Apollo Euro Deluxe

WE LIKED:
>> quick set-up and pack-up
>> practical, family-friendly layout
>> easy to drive
>> cost-effective especially if free camping

NOT SO MUCH:
>> some things didn't work properly and items missing
>> lumpy rear bed
>> dirt road restrictions
>> squishy for six adults

It’s easy to see how Apollo has become one of Australia’s most successful RV rental companies. 

The Queensland-based company offers a huge range of campervans and motorhomes to suit most requirements and budgets, has depots dotted conveniently around the country, offers some great deals, and provides a user-friendly online experience that makes last-minute bookings a cinch.

But how does the rental experience stack up in practice? To find out, we grabbed a six-berth motorhome for a week and headed to Halls Gap in Victoria’s Grampians National Park, for a relaxing week of bushwalking, sightseeing and general touring around.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Picking up the keys at Apollo’s Melbourne depot near Tullamarine Airport proved a painless and relatively swift operation. After watching the 15 minute introductory video, we were given a quick run-down of our motorhome by one of the friendly staff.

A bit quick, as it turned out, as I struggled on our first night to remove the swivel-top table in the rear lounge area from its detachable base, in order to convert it to sleeping quarters. Fortunately, a quick call to Apollo’s customer service helpline revealed the secret (just slide it out firmly from the base!) and the double bed was made up in less than 10 minutes.

With the 240V lead, two tank hoses, and table and chairs all easily accessible from the full width, rear tunnel boot, the rest of the set-up was a breeze. There were a few more curses when I grappled with the recalcitrant, push-button latches securing the external locker holding the gas bottles, but a friendly neighbour came to the rescue this time.

SO FAR, SO GOOD

We’ve criticised the Volkswagen Crafter’s drivetrain in the past, in particular the auto transmission’s jerky gear changes. But this time around it didn’t bother us, perhaps because we were in more patient, ‘holiday’ mode.

In fact, the gutsy and refined five-cylinder turbodiesel engine in conjunction with the six-speed auto made surprisingly light work of the three tonne-plus bulk, powering up hills and accelerating effortlessly to freeway speeds.

Despite revving at a relatively high 2500rpm in top gear at 90km/h, overall fuel consumption over 1000km was a respectable 14.5L/100km, which meant around 500km between fill-ups.

The ‘courier spec’ cabin had a couple of handy items like auto-up driver’s window, cruise control, and CD radio with front and rear speakers, but unfortunately lacked any sort of iPod or Bluetooth connectivity. 

The driver’s seat was on the firm side but all-round visibility was great, aided by big side mirrors and a reversing camera that proved useful when backing into tight parking spots (although we still had to check for overhanging branches).

Not surprisingly, the 7.3m long motorhome rattled like a box full of marbles over anything but smooth bitumen, but we didn’t hit too much rough stuff anyway as the rental agreement restricts off-road driving.

This only proved frustrating when we wanted to visit some Aboriginal rock art sites in the area that only had dirt road access. One of Apollo’s dedicated off-road campers would have been better for this, but then we would have had to sacrifice some living and sleeping space for off-roadability.

As it turned out, most of the major walking tracks and other tourist spots we visited provided excellent, sealed road access for large motorhomes, along with suitably sized parking spots.

MISSING IN ACTION

Most days we prepared food and cooked meals inside the motorhome, making good use of the generous benchspace and three-burner gas cooker (or two burner in our case as one burner wasn’t working).

Apollo supplies all kitchen utensils including plates, crockery, pots, pans, toaster, kettle and cutting board, but for some reason the complimentary ‘starter pack’ which includes necessities like dishwashing liquid, sponge and tea towel was missing. We had to make an extra trip to the local store before any washing up could be done in the stainless steel sink.

We also for some reason couldn’t get the hot water heater to work, despite turning on the required switch. It wasn’t a major issue though, as we used the caravan park’s facilities for showers. However, it would have been nice to have a water filter fitted, so we could drink fresh water straight from the 100 litre tank, rather than having to boil it first.

The on-board shower/bathroom/toilet was reserved mostly for night-time pitstops. Unfortunately, the two sachets of sanitary chemicals supplied for the toilet’s removable cassette, ran out after five days, so it got a bit smelly towards the end.

Being spring time in Victoria, it never got hot or cold enough to switch on the Aircommand Ibis roof-mounted air-conditioner which, like the microwave and TV, only runs off mains electricity.

NIGHT-TIME ENTERTAINMENT

Speaking of 240V appliances, the flatscreen TV located above the kitchen bench, opposite the four-person dinette, came in handy one night for a DVD screening of The Muppets.

My only gripe (apart from some cheesy acting in the movie!) was having to perch my lanky, 190cm frame on the upright dinette seats for 90 minutes, but the rest of the family didn’t seem to mind. Positioning the TV closer to the more relaxing, rear lounge area would be a better option.

