Hi from Melbourne!

[ShugDug]

Hi,

40 years ago, my parents dragged me around the rain-soaked UK in an Astral Ranger with an underpowered VW Passat Formel E - that was character building, especially pushing the rig up hills in the Scottish Highlands!

My children don't know how lucky they are. Now in Australia, I have a 1997 Swift Conqueror 580 pulled by a Passat Alltrack 140KW which is a pretty good combo.

The van market in Australia is dominated by locally made models which are built for harsher conditions - the main issue being a baking hot sun. British vans are few and far between and command a high price (a '97 Swift costing 8K pounds). They also degrade quickly in a country with a massive hole in the Ozone! I routinely replace plastic window fittings that literally crumble. I love my van though and during the winter months, it's a great toy.
The one issue I have though is the limited headroom. At 6'4", I walk through my van with my head at an angle of 45 degrees and generally have to book my Chiropractor for my return home.

I'd like to consider a replacement at some time but can't find any articles on UK Caravans for tall people. I'd like to hear from others with a similar height dilemma....

Cheers

Ken

 

[otherclive]

Hi
Later British vans had better headroom. Mine is a 2012 MY SWIFT SPRITE. I am 6 ft 4 inches an have headroom to walk upright virtually throughout the van. Quite happy to have you ship it out at the right price.

 

[Mel]

Hi. Welcome to the forum. Bailey of Bristol did have an Australian outpost, but ended it recently. Why are British vans popular if they can't stand the climate?
Mind you, not sure that they can stand the climate over here either. :cheer:
mel

 

[Craigyoung]

Good point ! Fridges can hardly keep up with the hottest weather over here would be knackered over there !!

 

[ShugDug]

Hi Otherclive,
I have my eye on the Sprite so let's keep in touch. Perhaps post-Brexit, I'll enjoy a better exchange rate (momentarily) and that could be viable!
Ken

 

[ShugDug]

Hi Mel,
UK Vans are growing in popularity but Australian consumers are hoodwinked into believing their backyard is somehow unique (which it is in a broad sense) but the majority of Caravanners stick to made roads and maintained campsites - it's more of a perception than anything else. Swift and Bailey have been trying to bite into the local scene pushing their lightweight vans (some fo the Aussie behemoths weigh up to 3.5tonnes) with lounge at the front layouts. And let's not forget that plastics and external materials have progressed in recent years....the Australians have traditionally gotten round the issue by minimising wondows and living in the centre of their vans - no windows at the front.
My Conqueror has been professionally raised about 10cm to meet the local expectations of something rugged and suitable for off-roading, not that I'm going to tempt getting stuck up a one way track in the mud with road tyres and a wife and kids in protest.
I did hear that Swift copped a little abuse due to water ingress on their Vans recently - I thankfully don't have that issue in Victoria!

 

[ShugDug]

You're right Craig, even on Gas, I don't think my 20 year old Electrolux could cope with the high 40s! In the height of summer, we stay at home (as you also do in January).

 

[Craigyoung]

You're right Craig, even on Gas, I don't think my 20 year old Electrolux could cope with the high 40s! In the height of summer, we stay at home (as you also do in January).

Nah not us , we are out every fifth weekend or so with ours regardless of the weather so to get away we tour all year round . B)

 

[otherclive]

You're right Craig, even on Gas, I don't think my 20 year old Electrolux could cope with the high 40s! In the height of summer, we stay at home (as you also do in January).

Nah not us , we are out every fifth weekend or so with ours regardless of the weather so to get away we tour all year round . B)

Having worked in Australia for a while I can say that being outdoors with temperatures in the high 30s to 40s is really no fun. Arriving back in UK to a snowy Wiltshire was a true delight ( for a couple of days)

 

[RayS]

Hi from wet cold dark Somerset. A one of similar build - at least by height - I understand your problem. Can you get Coachman vans ? I've had caravans now for 50+ years and am on my 4th and find the as good in this respect as most others but better than most others in other respects. Most of the problems I've had, however, have been with the kit and fittings which tend to be from the same limited number of makers whichever make of van you buy.
I quite envy some of your touring having spent a very happy period in melbourne back in the 70'sa major pharma company visiting around to Port Fairy and several other process industries, spending ANZAC Day near Flinders Street, buying stuff for my aged cricketing fan father from Don Bradman's store, eating in the small places with BYO on the door and driving on the familiar side of the road. Great country, great people

 

[ShugDug]

Hi from wet cold dark Somerset. A one of similar build - at least by height - I understand your problem. Can you get Coachman vans ? I've had caravans now for 50+ years and am on my 4th and find the as good in this respect as most others but better than most others in other respects. Most of the problems I've had, however, have been with the kit and fittings which tend to be from the same limited number of makers whichever make of van you buy.
I quite envy some of your touring having spent a very happy period in melbourne back in the 70'sa major pharma company visiting around to Port Fairy and several other process industries, spending ANZAC Day near Flinders Street, buying stuff for my aged cricketing fan father from Don Bradman's store, eating in the small places with BYO on the door and driving on the familiar side of the road. Great country, great people

Sorry Ray, I've only just seen your post - 100 days of hard lockdown throws everything out of whack!
I actually bought one of the OZ configured Swift Challengers which has the standard 1.95m height. It's largely OK but the roof mounted AC hangs down an inch or so. The problem I had with the '97 Conqueror was the raised floor was badly engineered and not only did it create a hump in the floor, it put so much stress on the join between the floor and the walls, that a pothole pulled them apart. Insurance job.!
25 years a go I found all the BYO restaurants novel too. Your reminisces gave me a chuckle.
Cheers
Ken

 

[Buckman]

Swift also imported caravans into South Africa where the conditions were just as harsh or maybe even harsher due to potholes in many roads.
I don't think they had much success as a SA caravan came with everything from crockery to awning when purchased new and prices for local caravans a lot lower.

 

[ShugDug]

Swift also imported caravans into South Africa where the conditions were just as harsh or maybe even harsher due to potholes in many roads.
I don't think they had much success as a SA caravan came with everything from crockery to awning when purchased new and prices for local caravans a lot lower.

Hi, I wrote you a wonderful response then my phone died before I hit the"post reply" button - so infuriating! There are many similarities between the market in OZ and SA, probably related to import taxes. NZ one the other hand doesn't have such a healthy local market - there are a lot of imported UK vans. Its cheaper to buy and import from there than the UK.