Jurgens Lunagazer J2405

WE LIKED:

• Weight-to-length ratio
• Seat in shower cubicle
• Interior storage

NOT SO MUCH

• No strut for boot lid
• No bedside shelf
• Door with a longer 'hook' so window not prevented from opening, would have been nice

Although Australia and South Africa have very similar climates (and people), there isn’t a great deal of interchange of RV product between the two countries.
Australia does have a few camper trailers and roof-top tents (very popular in the South African bush for some reason), but the sole South African caravan representative Down Under is Jurgens.

Although the Jurgens range is fully manufactured here in Australia, there are clearly a few South African influences in the design. The vans are built a little differently to the usual Vic-sourced local RVs, which I don’t think is a disadvantage.

I decided to check out one of the new Jurgens Lunagazers from Alan Graham’s Caravans in Gosford, north of Sydney. Andy Graham had a J2405 model polished up and ready to go and it wasn’t long before the van was hitched up to my Toyota LandCruiser and I was heading north.

EASY TOURING

To be honest, the LandCruiser’s 202kW, 4.7-litre, petrol engine was overkill for the Lunagazer, which has an ATM of 2080kg. The van breezed along without any problems whatsoever and I had no doubt that a less endowed tow vehicle would suffice.

My destination for this little jaunt was the wine growing region in the Hunter Valley. I should confess that my wine tastes aren’t really Hunter-orientated, but there are few things better than a few days in some beautiful wine country – especially in a Lungazer van with large exterior windows that allow you to see the world go by.

One of the Lunagazer’s key points of difference is the fact it doesn’t have a stone shield for its large front window. Rather, there’s a padded vinyl cover (attached with ties and Velcro), covering most of the van’s front wall. A zipped flap gives access to the front boot. It’s all a bit fiddly, but does nicely protect the front end.

Like the rest of the Jurgens range, the J2405 comes with a hot dipped galvanised chassis. It isn’t, however, the usual RHS beam structure. Instead, extra-wide bracing has been employed around the tandem axles, giving the chassis a slightly odd profile. Punched holes along the entire chassis help to keep the weight down.

Rather than conventional leaf spring suspension, there’s an Al-Ko IRS (Independent Rubber Suspension) torsion setup with shock absorbers. To complete the somewhat unusual look, an Al-Ko stabiliser sits at the pointy end instead of a conventional ball coupling. These may look a little daunting, but are actually quite easy to use and come fitted with spring-loaded friction pads to reduce stability problems.

For the body, a vacuum-bonded sandwich panel construction of aluminium skin, timber, polystyrene, plywood and PVC “wallpaper” is utilised. As with the chassis, the designers have gone for a high strength-to-weight ratio and, aesthetically speaking, the end result is a pretty good one.

External storage consists of a front boot and a tunnel boot, with a bin door at the front offside. Part of the front boot is taken up by the 9kg gas cylinder (with provision for a second) and a spare wheel.

BRIGHT AND BREEZY

The Lunagazer’s big windows create a very open feel and with its mottled wall lining, light hue cabinetry and darker upholstery, the van’s interior aesthetic is pretty good. Lighting is a mixture of fluorescent and halogen, with fittings just about everywhere they’re needed.

Up front, the posture slat bed mattress measures 1.72m x 1.5m (5ft 8in x 4ft 11in), but it can easily be extended by a bolster for a total length of 2m (6ft 6in). Even when the bed is extended, there’s still an acceptable amount walk-around space because there are no foot-of-bed corner cupboards.

There are the usual overhead lockers and wardrobes around the bedhead, but unfortunately no bedside cabinets. A clock and an AM/FM radio/CD player are mounted between the overhead lockers, but this spot does make it awkward to change radio stations.

One option with this van’s layout is to have two single beds instead of the island bed, and it’s not hard to see how that might work for a couple after more of day time lounge area.

In the middle of the van, the kitchen bench sits along the offside wall, with the dinette opposite. Fitted out quite conventionally, the kitchen bench features a Spinflo four-burner cooktop/grill, stainless steel sink/drainer and Thetford 164 litre three-way fridge. A Sanyo microwave sits in the overhead locker space above the fridge.

The cupboard and benchtop might look a little erratic, but the end result is a pleasing selection of variably sized cupboards, drawers and overhead lockers. That includes the forward cupboard with a roller shutter door, which allows for easy access. All cupboards and lockers have an extra shelf.

Given the van’s length of nearly 6.4m (21ft), there isn’t an excessive amount of bench space. But what there is, along with the cooktop lid and sink, has been put together in a workable arrangement.

Only a small window has been fitted behind the kitchen bench, but a large marine-style hatch overhead gives plenty of light and fresh air.

Sized for two people, the dinette comes with contoured cushions (both seat back and wall) and a tri-fold table. A shelf sits underneath the table and there are the usual overhead lockers above.

Not so usual, is that these stylish lockers feature transparent doors and open shelves in the middle, although end result is both practical and pleasing to the eye. The seats have under-cushion storage, although the forward unit also contains the house battery.

In order to fit in and remain workable, the full-width rear bathroom is a slightly odd shape. It’s narrower at the nearside end, which contains the Thetford cassette toilet, before opening up to the width of the shower cubicle on the other side. This still gives enough space for a neatly set-up vanity with wash basin, wall mirror and shelves along the wall.

VERDICT

There are several Lunagazer J2405 layouts available, some with bunks and all with different emphasis on storage and living space. This particularly layout, with its generous kitchen, is designed for the cook.

With an ATM of nearly 2100kg, this van can be towed by a wide range of vehicles. In addition, its length means a very livable interior layout which feels even more spacious thanks to large windows all-round.

A couple who like their space to live – and to prepare in the kitchen – would get along very well in this Lunagazer.

JURGENS CARAVANS LUNAGAZER J2405 

Length (overall): 7.4m (24ft 3in) 
Length (external): 6.33m (20ft 9in)
Width (external): 2.34m (7ft 8in)
Height (interior): 1.91m (6ft 3in) 
Height (travel): 2.74m (9ft)
Tare: 1680kg
GTM: 1940kg 
ATM: 2080kg 
Ball weight (advised): 140kg
Frame: Vacuum-bonded sandwich panel
Chassis: Hot dipped galvanised
Suspension: Al-Ko IRS torsion
Cooktop: Spinflo four-burner/grill
Fridge: Thetford 164 litre three-way
Microwave: Sanyo
Shower: Separate cubicle
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Lighting: 12V fluoro/halogen
Gas: 1 x 9kg
Hot water: Truma 14 litre
Fresh water: 120 litre
Price $59,990 (on road, NSW)
Supplied by: Alan Graham’s Caravans, North Gosford, NSW
More info: Jurgens Caravans