Jayco Conquest Review 6 months on. A detailed review on my RM20-5 motorhome. 

Thanks so much for the positive feedback and support. I’m thrilled to see this video get so many views already. Glad you liked the little tricks at the end too. Definitely hoping to get a lot of trips in the near future if it ever stops raining. Thanks again. 😃👍

Thanks for tuning in. Really appreciate your support too. I’m loving our little Motorhome and can’t wait to get away in it again. I’m hoping that it’ll stop raining one day so we can enjoy another sunny holiday. Yes my little dog seems quite at home in the van. I think he’s planning joining us on some of these trips too. Safe travels. See you out there one day. 😃👍

We still love this Motorhome as much as we did day one. Can’t wait to get away in it again. Thanks so much for the positive feedback and kind words. Really means a lot. 😃👍

Thanks Leesa. Appreciate the support. Yes, definitely get that little socket wrench and 3/8 extension ($20 in Bunnings). Will get you out of trouble if ever the awning plays up. Safe travels 😃👍

Thanks Tone. I’m really happy with it. Planning to get away in it again soon snd making a few more vids on Motorhoming. Hope all is well mate. 😃👍

Thanks Brenton. I really appreciate the positive feedback. I started out with an old camper trailer and then upgraded to an old pop top van, then to a nice little Jayco expanda which I loved. I think it’d probably be similar to your StarCraft. Teenage kids made it tricky for us to get away for a few years and we went without for a while. I thought those days were over for us but we started missing the whole camping life style trips. We were actually torn between going back to the caravans or getting a little motor home and just decided to go MH this time. We do a lot of weekend trips, sometimes even just over night stays and it just seems quicker and easier for me. I also find they’re so much less stressful driving around and reversing into tricky little sites. We weighed up the pros and cons and I just felt that the Motorhome suits us more. In saying all of that I think the main thing is to just get away in anything, go exploring and having fun doing it. Safe travels mate see you out there and thanks for tuning in 😃👍

Thanks so much. It’s always nice to get great feedback. Really appreciate it, and I love my little dog too. He’s my best friend 🐕‍🦺😃👍

Totally agree Helen. I really enjoy not towing and reversing a big caravan. The Motorhome seems so easy after our caravans. Good tip on strapping the seats to the chairs. I’ll do the same. Thanks for the positive feedback and tuning in. 😃👍

Thanks so much Jane. I’m glad you liked my video. A real thrill to get nice feedback like yours. It’s a great little Motorhome. We absolutely love it. So easy to park, live in and fit everything we need. I’m sure you’ll love yours when you get it too. I’ve got another video coming out tomorrow afternoon - A little south coast trip away in it. Had such a nice time. Safe travels & see you out on the roads 😃👍

Thanks so much Joy. It really gives me a thrill to get great comments like yours. I know what you mean about playing the waiting game. When you do get your new little Motorhome I can confidently say you’re going to love it. Every time I go away on a trip I come back loving it even more and can’t wait to head off again. Thanks again for your positive feedback. I love my little four legged offsider too. He goes everywhere with me. 😃👍

Thanks Catherine. Glad you liked it. I love this little Motorhome more and more with each trip away. 😃👍

Haha Thank you. That would be great. I’m sure you’ll love the 20-5. I really love ours. It’s so good having one of the smaller motorhomes that’s so easy to pull up and reverse park in any van site. I’ve also pulled up at boat ramps and beach car parks without any dramas. We actually looked at buying the rm19 but walking into the rm 20 really impressed us. So much more storage and room for only 1 extra foot. We’ve done 2 biggish 2 week trips and a hand full of weekends away and absolutely love it. I’m sure you will too. 😃👍

Glad you liked my vid. You’re gonna love yours. Awesome little Motorhome 😃👍

Thanks Glenn. I appreciate the kind words 😃👍

I love ours more and more with every trip. Can’t wait to get away in it all the time 😃👍

Thanks Gary. The anti flap Dara made a huge difference. I even found that even attaching the privacy screens and pegging them down gave the awning even more strength again. We had some strong winds on our last holiday up in the Sunshine Coast and the awning stayed up the whole time without any dramas. Thanks for watching my vid. 😃👍

Thanks Mick. Nice to know my vid helped you make the decision. We love ours more and more. Can’t wait to get away in it more. 😃👍

How did you go Mick, some people say don't by Renault as not as good engine as Fiat or Mercedes? What do you think re storage... enough?

​​​​@lkan2054 Sorry for delay, had a lot on. I'm a retired mechanic and had a particular dislike for anything Euro, let alone French however, this thing seems to drive okay, plenty of torque although, gearbox takes a bit of getting used to. Storage is tight, just the two of us plus pooch, glad of having an extra storage box on rear. I also made and fitted a 100mm smaller in X & Y dimensions table top in Tassie Oak, I also offset the mounting points to give us more room to move front to back. Still getting to know our way around it but, reasonably happy so far...(Apart from the fridge kicking the bucket, glad it's still within manufacturers warranty...just...😬) Edit (Again) Turns out the fridge was okay, problem stemmed from the fridge cooling fan hitting the shroud, guy's at Ballina RV and Caravan Centre were great and had us sorted in quick time.

