Testimonials from Owners (please post reply in this topic)

[Mobi Condo]

We have had excellent experiences with BushTracker, right from first enquiry in March 2005 and through the design and pre purchase phases.

Then after purchase we have had excellent back up with items sent at no cost (small parts which had broken etc) to us in far away Adelaide.

The quality of our van is such that even after trips through the far north Flinders and Gammon Ranges, The Tanami Road, The Gibb River Road, The Kalumburu Road, The Neds Creek short cut to Wiluna, Silver City Highway to Tibooburra and onto Noccundra, Cape York, The Gulf Country, Mt Isa to Birdsville via the Diamantina NP and Bedourie, then south to Marree, High Country tripping such as Sassafrass Gap etc and a few other back tracks with long muddy hauls, rocky tracks and so on we have a van which still looks "as new" inside and cleans up a treat on the outside.

Hardly a problem other than a broken 4 Seasons hatch lock, a broken Camec door handle, two broken wires in the battery charger and loose parts in the 1800 watt inverter all of which were simple fixes when done and a replacement outside light in all of that rough terrain travel.

Some relatives in the meantime are on their third van, some aquaintences are on their 2nd vans all due to structure and layout problems and have barely left the bitumen!

We are so glad to have made the choice we did!

[Jeff&Narelle@Alice]

Hi
We are now onto our 3rd second hand Bushtracker and even though we have not bought new we have been very impressed with any dealings we have had with the staff at Bushtracker e.g. when organising a pre purchase inspection and when buying bits for our Bushtrackers over the years.
They are so well made and have such a good reputation that we have been able to buy with confidence and the Bushtracker reputation really helps when selling. We advertised our 1999 18’ family Bushtracker and started getting enquiries straight away and after just over 2 weeks had taken a deposit. Not counting the scam SMS’s from overseas phone numbers we averaged more than 1 enquiry a day. This shows the positive reputation of Bushtracker caravans.
From our experience, if you take care of your Bushtracker, you can buy one, enjoy using it for as long as you like and then sell it with minimal depreciation.

1st one

2nd one

3rd one
Jeff & Narelle

[Grumblebum and the Dragon]

We were "virgin" buyers back in the early eighties. Knew where we wanted to travel but were green on what was the most reliable unit to take us there - in comfort and most importantly with great relaibility. Getting recovered out from the Gibson Desert makes for a very expensive van!!

18 months of dedicated research crawling through and under many vans on an ever decreasing shortlist. Speaking to many owners of assorted 'off-road' vans about their travel experiences eventually lead us to Bushtracker. We found this a far better information gathering process than being bullshitted by dealerships whose primary goal was to make a sale.

The visit to the factory was an eye-operer in terms getting a hands-on look on how the Bushtrackers were put together, attention to detail and quality, quality and more quality.

We placed an order and had fantastic back-up to help us get just what we wanted. We have now been 'on-the-road' living in the van full-time for seven and a half years. We have travelled most of the wilder parts of the country including the infamous Gunbarrel Highway - a great test of any van (or vehicle for that matter!). The van has always performed with flying colours.

I thought at the time the Bushtracker was a bit expensive.... with the benefit of hindsight it has been one of the smartest decisions we have ever made.

John and Jean

[mattkurvink]

E-mailed copy sent to Bushtracker:

From: Bob Nelson
To: sales@bushtracker.com
Subject: having a great time

Hi Bushtracker Team
Just back home after spending 6 months wandering around W.A.Better than working.Spent a bit of time in the Kimberley region.What a great place,peace and quiet.Spent a week at Drysdale Station about 50 klms. off the Gibb River Rd.Great scenery etc,another few days at Home Valley Station on the Gibb River Rd.Check out photos.Eight 4WD roll overs in one week,all hired.They need a bit of education on how to drive on these roads.Had one small problem with the battery charger.The retaining bolt that holds the transfomer in place worked loose allowing it to move back and forth breaking two wires.Solution,new wires,new bed of silicon,new centre bolt and spring washer.Came across two vans with outback,offroad painted on sides.Thats where it finished.One lost all its suspension etc. near Drysdale station.The other aright off,all the inside floating around inside. Growen people crying,waiting for a flat top truck to take it home. Both these vans were new. Salesmen said they would go anywhere.No need to buy expensive vans.Boy I would hate to be these salesmen.These folks had murder in their eyes.Enough rambling.Had 2 years on the road.What a GREAT VAN.Keep up the good work.
Regards Bob & Chris Nelson

Drysdale Station:


Home Valley:

[mattkurvink]

E-mailed copy sent to Bushtracker:

From: Joyce Guttormsen
To: sales@bushtracker.com
Subject: Bushtracker

We picked up our Bushtracker on 12-9-00, sold our home & hit the road on 8th December 2000, after spending Christmas with our daughter & her family we headed off into the wild blue yonder on 17th Feb 01.
Our first stop was in the Gerard State Forest east of Tenterfield. it was a beautiful spot & the water in the creek was of good quality so we stayed 6 days & enjoyed the peace & quiet of the area.

