Popular view of French SUV's.

[Aln]

Retired friends have recently bought a new Iveco Travel Truck. Being fairly wealthy they ticked most of the boxes, total price $400K. The company said they could leave it at their business undercover for the 9 months of the year they won't be using it, to be used as a showpiece to hopefully sell more vehicle conversions. They do certainly get away from it all, and rarely see a caravan park whilst travelling.

I think I am with Kim, hire or drive a normal car and stay in country motels/hotels, save the depreciation on the $100K 4WD, and the $70K caravan, the 20L/100Klm fuel economy, and use that to pay for meals and motels. I tried a week in a Winnebago in New Zealand to see what it was like. Slow, used a lot of fuel, and we still paid for a powered site each evening to get the better bathroom facilities. I admit there is also some comradery with fellow travellers in the caravan parks, more so than at motels.

 

[DoubleChevron]

A lot of poeple are staying in there caravans for 3months at a time and stay in free camps. There is a large range of fantastic free camps in Australia. The fuel usage isn't such an issue as most nomads don't move around much once there "up north". Motels seriously suck if you have kids. In caravan parks, the kids will soon be off playing with all the other kids etc..........

Like everything in life, there is big positives and negatives no matter what way you go about it. A big Iveco and Ultimate would be the ideal for those that love the remote outback for example

I reckon now is the time to sell caravans and towcars if you own them...... 2years time will be when you replace them. Global tourism should be open by then and all the wealthy people that have driven up the caravan/towcar values to crazy amounts will be desperate to sell the caravan/towcar (that they have probably found is a huge amount of hard work .... and not much fun if there the "5 star motel" types). This should drive prices way down with the glut of 'vans and towcars on the market.... So make for great buying. 2'ish year old caravans and towcars barely if ever used .......... everywhere for sale

 

[pugrambo]

There are a band of Australian motorists with caravans who dream of being able to tow a 3.5 tonne van, but never need to because their vans gross out a lot less than that. Or should! By the time you acquire the $135K off road van from T-Van and a decent 280 kW $80K puller you will still be restricted as to where you can go and probably should have bought one of these: http://traveltrucks.com.au/expedition-camper which can still tow 3.5 Tonnes whilst you live in it....................

And still cheaper to get a motel room
don't need to spend huge money on van and wank tank
don't need to chew fuel you don't need to
don't have to make the beds and clean everything
don't have to clog up roads
don't need to stir more road dust up than you need to
don't need to choose van sights on the poo dumping facilities
the only caravans i see the point in are those that actually go to places where there are no facilities
who wants to go from van sight to van sight and have topics ranging from, did you see that bloke trying to reverse over there OR that last place we went to had a great poo station to empty our shit into

 

[Haakon]

I gave up camping years ago due to crowded sites and the proliferation of pee-wee and trail bikes that roared incessantly around the camping areas day and night. I'd suggest that caravanning is going to now be similarly attractive with rug rats, generators, airconditioners, Fusion Hi-Fi entertainment and overloaded sewage systems clogging up caravan parks everywhere around Australia. I now consider touring by car and staying in country hotels to be the only option left if you can't afford a TravelTruck to really get away from it all............

Reno Traffic with a roof top tent, a little of kitchen stuff inside, mountain bikes on the back and kayak next to the tent and some good tyres in my dream travelling setup...

 

[schlitzaugen]

That's a stupid article. The reason everyone wants a 4wd at the moment is to tow a big caravan. Now unless I'm mistaken, none of the pretend 4wds can tow 3.5tons. So they are useless. The land rovers and range rovers are also stupid suggestions. The hair dresser versions are just useless little fashion statements with (you can tell from the outside they have no internal space .... and are tiny competing with pretend 4wds). Range rovers are crazy expensive (for the proper range rover with some tow capacity ... way over $100,000). the defender is an unknown and most likely crazy expensive ... and possibly has no availability if you actually want one.

overall, one dumb, senseless article. Japanese and chinese wanks tanks are selling well as there is no real other alternative to for towing 3tons

Not really. I don't know why people buy 4WDs but the article makes the point that cars with higher ground clearance have increased sales, "for the first time ever". And it does also mention reliability issues, etc. Yeah, there are certainly people who want to tow a 3.5 tonnes caravan, I am sure, but I don't think they would be more than 10% of the motoring public. If you think otherwise I suggest you go out in the street and do a count.

My take is that people have now realised overseas travel is off for a while, they have some disposable money (some) and they want to go on a holiday. Many of them having little idea what Australia looks like outside the major cities. So go big. 30 years ago I would have probably done the same. These days I would just get something cheap and light and a good radio or maybe rent a satphone.

But I don't think these people are that far off the mark. Euro cars are not really for the Oz outback. Or not for the average punter and the Oz outback. So to maximise your chance to stay alive you go top of the range everything as long as you can afford it.

My own son bought a Renault Master camper and so far the car has seen very little outback but a lot of mechanics. What do you expect? Heavy old car with little support. If it were a Toyota, you could find anything anywhere.

