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Ckmlk

New Member
Oct 26, 2012
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Hunter valley
Hi all, just put a deposit on a new expanda 18.57-5 ob with slide out lounge, a bit of an up grade from the Jayco swan can't wait four delivery in mid November. Got a great deal from watsons at coffs harbour.

:thumb:
 

expanda

Site Founder
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Dec 22, 2009
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Western, Sydney....
www.expandasdownunder.com
Hi all, just put a deposit on a new expanda 18.57-5 ob with slide out lounge, a bit of an up grade from the Jayco swan can't wait four delivery in mid November. Got a great deal from watsons at coffs harbour.

:thumb:

Fantastic and even better you get it before XMAS!!!

Make sure to chuck up some pic when you get her :).

What extras did you get?
 

Brad

Well-Known Member
Jan 2, 2012
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Rowville, Victoria
Nice choice of van. You can't go wrong there... But then again, I may be biased with that choice. Not too long to wait either. Good luck.
 

Holden_man

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2012
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Brisbane - Carindale
Hi ckmlk,
Congrats and welcome from us as well. Good choice of van, there is also a spot to vote for your van, so when you get a chance vote for the 18's to help get our numbers up :biggrin1:
You did well to get delivery in November, we have waited 4 months with 1 week to go. Would love to see the pics also, the slide out seems to be getting popular.
So buckle in now, and sit out the dreaded wait......:thumb:
 

Xpandafan

Seriously Likeable!
Aug 24, 2012
1,711
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Kealba, Victoria
Hi Ckmlk. Welcome. Looks like a sensible size you've gone for. We went Swan, FlamingoOB, Expanda. Boy is there a difference. It'll be a great investment and hopefully provide you with years of great vanning.
 

Ckmlk

New Member
Oct 26, 2012
11
4
3
Hunter valley
Thanks all for your comments, you guys certainly know how to make a person feel welcomed. the van was in stock so it had a lot I wouldn't have ordered so I guess that makes them a bonus. The slide out lounge was a bonus because the original van that we were looking at in Newcastle didn't have this. The sales man quoted a retail price(not a cent discount after buying a new swan off the same guy this year) so we shopped around the state and found this van $6500 cheaper with a lot more extras. They are slide out lounge, washing machine, tv bracket & windup aerial, control panel, picnic table, 150 lt fridge.
 
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Ckmlk

New Member
Oct 26, 2012
11
4
3
Hunter valley
Well cruza driver you would be happy to know I'm a Toyota man through and through. I drive a 2012 Prado diesel auto it has a 3 tonne capacity so I'm hoping it tows comfortably.
 

Holden_man

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2012
1,407
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Brisbane - Carindale
Hi Ckmlk,
Do you have the three door Prado? I would be interested in your feedback on how the shorter wheelbase handles the larger van when it arrives. We thought about changing our Prado from the 5 door to the 3 door to increase towing capacity but we needed the extra room in the Prado, so had to limit options of van to keep weight down below 2.5t.
Don't want to ever get rid of the Prado, like you I love my Toyota......:becky:


Jas
 

Brad

Well-Known Member
Jan 2, 2012
2,645
723
113
Rowville, Victoria
Thanks all for your comments, you guys certainly know how to make a person feel welcomed. the van was in stock so it had a lot I wouldn't have ordered so I guess that makes them a bonus. The slide out lounge was a bonus because the original van that we were looking at in Newcastle didn't have this. The sales man quoted a retail price(not a cent discount after buying a new swan off the same guy this year) so we shopped around the state and found this van $6500 cheaper with a lot more extras. They are slide out lounge, washing machine, tv bracket & windup aerial, control panel, picnic table, 150 lt fridge.

Gee you have done really well with the extras there for something off the lot. I am amazed too with no negotiation. I remember when buying mine mentioning I had been shopping between outlets here in Vic and as soon as they heard that the bargaining was on.
 

