Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 17:45
Hello Bogger Friends,
We built a few of the Startracker Campers, but NO ONE stayed with them very long, proving to be just another stepping stone to a
Bushtracker like most other choices end up being...
Here is what I started to say about them from years ago:
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We built the StarTracker range of campers, because of trying to do the best thing by our Customers that could not afford a full
Bushtracker. We affectionately called them a "half a Bushtracker". In the Outback, we are undoubtedly viewed as Number 1. There are many Jackaroos and such that would come to us, but just could not afford the
Bushtracker; in all fairness that is why the StarTracker but there are some problems as follows:
We all went through the "Camper Trailer" phase. In the 70’s we were in tents and in the 80’s camper trailers looked attractive. The main problem is that they did not turn out to be much of a labour savings. They always show you one at the shows that pops up in only three minutes. What they don’t show you is unloading and organising a half tonne of gear twice a day. What you don’t realise is all the work to unpack and organise the kitchen, make up the beds, unpack all the camping gear, set up an outdoor shower, pull the fridge out and get in on gas, and on and on. It really results in about 45 minutes of work twice a day if you are on the road trying to go places. It has a mild success with those who are not really on the road, just going one short hop and sitting there for two weeks. But those who zig-zag across Australia taking in the sites, various
events and activities, as they are on the road two weeks to get somewhere; have another outlook that you will soon learn. They are so sick of packing and unpacking the camper twice a day that by the time they get to where they are going all they want to do is fly home and go on a real vacation.
There are a few funny little sayings and situations that you will become familiar with:
1. Like try to stop for lunch in bad weather like pouring down rain, wind, dust, etc..
2. Like trying to put up the camper in the rain or in the dark will become a fun time to look forward to, Ha!
3. Like "Sorry Dear, I know we wanted to go on today, but it rained again last night and the canvas is wet and will have to dry out before we can pack up, maybe tomorrow.
4. Like having an outdoor shower in a dust storm and being dirtier after the shower.
5. Like having to turn around and around in the shower to keep the sandflies or mozzies from biting and still getting bit 8 times trying to get your pants back on.
6. Like standing in the doorway with a folding shovel and dunny roll looking out at the rain belting down like a "cow piddling on a flat rock", Oh this is going to be fun….. Ha!
7. Like the Missus thinking she saw a black snake just on dusk in the brush, oh yes she is going to be keen on getting up in the middle of the night to take care of business!!
8. Like the familiar smell of mildew and mold and dust and rotting canvas, oh joy!
9. Like knowing the real way to travel great distance is having a turnkey operation to pull over in blasting down rain and just go back in the van to have a leisurely lunch instead of battling on risking life in the rain because you have no choice.
10. Like missing a turnkey operation of stopping after a long days drive and having a hot shower and a nice glass of wine and a queen sized bed, instead you will be battling the losing battle with a camper trailer until you join the ranks of veteran travellers.
While it is probably true that this is the growing pains that many must go through, most will not last there all that long. When you get a bit older, creature comforts will weigh more on you and then you will be thinking about "Bushtracker". It may annoy you to have someone telling you this now, but I can assure you will eventually come around to it on your own: That camper trailers are just not the way to go for serious long distance travel.
We are going to decline from building any more at this time, as we do not think it is in the Clients best interests when no one has stayed with them very long… . In short, we would not be doing the right thing by our existing Orders for Bushtrackers to delay them by building a half measure.
My best advice is to go back to the
Bushtracker Website, at www.
bushtracker.com and have a bit of a study; and try to understand that I am really giving you some good faith advice on future lifestyle. It should ring a serious bell of truth, in that we stand by our convictions in good faith, and are not even going to take your money for a StarTracker! Simply because you are going to want a turn-key higher grade lifestyle eventually... We are really doing you a favour..
Good Luck , and Kind Regards,
Bushtracker.
NOW FRIENDS: Yes you will also see a Pop-Top Caravan now and then, we built a few of them.... But now what I tell people is the following:
SIX MAJOR DISADVANTAGES TO POP-TOPS
1. Firstly, with the good aerodynamic rake in front like we have, the fuel savings is minimal. And the problem is that the minor fuel savings will never pay for the maintenance on the pop-tops. The canvas is always being crushed, damp, dusty, windows, screens, lift mechanisms, dust seals, latches, catches, gas struts; all of them wear and cost money to maintain and replace. The fuel savings will never pay for all that maintenance.
2. On our full height vans we have 3 inches of refrigeration board insulation in the roof, so they stay cool even in the full sun. There is only room in the pop-top extrusion for one inch of insulation and the sun goes right through it. Pop-tops are colder in winter and hotter in summer.
3. Pop tops are not cheaper, to build them strong they are the same cost as full height.
4. You lose all of the lovely overhead cupboards in a pop-top.
5. They are not lighter if you build them strong for off-road. You need extra structural strength in the walls to carry the roof section, they are just the same in weight.
6. They are not as strong as a full height van. No matter how good you build them, long term they will have more problems than a full height van, as you are removing the entire roof and structural value off-road.
The only advantage of a pop-top is in how some people store the van. We would suggest that alternate storage be used rather than negate the use of the van just for easy storage. Park it in the yard, build a carport, most do fine letting it sit out in the weather like both of the Directors of
Bushtracker store their own vans. Do anything but compromise the use of the van just for easy storage. Pop-tops have too many drawbacks.
No one in the History of
Bushtracker has stayed with one very long before moving on…. With your own best interests in mind, we decline to build any more, as they have proven to be just another stepping stone…
Really…….. Sincerely yours, Steven Gibbs, Director,
Bushtracker
FollowupID:
847568
