16' Series Our first van and shake down first trip = 8500km Adventure

[Teztink]

Hi everyone,

We bought an expanda 16.49.1 after wanting one for years. We got a 2009 outback
Committed to travelling the NW of WA over a month with two kids in tow.... lucky we found the van in time.
Left Perth to Geraldton via Hutt River.
Geraldton to Kalbarri
Then Kalbarri to Shark Bay
Shark Bay to Carnarvon
Carnarvon to Exmouth via Coral Bay, Steep Point and Monkey Mia
Exmouth to Karratha via Port Hedland
Karratha to Broome, Beagle Bay, One Arm Point, Cape Leveque, cable beach and other places - 8 days here!
Broome to Marble Bar
Marble Bar to Karajini/ Wittenoom staying at Auski Road house
Karajini to Newman
Newman to Paynes Find
Paynes Find to Perth

All up, 8500km's and only thing that went wrong was a tyre side wall cracked in Geraldton (changed before a blow out) and then a rock whacked the brake wire on the van and broke the wire (patched up in Newman)

Oh, and the time I went to test the Tojo's front suspension (thank god for good stuff up front) where on my trip back on the Cape Leveque road, 2 seconds of inattention saw the Prado flying for a bit - wheel alignment required here!

All up, our van is fantastic and have learnt some things both on our trip and since I've started looking on here


Cheers and Beers,
Terry

 

[chartrock]

Welcome aboard @Teztink, boy, that is some shakedown trip. Sound like a great van and trip but we have a belief on the forum, "if there are no pictures it didn't happen".

 

[mfexpanda]

welcome @Teztink Hutt river my wife made me promise to never take her there again

 

[dagree]

Welcome aboard @Teztink from another Sandgroper! Looking forward to seeing the pics that @chartrock mentioned
That would have been a shakedown trip to definitely remember!

 

[Bluey]

Hi everyone,

We bought an expanda 16.49.1 after wanting one for years. We got a 2009 outback
Committed to travelling the NW of WA over a month with two kids in tow.... lucky we found the van in time.
Left Perth to Geraldton via Hutt River.
Geraldton to Kalbarri
Then Kalbarri to Shark Bay
Shark Bay to Carnarvon
Carnarvon to Exmouth via Coral Bay, Steep Point and Monkey Mia
Exmouth to Karratha via Port Hedland
Karratha to Broome, Beagle Bay, One Arm Point, Cape Leveque, cable beach and other places - 8 days here!
Broome to Marble Bar
Marble Bar to Karajini/ Wittenoom staying at Auski Road house
Karajini to Newman
Newman to Paynes Find
Paynes Find to Perth

All up, 8500km's and only thing that went wrong was a tyre side wall cracked in Geraldton (changed before a blow out) and then a rock whacked the brake wire on the van and broke the wire (patched up in Newman)

Oh, and the time I went to test the Tojo's front suspension (thank god for good stuff up front) where on my trip back on the Cape Leveque road, 2 seconds of inattention saw the Prado flying for a bit - wheel alignment required here!

All up, our van is fantastic and have learnt some things both on our trip and since I've started looking on here


Cheers and Beers,
Terry

only place I take my prado for wheel alignment is Toyota 80 bucks !!!!!! but that's in vic where parts are cheap and in stock oh and welcome !!

 

[Crusty181]

@Teztink welcome. We recently upgrade from our 2009 16.49.1OB ... we loved that van and have great memories of it

 

[Teztink]

Thanks everyone, such a positive feeling forum,
On our trip, we all had a ball!
I'll give you a taste of the trip once the photos are approved with admin.
I will add more and then when time permits, I'll add a trips post.

Cheers Terry

Media now attached!!!

 

[cruza driver]

Welcome to the forum @Teztink