At the heart of the TrailLite philosophy is the belief that the majority of its Kiwi customers want a rig with most of the comforts of home — one they can live in for weeks, rather than days at freedom camping locations where freshwater and 230-volt grid supply electricity are unavailable.
The Landmark Oakura 758 is a good example. It is a medium- to large-sized motorhome, with an overall length of 8.4 metres and an internal width of 2.24 metres. Built on an Iveco Dailey 70C17 cab chassis with a 125kW/400Nm Euro5+ turbo diesel motor driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automated manual gearbox, the gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 5995kg provides an ample payload margin for both creature comforts and certified self-contained items while allowing it to be driven on a Class 1 car licence.
One of the benefits of rear-wheel drive is the towing capacity of 3000kg. However, you will need a Class 2 licence if your combined vehicle mass (ie. the Oakura 758 plus the towed unit) exceeds 6000kg.
Freshwater won't be a problem with 375 litres of tank capacity, but you would be wise to use the digital colour monitor to keep an eye on the greywater tank levels, because, at only 200-litre capacity, it's a little out of balance with the larger freshwater tank.
The two LED TVs, (one 32-inch and one 18.5-inch with built-in DVD player) along with a Fusion Entertainment Centre (MS-AV600) will encourage regular depletion of amps from the battery, but it should cope without too much difficulty.
The 250amp/hr (at C10) house battery is well matched, with the 280 watts of solar panel power recharging the battery through an MPPT solar controller that is part of an integrated C-Tek charging system the manufacturer calls the 'world's smartest charging system'. It controls all sources of power coming into the vehicle through alternator, solar, and mains, and puts them through an eight-stage charging cycle.
The traditional method is to have power from solar, alternator, and a charger all coming in through systems that don't talk to each other. This is an integrated, intelligent system and the difference is significant. LED lighting throughout helps keep power consumption to a minimum. Two USB ports are available for recharging electronic devices and a 300-watt pure sine wave inverter is at the ready for more serious electronic power-ups.
Twin 9kg LPG bottles supply gas for cooking and water heating (22-litre hot-water cylinder capacity), while the fully-ducted (bathroom included) central heating is courtesy of a Webasto diesel heater. And to make sure the food doesn't spoil and the beer stays cold, TrailLite fits the large 190-litre Dometic two-door fridge/freezer.
The large TV is mounted in the Luton above cab, with a useful shelf in front and cupboards either side, the one to the left home to the Skybox and other TV connections. Two 230-volt grid and inverter power points make this a handy spot for recharging battery devices.
The décor in the motorhome reviewed was plain grey and black with cream laminate surfaces. The neutral tones made the interior feel light, airy, and spacious — quite relaxing, in fact, and a neutral palette to which it would be easy to add personal colour touches. The colour scheme is the buyer's choice, with the in-house colour consultant, Michelle, available to assist as needed.
Freedom camping
So, how well is the Oakura 758 equipped for freedom camping? Large external hatches giving access to serious storage space are a must-have item. The Oakura 758 has three, so you can take advantage of the payload capacity and load aboard the necessities of life — golf clubs, fishing rods, BBQ, tables and chairs, and whatever else takes your fancy.
Freshwater won't be a problem with 375 litres of tank capacity, but you would be wise to use the digital colour monitor to keep an eye on the greywater tank levels, because, at only 200-litre capacity, it's a little out of balance with the larger freshwater tank.
The two LED TVs, (one 32-inch and one 18.5-inch with built-in DVD player) along with a Fusion Entertainment Centre (MS-AV600) will encourage regular depletion of amps from the battery, but it should cope without too much difficulty.
The 250amp/hr (at C10) house battery is well matched, with the 280 watts of solar panel power recharging the battery through an MPPT solar controller that is part of an integrated C-Tek charging system the manufacturer calls the 'world's smartest charging system'. It controls all sources of power coming into the vehicle through alternator, solar, and mains, and puts them through an eight-stage charging cycle.
The traditional method is to have power from solar, alternator, and a charger all coming in through systems that don't talk to each other. This is an integrated, intelligent system and the difference is significant. LED lighting throughout helps keep power consumption to a minimum. Two USB ports are available for recharging electronic devices and a 300-watt pure sine wave inverter is at the ready for more serious electronic power-ups.
Twin 9kg LPG bottles supply gas for cooking and water heating (22-litre hot-water cylinder capacity), while the fully-ducted (bathroom included) central heating is courtesy of a Webasto diesel heater. And to make sure the food doesn't spoil and the beer stays cold, TrailLite fits the large 190-litre Dometic two-door fridge/freezer.
The Oakura 758’s interior
The interior layout lends itself to long-term occupation. The lounge, incorporating the cab seats is at the front, the kitchen is amidships and the bedroom and en-suite bathroom facilities are at the rear. The cab seats rotate to complement the twin 1200mm-long settees that make up the lounge seating. A pedestal for the table leg is set into the floor, allowing the table to set up as needed at meal times. Although the cab floor is lower than the lounge floor, a clever ramp conceals the difference in levels.
The large TV is mounted in the Luton above cab, with a useful shelf in front and cupboards either side, the one to the left home to the Skybox and other TV connections. Two 230-volt grid and inverter power points make this a handy spot for recharging battery devices.
The décor in the motorhome reviewed was plain grey and black with cream laminate surfaces. The neutral tones made the interior feel light, airy, and spacious — quite relaxing, in fact, and a neutral palette to which it would be easy to add personal colour touches. The colour scheme is the buyer's choice, with the in-house colour consultant, Michelle, available to assist as needed.
Kitchen
I liked an innovation in the kitchen drawers. When pulled out, this particular drawer front had two drawers, one above the other. For quick access you could get to items in the lower one from the sides, but for better access the top one, magnetically attached to the drawer front, could be pushed back out of the way. In keeping with modern kitchen trends, there were three large drawers alongside instead of half a dozen, as would have been the case in the past. The kitchen bench is cream acrylic stone and should be hardwearing. The sink in-fill piece is of the same material and quite heavy. Care would have to be taken to stow it carefully when underway. All the expected mod cons were present — rangehood, four-burner hob, grill, and oven. The microwave situated above the fridge/freezer may be too tall a stretch for some to reach safely, but TrailLite is always happy to discuss things like microwave relocations. With an opening window behind the hobs, an overhead hatch, and the access door opposite, the kitchen ventilation is excellent.Bedroom
At times, everyone needs a place where they can spend time on their own. Having a bedroom that can be closed off from the rest of the motorhome is a real bonus in my opinion. The bedroom layout is pretty standard, with a north/south island bed with easy-to-get-at storage underneath; access to the bed down both sides; overhead lockers above the bedhead; a hanging locker each side above a side shelf and cupboard below. No rear window means plenty of room to sit up in bed with a cuppa at the ready on the side table — bliss.
