Mate of mine towed a Avan with a Rav4 - did it fine,,,,

Hi Milo
We now have the "Avan" Cruiseliner.   Having sold our Hiace a couple of months ago.

Tow it with a Nissan X-Trail Diesel.  

The Cruiseliner was a bit bigger than we wanted. We were hoping for the smaller Sportliner.    But they dont come on the market second hand very often in WA. So grabbed the Cruiseliner.  Got everything we want fitted already.   Exrta windows and Solar Panel etc.  

But we are happy with it just the same.
In fact      "love it"   Ooooh,  "the space" after the Hiace Pop Top. 

Tows very well on the Exy. You can forget it is there sometimes.   Tare weight is 900 kg's   But with all our gear on board including water we would be about  in the region of 1300 + all up.   We carry basicly what we carried in the Hiace.

I will get it weighed on the big weighbridge at work  after Xmas, just before heading to Tassie when we are loaded for a long trip.

Cant comment about high wind affecting it   as yet.

The awning/ annexe,  is a challenge  to fit  (so we were informed)
But,  is not that bad.   After a couple of  trial runs at home  Ellie and I got it sussed and dont have a problem. 
I even sussed out fitting and unrigging it single handed. Unrigging with the roof still up as well.  I reckon I will fit it with the roof up as well if I can get a gizmo made to help.
We use the awning  all the time as we never cook inside.

Been to a couple of Avan Club weekends in WA. Interesting to see all the tow vehicles.
A few RAV 4's,   X-Trails,   and everything else towing them  Did not see any Weight Distribution hitches being used at all.  But there might have been some there ????? we did not see em.

Lady camped next to us with an Avan Sportliner  Had the Rav4  and loved the combination.     We were interesed in the towing ability of the RAV as we used to have one a few years ago.

So far we have had  4 trips away with the Van and Exy.   Got back from one yesterday.   Fuel (diesel) consumption is 9 ltr's per 100 k's for us.


Regards
Mike and Ellie



-- Edited by elliemike on Monday 22nd of November 2010 12:05:46 PM

Hi Milo,
We have the Sportsliner A.Van we tow it with a Toyota Corolla checked with the RAA before we bought the car and the van and they said it was fine to tow with. We travelled for four months into Queensland with it this year and it didn't miss a beat we are really happy with the set up Good luck with your search hope you find what you are looking for. Helena.

Hi Milo,

We had an A'Van Aliner (the mid range van with no boot although one model did have it before they restricted it to the Cruiseliners). We had our A'Liner for 7 years and loved it. The A'lite you have shown is incorrectly called an A'Liner, they don't make them anymore and are like hens teeth to get hold of, they would be ideal for a light tow and the RAV or X'Trail or other similar light vehicle should be ok for them.

In regards to the 1998 A'Lite A'Van, if you were interested in it I would offer no more than $10,000 (although it is now a collectors item and could be worth buying it for that alone), I am pretty sure for about the price and year they have quoted you could just about get a used Sportsliner, which would give you more room.   Those who have a Sportsliner may like to comment about the used prices.
The next size up is the A'Liner, then of course the larger Cruiser and Cruiseliner, the difference in these last two is one has a boot.
Richo's suggestion of a Penguin is also good.

Just keep looking like you have until you return from your trip (unless you want to get the A'Lite before it disappears as they are rare), there are plenty of the other types of A'Van campers that come up on the market from time to time.

Mike and Ellie,

In regards to the wind, it is mostly when you are erecting it, hang onto it tightly and don't allow the wind to get under the roof part you are raising. It is generally better in high winds to face the van towards the wind with the overlapping roof wing facing the wind, although we never had a problem with ours in 7 years. Make sure both the inside levers and bolts are secure. With regards to the awning/annex, if we were only doing an overnighter or a couple of days usually we didn't worry about putting the awning up, and in 7 years only used the annex twice.

Milo, I will try to put a pic up of an A'Lite at an A'Van Rally in Nuriootpa (SA) if I can find it,
Mike and Ellie, Gary & Sue (WA Club) are coming over our place for afternoon tea today, we are good friends.

-- Edited by VHW on Saturday 27th of November 2010 10:26:14 PM

Regarding the Goldstream "Goldcrown" or "Crown" (like mine) or the Jayco Penguin; to the best of my knowledge these are the only ones in the Goldstream or Jayco range that do not have pull-out end beds and are the only vans/camper trailers of this style that I would recommend to a solo traveller (of which I am one). I believe in my case pull-out beds would be a pain in the proverbial.

My Goldcrown is the "off road" model and is quite heavy at 1350 ATM for a rig of its size and I think would be a bit much for a Rav 4.  I think (not sure) that the "on road" versions, especially the Jayco, would be lighter and maybe ok.

However, it is my "gut feeling" that you are on the right track with the A liner.

-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 28th of November 2010 06:53:02 PM