Without going into full detail of all our travels, we have been up the cape across the top, down the west coast, along the Great Ocean Road & then over to Tassie where we have been for the last 4 years, three & a half on Bruny Island, we only came for one month.

I think we will move off sometime in 09. We have lived very comfortably in our 18ft van for the past 8 years & have no ambition to become home owners again in the near future. I have enclosed a few pictures of a some of our stops,We have had some great camp sites, on the banks of rivers, and in the middle of nowhere and are thoroughly enjoying the nomadic lifestyle.

Cheers

[mattkurvink]

E-mailed copy sent to Bushtracker:

From: A & B Hxxxxxx
To: sales@bushtracker.com
Subject: New Van delivery

Attention Steve Gibbs

Steve

Today we picked up our long awaited 19ft Bushtracker and I ask that you convey to your staff like Phillip, Peter, Joshua, the Sound In Motion Guys and especially Brent our heartfelt thanks for their professional and comprehensive advice and instruction for our new van. As novice caravanners, today will be most appreciated as we go out in our new van in the future.

Steve, not only do you have a fine product but you have a first class team dealing with your customers.

Congratulations Steve and team.

Cheers

Alan and Barbara Hxxxxxx

[mattkurvink]

E-mailed copy sent to Bushtracker:

From: Brian Xxxxxx
To: 'Bushtracker'
Subject: New BT

Just a note to thank everyone involved at BT in the purchase of our BT. Special thanks to Peter for the delivery day instructions, to Matt and Phillip for their assistance and advice in the planning process, and to Steve for the wealth of information and experience that he supplies on the forum. The amount of information to take in is mind boggling, but between Peter’s excellent tuition and the BT Manual we have been able to sort everything out so far. (The DVD on delivery currently being prepared would be an excellent addition though).

Congratulations on a great team, and an exceptional product. We are looking forward to a long and rewarding relationship.

Kind regards,

Brian & Faye Xxxxxxxxx

[mattkurvink]

E-mailed copy sent to Bushtracker:

From: Peter
To: sales@bushtracker.com
Subject: RE: Topic Reply Notification - For Sale 2005 20' BT Queensize Island Bed Etc



Hi Steve and all of the BT Team,

Thank you for your best wishes which you sent us on the BT "Sell" site.

We were saddened to sell our beloved BT but an unexpected health problem
that occurred during our last big trip has determined that we will have to
curtail our "outback and off-road" journeys. We shall continue to explore
closer to home destinations using B&B's etc.

As we have owned two BT's over the past 10 years we have thoroughly enjoyed
every aspect of ownership and you and your team certainly deserve the
reputation for the best van in Australia.

Thank you to all of you in your support and help to us over the last ten
years. We wish all of you continuing great success and will continue to
maintain our interest in BT's activities.

With best regards,

Peter & Mary Xxxxxxx

[Theywent Thataway]

Girls....let him have his Bushtracker.

I couldnt stand the idea of owning a BT - for a LOOONG list of reasons - pre owning one.

Finally gave in saying "OK. Buy the thing".

Should have listened from the start.

NOTHING beats a BT. We see that every day. Could have wasted a LOT of money buying something inferior. Glad Dave stood his ground. Now.

Can't fault the BT in any way. The companys service is AWESOME. The van itself is a dream. And yes....I tow it too.

The way I see it now is ...."VERY inexpensive house".

Hope this helps someone make their decision.

Regards to all - especially the BT "family" (staff and owners alike).


Maz.

[Bushtracker]

Received Email today....

Dear Steve,
Just a quick thank you on behalf of Mark and Suzy for the use of your forum ( vans for sale ) There 2002 Bushtracker van received thousands of views and numerous enquiries via your free site. The van was sold for approx. 20% more than the original purchase price in 2002.

This is further testament to your great product. They are looking forward to the day when they will purchase another new Bushtracker.

