Regent Cruiser 3 SE 2007 Review

By Tom Olthoff

Caravan buyers range from those who are novices and spend months or even years working out what they need, to those who, based on previous experiences, know exactly what they want. Among the latter is long time caravanning couple Bob and Wendy Duffield.

When it came to updating their caravan, Bob and Wendy wanted something that reflected current trends in design while at the same time being functional without all the bells and whistles.

One item high on the list of desirable features was airbag suspension.

When I quizzed Bob as to the reasons for this, it didn’t take long to see that he realised most, if not all, of the benefits. Many years ago Bob was involved with the trucking industry at a time when airbag suspension was being fitted to many commercial trucks.

He soon realised the improvement in ride quality and the reduction in damage to whatever was being carried.

As the Duffields’ van was to be a tandem, the benefits of load sharing with two interconnected airbags on each side was a definite advantage. The ability of airbags to provide height adjustment was also an asset.

Bob and Wendy needed to be able to put the van through a carport that was under the main roof of the house and therefore could not be modified to offer more head room.

With the air suspension it needs only the flick of a switch to let out the air and lower the van 100mm or so. As Bob says, “it beats fitting smaller diameter wheels to achieve the same result”.

The job of bringing it all to fruition was entrusted to Adelaide Regent dealer Cameron Caravans. The airbag suspension was developed and fitted by G&S Chassis which also built the chassis using SupaGal steel.

The chassis with 150mm main beams didn’t require any special modifications as the suspension assembly is fitted to a sub-frame that attaches to the chassis.

The air van

The 17ft 6m x 7ft 6in (5.33m x 2.28m) Regent Cruiser 3 SE pop-top is a rear side entry model. With a front bedroom, centre kitchen and rear L-shaped lounge/dinette, weight distribution is excellent.

The queen sized bed was raised to allow a portable fridge/freezer to be located underneath. A 12V outlet is conveniently located nearby. A wardrobe and small dressing table fits neatly next to the head of the bed. Overhead cupboards offer additional storage.

Centrally positioned along the left wall is an Abbey stainless steel sink with large bowl and mixer tap. A water filter and 12V pump can be found in the cupboard underneath.

Close by is a Dometic DF 500 grill hob with one electric hotplate and three gas burners. Within easy reach above the sink is a Samsung 850W microwave. Opposite is a 130L Vitrifrigo 12V compressor fridge. Several cupboards, drawers and a pull-out pantry offer a variety of storage.

All lights in the Regent are 12V. Three round fluorescent ceiling lights are complemented by five wall-mounted reading lights. Six 240V double powerpoints make it easy to plug in 240V appliances.

Walk around the outside and you’ll find two 4.5kg gas cylinders on the drawbar, front storage boot, a rear bumper with spare wheel, four Manutec drop-down stabilisers, Manutec 8in jockey wheel, external powerpoint, pebble guard and stone shields front and rear.

Below two 80L water tanks with metal tank guards are located in front and behind the suspension.

To make the Regent more compatible with the Duffields’ Nissan Patrol, attractive 16in five-spoke Dunlop aluminium alloy wheels and Dunlop LT 235/70 R16 tyres were fitted.

With an individual load rating exceeding 1000kg, there is more than enough carrying capacity in reserve. Four 12in electric brakes stop the rig on request.

Bob and Wendy also like to do a bit of bush camping. The lights, water pump and refrigerator can be operated from two 120Ah batteries stored in the front boot.

Batteries can be topped up from two roof-mounted 120W solar panels, built-in charger when 240V is available or from the car when on the road. There is also a Blue Apple portable power pack for emergencies.

Airbag Suspension

If looks count then the four-wheel independent airbag suspension is a winner even when the van is standing still.

The trailing arm suspension looks rugged and all the airbag equipment is neatly located.

The compressor sits in the left-hand corner of the front boot with the manual on/off switches and pressure gauge just above.

The reservoir tank is mounted on the chassis below.

On each side the two airbags are interconnected to provide load sharing. Once set, the ride height is automatically maintained through a height control valve that monitors the movement of the suspension when a load is placed in the van. The height can be adjusted manually if required.

We couldn’t determine the amount of suspension travel available but it is way ahead of many leaf spring suspensions, giving all indications that the Regent will take uneven road surfaces in its stride.

The Bottom Line

While it may be a little hard to justify air suspension on a base model budget caravan, there is no doubt that it should be an option on the majority of touring vans.

Although we weren’t able to do a comparison between airbags and other types of suspension, the ride quality offered by the airbags is fantastic.

Bob reported that not only did the Regent tow like a dream, there was no feedback from the caravan by way of shocks and pitching that he had experienced previously.

When it comes to ordering a more sophisticated suspension system, buyers can bear in mind that its price should include deducting the cost of the existing components that it replaces.

There is no doubt that we’ll see more caravans like this Regent on Australian roads, particularly when we have people like Bob and Wendy Duffield singing the praises of airbag suspension when they meet fellow caravanners.

For more details contact Cameron Caravans on (08) 8276 5444 or visit www.cameroncaravanssa.com.au

For your nearest Regent dealer call (03) 9408 7400 or visit

We liked

• The suspension

• Functional layout

 We would have liked

• Partition behind the refrigerator compressor

• Water pump near the rear of the cupboard to increase useable storage