The Gray's - 16'49'1 Outback Expanda

[zerosecta]

Well, with the sale of our Swan Outback finalised we've place the order for our Expanda, Details as follows:

2012 16'49'1 Otback with the folowing options:

Second Water Tank
Hot Water Service
External Shower
Extended Draw Bar
Privacy Screens
Awning
Annex Walls
Solar Pre-Wire
Dual Gas Bottles
Cupboard door to Cabinet above Sink, In Place of Aircon

Bucking the trend with No Aircon, No Big Fridge - All the years we been camping, we have never felt the need for an aircon so dont see that changing - As far as the Fridge we feel the extra counter space is more valuble and carry a 50litre Weaco in the car for extra stuff.

Post Dellivery Mods: (time and $ Permitting)
Custom Rear Bumper to set her apart from the rest and relocate Spare Wheel - Fabricated and Installed
Truma Gas Heating (E2400) - Ordered
Dual Anderson Plug on Drawbar - installed
2x 120AH Batteries - Installed
1x 200Watt Solar Panel (permanent Fixture on roof)
Xantrex TrueCharge2 40A 240Volt Charger - Installed

Xantrex LinkPro Battery Monitor. Purchased, installed - uninstalled, Rubbish IMO
Redarc BCDC1240 Solar\DC Regulator\Charger. Installed
Shadecloth Shield to bottom of Van to protect Floor, Plumbing, Wires etc.

And Now the inevitable Long Wait till May'ish Dellivery

 

[relgate]

Looks like a great set up. Cant wait to see the pics

 

[Coastrunner]

Wow! It sounds like you`ve got a great set up on the way.

I couldn`t afford to go with the new 16.4.9.1 but if I could, I truely would! {Hey! That sounds like a song I know}

Anyway, I`m sure you`ll be counting down the days til delivery and I bet April is the slowest month for you this year.

I bought a second hand 14.4.2 Outback 2009 model. I love it. The only thing I would have liked that it hasn`t got is a big 150 Litre fridge. I`d prefer to have one big fridge then have to cart around a second engle or waeco. But your right in the need for that little more bench space. It also comes in handy.

Anyway, enjoy your new van. It sounds unreal. I`m sure you`ll be very comfortable in it.

Well, with the sale of our Swan Outback finalised we've place the order for our Expanda, Details as follows:

2012 16'49'1 Otback with the folowing options:

Second Water Tank
Hot Water Service
External Shower
Extended Draw Bar
Privacy Screens
Awning
Annex Walls
Solar Pre-Wire
Second Gas Bottle Provision - (Ring Only, not plumbing)

Bucling the trend with No Aircon, No Big Fridge - All the years we been camping, we have never felt the need for an aircon so dont see that changing - As far as the Fridge we feel the extra counter space is more valuble and carry a 50litre Weaco in the car for extra stuff.

Post Dellivery Mods: (time and $ Permitting)
Custom Rear Bumper to set her apart from the rest and relocate Spare Wheel
Truma Gas Heating (E2400)
Anderson Plug on Drawbar
2x 120AH Batteries
1x 200Watt Solar Panel (permanent Fixture on roof)
Replace setec unit with one of two configurations: (Undecided - Feedback Welcomed)
1 Redard BCDC1240 for Solar and Vehicle Charging, Ctek MTX25000 for 240volt Charging, NASABM-1 for Monitoring
2. Redarc BMS SmartStart for all of the above

And Now the inevitable Long Wait till May'ish Dellivery

 

[zerosecta]

Oh well, broken the ice on the envitable bottomless pit of $$$ that will be spent on mods, And we haven't even taken dellivery yet :tongue:

2 120ah AGM that adventually I will be installing into a box under the van over axle.

 

[zerosecta]

Hi Folks,

For those who are interest, or waiting for Final Sign Off on a Van you may have just ordered.
This is what you will be getting to sign off on, I was a little impressed, never got anything like this for the Swan.

 

[Moto Moto]

Yeah its a bit exciting when you get the plan to check off.

A word of warning my van was due in May last year but didn't arrive until late June. Hopefully yours comes on timeray:

 

[Drizzlingje]

Hey zerosecta, that's a serious list of extras, will be a great rig.

Regarding the shade cloth protection for underneath, will that be a DIY task? Can you elaborate some more? I'm about to commence protecting wiring and looking at stone guards etc, this option may assist.