Yeh. He always insists on coming with me everywhere I go. He’s really good company and a great little mate. 😃🐕‍🦺👍

@@TropicalZooms Just curious how you secure him while you're driving? Fantastic video. Well done mate.

@@RodsPinballVideos Thanks so much for the kind feedback. Really appreciated. Not ideal but we’ve put our dog bed between the seats & bolted a harness to the seat frame to keep him secure. I think he needs to be positioned a little higher though. 😃🐕‍🦺

Thank you 😃👍

Thank you so much. Really nice of you. Much appreciated 😃

Thanks so much for your support too. Really appreciate it as well. I really wanted to keep it real and mention that I was a little disappointed in the awning and mattress. I’m generally really happy with everything else. Also realised after I published the video that I didn’t mention anything on the ceiling including the air con, skylights, and wind up tv aerial. That’s life I spose. I really love the little van. I just hope that one day it finally stops raining up here so we can take it away on a nice sunny holiday. Thanks again for your support. See you both out on the road 😃👍

Thank you. I’ve had it for just over a year now and still love it. 😃

Thanks mate. 😃👍

Thanks for watching Judi. I really appreciate your positive feedback. Means a lot. Safe travels out there 😃👍

Thanks for watching & for the kind feedback. I remember always being nervous about reversing into tight little sites. Seems to be a lot more parks with smaller sites these days. I also like being able to drive off without worrying about hitching or unhitching. I know there’s for and against in both cases but for me not towing has more advantages to it. So quick & easy to head off. 😃👍

Thank you. Always appreciate kind feedback 😃👍

It is one of my favourite little stopping spots. I often sneak down there for a coffee and watch over the water. Doesn’t get much better than that. Safe travels and see you out on the road. Say gidday if you see me there. 😃👍☕️

@@TropicalZooms -might get down there next weekend if not a rainy one

@@willoutandabout8021 Sounds like a great plan 😃👍☕️

Thanks mate. It still seems to be getting a lot of hits. Pretty happy about that 😃

@@TropicalZooms In here to get ideas mate. Going to try and film my one today. Just washed the van 😆. It’s a great video.

@@RyanIngleton Awesome mate. I reckon the van review will go well. Will be tuning in as soon as I can. When do you think you’ll upload it?

Thanks buddy. 😃👍

Thanks Jesse. You’re are champion. 😃👍

Thanks mate. I really appreciate the positive feedback. I only realised after I uploaded it that I didn’t mention the air conditioner & sky light. 😳.

Thanks for watching & commenting. 😃👍

Thanks so much. I really appreciate the kind words 😃👍

Thanks Mork. Great idea. I’ll do a 12 month review. In saying that I haven’t had much trouble at all. Just a few minor things that I’ve fixed myself. Loose screws etc. thanks for watching & your feedback mate. You’ll love yours when it arrives. 😃

What is the price on one?

@@finaarellano519 I think they’re around $130K brand new now.

It’s a great little van. Has everything I need. 😃👍

Thanks so much Ross. Really glad you enjoyed my video & hoped it helped you making the decision. The Mercs are a great motors and seem to go forever. I’m sure you’ll love it. Safe travels & have fun. Dennis 😃👍

Thanks Fitz. A good spot for a coffee break 2. Double shot 2 cups with milk on the side 😜👍

You too mate. Safe travels 😃👍

Thanks so much Bruce. Appreciate the kind words. 😃

Actually I never thought about us (people) being part of the load. I think I’ve got about 900kg load limit but will check on that. After having a couple of caravans before I love the ease of a Motorhome. I used to get a bit stressed reversing the caravans especially into little tight sites which seems to be a growing thing in a lot of places. Like I mentioned in my vid, it’s nice to be able to pull up anywhere in a small Motorhome. We’ve stopped over at a few harbours and boat ramps where our old van + car wouldn’t have fit. In saying that there’s also negatives with a MH like not having a car to go exploring in when we get there, making us rely heavily on our ebikes. Overall for us, the MH came out with more positives and so far I haven’t regretted it at all. The main thing is that we all just get away and have holidays. Good luck & Safe travels mate. 😃👍

Glad you liked it. Thanks for the kind words 😃

Thanks for watching & thanks for the kind feedback. Glad you liked it. 😃👍

Thanks so much for the kind words. Really glad you liked this vid and also thrilled that you've enjoyed some of my other videos too. I'm a nerdy old fella that just loves making videos. I originally did it just to be able to look back on our trips but decided to make them public to see if others liked them too. To my surprise I seemed to get a lot of positive responses which was a real thrill. I think you're doing the right thing with the 24.4. It'll be nice just to have that little more room. I think the RM 20.5s fit everything you need but not quite everything you want. I have ebikes on the back so cant really fit a storage box, and find it a bit annoying having to put everything up in the luton compartment. Covid was a strange time, but it sounds like you're all the better for it now. Enjoy your trips overseas while you wait for the next van. it'll be nice to have a brand new 24 model 24.4. Glad you like my little travelling companion too. He’s a lovely little fella. Safe travels and thanks again for the thumbs up. Dennis. :-).

