17' Series Where to buy?

[burnsie]

Hi All

Couldn't seem to locate a thread with this info, sorry if there is already one here somewhere

Looking to buy an Expanda but are located in Perth......

Have spoken to some people locally about potentially driving over to the east coast and picking one up over there? Have been advised you can save thousands if you buy it locally where they are made.

Of course there is the fuel and time to get over there but most people have said it is worth doing and you still come out in front.

What are everyone's thoughts, is it worth ordering it with a dealer locally on the east coast and drive over and pick it up, also can you order direct from Jayco and pick it up from where it is made?

Anyone thought about this or done this themselves?

 

[Smirke]

Hi @burnsie , we have recently (2 weeks ago) returned from a trip to melbourne to pick up our van. Admittedly we deviated on the way home, going to sydney then Gold Coast, but figured why not! We picked our van up from the factory after ordering and paying for it thru caravanland here.
We left on a Saturday morning and got into dandenong on the Tuesday lunch. (Stopped caiguna, wudinna and then Keith on the way over). We have a patrol and had it filled with a 40l engel, and 4 x 60L plastic tubs on the roof with everything we were taking. (Had to as there is 6 of us). We travelled 2939km to get from Freo (home) to the big 4 in dandenong (800m from factory and a nice little park). We used 533 L of fuel getting there.
We did save a bit by buying it there. We used a price sheet that was on here to see what our model was being sold for, and when caravanland gave us a price I mentioned what they were going for over in the east and was prepared to drive there to get it. They price matched , we altered the van and the rest is history.
After having done it, would I do it again...... Definitely, unless the deal or van was just right.
Anyway, I hope that helps.
(We did find a few things not right, and instead of the dealer fixing it before handover we have had to wait. )

 

[burnsie]

thanks for the info @Smirke will have to weigh it all up and see what caravanland can to locally, would be an adventure though to go and get it.

You did some loooooong days in the car two days of just over 1000km's and another one of 800km, would be interesting to here how you did that with the 4 kids in the car for so long, I assume they were all excited about the panda.

We have three kids 7, 5 & 3 would you spread the trip pver there out a bit more with another day or were the kids bearable

 

[Smirke]

Hi @burnsie , wasn't too bad. Kids had iPods and movies (plus their Nintendo ds) to play with. The little ones also had 'loot bags' with coloring in, puzzles, books etc. plus they each had munchies, and the engle was filled with iceblocks. The kids are use to big drives as we go to coral bay every April and monkey mia in January. Plus while driving they are fine, it's when you stop they tend to go feral.
(Ice blocks fix anything.)

 

[Smirke]

Forgot to mention, we both had to take a week off work (we are both teachers) and had the handover on the Wednesday. So, we had a time limit for getting there. Also I didn't want to arrive on the Wednesday and go straight into handover. (That took 4 hours as it was)
Wasn't too bad a trip going over.

 

[Panda Shell]

Apparently Jayco has rehashed their pricing Australia wide and it is now the same price in Vic as it is in WA. I think it is basically removing the extra cost for freighting to perth now, which is great. We got a great deal on our van. I would be comparing prices before heading over East, although if you have the time to spare, you could make a nice holiday of it. Even do a factory tour while you are there!

 

[bigcol]

hiya @burnsie
depending on your situation - ie: work, holidays due, timing etc
I think buying from the Factory would be a good experience, not just for you, but for the Kids as well.........
yes it is a long way to go,
yes, you need to be very VERY well organised (for details hit up @Smirke for more details) - stops on the way there and back............

if I knew then what I know now - I would have gone to the Factory I think
is saying that though
I never had a problem with CaravanLand, or Ken, our Salesman
nore have I had a problem with the Van (touch wood) - I got everything I wanted (except for a larger door on the tunnel)

ideal scenario for me would be - fly over, pickup car already sent there (or new Patrol - dreaming I know), and hook up the new Van and have 2 weeks on the road home.............

I would suggest
have a firm idea on what you want..... lots and lots of ph calls to factory to find out what you can and cannot have
get a written quote off them, go see CaravanLand, see if they can or will match it - with your specs......

then see what the difference is
$$$ amount
time amount - waiting
time amount - for pickup ex east
$$$ amount for travel

and see what fits in with you and your circumstances

lots and lots of thinking and phone calls are ahead of you................

 

[yabbietol]

One Suggestion may be to go to major caravan show.

Jayco do show specials and we got a better price and more options from the Sydney dealer by buying from the same salesman who we previously got a quote from before the show. We told him we were coming and he met us at the show (he got us one free ticket?).

He told us they get some more factory support at shows (e.g. free washing machine, etc.) and special show price.

 

[Bluey]

Hi All

Couldn't seem to locate a thread with this info, sorry if there is already one here somewhere

Looking to buy an Expanda but are located in Perth......

Have spoken to some people locally about potentially driving over to the east coast and picking one up over there? Have been advised you can save thousands if you buy it locally where they are made.

Of course there is the fuel and time to get over there but most people have said it is worth doing and you still come out in front.

What are everyone's thoughts, is it worth ordering it with a dealer locally on the east coast and drive over and pick it up, also can you order direct from Jayco and pick it up from where it is made?

Anyone thought about this or done this themselves?

I met a bloke in a park at chrisy who drove from perth to pic up his van in geelong vic but he was then going on holidays
carful of the shows know ur prices I have a 1756-2 outback I rang weeks before the melb show 47 for the van then at the show after paying money to get in with all this free stuff the same van was 49 !!!!!! u think we are dheads I said to them hence the haggling begun they sold me an outback at standard price of 43 he admitted later he made a mistake but had to honour it good luck

 

[burnsie]

Hi All

Thanks for the updates, the new 2015 models should be out, if not soon so I will start making good use of my phone. Not a bad idea making a holiday out of it but will have to see what the price differences are now that Jayco have streamlined there interstate prices