The new Budget!
Hi All
Now I know I’ve been a bit quiet lately, but a surge in business has, ironically, led to a shortage of time to blog. Why ironically? Not sure … I’ll have to look up the meaning of ironic! Sounded good at the time.
I’m returning to the Budget Build project that I started some months ago. If you look back through previous posts you will see what I was up to. I had selected the trailer, gone about my budget and started acquiring the pieces. I had given it a quick respray to bring it up shiny again. I was very much looking forward to it. Until …… someone offered me the right amount of money for the trailer. So I sold it.
The amount I sold it for proved I was pretty much on the money (literally) with my estimate of original worth, but the respray did pick it up another $750. I was about to go back to the drawing board with trailer number 2 that was a little newer, but otherwise identical. But I sold that one as well.
So I am now entering the planning again for Budget Build no. 3!!
To recap; I want to build a campertrailer for myself that has a budget of $10000. So far, the starting point trailers have been worth $6000 and $7700 respectively. This time the base trailer estimated value is $8400, so I have less ‘kitty’ to play with for the build.
On the plus side, the trailer is only 2 1/2 years old, has a tent I can add an extra room to if I choose, and it has a toolbox and a swing over bench on the kitchen tailgate. In a way, there is less scope for improvement in the kitchen due to it’s shape.
So the plan at this stage is to add;
Electric brakes, Low pressure stove and grill, 120ah deep cycle AGM battery with 3 port power outlet, Anderson Plug to charge the battery whilst I drive and then reassess the budget.
I only have $1600 to play with so I will have to be careful. Whilst I own a campertrailer store, my budgets are based around retail prices, not wholesale, to keep it a realistic representation of the broader marketplace.
I’ll keep you posted. Until next time, Camp in Comfort, Scottie B
Hema HN7i GPS Navigator review
Hi all,
I’ve been fortunate enough recently to be able to trial the new HN7i Hema Navigator GPS unit. So I thought I’d let you know my thoughts.
The first thing I wanted to do is run it side by side with the iPad app that Hema also offer so I set them up in the car, side by side and ran them for four weeks, wherever I went and whatever I did. The reason I wanted to run with the iPad app is that it is possibly the most common question I get in reference to the navigators; How do they stack up?
Where the iPad app wins with the larger and clearer screen, the new HN7i (with the 7 inch screen) opens up a vast array of options not available on the iPad app. I also noticed early on that when getting deep into mountain country the HN7i was able to hang on to signal so much better whilst the iPad went searching. Main reason for this is the ability to the GPS unit to acquire more satellites simultaneously and with a stronger signal. This will give it increased accuracy as well as usability in marginal country.
When moving through the more populated areas clearly the HN7i has the advantage of being able to switch to street navigation mode (like a more traditional in car GPS unit). The surprise packet for me was how well the new camps7 edition worked! Linking with the street navigation, the camps7 component will not only scour for the closest campsites to your current location, it will also offer you search by name and area. Once chosen you have the option of looking at photos and more in-depth details about which Is a real bonus.
The iPad app is really clean and its user interface is very simple. It does offer a trip meter which works very well, but other than that its functionality is limited. Having said that it’s a quarter of the price! It also pulls plenty of power out of the iPad battery, so you’ll need to have the iPad plugged into a power source almost always when using it for any length of time.
My history with the Hema Navigator series goes back a long way. I’ve had the HN4, the HN5 and 5i. I skipped the HN6i and landed on the HN7i. The HN4 had software issues repeatedly and after a while was replaced with the HN5 under warranty. So when comparing the features the HN7i, it is a sizeable step forwards.
What’s to like;
The street navigation is similar to any other unit that you could buy but having it combined in the same unit with off-road mapping is cool. The addition of the camps7 to the street navigation is awesome!
The off-road mapping and accuracy is solid and so far, reliable.
What’s not to like;
I find the HN7i not overly responsive even though it’s a touchscreen. Often it registers touch with a beep but doesn’t act on the touch. Other times it acts but takes time, as if it’s thinking about 12 other tasks at once.
The back end of the off-road mapping on the menu just doesn’t feel like its today’s technology. Whilst improved over previous models it still feels clunky and is not overly intuitive.
Overall I like it. I’ve tried a few others but not all. But so far this one is the clear winner of the ones I have used. I’m very used to using the Hema map product so visually this one feels like home.
I think I’ll keep it. Camp in Comfort, Scottie B.
The Search for the Budget Campertrailer
Hi all
It’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of the work on the budget camper trailer build. I have the kitchen in my possession, which is very exciting, but some platform work needs to be done first. Otherwise it will have one of the shiniest kitchens on the dullest looking campertrailer (there is a saying something like ‘you can’t polish a ____’).
I’m going to start at the front of the trailer, where the Hyland hitch has seen better days. It still fully functional, but I’m going to hit it with the wire brush, some sandpaper and then give it a quick respray and it needs a grease!
The hitch needs some TLC! But the Hyland is a winner for me. I’ve tried plenty of others … this is my weapon of choice.
The stone guard on the drawbar has taken more hits than its short life would suggest! I want to try and live with it for as long as possible but it will need a little stitching. So while it’s off I’ll hit the whole drawbar with a coat of etch primer and then go over the top with some cold gal hammertone silver.