Thanks Kris. I love it. 😃

He sleeps everywhere he wants, even pushes me out of bed. He’s the little boss. 🐕‍🦺😜

Glad you liked it. I love this little Motorhome. Fits into all sites a caravan does. So quick and easy to set up and pack, no hooking or unhooking. Just turn the key and away you go. 😃👍

I am abit like you now had the caravan rooftop tent had it all now just want the ease with no stress i will check out the rest if your vids 👍

@@cruiznforabruizntravelaust6141 Thanks so much. Really appreciate your support. 😃👍

👍all good cheers mate

Thanks so much for watching. Im glad you liked it 😃👍

Good luck. I hope you win it & join the van life life style. 😃👍

Good advice. Thanks for watching 😃👍

Hi Wayne. Sounds like you’ve got some awesome extras coming with the van. I’ve only had our van since last November so haven’t really been away over winter in it just yet. In saying that, most of the time we stay away in powered sites and use the air con to cool and heat the inside. I Spose off the grid could be challenging in winter. I haven’t got any other heater apart from the air con so I’ll probably stick with the powered sites over winter. Safe travels. Hope you love it as much as we do. 😃👍

@@TropicalZooms Thanks heaps for the reply. Can't wait to pick it up. Just got a Toyota Prado I need to sell in the meantime. All the best for your travels.

@@waynekerr2397 You too mate. Good luck with the sale. See you out on the roads. 😃👍

Hi Wayne. How did your storage box going. Would like to see a picture with idea.of the weights and size. Thanks Craig

Thanks so much Chris. It really is a thrill for me to get such a wrap with this video. Yeh, I absolutely loved the little 19 footer but when we started talking about all our gear we need to take and the storage we really needed it just wasn’t quite enough. Then when we peaked into the RM 20 we noticed that there was so much more room and cupboard space and decided to get this one. Looking back now I’m really happy we did. In my opinion the 20.5 is perfect. Still small enough to fit into any caravan site yet big enough to be able to comfortably store everything we want to take with us. I’m sure you’ll love it too. Thanks again for your support mate. Really appreciate it. See you out there 😃👍

@@TropicalZooms Just put a deposit down on a second hand 2019 model (swivel sweats!!!! ) 40k kms, identical model to yours. Any little bits of advice you can give after being with it for some time? Any upgrades that you would highly recommend? The Mrs and I cannot wait to start living the dream! I showed her your video and she had her target set!

@@_Zir Great news mate. You’re gonna love it. The main advice I have is to get some antiflap bars for the awning. I also made a video on installing them. Makes a huge difference. A great little Motorhome in my opinion. Still small enough to fit into any site the caravans do but big enough to fit everything you need and be very comfortable away in. Also grab a mattress topper because the mattresses are a bit hard to sleep on. Apart from that it’s awesome. Here’s my vid where I installed the antiflap bars if you’re thinking of doing it too. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ghXgs0Ev8VE.html

@@TropicalZooms what a gent thank you very much! seeya out there!

@@_Zir Thanks mate. Just another thought, buy yourself a socket wrench with 3/8 extension. This enables you to wind the awning in manually if the electronics play up. Happened to me once. Lucky I had the tool and hit it sorted quick. Here’s that vid - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-51wIXg5GYRk.html 😃

Hi Don. Thanks for the kind words. I absolutely love this little Motorhome. As a guy that’s worked with trucks my whole life, this little Motorhome feels very light and easy to manoeuvre. I bought this model as it seems to fit into any caravan site. After coming from a caravaning background I also love the ease of just taking off without the hassles of hooking and unhooking caravans. We also do a lot more single night overnighters now too because it’s just as easy as going for a spin in our car. Definitely the best move for us. Thanks for watching mate. Safe travels. 😃👍

Thank you. I’m really enjoying getting away in it. 😃

Hi Christine. Great news. You’re going to love it. We use a windscreen cover and side window covers that connect to all windows by a number of small suction cups. I was initially thinking about getting a curtain made up to separate the driving cabin to the van cabin just in case too much light came through, but after the first couple of trips I realised that the window shades do such a great job I decided not to worry about a curtain. The only things I decided to do after the purchase was to buy a nice think mattress topper because the mattress that came with the van was too hard. I also bought and installed some antiflap bars to strengthen the awning which I thought was a big too flimsy in windy conditions. I hope your order comes through nice and quick for you. See you out on the roads soon. 😃👍☀️

I know what you mean. I went from tents to camper trailer, pop top, expanda van and now the little Motorhome that I think I love the most. I think the important thing is to get away no matter what we have. In my opinion, it’s the ease of the Motorhome that makes me go away more often, even just for an overnighter. Safe travels & see you out on the roads one day. Thanks so much for the kind feedback too. Means a lot. 😃👍 Just in case you’re interested My latest little trip down the coast. Absolutely loved it - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QzV0aMxxRZU.html

Hi Melanie. We bought a double bed sized mattress topper for our bed. Purchased from Harris Scarf. We bought one of the dearer thicker toppers and it’s made a massive difference. Thanks for tuning in. 😃👍

