Collecting Expanda in 5 days!

[new2expanda]

The Expanda has arrived!

Hi! I have been watching this forum for a little while now! We ordered our Expanda 17.56-2-OB in January & am excited to know that we will be collecting it on Wednesday! We plan to go on our first trip on Thursday for Easter.

I have found the forum helpful when choosing the "extras" for our new van. There's lots of great advice on here.

 

[youngtravellers]

Hi,

Welcome, I to have found the site & people to be quite helpful. Enjoy your first trip. Where are you off to.

 

[Moto Moto]

Welcome, i am very jealous, i still have 2 months to wait.

Enjoy your new van!

KC

 

[new2expanda]

Just a short trip for the Easter break an hour or so from home with family & friends to Wakool (NSW). Will be a good opportunity to give the Expanda it's first test run!

 

[new2expanda]

Expanda Is HERE!!!!

Finally picked up our 17.56-2 OB Expanda today! Of all days for it to rain - today was it! Oh well, we are almost packed & ready to head off on our first little outing. I am posting one pic now & will have plenty more after Easter!

We are towing the Expanda with a 2006 Navara STR (I think!) that is fitted with a tray & cages & canvas canopy. Haven't had any luck finding towing mirrors to fit the Navara though... Any suggestions?

 

[cruza driver]

Congrats on the new Expanda and enjoy your maiden voyage!!

Look forward to seeing the pics

 

[Moto Moto]

That Expanda looks great! You must be very excited to get it in time for Easter.

PS nice Navara too, love to hear how it goes towing the van.

 

[expanda]

Love the new rig!!!!

Same question how is the Navara towing that thing?

I am switching tow vehicles shortly and tossing up between a Navara and a land rover discovery !

 

[expanda]

Forgot to ask how is the interior and what are your thoughts on the change from dark wood interior to the new light color?

 

[chartrock]

Good luck with the new rig. My tug is a Navara 2006 STR and I use a Britax mirror on the driver side and the passenger side just one of the type that clip on the existing nmirror. As I recall, the Britax cost about $90 and clamps from the top of the door where the window winds up down to the bottom of the door. It has a rubber pad on the back of the frame where it contacts the door and so far has not appeared to mark the paint work with 4 years of use. The main advantage I find with this is you can take the mirror out without having to take the clamp setup off the door making it legal to drive without the van during stops.

Disadvantage is that it may scratch the widow if you wind it up and down a lot with it on and also, my unit is rusting. I will need to get to it with a wire brush and paint before too long.

To answer some of the other questions about the Navara, it is a great towing vehicle, very economical although my Nav has had D-gas fitted to it to work with the diesel and a 2.75" exhaust which does give it quite a bit more grunt (or economy if you drive passively). My only complaint is that 1st gear is too high and if you have to start on a hill with the van on it struggles a bit. Thank goodness for low range, it will get you to the top of any hill.

If anyone has other queries about Navaras, new or old, D40 or D22, there is a Navara forum where someone can answer virtually any question you can come up with.
http://www.navara.asia/

 

[Rowdman]

Awesome looking van. Enjoy !

Let us know how the first trip went over easter.

 

[new2expanda]

Expanda success!

We are back from our first 5 night trip in the Expanda... All went well. We set up a pressure pump from the river to the van & used that for showering etc., so we didn't use up all our fresh water. We had plenty of room for the kids & other overnight guests! I must say our guests enjoyed the luxury of morning showers!

I am still trying to work out what I'm going to put in each storage compartment, but I'm getting there! Any suggestions for adding shelving to the "robe"? I bought a $12 wire cube from Bunnings which acted a bit like a shelf and worked well.

I've attached a few more pics. The interior pics show the bunks set up as beds & as a table. I'm thinking about moving the position of the ladder, as when it's up, there is limited access to the seat & underneath cupboard. I love the new interior colour & the new door handles are fantastic!

We went for the rooftop air con (we used the heater a few times over the weekend), the larger fridge & the external shower & gas bayonet.

As for the Navara, hubby says it towed really well (I was in another vehicle with the boat!).

 

[Moto Moto]

Great setup! Looks gret behind the Nav.

Thanks for sharing.
KC

 

[Lisao]

We set up a pressure pump from the river to the van & used that for showering etc., so we didn't use up all our fresh water. We had plenty of room for the kids & other overnight guests! I must say our guests enjoyed the luxury of morning showers

Hi new2expanda,
I have a question hoping u will be able to help. We were thinking of setting a pressure pump to a river for showers as well when we get our 16.49.3 in 8 weeks. How did u go about setting it up?
Thanks

 

[10petenat]

Very jealous. Looks great.