Caravans and pop-top campers

[nallac]

I've thought about getting one aswell, but can't really justify the cost.
Wouldn't use it enough.
We've got a 16'x14' tent with enclosed sunroom bought second hand off Tme
its enough for me and the missus and our 3 kids.
Still have to take a trailor any way so much shit to take.

[HTFU]

Caravans are all good they give you heaps of space, everthing is set up ready to go and they are a good spare room at home during the year (great place for mother in laws).

We have a Liteweight 1300 I picked up for $2000. Guy that made them in the 70s put good insulation in them and now makes the Leisureline brand in Hamilton. One of the best insulated caravans from that era.

They come in 2-4 berth configarations. Ours is a two berth and with the awning sleeps our family of four. We spend 4 weeks ($500 for the 4 of us) at the Doc camps up the Coromandel and having done it with tents for years I highly recommend a caravan. When it rains the extra work towing the thing over is well worth it. My wife tows it over with our auto 2.0 Capella and its no problems. She just cruises at 80 km/hr and we go over when there is little traffic, early morning or late evening.

We are going to get a second one this year either a 1500 or 1700 and tow them both over. Here is a good 4 berth 1300 on trademe. Holidays are the bomb.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-142282763.htm

[geoffm]

HTFU - that one does look pretty good. My folks old 17' had a double bed at the back (fold up sofa thing) and 2 up the front that IIRC coudl also turn into bunks although we never used them for that.
Geoff

[HTFU]

HTFU - that one does look pretty good. My folks old 17' had a double bed at the back (fold up sofa thing) and 2 up the front that IIRC coudl also turn into bunks although we never used them for that.
Geoff

Was theirs a liteweight. That sounds like the set up we are looking for if we get a 1700. Will cost us $7000-10000 for one.

You can get them (LW 1300) as cheap as $2000-3000 but they are pretty rough. Ours has ripped seats, joinery coming apart in places and paint is old but no rust and no leaks so is all good, plus it had a new awning.

[MaxB]

FWIW one of my old rellies regularly goes bush in his HiLux. He has had it fiited out in the back with a BBQ/Grill, fridge, meat locker, gun safe and fishing gear. He basically lives out the back with the tailgate down but camps out in a tent. All the stuff is removable for the working week.

With the canopy on you cannot see inside and the ute itself is ugly enough not to be noticed.

[HTFU]

FWIW one of my old rellies regularly goes bush in his HiLux. He has had it fiited out in the back with a BBQ/Grill, fridge, meat locker, gun safe and fishing gear.

and does the glove box fold out into a bunk bed for the kids

"Hilux swiss army camper"

[MaxB]

Arf Arf.

Its like a home made version of this:

http://www.blackwidow4wdstorage.com

Obviously this HiLux only seats 3 at a squeeze but I was putting across the idea that other people have found a way to go camping by adapting what they already have.

Round here I see a lot of houses with caravans or boats outside that may get used a few weekends a year, seems like waste to me.

[Animal]

well i tow my 18ft6 caravan with a new deisel hilux, 90ks s the limit for towing and i set the cruse at that and am constantly held up by people in cars dawdling along the 80ks, if you find towing a nervewracking experience perhaps you should hand in your licence, towing is part of driving in NZ unless your a limp wristed latte sipping jaffaor aussie

LOL yeah, whatever. You're just jealous, bitch.

My folks had this 21ft double-axle thing that the old man used to TRY to tow with a crappy old Nissan Laurel. It was bloody pitiful to hear the thing trying a find a suitable gear and stay there for more than ten seconds at a time. I couldn't even begin to guess the number of well-meaning and knowledgeable people that strongly recommended he either gets a smaller caravan or a decent tow vehicle!
It was a blessing when the fucking Nissan simultaneously blew up the transmission, sheared the driveshaft and threw a conrod through the block! They tend to do that when all the torque is suddenly removed from the engine and it tries to reach 40,000 rpm - hilarious! Huge noise and lots of smoke and shit! It was scrapped and replaced with a F-250 Ford ute refitted with a 490ci V8, so towing became a helluva lot easier after that. The old man also didn't need to instantly get pissed off his face to settle his nerves. Five minutes later, yep.

And by the way, Mister Smartarse, I was just a wee kid then. I would've been too young to drive anyway!

[JimO]

LOL yeah, whatever. You're just jealous, bitch.

My folks had this 21ft double-axle thing that the old man used to TRY to tow with a crappy old Nissan Laurel. It was bloody pitiful to hear the thing trying a find a suitable gear and stay there for more than ten seconds at a time. I couldn't even begin to guess the number of well-meaning and knowledgeable people that strongly recommended he either gets a smaller caravan or a decent tow vehicle!
It was a blessing when the fucking Nissan simultaneously blew up the transmission, sheared the driveshaft and threw a conrod through the block! They tend to do that when all the torque is suddenly removed from the engine and it tries to reach 40,000 rpm - hilarious! Huge noise and lots of smoke and shit! It was scrapped and replaced with a F-250 Ford ute refitted with a 490ci V8, so towing became a helluva lot easier after that. The old man also didn't need to instantly get pissed off his face to settle his nerves. Five minutes later, yep.

And by the way, Mister Smartarse, I was just a wee kid then. I would've been too young to drive anyway!

watevaaaaaaaaa

[geoffm]

Was theirs a liteweight. That sounds like the set up we are looking for if we get a 1700. Will cost us $7000-10000 for one.

You can get them (LW 1300) as cheap as $2000-3000 but they are pretty rough. Ours has ripped seats, joinery coming apart in places and paint is old but no rust and no leaks so is all good, plus it had a new awning.

I think it was a Lieghtweight. Single axle, hydraulic brakes - it has been a long time.
It was a good caravan until a tree fell on it. Lots of storage and space.
Geoff