Burnsy

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2012
2,663
977
113
Newcastle
G'day Ckmlk and welcome mate. Congrats on the 18, sounds nice. Jayco Newcastle was also no use to us when we shopped around. Glad to see another 18' on here and another blues supporter (NSW).

Cheers.
 

MolongMick

Active Member
Oct 6, 2011
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NSW
Hi ckmlk,
Welcome. I do love the larger 18's but I am concious of height.
Your set up sounds great. You will need to put up some pictures when it arrives.
 

Glenn

New Member
Sep 6, 2012
103
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Bittern, VIC
Thanks all for your comments, you guys certainly know how to make a person feel welcomed. the van was in stock so it had a lot I wouldn't have ordered so I guess that makes them a bonus. The slide out lounge was a bonus because the original van that we were looking at in Newcastle didn't have this. The sales man quoted a retail price(not a cent discount after buying a new swan off the same guy this year) so we shopped around the state and found this van $6500 cheaper with a lot more extras. They are slide out lounge, washing machine, tv bracket & windup aerial, control panel, picnic table, 150 lt fridge.

Hi Ckmlk, Welcome aboard ! We have that same van but only in the standard height version, slide out and all, and will be on our Maiden Voyage this coming weekend. We also opted it up with all the extra's we wanted and got it for about what the Retail price of the van was originally. Enjoy !
 

Ckmlk

New Member
Oct 26, 2012
11
4
3
Hunter valley
Sorry Holden Man, I have a long wheelbase prado hoping that it pulls comfortably. I don't really want to do the chip and exhaust thing but conseed that I may have to.
 

Holden_man

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2012
1,407
341
113
Brisbane - Carindale
Sorry Holden Man, I have a long wheelbase prado hoping that it pulls comfortably. I don't really want to do the chip and exhaust thing but conseed that I may have to.

Hi Ckmlk,
Might have to watch your weight, If yours is the same as mine the towing capacity is 2.5t, our new van has come in just shy of that, so all good. Its a bit of a prob with Prado's, not sure why they can't bump us up to 3t. Have heard some say its because they will pull sales from the cruiser. Reckon they lose sales though to other makes.



Jas
 

Ckmlk

New Member
Oct 26, 2012
11
4
3
Hunter valley
Yeah Jas your right I made the stupid mistake of paying a deposit without checking tow capicity and assuming it was 3t. I had a chat with dealer this is going to allow about 300kg of payload which I think will be fine. Toyota needs to pick up their game or just keep loosing sales to rival.

Chris
 

Holden_man

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2012
1,407
341
113
Brisbane - Carindale
Yeah Jas your right I made the stupid mistake of paying a deposit without checking tow capicity and assuming it was 3t. I had a chat with dealer this is going to allow about 300kg of payload which I think will be fine. Toyota needs to pick up their game or just keep loosing sales to rival.

Chris

Mate it's easy done, I reckon your dealer should shoulder some of the responsibility. I am a novice and the first thing the dealer asked me up here is "what is your tow vehicle". I was oblivious to tow capacity at the time of starting to look and assumed the Prado would be fine, then the sales guy said, well you can't have that van, or that one, or that one..... That opened my eyes to towing capacity and did some digging from there. In Qld you can't exceed the vehicle tow capacity or van gvm which ever is lower. so like you say you will have to reduce load. The only trick will be, if in the off chance you have a bingle, you will have to argue that that van was not fully loaded. Insurance companies will look for an out. You will probably have to travel with water tanks empty, otherwise
there's 160kg of your 300.
Next option, cruiser.....cause you can't be any other make :wink:
I love my Prado as I'm sure you do too, I don't really want to spend 20k more on a cruiser, as good as they are.
But I agree, pretty dumb of toyota to be lower in cap than the direct competition. The Jayco dealer tells me he knows of many selling to get a competitor at higher tow cap.
I am sure you will be fine, just have to weigh everything going into the van.