Thought I could break the ice and show off the 2008 Expanda that's our pride and joy.
These pics are of our first outing earlier in the year - on the way home from picking it up at Prestige Jayco.
Quite a step up from our 2009 Flamingo, which returned us $20K – reinforcing the fact that Jayco's certainly hold their value if you look after them.
Lesson 1. 18.57 doesn't mean 18'6", it's 7.48m (24'6") or 8.33m (27'4") with both ends expanded.
Lesson 2. Don't book a site without specifying your rig size.
Lesson 3. Shade has it's disadvantages.
The receptionist (marriage counsellor) at the caravan park took one look at me and the van and then suggested she make my wife a cup of tea
while I parked the van under the beautiful gum tree. Luck only the two of us and we didn't need to open the rear bed end.
Needless to say van and tree survived unscathed. (I won't detail how many attempts to slot it into this site.)
Lesson 4. In later travel we discovered it was quick and easy to set up front "bedroom" while still hitched for an overnight stop.
This was at Nagambie Lakes Leisure Park – the terrific "Jayco friendly" park is high on my list for a re-visit.
Lesson 5. The cost of the solar panels (2 x 120w) and extra battery (2 x 110 a/h) proved it's worth.
while camped at the Shepparton Trotting Complex for the Victorian Gem & Mineral Show.
Power was limited and we felt good, along with a few of the old hands, at passing up the power and flaunting our
self-sufficiency. We used gas for the HWS, fridge and stove. We've replaced all the incandescents with LED's
so lighting and our TV, plus ipad/iphone charging was all met from the batteries.
The roof mounted panels had fully recharged the batteries by the time we'd finished breakfast.
Going to get Jayco to do an "under-slung" job for a few more inches clearance and when the budget permits get a reversing/rear view camera.
Other than that I reckon it's the complete package.
These pics are of our first outing earlier in the year - on the way home from picking it up at Prestige Jayco.
Quite a step up from our 2009 Flamingo, which returned us $20K – reinforcing the fact that Jayco's certainly hold their value if you look after them.
Lesson 1. 18.57 doesn't mean 18'6", it's 7.48m (24'6") or 8.33m (27'4") with both ends expanded.
Lesson 2. Don't book a site without specifying your rig size.
Lesson 3. Shade has it's disadvantages.
The receptionist (marriage counsellor) at the caravan park took one look at me and the van and then suggested she make my wife a cup of tea
while I parked the van under the beautiful gum tree. Luck only the two of us and we didn't need to open the rear bed end.
Needless to say van and tree survived unscathed. (I won't detail how many attempts to slot it into this site.)
Lesson 4. In later travel we discovered it was quick and easy to set up front "bedroom" while still hitched for an overnight stop.
This was at Nagambie Lakes Leisure Park – the terrific "Jayco friendly" park is high on my list for a re-visit.
Lesson 5. The cost of the solar panels (2 x 120w) and extra battery (2 x 110 a/h) proved it's worth.
while camped at the Shepparton Trotting Complex for the Victorian Gem & Mineral Show.
Power was limited and we felt good, along with a few of the old hands, at passing up the power and flaunting our
self-sufficiency. We used gas for the HWS, fridge and stove. We've replaced all the incandescents with LED's
so lighting and our TV, plus ipad/iphone charging was all met from the batteries.
The roof mounted panels had fully recharged the batteries by the time we'd finished breakfast.
Going to get Jayco to do an "under-slung" job for a few more inches clearance and when the budget permits get a reversing/rear view camera.
Other than that I reckon it's the complete package.