But there's also people like me. I had a Corolla wagon, turned out it was too low to introduce a heavy baby in the seat hunched and with arms at full stretch. The Koleos is much better. Not ideal, but much better. It has the turning circle of a small moon and the visibility of a grounded submarine but it has sun shades for the rear passengers! And a flip down split tailgate to change nappies. Plus it cost peanuts and it is not even over 100k. What's not to like?!

 

[Russell Hall]

Interesting comments. So perhaps the SUV's aren't being bought as pretend 4X4's but by families who appreciate greater amenity and practicality. Whatever the reason the people who buy them for holiday trips to more distant locations are unlikely to buy French ones because of the lack of dealers over much of the country. Which never used to be.

 

[schlitzaugen]

Reno Traffic with a roof top tent, a little of kitchen stuff inside, mountain bikes on the back and kayak next to the tent and some good tyres in my dream travelling setup...

I thought the whole idea was to leave crap like that behind but if you really want to drag it along just get a Unimog. I have seen people living in them and the army sells them cheap. Cheaper than what my son paid for his Master in fact.

I always find it funny when I come across some (usually elderly) family with their shiny top of the range 4x4 dragging an aircraft carrier sized trailer with shower, TV, A/C, kitchen, generator and so on in the field. On radial tires that don't survive even a small stick. Most don't even have a good CB radio but they may have an EPIRB.

 

[SLC206]

I was intrigued when CarAdvice ran a piece on the low sales of French brands in Australia last month.

Now that I know the Daily Mail are also writing about it (and that someone actually read it on the Daily Mail), it smells more than a little fishy.

 

[Russell Hall]

I was intrigued when CarAdvice ran a piece on the low sales of French brands in Australia last month.

Now that I know the Daily Mail are also writing about it (and that someone actually read it on the Daily Mail), it smells more than a little fishy.

Toby Hagon is a motoring writer. Nothing fishy about it, just a motoring interest story.

 

[Haakon]

I thought the whole idea was to leave crap like that behind but if you really want to drag it along just get a Unimog. I have seen people living in them and the army sells them cheap. Cheaper than what my son paid for his Master in fact.

I always find it funny when I come across some (usually elderly) family with their shiny top of the range 4x4 dragging an aircraft carrier sized trailer with shower, TV, A/C, kitchen, generator and so on in the field. On radial tires that don't survive even a small stick. Most don't even have a good CB radio but they may have an EPIRB.

Because when travelling, most of the time is on highways, so a unimog would suck. And suck fuel... A Traffic with a small lift, good tyres and an LSD will get you to a lot of places. And if im travelling, im sure as shit want my bikes and kayak!! Beyond that its a place to sleep (rooftop tent) and some space for the basics of months on the road - food, shelter and shit shower and shave (shit bit is a shovel with a dunny roll obviously).

 

[Kim Luck]

Because when travelling, most of the time is on highways, so a unimog would suck. And suck fuel... A Traffic with a small lift, good tyres and an LSD will get you to a lot of places. And if im travelling, im sure as shit want my bikes and kayak!! Beyond that its a place to sleep (rooftop tent) and some space for the basics of months on the road - food, shelter and shit shower and shave (shit bit is a shovel with a dunny roll obviously).

Just don't forget to burn your used dunny paper. It's most unwelcome blowing around our deserts until it comes to rest in your jaffle!

 

[DoubleChevron]

Because when travelling, most of the time is on highways, so a unimog would suck. And suck fuel... A Traffic with a small lift, good tyres and an LSD will get you to a lot of places. And if im travelling, im sure as shit want my bikes and kayak!! Beyond that its a place to sleep (rooftop tent) and some space for the basics of months on the road - food, shelter and shit shower and shave (shit bit is a shovel with a dunny roll obviously).

most places these days would be more than accessable by a 2wd. You don't need a 4wd unless you need the tow capacity of what is basically a light truck

 

[dacia4x4]

That's a stupid article. The reason everyone wants a 4wd at the moment is to tow a big caravan. Now unless I'm mistaken, none of the pretend 4wds can tow 3.5tons. So they are useless. The land rovers and range rovers are also stupid suggestions. The hair dresser versions are just useless little fashion statements with (you can tell from the outside they have no internal space .... and are tiny competing with pretend 4wds). Range rovers are crazy expensive (for the proper range rover with some tow capacity ... way over $100,000). the defender is an unknown and most likely crazy expensive ... and possibly has no availability if you actually want one.

overall, one dumb, senseless article. Japanese and chinese wanks tanks are selling well as there is no real other alternative to for towing 3tons

I guess I must be in a minority as I have a koleos 2013diesel 4WD not a marketing wank SUV as it is not a sports car, not a utility vehicle but mechanically driving all wheels so four wheel drive,as the badge on the back says. we don't, have the 3.5tonne van, but a 1050kg bailey van with shower and dunny, it does what we wanted it to adequately .so not everyone is sucked in to the wood duck idea of needing 3.5tonne van and overpriced overweight wanker 4x4to enjoy caravaning...... said van was also adequately towed by previous car scenic rx4... ....just my 2cents worth.... jim