Hi Peter. Thanks for the kind words. I only have two gas burners. No grill or oven. A grill would’ve been nice 😃

Thanks Elma. Looking forward to doing some more trips with you guys. You’re going to love it. Best toys ever 😃👍

Glad you liked my vid & thanks for the kind words. Brand new in 2021 these were $113K 😃

Thanks for you reply & thoughts mate. You’re right, some things are a little inconvenient and there’s always a compromise. I love the bigger motorhomes with the separate bed & dining area but they’re too big to fit in a regular parking space. I think I’ve spent years searching for the perfect van & only now realise that there isn’t one. Safe travels mate. 😃👍

@@TropicalZooms all good mate love your videos

@@cruiznforabruizntravelaust6141 Thanks so much. Means a lot. I struggle with too much work and not enough holidays 😃👍

@@cruiznforabruizntravelaust6141 Really appreciate that. Means a lot. Hoping to finish my next one this week. Stay tuned 😃

My wife thinks she bought it from Harris Scarf. It made a huge difference. Definitely worth getting. 😃👍

Hi Ali. The length of the bed is measured east west and the width is north south. As I mentioned in the video my son is 195cm and fits quite comfortably on the bed. The mattress is too hard so we bought a good quality mattress topper on it which made a world of difference. You’re going to love it. 😃👍

Sorry- the 'stuff on the slab' was a different review. My bad!

Hi Andrew. Congratulations You’ll love the van when you get it. I think the lithium battery and washing machine is a good choice. I wish I had that option. I bought the “Aussie Traveller Anti Flap Bars” on eBay for around $350 and found they make a huge difference. So much stronger with the awning out even on the windiest days. I’ve also made a video on installing these bars on my channel too. Feel free to have a look. Thanks again for watching and the kind words. See you out on the road. Will wave as we drive past. 😃👍. Safe travels and thanks again for the kind words. 😃

Very helpful and to the point walk through of a great little motor home by all accounts. Appreciated the easy to understand commentary without any of "waffling on" that one often has to endure when watching some people's vids.

I love the sound of the extra power & inverter. I’ll probably thinking about upping my power down the track too. Our mattress topper is about 5 cm thick. I didn’t go any more because I’ve heard that you need to lengthen the timber that activates the bed stopper switch when you raise the bed making it lower again. For me at 183cm tall I’ve never had a drama hitting my head. I think that’s because your already beginning to crouch to sit down on the dining seats anyway. I’ve actually found the seats really comfortable. I’m 183cm tall and 95kgs and never felt that they were too small for me. We’ve had done a couple of big trips too. 10 hour drive to Byron Bay and a 13 hour trip to Mooloolaba and never felt uncomfortable. We love ours and I’m I’m sure you’ll love yours when it arrives too. Thanks again for watching and giving it good feedback. See you out on the road. 😃👍

Bruce Munro - My 20.5 arrives in 11 months time .... I'm curious as to how you were able to fit 900W of Solar ? They supply 1x200W Fixed panel, & sales guy says no more can be fitted on the roof ! Did you make up the balance with Solar blankets ?

@@TropicalZooms THanks for the information, appreciate the details! Will see you out there!

@@mikezastron6946 Hi Mike, so it's a bit of a process, firstly remove the existing panel, then build some custom aluminium frames that straddle the roof - I don't want any holes in the roof, and then squeeze 9x100W Renogy Panels on the roof which are a modest panel but very narrow at 1100x509mm - it's a squeeze but happy to share my layout if you want to PM me. One panel at the very front will protrude about 10cm over the Luton peak and might not fit, will have to see. Then two seperate MPPT controllers for two series runs (one 3 panels for the 12V system) and one with 6 panels in series for the 48V system). Plus a 200W fold out panel on the ground if needed!

i"m doing all of this myself post delivery BTW

That’s annoying. Ashame if you had booked a holiday in it. It seems that everyone that orders a newy gets the same delay message. Hope they don’t muck you around any more.

Hello. I think the only electrical problems that I’ve ever run in to is 12 volt power. When staying somewhere off grid it’s easy to run your power down too quick. I’ve only got the one agm 100amp battery so I ensure to only use minimal lighting and minimise power. I don’t watch tv when staying off grid and don’t turn all the lights on at once. Luckily, the following morning the solar panel recharges the battery to full again 😃 That’s about the only electrical issue I need to keep an eye on. 😃

You can buy this with three seats in the front & three seat belts as well. 😃

Also, the tow bar is an added option for current models, did it come standard for your model, or did you option it? If you added as an option, did it come complete with the hitch and ball and the electrical plug for bike rack, or just as a receiver for you adding your own hitch? Have you ever used the tow bar for pulling a trailer behind the motor home?

