Advice Needed

zziggy · Post by **zziggy** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 1:43 pm

G'Day
Well my very first post and the reason for joining up.........

After many years of tent camping, then a roof top tent, then a home made camper using the roof top tent

The cook and I have decided were too old to climb the ladder into the roof top tent, so have decided to get a

camper trailer.

After looking on the net we came down to two both MDC campers 1st the Jackson forward fold 2nd EXPEDITION CRUIZER HIGHSIDE. I like the way they fold over the front, and the lounge style effect this creates.

Now my dilemma is, there are an awful lot of negative reviews about MDC on the net, so I was wondering if anyone has
any more recent comments on these trailers, particularly buying from there Sydney workshop (Revesby)

Looking forward to your comments

Ziggy

Shortlegs & Baz · Post by **Shortlegs & Baz** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:11 pm

Hi,
Several members in the group have MDC Trailers and appear to be happy with their set up. May be one of them will comment
Cheer
Barry

Post by **robcaz** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:50 pm

Hi zziggy,

Welcome to the forum. You will find the forward folding campers have a much heavier ball weight than the rear opening models mainly due to the fact all the camping gear is carried in the large storage box on the Aframe.

Checking the Expedition Cruizer Highside specs it has a GVM 1900kg (it is actually GTM or Gross Trailer Mass). If you use the rule of thumb ball weight guide of 10% to 15% of the trailers weight, that is 190kg to 285kg. Make sure your vehicle is capable of the towing capacity & ball weight.

You will find some useful info on the tech tips page article which I have just updated to make it easier to understand. Don't forget the ball weight is also included in your vehicles payload weight http://www.campertrailers.org/balancing_act.htm

zziggy · Post by **zziggy** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 8:30 pm

robcaz wrote:Hi zziggy,

Welcome to the forum. You will find the forward folding campers have a much heavier ball weight than the rear opening models mainly due to the fact all the camping gear is carried in the large storage box on the Aframe.

Checking the Expedition Cruizer Highside specs it has a GVM 1900kg (it is actually GTM or Gross Trailer Mass). If you use the rule of thumb ball weight guide of 10% to 15% of the trailers weight, that is 190kg to 285kg. Make sure your vehicle is capable of the towing capacity & ball weight.

You will find some useful info on the tech tips page article which I have just updated to make it easier to understand. Don't forget the ball weight is also included in your vehicles payload weight http://www.campertrailers.org/balancing_act.htm

Hi Rob the tow car has a 3500 kg Tow Capacity with a 350 kg ball limit. so I don't see too much difficulty there
my big problem is choosing the right camper,that keeps the cook happy and is ready to go straight out of the box so to speak.

Zig

Post by **robcaz** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:23 pm

Hi Zig,

You definitely have to keep the cook happy

I think it comes down to asking yourself is it worth spending the difference on the Expedition Cruizer or adding a few dollars more into accessories you would like in the Jackson like a 12volt battery system, DC-DC charger, portable solar panel etc

zziggy · Post by **zziggy** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:10 pm

G'Day Rob and Carol

Yes I know my place, happy cook good tucker un happy cook = no tucker.

I have a duel battery system in the trailer I built, charges off the car when connected 240w solar panel when camped.

I have a major motivation problem though I don't want to pick up the spanners any more so I think I will go with the fully kitted out camper just hitch it up and away.

I was hoping for a bit more feed back on MDC Sydney and there trailers, some of the internet reviews are not too promising

Still I suppose check it over before I take it away and I should be right

Zigg

flyfisher63 · Post by **flyfisher63** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:55 pm

Hi Zigg

I have looked at the MDC campers and looked at others and keep coming back to them, yes they are made dare I say in China, but we have a family of four and have a very tight budget, so we are looking at the MDC Gal Extreme, I have been told that the MDC campers have come along way since the early days and we have met some owners who are very happy with them? that's all I got for you, we are looking at buying in the next 2-3 months, oh yes didn't like the sales people at Black Series just felt uncomfortable with them also they used to be GIC they had heaps of issues with there stuff allegedly.

Peterr · Post by **Peterr** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:15 pm

I can't say anything bad about my MDC soft floor camper, it's an early 2014 model and it's been great ....

I've added stuff and modded stuff , and it's fun !

Got mine from Brissy, but I'd doubt there'd be any differences between shops....

I've read a good few "bad reviews" too , reckon most are paid for by other manufacturers; the comments definitely don't relate to my MDC experience...

A couple of mates have got one as a result of seeing/using mine...

zziggy · Post by **zziggy** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 8:42 am

flyfisher63 wrote:Hi Zigg

I have looked at the MDC campers and looked at others and keep coming back to them, yes they are made dare I say in China, but we have a family of four and have a very tight budget, so we are looking at the MDC Gal Extreme, I have been told that the MDC campers have come along way since the early days and we have met some owners who are very happy with them? that's all I got for you, we are looking at buying in the next 2-3 months, oh yes didn't like the sales people at Black Series just felt uncomfortable with them also they used to be GIC they had heaps of issues with there stuff allegedly.

Thanks for the input flyfisher, yer I'm in the same boat, I keep coming back to the MDC stuff, although I did like one of the black series campers.

Zigg

zziggy · Post by **zziggy** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 8:48 am

Peterr wrote:I can't say anything bad about my MDC soft floor camper, it's an early 2014 model and it's been great ....

I've added stuff and modded stuff , and it's fun !

Got mine from Brissy, but I'd doubt there'd be any differences between shops....

I've read a good few "bad reviews" too , reckon most are paid for by other manufacturers; the comments definitely don't relate to my MDC experience...

A couple of mates have got one as a result of seeing/using mine...

Hi Peterr

I'm over working in the shed, so a big selling point for me is its all done hook it up an go camping, I had never thought that the bad reviews could have been brought

its worth thinking about.
Thanks for your input I think MDC are out in front at the moment I think it will all come down to the vibe I get from the salesmen when we go round to see the 3 on the short list

Ziggy

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