Michael XXXXXXXXXX

[mattkurvink]

Posted on the Bushtracker owners forum by 'Gorn':

It is not so much the fact that things do happen, it is the way one is treated and how solutions are found that one remembers. Hat off to BT, top service, very happy campers (pardon the pun) we are. Below is a note that I published on facebook for all my friends to see:
3 timber panels in our 3 1/2 year old home (van) showed some staining because there must have been a leak near the windows. Our skylight developed small cracks which allowed some water to get between the perspex panes. As always, max 2 year warranty but we wanted it fixed and were ready for a hefty bill. Bushtracker replaced the panels and re-sealed the windows free of charge. Bushtracker also spoke to Dometic and got them to replace the skylight under warranty, Bushtracker supplied the labour free of charge. They didn't have to but they did, 1 1/2 years past the warranty. Great to deal with a company that cares about their customers long after they made the sale. Thank you Steve, Peter, Wayne and Bob!!
_________________
Catch your dreams before they're GORN

[mattkurvink]

Posted on the Bushtracker owners forum by 'Tands':

There's no doubt that going the extra mile works wonders for BT's reputation. I told a friend (we rarely see these days) we'd bought a new caravan. He's been living and travelling with his family in a caravan for some years. He asked "What did you buy?" and when I told him it was a BT he immediately replied "Great van, probably the best, and a great company too."

Even though we're yet to take delivery, it's nice to know we've made the right decision. More the power to everyone at Bushtracker for that 'extra mile'.
_________________
I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it left.

[mattkurvink]

Posted on the Bushtracker owners forum by 'oldfella':

We would also like to give credit where it's due.On our last trip we had a fair chunk of a tree branch crash onto & shatter one of our solar panels, then it whiped around & damaged the rear & side walls which had to be removed & reskined,quit a big job.The repair is excellent,the quality of the workmanship is faultless.It's so refreshing to deal with such a professional company.Thanks Steve,Peter & all involved.

[Outback]

I would just like to express my admiration for the build quality of Bushtracker caravans. I have been camped on a cane farm outside Childers. When ex tropical Cyclone Oswald came down the coast it rained solidly for four days. The rainfall on the farm in that time exceeded 700mm. Rain hammered down constantly on the van. Not one leak,amazing. You guys could build submarines. Well done!

[mattkurvink]

E-mailed copy sent to Bushtracker:

From: Brian & Helen
Sent: Tuesday, 19 February 2013 11:13 AM
To: Bushtracker
Subject: RE: re trailer plug wiring

Thanks once more for your reply Steve.

I agree with your logic and shall wire-in an additional earth, and all should be good,

I continue to be impressed by the level of involvement that you as a director/owner of the business has in the "after sales service". I have been a member of your website for a few years now, and now that I'm a "second-hand owner", I look forward to the the day when I make a "new purchase".

I just rang and left a message with Matt to pass on my regards and thanks.

Regards


Brian - and Helen

[AlexMc]

This starts off fairly tragic but in the end shows how tough these old vans are. We had catastrophic suspension failure going down a hill and across a bridge on the way to Dungog. Its 16 foot 1999 model and well maintaned by me. Seems the bolts holding the front of the drivers side spring pack have come adrift and dropped out. Soooooo, the spring pack front drops down into the bitchumen and gouges itself in. The van leaps into the air with an almighty bang so I gently slow up pull off the road to see what all the fuss is about. The complete spring pack is scattered way back down the road. So the missus and I run back and quickly toss all the leafs and bolts and bits off the road. Just as well cause moments later half a dozen motorbikes fly past. Now that was close, for them.
Seems that the front bolts must have vibrated out and the front of the spring has dropped and dug into the bitchumen and totally bent the whole lot backwards and snapped the rear plate in half(the 2 longer ssprings are literally curved the wrong way now). Now the van is sitting down on the bump rubbers with no suspension but the wheels are still free to turn so able to get it onto a tow truck and off for repairs at the lovely NRMA folk at Dungog.
Either Bushtracker or one of your suppliers emails the schematics of the spring pack so its simple to tick bits needed to fix. Cost to repair was about a third of what it cost to get an new alternator fitted at Narrabri.

SO the moral to the story is, if it had been a lesser van with lesser suspension we could very well be typing this from a hospital bed. I swear by this old van and how tough it is.
Soooo, everyone!!!!.....check those front bolts on your undeneath inspections.....Cheers Alex

********************

Alex, Admin here at Bushtracker. I say it in the Owners Section, but I will say it again here. The Nylocks holding up the spring hangers are NOT reusable. Further they have to be torqued to a setting. If you replace the Nylocks and torque them right, there IS NO such thing as them "rattling loose". I am glad no one was injured... This was a cheap learning curve compared to how bad it could have been...
Kind regards, Bushtracker

[Jeff&Narelle@Alice]

Hi
I've been conducting some renovation & maintainance on my receintly aquired second hand BT and just thought I'd share this photo showing the care Bushtracker has taken wiring up the tail lights. I wonder how many caravan manufacturers would spend the time to neatly loom the wiring like this.
It's this sort of care and quality in normally unseen areas that set Bushtracker apart.
Regards
Jeff


Admin here, even better now as we are all LED as Standard Equipment..