Hi Wendy. Thanks so much for the positive feedback. They’re an awesome little Motorhome. We love ours more every time we head off. We were lucky with ours. It was a cancelled order and we were just in the right place at the right time. Only waited two weeks for it while others waited over a year. The tow ball came with it, hutch ball & 7 pin plug all included. I’ve never towed anything but use the towball to attach our bike rack for our e-bikes. I actually made another video about the bike rack I chose & why. The gas bottle I use for the Webber Q is a 3.5 litre & only small. I was storing that under the lounge seat but was told it was illegal. I’ve been told that there’s room to put 2 x small gas bottles where the one large one goes so I’ll have to look into that. You’ll love your motorhome. I think they’re the perfect size. I’ve made tonnes of videos of us heading off in our vans, as well as lotsa tips & tricks. Feel free to tune in to more. Safe travels & see you out on the road 😃👍

Hi Pat. There seems to be an error. What was it you wanted me to find for you?

Hello again. Yes - there’s a little lever just under the table that allows you to slide the table over the seat to make it easier to walk through to the cabin. 😃👍

Hi James. The electric awning came standard with our MH which we bought in October 21 from Jayco Nowra. To be honest I think you’re better off with the manual wind out awning. I found this awning too light and flimsy to use without antiflap bars. Even in the lightest winds it would flap around too much. I also had another problem where it wouldn’t retract back in electrically, and I had to wind it in manually with a socket wrench. (I made videos on these on my channel) I’ll probably replace it with a manual awning down the track. Thanks for watching mate. Safe travels 😃👍

Hi Frank. Thanks for tuning in to my channel. Glad you liked it & Hope it was helpful Yes the bed can lower right down to the lounge seat cushions. The lowering mechanism when purchasing is always set to the table height. So that the underside of the bed stops just above table height. I actually played around with it for a while and reset it so that it could go lower. I did this by lowering it as far as it would go, and then plugging & unplugged the seat belt and then lowered it further. The only problem I had was that it wouldn’t go back up to the original height forcing me to reset it again to get it back to the roof height. Ive actually just purchased a new bed switch this week that is a lot simpler to use. Basically just an up and down switch that goes down to its lowest point without having to worry about any pre programmed heights. So now I can have the bed go right to the end of the straps which means it will stop as it just touches the seat cushions which I think is around the height of a regular bed height. I don’t think it can go lower than the top of the seat cushions as the straps are at their full extension at this point. I’m at work right now, but will measure the height when I’m home and get back to you. I believe that the newer models of the 20.5 have a new switch which does the same. Feel free to ask any more questions. Dennis 😃👍

Hi Frank. I’ve actually just finished installing the new bed switch and lowered the bed right down to its lowest position. I measured the top of the mattress at 800mm which is almost 200mm lower than the previous low height with the old switch. The bed frame actually goes down and touches the lounge cushions so you now have to put the lounge back rests under the table and lower the table completely down. So much better. 😃

Thanks for the update…do you think, if you were to remove the seat cushions (the bum ones), that the bed would be able then to lower to the height of the timber bases and sit on those, rather than the “top of cushion”? That would get it maybe another 150 lower again? My thinking is remove all cushions and lower bed on to wooden cabinetry under seat to get it as low as possible. Is there enough length in the webbing?? ??? Thks. FrankN

@@frankandkatenorden9834 I did notice last night when lowering the bed that the only thing that stops it going even lower was the seat cushion itself. To lower the bed now I lower the table right down making it the same height as the lounge base which is the height of the lounge without seat cushions, then I slide the lounge back rests under the table which is a snug fit but easy to do. The problem I have then is if I want to go lower, where to put the seat cushions. I Spose I could stand them up in the bathroom but in saying that I feel that it’s making the living or bathroom area a bit cluttered and cramped. The new low height works for me, and I’ve read that this is what others do. So I was confident that it’d work for me. I also want to find out if I risks unravelling or disconnecting the straps if I go any lower. I vaguely remember reading that someone had this happen and it was a Buggar of a job getting it back in. I’ll see if I can find out more 😃

Yes. You can change the settings do the beds drops down a bit lower 😃

Thanks Peter. Glad you liked it. Safe Travels 😄👍

Hmmm! I’m not sure that you can install a baby seat in this van.

Jeez that sounds really good too. I would’ve thought a petrol engine at that weight would’ve used more fuel. Sounds similar to ours. From Kiama to Batemans Bay sitting on 90 to 100 we got around 10 litres per hundred, then from Kiama to Byron sitting between 100 and 110kms we got around 11 litres per hundred. I was expected to use a lot more fuel. Ours is a 2.3 turbo diesel. So much better than our old set up when we towed our old Jayco van behind a 3.5 litre petrol Pajero and got around 15 litres per hundred. 😃👍

@@TropicalZooms,, I've always wondered what the fuel consumption would be towing a dual axle caravan with an SUV or Hilux ute. I was quite surprised with the fuel consumption of the Hiace. I don't drive it hard but mainly rely on the engine's torque to get it moving. It's a bit of a mind set. Get into the Hiace and my brian goes into cruise mode.