Cheers,
Ben

 

[macca]

Can I ask what they charge for the solar pre wire and do they just run a cable to the roof? Did you think about extra power points? Someone here said they were getting extra points under the tables (16.49.4) which I thought was a good idea. We go from one day going with the big fridge and then going with standard the next day. Checked out the charging stuff etc on your list. Not Cheap!

Too many things to think about.

Geoff

 

[expanda]

In NSW they charge around 1200 for panel and install so my guess and from what I remember its around 800.

Never really looked at solar myself as we don't free camp enough to justify it but it sounds good IMO...

 

[expanda]

Hi Folks,For those who are interest, or waiting for Final Sign Off on a Van you may have just ordered.This is what you will be getting to sign off on, I was a little impressed, never got anything like this for the Swan.View attachment 7064View attachment 7065

WOW Looking good!!!

Bet your getting excited ....

One question if you don't mind!

What is the idea behind the extra payload comment on the order sheet?

I know with other van manufactures you can increase payload at the request of the manufacturer and was considering asking for this on our new van so was interested if this is something they are looking to do?

 

[zerosecta]

Hey zerosecta, that's a serious list of extras, will be a great rig.
Regarding the shade cloth protection for underneath, will that be a DIY task? Can you elaborate some more? I'm about to commence protecting wiring and looking at stone guards etc, this option may assist.
Cheers,
Ben

G'Day Mate, This will be a DIY Job, Pretty basic really... What I'll be doing is lining the Main Chassis Members (left, right, front and back) with something called ezifix. http://www.ezyfixclip.com.au/

Then simply get a pice of Shadecloth the size of the bottom of the van and fit one side, then the other, stretching nice and tight. again agin for front and back. I rekon this will provide good protection for the floor and any wire\plumbing etc.

Maby overkill I suppose

 

[zerosecta]

Can I ask what they charge for the solar pre wire and do they just run a cable to the roof? Did you think about extra power points? Someone here said they were getting extra points under the tables (16.49.4) which I thought was a good idea. We go from one day going with the big fridge and then going with standard the next day. Checked out the charging stuff etc on your list. Not Cheap!
Too many things to think about.
Geoff

Hi Geoff,

To right Mate, so many things to think about, Thought building the house caused enough friction We also went back and forth about the fridge but it alwasys came down to the same thing, Counter Space...

Solar Provision cost us $130, so well worth it considering theres probably $30 worth of cable to a junction box on the roof and would have taken me probably a good day to do it myself spending most of that day doing the old two steps back and staring for a few minutes scratching my head for most of it... LOL

 

[Drizzlingje]

sounds like a good idea to me!

 

[zerosecta]

WOW Looking good!!!
Bet your getting excited .
What is the idea behind the extra payload comment on the order sheet?

So Excited, Thinking about it every day

The reason I asked then to put that on there was actually a suggestion from someone else here or myswag... It is because we opted for the extra water tank...

You see, the toilet shower models come with a 375kg Payload and the others like ours only have a 300kg Payload, So our request is to have the 375kg Payload on account that we have the second water tank installed.

 

[zerosecta]

Xantrex TrueCharge 2 40amp Charger Purchased toady - - It'll keep the batteries warm while waiting for the van to arrive.

Lucky Batteries

 

[zerosecta]

Might not have the expanda yet but atleast i can stay sane playing with the toys that we are starting to get for her

Xantrax Truecharge2 40Amp Charger - Ordered from the States at about 1 third of the cost of one of our local Rip Off Merchants. Just got to love the internet

Now she'll keep the batteries warm untill D-Day

 

[zerosecta]

Thought I'd give the dealer a call today and was nicely supprised by the news that our van is due on the truck from the factory tommorow Woo Hoo!!!!

So with any luck well take dellivery in the next couple weeks - cant wait

 

[Paul Costa]

Congrats mate,

What exciting times lay ahead. I bet you can't wait. Great news.
Start those mods, so that i can learn a thing or two.
:hippie:

 

[Burnsy]

Very exciting....try to get some sleep

 

[zerosecta]

OK, all booked in for pick up on the 29th May.... Can't wait...

One thing I am just a little concerned about though, after the numerous times we trek all the way to the dealer and phone calls etc. confirming extra's. I have a little feeling from a chat I had with them today that they had not told the factory about extended drawbar option and it's not actually been done...

Man I hope I'm wrong - what to do right?