[Ajay and Fletch]

My wife and I took delivery of our new 20' Bushtracker in November, 2012. We are delighted with our van and love getting out and about in it learning how to fully utilise its wonderful capabilities in preparation for a big adventure we have planned for later this year, crossing the Tanamai and 6 to 8 weeks around Broome and on the Gibb River Road.

Yesterday we attended the Caravan and Camping Show in Caulfield, Victoria, and, of course we had to visit the folks at the Bushtracker display. Might I say that we were both very impressed with the innovations on display, other than the silver coloured exterior, which I think would make the interior of the van uncomfortable in the very hot weather we experience here in the land of Aus. (white is much cooler).

Not withstanding all of that, the main reason for my post is what followed a simple comment about something that I would have liked in our van, ie. a power point on both sides of the bed, something that now appears standard. When I mentioned that I would have liked a power point on my side of the bed, the young man said, "Why don't you arrange for one to be retrofitted?"
To which I replied, "Yeah, that would be alright if it were possible but wouldn't it be very expensive?"
His answer, "No that's easy. We know where all of the wires are because we photograph every van during its construction so it's no problem. Just give Wayne a call at the office for a quote."

Fantastic, how many other manufacturers pay such close attention to detail?

[bazandshirl]

We bought our first new BT, 18ft, in 2003. For 9 years we travelled this great land crossing the Tanami and Plenty Highways no fewer than 4 times coming home to Mt Tamborine to visit ageing parents and grandchildren. The BT did approx 150,000k across every dirt track we could find, sometimes not seeing another vehicle and rig for days at a time. We were totally self-sufficient, sat phone, supplies and water etc.
In 2012 we still had the original fridge, air con, hot water, pumps etc. and the timber interior looked like new. The only casualities were 4 door catches, stove, brakes, tyres and hitch, total cost in 9 years. In the end we got our money back.

As of the 19th December, 2012 we now are the proud owners of a new 21ft BT with the works. Now we can travel anywhere we wish in even more comfort.

Many thanks to Steve and the team at BT for a great land yacht.

[Bushtracker]

Copied from email to Bushtracker

Steve

Good to say hello again in the flesh.
I know you have heard this all before but I would still like to compliment your troops for the
military style efficiency in completing the jobs I asked them to do on Monday.
Please pass on my thanks.

Cheers

Barrie Salmon

" Maximus "


Admin here, we must be doing something right. As of today 23 May 2013, 115 Owners have come back for a second new Bushtracker, and around 250 (lost count) have come for a new Bushtracker after owning a second hand one... That kind of Customer Loyalty is not only a living Testimonial to our quality, but also our Service.. Not a brag, just the facts...

Kind regards, Cowboy

[bazandshirl]

Our new 21 ft BT now 6months old went for service new tap on drawbar. Only a few minor things all well

[aubs]

How to Upset a 130kg 186cms (6’3”) Gorilla

This afternoon while resting in a free camp waiting to go to the BT Factory for an insurance quote (Got out the way for a truck and had soft edges and slid off the edge of the road and into trees),

So this “ wanna be wally” approached me and asked if I had any problems with my van. Reply was she has served me faithfully and I take her where other BTs fear to tread, I had to tow her 30m on the A-frame to get her out of a bog. His reply got me riled nearly enough to smack this bloke if he was 15 years younger and 50kgs heavier and another 18inches taller.
He said, BTs are crap, they keep breaking the draw bar and fall apart, my mate has one and he is always having problems with it, Krons are a better van, stronger and built better, (this chap is in an old Millard)

My short reply was “ya mate mustn’t know how to drive or tow, I think you probably got it wrong mate Kron is probably what he is towing, not a BT, wild, man I was wild, how dare anyone insult a BT in my company. I’m still p**ssed at him.

Steve and Employees, you do a fantastic job and your vans are second to none and go beyond, where others fear to tread, and we have the videos to prove it.

This pic is where we unhitched and towed 30m on the draw bar, try that in any other van and not do any damage.

[Ajay and Fletch]

G'day Paul, I too would have been quite upset with those remarks. If the ignoramus who made those remarks had visited both factories he would immediately know which product is better built. IMHO Krons are not a patch on our BT's.

One minor point on your post, I hate to "belittle' you but 186 cm is way short of 6'3". My son is 189 cm, the same height as Chris Judd, and that equates to 6' 2 1/2", also the same height as the great John Nicholls of Carlton fame.

Regards and keep on keeping them b******s honest,

[aubs]

I struggle on metric, but I know BT built our van 3" higher so I could walk through her without hitting my head, so how good is that!