@@jurgentreue1200 Yeh. Although the Pajero I had a few years back was surprisingly terrible on fuel even when not towing. As I said it was a petrol powered 3.5 litre automatic. I’d only get 400 to 450 kms out of a tank driving around town and actually didn’t find it that much worse when towing. From memory around 380kms when towing our little Jayco expanda. I think it had about 80 litre fuel tank. So when I bought this little Motorhome I expected it to be similar but hoping it would be slightly better on fuel. I was so shocked to see how little fuel it used in comparison. I used to fill up about 3 or 4 times going up to QL Sunshine Coast. Now I fill up Coffs (from Kiama) and even then it’s still over a quarter of a tank, and from there I get all the way over the border to the Sunny Coast with plenty still in the tank. So good to be able to drive 800 to 900kms without worrying where the next fuel station is. Safe travels mate. See you out on the road one day 😃👍

@@TropicalZooms ,, I get around 460-480klms out of a 70 litre tank around town in the Hiace. I estimate around 640-680klms on the open road. I've never driven the van until the reserve light comes on. Diesels always get better fuel economy than petrols but it's always good to do comparisons with other owners. We had plans on buying VW Transporter T5 or T6, but this Hiace came up. 2017 model we bought in 2020 with only 11,500kays on the clock. We've now done 34,000kays. A friend, also a mechanic whose been servicing our cars for yonks, is an absolute VW nut. He still has the VW Beetle he bought as an apprentice and just recently restored his son's T2 Kombi. He wouldn't touch a VW diesel with a barge pole. He reckons they are trouble. I took the Hiace to show him and he said you can't go wrong with Hiace petrols. Keep them serviced, they go forever.

Bed is East West. Positioned width ways across the van. In saying that, from memory it’s still at least 195cm long.

Hi Gaz. Thanks for the positive feedback. I’m lucky. Our little van came with a gas instantaneous hot water heater as opposed to the gas/ electric hot water element type system. So as long as we have a constant flow of water passing through, we have hot water til we turn the hot tap off. Another thing I wasn’t aware of is the fact that we also have no sacrificial anode to replace every year or so either. Very happy with it and the Motorhome in general.

@@TropicalZoomsThx very much for your reply. We are looking to buy a motorhome and your reviews are very much influencing our decision in a positive way. The Conquest looks a good product 👍🙂

@@53glowe Thanks Gaz. As I said earlier I thought I’d really like it but absolutely love it. Every time we go away in it makes me love it even more. I used to get a bit stressed trying to reverse our old caravan into some tight little sites but this little van makes it so easy. No hooking or unhooking, just pulling up and putting the handbrake on. So easy. 😃👍

My Motorhome has a 10 litre hws. It’s fine because that’s not the only water used for the shower - it’s just the hot. You mix in cold water. If you want longer showers you heat the hot to a higher temperature so that you use a lower percentage of it. You also do a ‘navy’ shower (turn the flow off between scrubbing). Otherwise you limit how long you can go between water tank fills.

@@wfdTamar Sounds like a good system. I’ve done the same (navy shower) when we’re away off the grid and needed our water to last longer. Safe travels mate. 😃👍

Anti Flap Kit fit and install video here - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ghXgs0Ev8VE.html

Hi Craig. My Webber is a baby q, which is the smallest Webber. Unfortunately it doesn’t fit in my under seat cupboard so I leave it under the table. I could buy a smaller flatter bbq but I live the webbers. I bought a half flat plate to cook my bacon & eggs for breaky. Does a great job. Have also made a couple of small roasts which came out really nice too. My bike rack is a Thule and has a 60kg weight limit which is good for our ebikes at about 24kgs each. I haven’t actually weighed my Motorhome fully loaded but I probably should do that soon for peace of mind. I wouldn’t think I’d be over though but will try and double check next time I’m heading off. 😃

@Tropical Zoom Again a question about weights. What was your Jayco Tare weight and does it include passengers and full water tanks. And what was the Gross Vehicle Mass (GMV)? Thanks Craig

Thanks so much for the kind feedback. Really means a lot. I’m also thrilled that you’ve been watching and enjoying my videos too. As far as the bed goes, I do find mine is a bit high and Spencer (our little toy cavoofle) has to be lifted up and down from the bed. In saying that, I know that others with the same van (RM20.5) have had their switches changed and/ or reprogrammed so that the bed goes down much lower. I’ll measure my bed height when I’m back home later and let you know how high mine is. But as I mentioned earlier, don’t let that put you off because the height can be adjusted. We are looking forward to retiring a few years down the track snd plan to do the big lap too. Envious of you both, sounds like great fun. I love our little van. I think it’s a great size. Big enough to live in but still small enough to park in the street, shops, beaches etc, Thanks so much for the kind words. It makes my day to hear (or read) that good people like yourselves enjoy my videos. Safe travels & see you out on the road. Dennis & Debbie 😀👩👍

Thanks Dennis and Debbie for your lovely reply. We hope to catch up on the road one day as you sound like lovely people too. We would really appreciate it if you would be kind enough to measure up. Do you know if Jayco will reprogram the bed to go lower? We even thought of putting a long piece of timber/board under the cushion near the entry door to pull out at night for her to hop up on ( she’s tiny and very agile 2.5 kg 😀) We also have the same thoughts that the RM 20.5 is a perfect size..we’re just finding ours a touch small. We are a little disappointed that we have to wait 12 months after ringing Jayco Adelaide/Perth. (Where we are heading) They’ve quoted us $133k standard inclusions but dearly love a W/M and a few extras! Keep up with your wonderful videos as we are thoroughly enjoying them. 😁 Take care..Di, Troy and Gracie 🐾

