After a lifetime of trucks, im hitting the road later this year in another form of trucking, a motorhome. So I've started scouring the "for sale" pages on the internet and are coming up very p$%# off.
What's on offer to us Aussies for what represents the price of a block of land, is pathetic to say the least and I can't believe the "junk" that is being offered by Australian manufactures.
For an example, let's look at the 430k Avida Longreach. Yes, what a joke in my opinion.
The Izusu truck chassis that this "motorhome" if you can call it that, has been slapped onto, is indeed just that. Meant for hauling loads, not people and certainly not furniture unless it wrapped in underlay and loaded by tattoo wearing lads. This is now my territory, so after spending a lifetime in all manner of trucks, Ive some inkling as to what a motorhome should ride like and the Izusu ain't no motorhome chassis.
Nor are any of the other "chassis" on offer by the mainstream manufacturers 11either for that matter.
Speaking of "others", Fiat/Iveco, LDV, Mercedes, VW and Transit are nothing but commercial vehicles wearing motorhome badging. In my opinion, a total con as the base trucks for these cost around 75k, so where's the remainder of the 200k odd going?
Just look at the pc items in a typical 220k motorhome, they're the same as in a 120k campervan, c'mon people.......the only innovation in the last 20 years has been the drop down bed and they're still fitting lead acid batteries in some models or supplying the bare minimum 120 amp/hr lithium with a whoping 160 watt solar panel. Woah, cutting edge stuff.
Speaking of PC items, the so called "kitchen" area of these motorhomes are surely a joke. Let's face facts, the kitchen is what makes a house a home and these p$%#ant appliances make cooking a chore, not an act of love. But, you have a microwave oven and a "Fusion" sound system. Ah, so that's where the extra 125k went.........
That leads one down the BUS conversion or American motorhome path.
Now here are chassis's built from the factory with humans in mind. Airbag suspension, long wheel base and an engine that's designed for 700 thou, not 200 and won't have the furniture shaking it staples off the walls, yes folks, staples
At 30-40 ft depending on manufacturer, it's a rig for sure, but the cost benefit analysis quickly dispenses the garden variety motorhome regardless of how they wrap it.
In closing, ill put my money where my big gob is and post my final selection on this forum, but in the meantime, how about letting your wallet do the walking and not purchase this crap that's being offered as cutting edge innovative means of travel.
Check out what's overseas and demand that these grifters follow suite
I'm off to check out the Tiffan motohomes for the thousandth time
Bazel, 100% correct as also a former truck driver, their isn't anything I would buy except for a six wheel drive MK5 Acco motorhome that is on the market at the moment on Faceplant, and maybe an Earthcruiser or a dedicated offroad truck motorhome.
Be cautious and mindful of imported stuff - admittedly they are better build
than local crap - but the amenities, electrical and mechanical components
are likely not readily available in Oz and as I have found out, one can be
stranded to buggery away for a month or more while some obscure part
is imported.
Whatever you spend other than on imported or even local no-name vehicles
your money is likely going to come back to you unlike cars, largely what you
paid for it. The losses are no way as extreme as with motor cehicles.
Anyway, you're gonna be dead soon, so "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow
we die".
