the second bar. Not difficult at all

We do similar, I wind the van up nice and level with the jockey wheel and fit the RHS WDH arm, but I find I can still actually fit the LHS WDH arm it just contacts the jockey wheel shaft a little.
I wind the jockey down a little to get the weight back on the car, then take it off, and finish winding it all the way before sticking it in the boot.
Same in reverse to unhook everything.

Having the jockey wheel in the middle would be better, so try to get Jayco to do it, but its not a deal breaker.

 

[Fabulous]

The only way we could get the jockey wheel in the middle was either put the spare tyre on the back (would mean miss out on the bike rack), or extend the drawbar, but this would have created issues with fitting the van in the garage, so Jayco offered to put a jockey wheel bracket on both sides of the A frame to help

 

[LivingTheDream]

My Jayco checklist says spare wheel to rear I never asked for it or maybe it's because I ordered extended Draw bar.
Just Added bi fold table with magazine rack thing. Might give us a tad more room in van. Think I'm done changing van now. Just stone guard and tool box when it gets home then to show the Family a bit of Australia