Apollo promotes the Euro Deluxe as a six-berth, but at least a couple of travellers would need to be children. While the 2.1m x 1.5m rear bed and 2.1m x 1.4m Luton peak bed are proper doubles, it would be a tight squeeze for two on the third, dinette-converted bed, at just 1.2m wide.

My 50kg partner, who slept closest to the front edge of the rear bed, ended up with some aches and pains thanks to some lumpy ‘mattress’ cushions that also form part of the lounge. While I felt like Sally Pearson in the 100 metre hurdles when climbing over her at night to get to the toilet.

SAFE AND SECURE

We appreciated the kid-friendly safety net at the front of the Luton peak bed, which kept the kids from rolling out at night and secured any luggage stored there during the day. We also liked the lightweight, aluminium ladder for climbing into the bed; conveniently stored on a rear wall when not in use.

The multitude of overhead lockers plus cabinets, drawers and under-seat hidey-holes ensured plenty of secure spots to store miscellaneous items. The half-size wardrobe located below the microwave was used to store tennis rackets and sporting gear, but it could alternatively have swallowed a couple of small suitcases.

The 110 litre, 12V/240V Waeco fridge was big enough for a few days’ groceries, not to mention a six-pack of beers and bottle of bubbly from the local winery. But a faulty catch meant the door had a tendency to swing open while driving.

Illumination was taken care of with two skylights (one with a broken sliding cover) plus reading lights located in all the required spots. Despite having two, 12V house batteries, it would have been nice to see more energy-efficient LEDs fitted for when free camping.

And in this appliance-crazy age, there weren’t enough powerpoints in the living area. I counted just two, 240V outlets, conveniently located near the kitchen bench, but no 12V points beyond the front cabin.

The third set of towels and bedding came in handy though, after one set was soiled following an overnight, stomach upset-related incident.

VERDICT

Apollo’s six-berth motorhome ended up a good choice for our family adventure. It easily conquered the Grampian’s hilly terrain (as long the roads were smooth and we weren’t in a rush), and was quick to set up and pack down each day.

It was also great having all our gear with us at all times, especially with kids in tow, so a spare jacket, cold drink or extra snack was always within easy reach in the walk-through cabin.

On the downside, I was surprised at the amount of wear and tear and minor niggles we experienced with our motorhome, considering it had been registered less than 12 months and had just 38,000km on the odometer.

For those who insist on something in more pristine condition, Apollo recently launched its Star RV program, for which renters pay an extra daily premium to guarantee one of the newest motorhomes on the fleet.

The trip ended on a high note though. The drop-off back at the depot couldn’t have been smoother, with all gear unpacked and paperwork completed in a matter of minutes.

COVER YOURSELF

For a family of four, including two primary school children, a six-berth camper may seem like overkill. But it proved a wise choice for our week-long trip, as we knew from previous experience it would mean less fussing around with beds each night.

Unlike a four-berth motorhome, we could leave two double beds permanently made up, saving the hassle of having to revert at least one back to seating during the day. The extra cost of the bigger, six-berth model isn’t prohibitive, adding around $28 a day.

As well as choosing the best vehicle for your needs, the other priority when renting is ensuring you’re adequately covered for any damage.

It’s quite easy (as many will confess!) to momentarily forget you’re driving a 3.5m high motorhome, venture under a low-lying bridge or drive-through bottleshop, and be faced with a hefty repair bill in the tens of thousands, after finding out you had insufficient insurance coverage!

The general rule is to get as much cover as possible, and then carefully read the fine print for exclusions. 

In our case, we had the highest ‘Option 2’ cover, which adds around $44 a day (bumping the daily rate to around $200) but reduced any excess payable to just $250.

It’s worth noting this didn’t cover any damage to the $1500 roll-out awning; one reason we didn’t risk using it for shade cover during our trip.

>> Also see:
Spotlight: Grampians Parkgate Resort

APOLLO CAMPERS EURO DELUXE

Base vehicle: Volkswagen Crafter
Tare: 3250kg
GVM: 4490kg
GCM: 6490kg
Berths: six
Engine: 2.5-litre, five-cylinder turbodiesel
Power/torque:  100kW at 3500rpm/300Nm at 2000rpm
Fuel tank: 75 litres
Fuel economy (as tested): 14.5L/100km
Overall length: 7.3m
Overall width: 2.3m
Overall height: 3.5m
Interior height: 2.1m
Cooktop: Smev three-burner gas
Fridge: 110 litre Waeco
TV/DVD: 19 inch
Microwave: Yes
Water: 100 litre fresh, 100 litre grey
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Air conditioning: Air Command rooftop
Batteries: 2 x 100Ah
Gas: 2 x 4kg
Daily rental rate: approx. $200 (depends on insurance and time of year)
Website: Apollocampers.com.au