new camper decision ??

[undershaft]

Hi to all,
We are travelling more with a family and wanting to get off road more often. I do not want to go to buying a caravan (or CP's) if I can avoid it. (pressure from the girls in the family for a few comforts) I like to find an out of the way spot and free camp wherever possible.
I have narrowed it down to a Camprite TL8, Rex F5A, UEV 490 or Ultimate family pack. (2 adults, 3 kids aged 10 - 14)
Now I know everyone will have advice on how they camp, in a similar unit but only 4, or as a family in different set-ups altogether, which is all great to hear around the fire/esky.
I have looked at some online reviews, some brands seem to have multiple reviews (all start to sound the same after you read about 20 of them) and appear to have more info available. (camper trailer of the year??, seems to be the similar group that pay for adds year in and year out??)
However it would be of most benefit for some personal experiences (good, bad and ugly) of those who have actually used these/knows first hand another family that uses, seen it in action, etc. for each of those I have narrowed down above to suit our family needs and wants if possible , please.....???

[Gascamp]

Hi Undershaft

It certainly is hard & disappointing not to be able to get a so called honest "Review" on any "Products" these days be it campertrailers, 4wd's, accessories etc with all the possible litigation threats out there.

And with industry sales people lurking on product user groups & forum's & the fact of group owners liable for others "opinions" I find outrageous... but the law apparently !!

Joining a car, 4wd or campertrailer club with group outing/trips seem the best option now where you can discuss pros/cons of brands/models with others without the threat of publication & a law suit - the RV Industry Sales Rep/Journalist disguised as vacuum salesperson sitting around campfire can only wish his batteries didn't run out on his hidden Defamation Cam

Good-luck

Grant

[kev11e]

G'day
We started off by reducing the myriad of products to 4 - Kimberley, Ultimate, Aussie Swag, Mountain Trail - and went to Rosehill to have a look/chat.
Didn't like the KK kitchen
Didn't fancy making the bed every night in the ultimate
Came down to the MT or the AS. MT was lighter tare and could get it with alloys matching size to Landcruiser and General Grabber tyres, so we plumped for the Mountain Trail and a few options. Just got back from 2 weeks away and cannot complain about any aspect. Very happy.
Regards
Kevin

[undershaft]

I agree on the points you made on the KK and Ultimate.
Also for us with the 3 kids we were trying to to get away from adding extra canvas on the ground.
We went for a Rexf5a, sure no frills and bling and still pricey, but I would rather capability and strong than shiny bits for where we want to go, and the others didn't come close when comparing the capacity.IMO. Practical storage and a simple setup were strong points too. The testimonial of a group camp in the cape that had 45mm of rain in one night and the Rex camp was at least all up out of the mess while others had to drag canvas out of sticky red mud made a point for us.
Just have to wait 2-3 months for build time though which is a bit of a PITA.

[robcaz]

I would recommend getting along to one of the members weekend get togethers & have a chat with the owners of those campers you have shortlisted & even better you may even find something more suited. Details of the weekends can be seen on the upcoming events page http://www.campertrailers.org/upcoming_events.htm

Hope this helps in your quest.

[kev11e]

G'day
Well I'm gunna assume (and I know we should not) that those who could attended the 4WD show at Eastern Creek. Crikey there were a lot of campers on display.
Another plus for Mountain Trail: for two weeks after we picked it up, we did the Darling River run - so mostly dirt and gravel roads. We picked up a few stone chips in the front of the camper, sent a pic to Mountain Trail, and they are gunna recoat the front of the trailer under warranty. I'm impressed!
Regards
Kevin

[Bowen05]

G'day
We own a CAMPRITE TX6 and are a family of five. We also love getting off the blacktop and away from caravan parks if it can be avoided. What we set out to buy originally was not what we ended up with. Unbiased opinion is go to your capital city's big caravan n camping show and look, feel, touch , jump in,on ect. That's how we ended up with the Tx6.
Happy hunting.

Regards Graham

[Ern_Reeders]

I strongly recommend that you hire the units on your shortlist if you can. Contact the manufacturer about hirers.

There is simply no substitute for living with it for a few days. Aspects you never thought about can loom large either positively or negatively.

Also don't believe the tare weight on the compliance plate. Certainly not if you're edging close to a legal or practical limit. If buying new, ask for a weighbridge readout. (My unit was 30% heavier than plated - from a reputable Australian manufacturer. What that does is cost me more in fuel and limits my offroad scope).

[GaryKes]

I strongly recommend that you hire the units on your shortlist if you can. Contact the manufacturer about hirers.

There is simply no substitute for living with it for a few days. Aspects you never thought about can loom large either positively or negatively.

Also don't believe the tare weight on the compliance plate. Certainly not if you're edging close to a legal or practical limit. If buying new, ask for a weighbridge readout. (My unit was 30% heavier than plated - from a reputable Australian manufacturer. What that does is cost me more in fuel and limits my offroad scope).

I found this about weight the hard way as well. I wish I knew this beforehand.