Autocruise Jazz

Like you, I'm buying an Autocruise Jazz and am waiting to collect it, I pick it up on wednesday and then I'm heading to Wales for a few days with my dog. I'm so excited and can't wait to get it. As soon as I saw it I loved the layout and the size of it and hope to have many happy and relaxing weekends (or maybe longer) away in it. 

I'm a bit late to the discussion here but I bought a Swift Mondial EK in 2013. To all intents and purposes it is an Autocruise Jazz, indeed some of the fixtures and fittings have Autocruise labels on them.

It's been a great choice for us. Our only reservation was storage space which hasn't proved to be a problem. The compact size has been a welcome bonus given some of the roads that we've traveled on, and the ability to fit in most car parks has been a real boon.

We have a 100 watt solar panel which helps keeps the fridge going although we now generally have a hook up to charge our electric bikes, which we carry on a tow bar mounted carrier. 

I've done quite few mods on the van which I'm happy to share with fellow owners..............

We're currently having a three week tour of France in the Jazz (can't resist adding 'nice' every time I say it - remember the Fast Show?) and we are really enjoying the van. The only thing I have a big issue with is the firm (read 'hard') bed and am wondering if anyone else has found this, and, if so, what have they done about it?

Daleman, I would be interested in hearing about your modifications if you would like to share them. 

Thanks. 

Ronhub,  my Jazz has sufficient room below the wardrobe ( ! ) for a neatly rolled ' Mattress Topper ', from, I think, Dunelm. I don't have any problems sleeping , I assure you !!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

well, where to begin...

Externally

DRLs

Tow bar for our bike rack

Rear air suspension 

Rear view/reversing cameras

Rear flood light so we can mess with our bikes in the dark if needs be

External Whale water pump socket replaced by a standard 12v socket so we can use our air pump as well as our water pump.

Roll out awning of course

100W solar panel

Ditched the useless TV aerial and opted for a satellite dish that we store in the back door, and an Avtex sucker mount aerial.

Internally....

Re-trimmed the main seating area and side door with stretchable van lining carpet and hidden fixings

Lowered seat bases to make the driving position more comfortable for my partner, plus tailored sheepskin seat covers

Replacement radio powered directly form the leisure battery.

three addition spot lights in the main seating area.

Additional 12v socket in the 'kitchen'

Flexible cable duct in the TV cabinet so that it moves in and out as intended and doesn't shred the cables

Additional shelves in the tambour cupboard and the 'wardrobe' - we have a single hanger inside the rear door if ever we need to hang anything up.

All overhead cupboards fitted with elasticated luggage net to prevent objects falling out when the doors are opened..........after the rear worktop was holed by a falling chopping board, which resulted in the fitting of a larger sink with a draining board rather than paying a King's ransom for a new worktop. The job panned out at only £23 plus my labour since I sold the original sink on

A few hidden blue LED strips to provide floor level lighting.

We have a 2" thick memory foam mattress topper that we store crammed under the wardrobe when not in use

That's about it I think...............so far

......forgot the Thetford cassette external vent kit - since the cassette compartment is not sealed from the van interior.

I guess that I could have just fitted a seal around the wooden 'utilities door' but I preferred to fit the kit and add a tiny fan to the outlet, powered from the washroom light.

Thanks for all of that information. Our van came with some of those already installed but one improvement that I have made is to ditch the long bolster cushion that jams between the top of the bed and the front sears, and have replaced it with a piece of ply which I cut to shape using a cardboard template. This sits on the edge of the bed and slots into the gap between the driver's seat back and base. It stops the pillows from falling through the gap and travels easily  behind the rear seats. 

I am thinking of a rear camera, although, to be honest, I've not found any real issues with reversing so far. Which one do you have? Do you like it? 

Cheers. 

Thank YOU  Ronhub, for the comment about the 'bolster cushion'  !! I never worked out what it was, where it fitted or where to store it so it resides always chez ABM. Confusion came from the driving position I use which meant the gap 'tween drivers seat & top end of the bed is small so pillows do not escape  .

Our EK doesn't have the bolster cushion which I was told is intended to be used to separate a sleeper from the sidewall of the van, particularly the table mounting rail. There's nowhere to store it anyway.

We have the cab seats rotated through 90 degrees when the bed is made up - fills most of the gap

I fitted a reversing camera after I crushed our bike rack against an unseen bollard.

The kit was supplied by ReversingcamerasUK and has proved to be reliable

Thanks for all the info.