[DavidI]

Thanks Steve for a great product and great people in your business,
Shirley and I purchased our first BT late last year 2nd hand in Brisbane. It was the late Malcolm Try's van (and Lynne of course). The van is a 2004 model and it is in immaculate condition. My first trip was up to your premises, sort of on the way home the long way to get some advice from BT.

Peter Tompson was fantastic in helping me with advice. I purchased the new D035 hitch and he showed me how to fit it to allow me to use with my original WDH bars.

Since then I have called several times for advice and the advice and service has been second to none. I am booked in again later this month as I had the misfortune of smashing a solar panel, so I will get that replaced plus add the fourth one to the roof.

We have been caravaners all our lives carting our 4 kids all over Australia in a couple of Millards. Now finally owning our BT is the highlight of our caravanning. I have never seen a van built to the robustness and quality of our BT, not to mention how stable it is. Everyone we meet tells us we have purchased the best van available in Australia. We know that, but it seems the rest of the caravanning community may also know it ... well done to get that sort of reputation. We will no doubt be up for a new BT in a few years.

David and Shirley Isaac.

[Louie100]

Hi all at Bushtracker,
We would like to pass on our sincere thanks and appreciation to all who we have been associated with directly and also the unsung heros, the tradesmen and women who actually build these outstanding caravans. A special mention for Peter Russ who we spent the day with during the pick up process last week, his knowledge and enthusiasm for the product is something to behold. To be able to collect our new 20footer last week, throw in some tucker and linen and head straight out bush free camping for four or five days and nights is testament to how well the product is prepared and presented. Once again thanks to all.
Cheers Christine and Andrew.

[B & H]

Hi All,

yesterday I picked up my Bushtracker after having some suspension upgrade work carried out by the crew at Kunda Park.

I would just like to compliment all involved for the no fuss and efficient manner in which the task was completed.

Today whilst in the area - from NSW - I visited the Stegbar people just up the road at Maroochydore. Weeks previously, I had made arrangements for them to have a look at the shower door, which is tight to open, probably due to the bulk-head wall "settling" over its previous 12 year life. I 'd like to acknowledge all the staff at Stegbar for their assistance in sorting the problem, from Amy at reception, through to the factory supervisor and fitter. Thanks heaps for the excellent customer service.

Thanks again,
Brian & Helen

[tc1]

Thanks Mr Bushtracker.

Hi Steve and Team

Judy and I have just returned home to a rather cool Canberra after recently collecting our 20’ Bushtracker on 29 Oct 13. We are exceptionally pleased with the van and look forward to enjoying our new found lifestyle. We would like to say that our dealings with your team have been outstanding and we express our thanks and “well done” to all the Bushtracker Team involved in our “journey” over the last 15 months including:
• Phillip Wilson for managing our design expectations.
• Joshua Gibbs for the Factory Tour and supplying the many photographs of our van’s build process.
• Peter Thomson for the handover, advice and instruction on our delivery day.

In addition we would like to sincerely thank the many Bushtracker Owners that freely offered their advice and assistance to us over our journey. This was very much appreciated.

In particular we would like to personally thank:
• Colin and Joan from Canberra who gave up their time to show us through their van and provide valuable advice.
• Ross (sawtybt.blogspot.com.au) for providing not only Bushtracker advice but also answering the many questions on his Landcruiser build.

Cheers
Tony and Judy

[Grumblebum and the Dragon]

Just had a 10,000k service..... well about 140,000 actually, and a few updates such as new awning, TV and other stuff. The standard of organisation, engineering and workmanship at Bushtracker is the benchmark for others in the industry to aspire to.

Well done guys.

Here's wishing all at Bushtracker a great Christmas and New Year - have a good break, you have earned it.

John and Jean

[Hawari_02]

Nice post!

[Bushtracker]

Grumblebum and Dragon, I have taken the liberty the move your Post here from the General Members Discussion area, you Silver Tongued Devils you... I love the way you express this on the question about Bushtracker...

************************************************

"What are Bushtracker vans like in the dirt"? Look forget the Gibb River Road - it is not the caravan killer it was 25 years ago - and we lived outside Kununurra so know the stories and have also travelled it extensively with our Bushtracker. Out to the Mitchell Falls, crossing the King Edward when it was 850 deep and flowing fast, Kalumburu and McGowans island - easy peasy. If you want a good test do Len Beadell's Gunbarrell Highway and there are no tourist facilities out there in the Gibson Desert like there is on the GRR.