 

[DoubleChevron]

I guess I must be in a minority as I have a koleos 2013diesel 4WD not a marketing wank SUV as it is not a sports car, not a utility vehicle but mechanically driving all wheels so four wheel drive,as the badge on the back says. we don't, have the 3.5tonne van, but a 1050kg bailey van with shower and dunny, it does what we wanted it to adequately .so not everyone is sucked in to the wood duck idea of needing 3.5tonne van and overpriced overweight wanker 4x4to enjoy caravaning...... said van was also adequately towed by previous car scenic rx4... ....just my 2cents worth.... jim

cars with crappy modern european suspension need to tow european vans!

crappy ludicrously low shit suspension ..... combined iwth a caravan with absolutely no nose weight (I can pick up the nose of the caravan with one hand). They actually tow ok so long as you don't put any wait to the back under the bed

Most aussies wouldn't touch this sort of lighweight caravan with a barge pole.

 

[schlitzaugen]

Because when travelling, most of the time is on highways, so a unimog would suck. And suck fuel... A Traffic with a small lift, good tyres and an LSD will get you to a lot of places. And if im travelling, im sure as shit want my bikes and kayak!! Beyond that its a place to sleep (rooftop tent) and some space for the basics of months on the road - food, shelter and shit shower and shave (shit bit is a shovel with a dunny roll obviously).

Well, that's the price you pay for convenience.

I challenge you to find any place in WA you need a 4WD to get to and you'd be able to use a kayak. Or bikes for that matter.

 

[Haakon]

cars with crappy modern european suspension need to tow european vans!

View attachment 131536

crappy ludicrously low shit suspension ..... combined iwth a caravan with absolutely no nose weight (I can pick up the nose of the caravan with one hand). They actually tow ok so long as you don't put any wait to the back under the bed

Most aussies wouldn't touch this sort of lighweight caravan with a barge pole.

The US makes good little light weight caravans too - also not available here... https://www.scamptrailers.com

 

[Russell Hall]

When cars were more solid and stronger with proper ground clearances most bushmen I met just used ordinary cars like FB Holden vans and utes although the old American utes had been popular. When they had a problem they just camped until they fixed it. Local shearers always used a 403 wagon to carry the team and all their gear to inland stations driving over sand dunes north of Lake Eyre. I used to find a 403 wagon could go most places. Those who sought an isolated life considered Point Hicks on the Gippsland coast to be the best camping spot on the Australian coast and I think they were right. In those days deserted except for a lighthouse. Even better when it was Cape Everard and the road was worse.

 

[Kim Luck]

cars with crappy modern european suspension need to tow european vans!

View attachment 131536

crappy ludicrously low shit suspension ..... combined iwth a caravan with absolutely no nose weight (I can pick up the nose of the caravan with one hand). They actually tow ok so long as you don't put any wait to the back under the bed

Most aussies wouldn't touch this sort of lighweight caravan with a barge pole.

My old mate Ron had a wife and two daughters, a 16 foot van and a two door 351 Falcon GS, back in the day. He took it to Moulamein from Melbourne's eastern suburbs as often as possible. The lightweight van cruised nicely behind the falcon at 90 mph over the straight, bumpy roads and hump backed bridges that lead towards the Murray. Imagine trying the same thing in a Hilux!

 

[Russell Hall]

My old mate Ron had a wife and two daughters, a 16 foot van and a two door 351 Falcon GS, back in the day. He took it to Moulamein from Melbourne's eastern suburbs as often as possible. The lightweight van cruised nicely behind the falcon at 90 mph over the straight, bumpy roads and hump backed bridges that lead towards the Murray. Imagine trying the same thing in a Hilux!

My nightmare when droving stock. A Falcon at 90 mph was a danger to humanity on its own let alone with a van. I'm sure the Falcon was the best contributor to the undertaking trade of all the popular models.

 

[dacia4x4]

cars with crappy modern european suspension need to tow european vans!

View attachment 131536

crappy ludicrously low shit suspension ..... combined iwth a caravan with absolutely no nose weight (I can pick up the nose of the caravan with one hand). They actually tow ok so long as you don't put any wait to the back under the bed

Most aussies wouldn't touch this sort of lighweight caravan with a barge pole.

as I said Shane this set up suits our needs adequately,no need for more weight or jam tins (pistons) unnecessarily using oxygen. as for weight distribution in van that be a commonsense issue evident to most vanners.four years ago heading up the newell to toogoom Queensland came across Hilux twincab and dual axle van tripped over and van split open, wife and I stopped to help. elderly couple shaken, bruised but OK, said van got sway up and could not control it. don't know what speed they were doing or how can was loaded as most of belongings were scattered over road, but was on raised section of highway over flood plains think before parkes or Forbes? looking at wreck I was happy to have crappy European suspension and short rear, axle to tow ball distance compared to long tow ball to axle distance and cart springs on rear of hi lux........jim