@@dianne3891 I just arrived back home & measured the bed height from floor level. From the floor to the top of the mattress it’s 100cm. This is roughly the height of the kitchen benches beside it. I think it’s programmed that way as it sits about 1cm above the table when completely lowered. I know that people with the same Motorhome have both reprogrammed the bed and also replaced the switch to make the bed go lower, which means you need to lower the table & remove the lounge back rests before lowering the bed. I think the newer vans may even have the new switch that you can lower the bed right down to seat level which would suit youf little pup. Maybe even request that when you put in the order. By the way, have you seen or are you on the Facebook group “Jayco Australia RM20.5 Owners Group”? It’s a really good group to join and see everyone’s mods, trouble shooting & trip pics. Any more questions feel free to ask. I’m sure you’d love the 20.5 😃👍

Thank you so much for going to so much trouble to measure up for us! All your info is very helpful. We’ll ask Jayco regarding the lowering of the bed ( which ever one calls us back first with some dates to order) I’ll check out Facebook as that’s sounds very interesting. Just wondering if you’ve watched Heads or Tails on utube as they had a 20.5 as well but since bought a larger version and wondering if you have the same problem with the swaying (side to side motion) whilst walking around your motorhome? Also sorry for all the questions but do you find the front seats comfy driving long distance and how is the suspension? We had to let our tyres down to 65psi to get a smoother ride due the suspension on our Fiat Ducato..it made all the difference! Thank you again we appreciate all your information!

@@dianne3891 Hi Di, Troy & Gracie, I’m always happy to answer any of your questions. The swaying from side to side when moving around in the van is something that I’ve never noticed. I remember back when we had our caravans I used to notice a big difference when it was parked with all the jacks down compared to just hooked on to the back of the car at rest stops & how much more swaying movement there was when it was on the back of the car. When I’m in our Motorhome I really don’t notice any swaying movement. Maybe others do but i think it’s that minor to me that I don’t notice it. If there is movement, it’s next to nothing in my opinion. I only ever drive on road, never taken it on dirt roads or even rough roads & I’ve alway found the seats quite comfy along with the suspension. The recommended tyre pressure on the RM20.5 is 65psi which I run at all times. I’ve also seen and watch “Heads or Tails Motorhome” on RU-vid & saw that they went from a 20.5 to a 24. I was also curious as to why they went up in size. From memory they were travelling full time & just wanted more room. I notice that everyone has different ideas ‘ opinions here. I’ve read about others going down to an RM19 from a 20.5. Others have gone up to the 25.1, 2,3. I personally love the inside layout of the 25. Models, a lot more room. The convenience for someone to go to bed early while the other stays at the dining table watching tv or reading. Also more storage than you’ll ever need. It’s beautifully BUT…..(in my opinion) It’s huge, actually too big for me. I get to drive our 20.5 around like a car. I’ve parked it in the Main Street of Kiama bought a takeaway meal, driven it to the harbour, parked & stayed in a regular car park right on the water and loved it. I couldn’t do that in a 24 or 25 model. We’ve stayed on beaches, boat ramps & other little seaside spots and found that we’ve just been able to fit everywhere we go. Even some of the caravan parks we’ve stayed at have had tiny sites but we’ve never not been able to fit in. We have our ebikes on the back most of the time which makes us slightly longer too. I Spose everything’s a compromise and there’s no such thing as the perfect van. Positives & negatives with everything. But I definitely love what we’ve got. The bigger vans are lovely but reduce the amount of spots you can stop & stay. Everyone’s different I Spose & what suits some doesn’t suit others. Definitely join that FB site snd have a read through. I think it’ll help you make your decision. Just to add, here’s a quick video I made showing us stopping at Kiama to pick up some takeaway & comfortably park on the water at the harbour. A reason why I love the 20.5 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PybRmNY2Uc8.htmlsi=dAGwCqAlJYPk27wa

Yes. We were given block out shades that attaches to the front windscreen and side windows with suction cups. Blackens the cabin area really well. 😃

113K 2021 model. 😃👍

The only thing that worked for me when this happened was to cut all the 12 volt power of turn back on again. I’ve since bought a new switch without all these problems.

@@TropicalZooms i think i will be doing the same thankyou

@@davidratcliffe3710 The new switch is such an improvement. Just send Bruce Munro as message in the Jayco Conquest RM20.5 Australia group. He’s still making them up. I went for the switch and double usb option. See this video below. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--mOaKv5ZO60.htmlsi=JklN9xfX7lcW6-7i

Good points raised mate. I remember one of my previous caravans had two gas hot plates and one electric hot plate. This little MH only has two gas hot plates so even when on mains power I need to use gas to cook which is a little annoying. I Think they could’ve put 3 hot plates with one electric in this. I’m quite happy with my sink size and depth but could do with more bench space but in saying that I don’t know how I could have more in one of the smallest motorhomes on the market. I Spose I’ve had to compromise because it’s only small. Perfect for driving around and parking though. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 😃👍