There are too many horror stories in the RV industry for you not to do some very thorough research before buying. Forget the dealerships you will get the best (honest) information from experienced owners who have spent time out beyond Woop Woop

Have fun out there

John and Jean

[kalmwaters]

Sorry for the delay but it would be remiss of me not to make some comment after our first ever visit to Bushtracker on 10 March.
*
We are on our 2nd pre-loved BT only upgrading to a larger van as we travel full time, albeit we spent 8 months at Albury last year for family reasons and although we had access to a permanent residence, chose to live in our fabulous Bushtracker.
*
Back to the point. We were unlucky enough during 2013 to develop a leak around the fantastic hatch in our van. As soon as its stopped raining I got up and sealed the leak and damage was minimised. Whilst having a 10K service we asked Bushtracker to reseal the hatch properly, which they did by completely removing and reinstalling it. All free of charge and they even gave the inside of the hatch a clean which can only be done from up top. The van is a May 2011 model.
*
Faulty cupboard catch fixed, window stay replaced, all no charge and the wheel hubs looked like new after the service.
*
SIM have a representative on site and were happy to explain the 'extensive' electronics system we inherited and updated our Satellite system to the latest software.
*
Many thanks to Peter Thompson from BT and Jeremy from SIM for what was a more than pleasant experience.

[Emu]

We just wanted to thank all the guys at Bushtracker. We've just returned from having our first service at BT and we could not have been better served. When we looked at the invoice and saw what is done for the price we were very impressed. They checked all the underbody, greased and adjusted bearings, adjusted and checked brakes and the list goes on. Additionally, the boys fixed some minor things inside the van and replaced a 4 way hatch flap (which we probably stuffed) free of charge.
Most importantly to us, was the pleasant and helpful manner we were treated. Particularly by Peter Thompson, but everyone we had contact with were pleasant and helpful. We even spoke to Steve who honoured his promise of a Bushtracker cap (for responding to a particular forum thread) which rounds out our BT wardrobe very nicely.

Thanks again Guys.

Regards

Paul & Jan

[Tands]

We just wanted to thank all the guys at Bushtracker. We've just returned from having our first service at BT and we could not have been better served. When we looked at the invoice and saw what is done for the price we were very impressed. They checked all the underbody, greased and adjusted bearings, adjusted and checked brakes and the list goes on. Additionally, the boys fixed some minor things inside the van and replaced a 4 way hatch flap (which we probably stuffed) free of charge.
Most importantly to us, was the pleasant and helpful manner we were treated. Particularly by Peter Thompson, but everyone we had contact with were pleasant and helpful. We even spoke to Steve who honoured his promise of a Bushtracker cap (for responding to a particular forum thread) which rounds out our BT wardrobe very nicely.

Thanks again Guys.

Regards

Paul & Jan

I agree P&J
A couple of drawer latches broke in our 2012 20 footer and when I called in to get replacements I was promptly (and cheerfully) taken out the back and supplied with all the fittings needed plus a couple of spares. Great service from a company that supports it's product.
Thanks BTer
TandS

[Jamiekuschert]

Hi,
we are a family of 5 travelling Australia, we are thinking of purchasing a BT. We've been through Vic and Tassie.
We are currently in Streaky Bay SA working for 3mths. justed wanted to talk to some families who are travelling with there BT about the many benefits they have.
regards
Jamie

[Tands]

Hi,
we are a family of 5 travelling Australia, we are thinking of purchasing a BT. We've been through Vic and Tassie.
We are currently in Streaky Bay SA working for 3mths. justed wanted to talk to some families who are travelling with there BT about the many benefits they have.
regards
Jamie

Streaky Bay... lucky b*ggers!

Not much to say really because we're fairly new owners having only done a few small trips and one 12K trip including Oodnadatta Track etc. During our 2 days on the 'track' we only saw 3 other vehicles in total, 2 towing small offroad camper trailers, and one Lancruiser loaded up. Ours was the only caravan we saw during the whole trip.

Our 20' Bushy has performed faultlessly at all times. Even on more than 600 km of badly corrugated roads the only thing to give up was a latch on a couple of the drawers. Not surprising really considering conditions.

As mentioned above, Bushtracker happily replaced the latches and even supplied a few to spare on the offchance it happened again. You can count on getting a great van and fabulous after sales service.

[Emu]

Hmm!

Big question with perhaps not enough info. Eg. Kids ages, where are you going, how long will you be travelling, what roads are you following, what comforts do you want, and the list goes on.

What I can say is that BT offer a variety of plans of vans to suit all needs. They are IMO the best built of all vans in Oz for most of the iconic Australian roads. They also (better than all IMO) provide fixtures that give creature comforts particulalrly for long term living. And their back-up service is excellent. I believe BT have reputation to uphold and will not (user abuse aside) want their product to be criticised for failing ( which is very rare for the van itself. Mostly, infrequent failures are with the accessory providers and BT are very particular with selecting these). They tend to fix things very quickly and well.

If you get some time (and find work close the Kunda Park) I'd advise you do a factory tour. That will convince you of the design and build quality of the BT.

