Cargo05

After years of research (or procrastination) we have finally purchased a 2015 XC3. We are now looking forward to many outback trips.

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Thanks blokes. I bet October can't come soon enough TerrnCarol.

Thanks Merv. This is exactly the information I am looking for. ?

Thanks Merv. In terms of off road ability, what is the difference between the XC5, and say the Top Ender?

G’day All We are still researching vans and are down to Bushtracker and Kedron. My question is will the XC3 (second hand), or XC5 (new), be capable to undertake corrugated roads over long distances? We will be travelling roads such as the Gibb River Road, Savannah Way, Cape York,etc. etc. the list goes on and on… Obviously the correct speed and tyre pressures are crucial, but I am looking for information on the vans capability. Thanks John

What great responses. I am finding this forum very informative, and, just as importantly, friendly. Apologies to Danno Bananno if I am inadvertently hijacking you thread. We can all learn a great deal from these experienced contributors. The general consensus is that Kedron make a great van and the aftersales service is excellent. Our experience at the Brisbane caravan show was the staff were very helpful and enlightening. So with these factors in mind we are very interested to explore the options in the range. Unfortunately it looks like the Topender is out because of the legal implications with the weight, towing with a LC200. My question then is which van in the range would be the best option? We require tandem axle, approximately 17 to 18’ (limitations on storage space), but with full off-road functionality. Ideally the weight should be easily within the legal towing capacity of the Cruiser, so I do not have to worry about either insurance or the weigh bridge. Will the XC stand up to full off-road use over a sustained period of time, or should I be looking another model? Will the KRS be available throughout the whole range, or exclusive to the Topenders? Your comments, insights, and experience are greatly appreciated.

G’day again blokes I have further questions if you will indulge me. Looking at the latest brochure from the Brisbane Supershow, the 18’6” Topender (which is the smallest Topender made), has a Tare of 2720kg, and an ATM of between 3500kg and 3990kg. The Toyota website gives the GXL a GVM of 3350kg, GCM 6850kg, and Gross trailer braked weight of 3500kg. It appears that, at best, the LC200 is just legal to tow the Topender. If any options are added the van would exceed the Cruiser towing capacity without a suspension and capacity upgrade. Am I missing something? I am not doubting the Cruisers capacity to tow the Topender, I am just concerned about the legal weight implications. Looking at the specifications of the Yank trucks it is easy to see why they are becoming more frequent on our roads, towing large, fully off road vans. However, the cost is beyond what we are prepared to pay. What other options are available?

G'day Chris, Steve and Kez Thank you all for your replies. I have heard the same regarding Kedron’s after customer services and after sales support, and the team at the Brisbane Supershow were certainly great to deal with. Chris, how does you LC200 handle the 19’ Topender? Did you have a suspension upgrade to the Cruiser?

So we went to the Brisbane Caravan Supershow to look at the Bushtracker and Kedron caravans and are still no closer to deciding which to purchase. Both are wonderful off road vans. I must say that the blokes at the Kedron stand were great to talk to, and it was good to see all of the vans they had on display. The new KRS suspension looks a winner as well. The next step will be to visit both factories to check out build quality. Exciting times and I am sure that either will be something special.

G'day Rob Have a look on You Tube "Kickass 12v Portable Solar Panel Demonstration", and http://www.australiandirect.com.au/kickass_150w_12v_portable_solar_panel_for_camping Hope these help Regards Cargo 05

Yabbietol and LeaA Thank you both for your replies and information.

G’day Chris, TonyH, and Yabbietol Thank you all for your welcome and prompt replies. Initially we had intended visiting the Gold Coast Caravan show next month, and call into both the Kedron and Bushtracker factories whilst we were in the area. Due to unforeseen events we may not now be able to do so. Having spent a lot of time on the internet, and attending caravan shows over several years, we have a good idea of the layout, and size, we are most comfortable with. The Bushtracker appears to be a very well build van, but the purchase price is a bit daunting. The Kedron seems to be almost as well built, and the price is a little bit easier to live with. I guess you get what you pay for. Chris, thanks for the tip of visiting the used van sales centre on Gympie Road, we will check it out. At this time we will probably go for a late model van (assuming we can find one that meets our requirements). This is because of the cost of new vans and also to hedge our bets because of our lack of experience with the vanning lifestyle. TonyH, we moved to the NSW coastal district near Forster about 12 months ago so we are still finding our way around. Yabbietol, what sold you on your 16' XC3? A question for you all: at this stage we have only joined as a member of the public forum, which, if my understanding is correct, will allow us to post in the Public Access Areas only. Is there much of an advantage in becoming a Financial Member? Again, thank you to you all for you welcome and comments. We would be very interested in hearing from owners of vans in the 16-18 ft. range, particularly those with XC3’s. Are these vans suitable for outback travel on the extremely corrugated roads, or are there better options that we should consider? Regards and thanks Cargo05

G'day All We commenced our travels with a number of Fly-Drive trips to the top end some years ago and then progressed to a second hand Avan Cruiseliner in 2012 to get a feel for the lifestyle. We have recently retired, and, like most people who joint these forums, we wish to travel extensively around our great country. We have come to appreciate that a fully off road van is more desirable, so here we are… We have narrowed our search down to Bushtracker, Trakmaster and Kedron. We are looking for a smaller (16-18ft) tandem axle, fully self-contained van. We currently own a Colorado with a towing capacity of 3500 kg, however this figure appears to be unrealistically high in our opinion. We have come across many horror stories towing in heavy corrugated outback roads with these type of vehicles (utes on general). It appears that a LC200 would be a better option, apart from the expense. The cost of both a van and Cruiser is a substantial investment and we want to ensure we get it right the first time. We have joined the forum to glean knowledge from current Kedron owners. Cargo05