The stoneguard inner needs work
To fit the kitchen I’m going to need to cut a hole in the existing benchtop. The Spinflo 2 burner kitchen will then simply ‘sleeve’ over the top, so it makes sense to prepare the tailgate at the same time. Being the base model the tailgate is the only access door (the top still lifts for loading and unloading) so I’m going to have a good look at the pinch weld seal and see if it needs replacing. It might just need a lick of Armour All to bring it back to life.
Then it’s a quick bearing check to make sure it’s all rolling smoothly.
Bearings are the hidden small item that can ruin a trip if left unchecked!
So the tally so far is;
Johnno’s Off-road Premier 2009 $6000 (estimate only as it was my trailer to begin with, retired from the hire fleet)
Spinflo to burner stove and sink combo $410
Bearing check (assuming I didn’t do it myself) $80
Etch primer and hammer tone paint $22
Total so far $6512.
Going along nicely!
Until next time, Camp in Comfort, Scottie B
Happy Camper Gourmet meals, an option for long term remote camping.
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Keeping it clean so it’s ready to go next time
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Clothing for cool weather camping
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The search for a budget Campertrailer part 4
Hi all
It’s been a little bit of a break since my last post, but stress little my happy campers, I have been hard at it with the home work for the budget campertrailer build!
I’ve been amassing the quotes and figuring the best way to proceed forwards. I’ve decided that the top of my shopping list will be fitting electric brakes to the campertrailer. This just buys me so much piece of mind that I don’t have to think about keeping it ultra lightweight (although that is still very much at the top of the list ongoing) and I can achieve that just by being smart with my packing rather than as a necessity of legality. I don’t want to buy cheap parts so through a friend of a friend I tracked down some good pieces that will set me back a few hundred dollars. I’ll get back to you on the exact cost as I’m still chasing fit out cost.
The search for a budget Campertrailer part 3
Hi all,
It probably is quite insular and I feel a little weird about it, but I’ve decided on the Campertrailer that I’m going to use for my budget build. The decision part isn’t what’s quite insular, it’s the fact that I’ve decided to retire our own oldest ex-hire camper trailer (the old Johnno’s Off Road Premier) and use that as the platform.
There are a couple key reasons for that. Number one is that I was going to put it on the market for about $6500. So realistically, I would probably get about $5900-$6000 for anyway, which puts it squarely inside the budget range was looking for. Number two is that I know the history of this trailer and I know exactly what work it’s done.
It was our mule trailer! It was the one that did all the hard yards. It has appeared at Cape York on a few occasions and done multiple trips to The Centre, The Kimberley and The High Country. She has copped a bit of a beating but the only maintenance and repairs that we have affected has been the routine replacement of wheel bearings. The canvas is a little bit weathered but overall in pretty good nick. There are heaps of stone chips and areas where the bull dust has just sandblasted away at the front but the core metal is fine.
This photo of the ‘Old Mule’ was taken on a recent trip to Kennet River on the Great Ocean Rd
So we are looking now to make a plan of modifications to personalise the trailer to our requirements and stay under the $10,000 mark. We are also very keen to keep the trailer exceptionally lightweight. One of the strengths of this particular trailer is how well it tows and that has been a key influence in my decision to work with this particular unit.
It’s tare weight is only 600 kg and we have a plan to keep the load weight exceptionally low. Having said that we still need to be very careful about any addition that we make and measure it carefully on the basis of weight.
Sightseeing on the Great Ocean Rd. It’s lightweight and ease of towing leap out on this stretch of road!!
On the immediate shopping list (and my next post will deal with the quotes I’ve received) will be a minor upgrade to the kitchen and stove, as at the moment there is just a very basic bench, some form of battery power for the convenience of lights and recharging phones, etc. and maybe an alteration to the water tank/plumbing arrangement. I’m also thinking of getting the unit re-sprayed so it looks super neat, just like a new one!
Well that’s it for now. I’m a little bit excited so very soon I will Camp in Comfort.
All the best, Scottie B
The benefits of a National Network
Hi all
I often get asked “What is the benefit of purchasing an Australian made Camper Trailer?” There are so many potential answers to this question, but I just want to pick one for now!
I’m lucky enough to own a franchise in a national network. Some of the benefits to our customers come about in some obvious ways. See, it makes sense that problems with trailers don’t occur in your backyard and you’re unlikely to holiday just around the corner. So the further away from home that you go the bigger the benefit of a national network.
For example, I hired a camper trailer about 18 months ago to a family who were taking a five week trip through Central Australia and up to Darwin. They decided to go the back way through a couple of rocky creek beds not too far out of Alice Springs. Whilst playing too much with the GPS, the father misjudged the entry into the creek bed and caught the wheel guard of the trailer on an errant tree, which twitched the trailer, grabbed the tyre and the wheel and made it a bit of a mess on the drivers side.
Normally this would be a real problem to the five-week holiday. But they were able to put the spare on, and although the axle was nowhere near square they limped into Alice Springs. Because they had called me (in Melbourne) on the way into Alice Springs. I was able to guide them to our local agent who had a wheel and tyre already and was able to straighten up the axle and repair the spring. Their trip was delayed for under two hours and they were back on the road enjoying the rest of the holiday.
So sometimes having a camper trailer is a little bit more than just the trailer itself. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that when you bought the trailer you bought the network?
So until next time, Camp in Comfort, Scottie B
D5 Creation