Hope this helps

Emu

[mattkurvink]

E-mailed copy sent to Bushtracker:

From: Richard
To: sales@bushtracker.com
Subject: 2002 Bushtracker

Hi Steve,

I took these photos on my IPhone. I sent them to you as you asked me for some photos in 2012 as you were impressed with the finish and condition after 10 years.
Sorry about the delay but now you have some of a 12 year old van.
It has done over 50,000 kms around Australia. I am proud of it & you can be also.
It is faultless and now has the latest Vast/Oyster 12v system fitted.
I saw your guys at the MEL. Caravan Show & they gave me the DVD of the air suspension test. Maybe this inspired me to send the pics!!
I'm off to The outback again soon.

Kind regards,
Richard

[Kevin H]

Hi,
we are a family of 5 travelling Australia, we are thinking of purchasing a BT. We've been through Vic and Tassie.
We are currently in Streaky Bay SA working for 3mths. justed wanted to talk to some families who are travelling with there BT about the many benefits they have.
regards
Jamie

Hi Jamie
We are also a family of 5. We're just about to pick up our brand new BT and drive back to Melbourne after Easter. Heading off for the 'big trip' in July.
Zoe

[Ski Ali]

Hello Steve and the Crew
Sent an email (22nd April) about purchasing two cupboard catches. One that had broken and a spare. Reply on 23rd asking for an address and two catches arrived 28th April after Anzac Day weekend. No charge.
What marvellous service. What other brigade manufacturer would do this.
Marvellous product, marvellous service and customer satisfaction.
Many thanks Steve
Col and Val
Ski Ali

[3ways]

To the Bushtracker team
We want to thank everyone involved in the design and build of our new family van. We have just returned home from our delivery trip and had a ball. The van performed exactley as explained to us from day 1 of our first enquiry and onto delivery day.
We were welcomed each week to have a look at the progress and take photos of the build. Everyone was more than happy to explain the process and we know the quality your team puts into building the vans.
We travelled on back roads to Canarvon Gorge and spur of moment detours including Nathan Gorge for a few pin stripes. To have indepenence with the comfort of home each night when we pull up, just get the van level level and enjoy ourselves. No surprises inside when we pulled up just time to relax and enjoy, like we had read and was explained to us.
We look forward to many year of enjoyment in our new van.

[Bushtracker]

An Owner writes:

Hello Steve-

You may be interested to know that we have just clocked up 21,000 Klms in your ex bush tracker and it has never missed a beat. Looking very red at the moment as we have just completed the Gibb River Road. We met another bush tracker owner Richard and Trina XXXXX at El Questro who joined us for the trip and our convoy made quite a sight. We have had an amazing trip so far and still have 6 weeks to go.

Regards
XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

[Pete & Kerrie]

Hi Steve,

Our new van has had its first service and is now parked on our drive in Sydney. This type of email must be like a broken record to you but we wanted to let you know how pleased we are with our new Bushtracker. We have had no problems at all.

The total experience with your organisation has been positive, due to the quality of the product, and the team who look after your customers so well. We would particularly like to thank Philip, Peter T, Joshua, Andrew and Matthew for their advice, guidance, and service, and the manner in which it was delivered.

Thank you for the jackets and the caps which have already been put to good use.

Best wishes,

Peter & Kerrie

[Out4Fun]

Hello Bushtracker Team,

We would like to thank everybody at Bushtracker for their friendly service and support through out the built and delivery process. It was a great experience seeing our project becoming reality and the result is just outstanding.

We have been living in our van for a few weeks after pick-up and everything is to our fullest satisfaction. After a trip with detours back to Melbourne we are now planning a few weekend getaways during the next few month before we will hit the road for the long trip around the “Island”.

After taking possession of our van and living in it, we knew we made the right decision by going with Bushtracker - we got the best van on the market and we will have 5-star accommodation wherever we stop.

Everybody at Bushtracker, thank you very much again for your good work.

Best regards

Cathy and Ralph

[petpat47]

To Team Bushtracker
Thanks for the service on our Bushtracker yesterday. Friendly, courteous and professional says it all.
ps. kept a close eye on our F250 due to all those Rams lurking in the yard.
Peter

[D&T]

Well, it's been a year and 13 000 kms since picking up our Bushtracker and first ever caravan so I feel I'm now qualified to offer a testimonial. As this is written from a newbie perspective, please bare with me as it may be a little long-winded.

Designing a van when you live in remote WA and having never owned a van before can be, and was, a daunting prospect, especially when you know you are going to be forking out a considerable sum of money. We were after a robust and reliable van.

