Off Road Caravan

[MrMike]

Recommendations? This is unfamiliar territory for me…

As @Deano mentioned Zone RV, but for me I'd work on the KISS principle, belive it or not Kimberly Karavan ticks all the boxes, lightweight, compact, gal chassis, fiberglass body, good water capacity. Or for more comfort the Kruiser

Hybrid Off Road Caravans | Kimberley Kampers

The Kimberley Karavan is luxurious, compact & agile. Enjoy off-grid adventures without missing any of the comforts of home. Find out more

kimberleykampers.com.au

Luxury Off Road Caravans | Kimberley Kampers

Take your luxury off-road camping experience to the next level with a Kimberley Kruiser. Nothing comes close to the luxury, security and strength. Take a look!

kimberleykampers.com.au

 

[Wayneos]

You guys should find this interesting.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbF_NfxGuOs

 

[MrMike]

You guys should find this interesting.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbF_NfxGuOs

Yeah, that was horrific. No wonder he got jail time.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Towing review from Australia, two vans, 4 cars.

View: https://youtu.be/dTcSRFjsVT8

 

[Mohs 9]

Towing review from Australia, two vans, 4 cars.

View: https://youtu.be/dTcSRFjsVT8

No real information about towing, except the fuel consumption. Mainly a promotion video -> waste of time.

 

[TheDocAUS]

No real information about towing, except the fuel consumption. Mainly a promotion video -> waste of time.

They went on a 5000km trip on bitumen and offroad and gave their comments on the towing of two different caravans. Moreover, looking at the video it was obvious how well the Grenadier towed both caravans with factory suspension, because I took the time to look at the video a couple of times. Try it, you might actually see more than your initial and superficial observations.

 

[Tom D]

I’ve towed 3.5 ton with mine a few times, it handles the weight very well, much better than an old defender or a ranger or a navara.

 

[Davman]

I can confirm towing my nearly 3Tonne caravan that it is legitimately the best tow rig I have ever owned …. And I have owned many Landcruisers.
Don’t worry about modifying anything - just stick the van straight onto the tow ball and drive off.
No Weight distribution hitch, no suspension upgrades, no airbag helpers needed with the IG.
The LC300 is not getting any better fuel consumption than the IG is towing- so I don’t know what the issue is in regards to “fuel economy”.

 

[MrMike]

No real information about towing, except the fuel consumption. Mainly a promotion video -> waste of time.

Yes, we call them an "infomercial"
This is typical of the Caravan industry reviewers, they just lack any real substance or critique

 

[Shopkeep]

Zone RV has gone into administration:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...ne-rv-collapses-into-administration/106055816

 

[Clark Kent]

Zone RV has gone into administration:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...ne-rv-collapses-into-administration/106055816

Unfortunate for those who were about to take delivery. Zone had a good name. I hope Zone's employees and paid up customers get compensated.

I've been waiting for a caravan market correction since the rapid industry expansion after the Covid19 years. There is north of 120 different manufacturer brands in Australia. Many actually build here while a large portion buy the completed chassis and box out of China and do the finishing and compliance work here. The price is usually a good guide of the work split.
A walk around any of the large RV expos showed there was little difference between many brands and models so it required a discerning and well researched buyer to pick something out of the crowd.

 

[Shopkeep]

Unfortunate for those who were about to take delivery. Zone had a good name. I hope Zone's employees and paid up customers get compensated.

I've been waiting for a caravan market correction since the rapid industry expansion after the Covid19 years. There is north of 120 different manufacturer brands in Australia. Many actually build here while a large portion buy the completed chassis and box out of China and do the finishing and compliance work here. The price is usually a good guide of the work split.
A walk around any of the large RV expos showed there was little difference between many brands and models so it required a discerning and well researched buyer to pick something out of the crowd.

Surprised as Zone seemed to be a very professional setup that was trying to innovate and as such received government support. Handing over big deposits and waiting 12 months plus for your van to hopefully appear would make you nervous.

 

[Clark Kent]

Surprised as Zone seemed to be a very professional setup that was trying to innovate and as such received government support. Handing over big deposits and waiting 12 months plus for your van to hopefully appear would make you nervous.

There's something to be said here about buying dealer demo stock, or a good used van that has been checked by an independent party - provided you aren't a subscriber to FOMO.
Zone RV are one of the brands in my saved Caravan Sales search. Nothing wrong with their products. Sounds like something has happened on the business side. Ripe target for a buyout depending on their debt situation.

 

[bigleonski]

Yeah, this is pretty much business as usual with the caravan industry in Australia, and there’s been a huge problem with manufacturers going into receivership (particularly in Victoria) and leaving customers without their deposit and van, and creditors with nothing, and then phoenixing into another van business and starting again. Dodgy as.
But I wouldn’t have thought (and don’t think) Zone would be in that category by any stretch. Great reputation and great product.
Perhaps as a premium product producer they just fell to the cheap Chinese alternative as people look to not spend money they don’t have when things get tight.

It’s funny, the economy on so many levels looks strong, but business is doing it tough everywhere.

 

[Chelsea Tractor]

Our Grenadier is not compatible with trailer lights using the seven pin connector. Have tried three different trailers with the same result. The trailer lights display randomly not giving the intended signals, flashers, or back-up lights. Three different dealers have checked our Grenadier and found no issues. The same trailers operate as intended when hooked to other vehicles.
What do y'all do to get your trailer lights to operate as intended?

 

[TheDocAUS]

Our Grenadier is not compatible with trailer lights using the seven pin connector. Have tried three different trailers with the same result. The trailer lights display randomly not giving the intended signals, flashers, or back-up lights. Three different dealers have checked our Grenadier and found no issues. The same trailers operate as intended when hooked to other vehicles.
What do y'all do to get your trailer lights to operate as intended?

Make sure you look at the info in the Rok Dr Guide about trailer plugs, APPENDIX 3.

 

[Max]

Our Grenadier is not compatible with trailer lights using the seven pin connector. Have tried three different trailers with the same result. The trailer lights display randomly not giving the intended signals, flashers, or back-up lights. Three different dealers have checked our Grenadier and found no issues. The same trailers operate as intended when hooked to other vehicles.
What do y'all do to get your trailer lights to operate as intended?

Load resistors are needed if the trailer lights are LED...

How Do LED Light Load Resistors Work?​

Various factors contribute to how load resistors work. For automotive applications, the load resistor simulates the electrical load of an incandescent bulb by drawing extra current, so the vehicle's system thinks the original bulb is still installed.

 

[Chelsea Tractor]

Max:

"Load resistors are needed if the trailer lights are LED...​

How Do LED Light Load Resistors Work?​

Various factors contribute to how load resistors work. For automotive applications, the load resistor simulates the electrical load of an incandescent bulb by drawing extra current, so the vehicle's system thinks the original bulb is still installed."​

Max: thanks,
Interesting that Ineos would design for incandescent bulbs vs LED.
All recent trailers that I know of use LEDs. Looks like the available load resistors plug into the Grenadiers seven pin that you then plug the trailer into. Aside from being awkward it hangs down making it vulnerable on off-road trails.