@@TropicalZooms I agree that everything needs to be a compromise, but I am 193cm tall (6ft 4in) so my van has 2 single beds. Mine is 6ft 6in by 3ft and my wife's is 6 by 3. But even for $330K the hanging space is abysmal1

@@normanappleton3627 Sounds like nice sized beds. I’m only 6ft and found a lot of van beds small even for me. They don’t seem to cater for taller people in many ways. My son is your height and struggles in planes, beds and cars. One thing good with our van is that the east west bed is long enough for him to sleep in. You’re right about space. I described our van has having enough room for everything you need, but not everything you want. Safe travels mate. 😃👍

@@TropicalZooms I did look at the Jayco Conquest which you are speaking about and was impressed as you are , but besides the size of bed it misses out on wardrobe space. My 20 ft 6 in internal length carries 160 lt fresh water and that Jayco has 95 litres not enough for more than 2 days off grid. So it will be van life for us some more. Take care and maybe we will meet somewhere around OZ!

There’s a few things I intend to change. 1. The flimsy electric awning to a better heavy duty manual wind out awning. 2. Already purchased a good mattress topper as it’s a very hard thin mattress 3. Change the bed controls to a simple up and down switch and make it so the bed goes down lower. 4. If I was travelling full time I’d increase the battery power to maybe 2 x lithium 100amp batteries and extra solar panel. Maybe another 120 watt panel on the roof for more off the grid type stays. 😃

Just asked my wife & she thinks it was Harris Scarf. It’s about an inch and a half thick. Made a huge difference 😃

@@TropicalZooms thanks

I noticed that when the motor is cold it tends to shudder & stall when reversing, especially when reversing up hill. I now always reverse up my driveway when the engine is warm and find it so much better. 😃

Thank you 😊

@@ivanmaggiekots8966 Happy to help 😃👍

I purchased her new for $113K in late 21. I think they’re around $130K new now. 😃

Hello mate. We sleep horizontal which means yes, the person sleeping closest to the front cab needs to climb over the other to go to the loo through the night. I actually hop off the other side & go out the cab doors & back in to go to the loo. To add to that, most times we try & book an ensuite site so I’m out the front cab, into the ensuite & back again without disturbing my wife. 😃

also quick question as there is no rubbish bin what do you do with all the rubbish?

@@michaelkan2054 We have a small rectangular rubbish bin in the bathroom that sits beside the toilet that I empty every day.

​@@TropicalZooms thanks for your quick response. Also after a year of having the motorhome are you still happy with it and also can you program the bed to go a little lower? also when you free camp how long does the power last with the solar panels?

@@michaelkan2054 Yes apparently you can program the bed to go lower. There’s actually a new switch you can buy that doesn’t need programming and allows you to lower as low as the dining chairs. Yes I still live our Motorhome and plan many more trips away in it. The solar/ battery set up allows us continuous power as I only used the battery for lights, stereo and water pump. Most days it never drops below 80% power then back up to 100% the following day for re use. Our fridge & stove runs off gas when off grid so that saves our battery power 😃

Yes. When it’s cold and reversing up my driveway it shudders and shakes. When it’s warm there’s no dramas. 😃

@@TropicalZooms The shuttering when reversing is a design flaw with the gearbox that's used in Mercedes and Fords as well. It's a manual gearbox converted to an automatic and still uses a clutch. The computer tells the transmission to slip the clutch if you don't use a lot of positive throttle. The solution is to accelerate hard. If the clutch overheats and stops just wait till it cools down.

I’m not sure. I didn’t actually know there was a Jayco company in the US as well. 😃

@@TropicalZooms I think Jayco Australia exports to the USA.

@@waynekerr2397 oh ok. They certainly make great little vans and motor homes. 😃

Jayco was founded in 1968 in an Indiana barn & 2 chicken sheds ! Australian licensee started in Dandenong in 1975 !

@@iandalton6887 Interesting. They’ve certainly been a successful company 😃

Hello. Yes it is possible to add a second battery as well as more solar panels. I’ve seen a few people with the same Motorhome do this. I actually thought about doing the same but for now I have found the one battery (100amp) and the one solar panel (120 watt) does the job for me. Most of the time I’ll only have one light switch on through the night, I’ll probably have one or two phones on charge and maybe have the stereo playing for a few hours. I’ve found these devices as well as the occasional use of the water pump use very little power. I only ever seem to go off grid for a night or two at the most and longer stays seem to be on powered sites so everything works well for me as is. If you like this video and want to see more like it please subscribe for more Have a great day and safe travels 😃👍

The battery is located under the lounge seat behind the passenger seat. Is accessible from outside and inside

What is the biggest battery you can fit in there

@@ivicaperkovic3289 You could easily fit 3 x 100 amp deep cycle batteries

Brand new these are selling for around $115 to $120K depending on what options you select 😃

@@TropicalZooms $130k now.

@@wfdTamar Yeh, I’m surprised how much they’ve gone up.

Each to their own mate. I’ll admit that they don’t have as good a finish compared to some of the more expensive models, but then again I think that’s why they’re cheaper. We looked around but couldn’t justify the extra cost for a higher end Motorhome. Safe travels mate. 😃👍