Countless hours trawling the internet lead us to BT but thought they were too heavy so started looking at other manufacturers. We visited many manufacturers, went to the shows and yards and were highly impressed with the bling. We crawled under and over all types of vans and had our hearts set on a "semi-off-roader" that we could buy "off the shelf" and this is where it all turned for us.

Apart from the obvious questionable quality of some vans, none of the vans could take the payload we required for full time living on the road. Some manufacturers said they could supply an upgraded chassis to cater for this but this took them up to or over the weight of a similarly sized Bushtracker, which by now we knew was a quality product. Vague discussions with a BT competitor brought us back to Bushtracker and the prospect of having to design it.

As newbies, the BT forum was gold for us and we spent 9 months reading almost every post and stalking any BT that came through our town. Eventually it came time to order which we had the confidence to do without a factory visit. The only time I visited was to finalise the interior finish.

The build of the van was taken care of by Philip who has the patience of a saint. I really gave him a hard time right up to delivery, changing this and that, trying to get it right first time. Haha, still owe him a bottle of wine for saying I would not make anymore changes close to delivery and did. The coaching along the way from Philip, Matt and Steve was excellent and made a daunting task relatively painless. Thanks also to Joshua who took all the photos during the build and sent them to us.

Thanks to Jeremy from Sound in Motion for the communication and audio installation. Many calls there during the build as well as after delivery, trying to piece it all together. We've got more remotes in this van than we had in our house! The kind of person you would in employ in any business regardless of whether he had experience or not.

Delivery day was intense with the eight hour induction. For that we thank Peter Russ, Peter Thomson and Jeremy from SIM, all very knowledgable in their fields. I've met many experts but very few teachers. This induction included a drive out on the highway to assist setting up the brake controller and getting a feel for the van which was very much appreciated having not towed something like this behind a 4WD before. It tows beautifully.

We have since had the van back at Bushtracker for servicing, minor repairs and modifications, all done without fuss and quite often without cost for some items. Wayne took care of all this and attended to some items I had not previously mentioned to him before bringing the van in. Thanks to Peter Thomson for his knowledge around all things electrical and the upgraded Lithium battery which has been faultless.

Up until now it has mainly been travel on the tar except for a detour down the Gibb River Road which, I know, is not the caravan killer of years gone by but was enough to hear an explanation from the bloke next to us at Home Valley Station how he ripped the welds for his independent suspension from the chassis in his van. We came out of this with no damage or failure at all.

I don't like to get into debates about vans. All I can say is we are extremely happy with the product, the coaching, the delivery and the back up service provided by Bushtracker, and the forum continues to be a priceless source of knowledge and information from those who have been in the game longer than us.

If and when we give up life on the road, as I have told others, I would be more than happy to simply put our van up on blocks and continue to live in it.

Thanks to the team at Bushtracker for the lifestyle we now enjoy including those on the floor who piece it all together.

Kind regards
Richard and Trina.

[surfy53]

Had to replace the clear plastic catches that hold the fridge door in place while on the move. The guys at BTi had already supplied me with two new ones as it was only a matter of time before one of them was going to give way. On the side of the fridge the clip is glued in place so I sent BTi an email asking what glue to use.
With in an hour I had a reply and the info from Peter Thomson.
Can't help loving those guys.
For me, this is what it is all about.....after sales service that is second to none.
Thank you again.
Chris Niblett.

[Bushtrek]

Had the van in for a 10,000km service yesterday. Our thanks to Peter T, Ryan, Jeremy, Joshua, and the team for a very efficient and professional job.

Not only was the work done to the highest standard, the van was ready at the promised time, cleaned with all the work done, fully explained.

This kind of excellent customer service is just another example of what we have come to experience from Bushtracker.
Thank you

[Pat 'n Roger]

We have a 21', 2009 build BT. Although experienced campers and camper van travellers, it has taken us a while to get used to towing and utilising the capabilities of a 3,500kg caravan.

We recently completed a 15,000 k trip which included the Hell's Gate to Roper Bar section of the Savannah Way and, Alice to Oodnadatta via the Old Ghan Railway Line, Finke, Mt Dare, Dalhousie Springs (and the ruins) and Hamilton Station.

Whilst I'm sure many of you will have been of worse tracks, these are some of the worst we've negotiated to date.

The way in which the BT handled these conditions has boosted our confidence in the vehicles (tow vehicle a V8 Troopie) and possibly more to the point, ourselves, enormously.

So thank you Bushtracker for an excellent product.

Pat 'n Roger

PS We just need someone to come up with a more robust drawer / cupboard lock.

[Bushtracker]

Actually we have it....

Go to the Owners Section and look at the Category BUSH MECHANIC FIXES ON THE ROAD, in the Topic CUPBOARD CATCHES LATEST UPGRADE COURTESY LONE RANGER....