Below are the stories of just a few of our happy customers who have travelled in their Coastal & Jayco RV's. If you have a story to share please send any photos and pictures to info@coastalmotorhomes.co.nz
In July 2004 my wife and I sold up , threw our kids into the street, bought a brand new 25ft Jayco Heritage caravan and started an adventure that was to last 4 years. We travelled the length and breadth of New Zealand in our new caravan. It was a truly wonderful experience but it was enhanced by our decision to purchase a Jayco. The Jayco Heritage provided a level of comfort not to mention design and style that was quite extraordinary. It was spacious and perfectly laid out, it was cool in the sunny days of summer and warm in the snowy days of winter. It towed like a dream, it was easy to maneuver and without a doubt it soon became “home”.
Just as importantly the Jayco proved to be extremely reliable and the back up and support that was provided nation wide by the Jayco agents was nothing short of amazing. With that in mind we need to make special mention of Coastal Motor homes based in Whakatane. Mike Farrell and his son Paul operate a business second to none in regard to professional, efficient and friendly service. They are highly skilled in their own right with regard to the building of motor homes and this level of expertise shows through when they offer service and maintenance on the Jayco products. When we have needed assistance their response has been superb. Nothing is too much trouble for them and they know all there is to know in regard to looking after their customers. Furthermore, Jayco Australia appears to take their New Zealand market very seriously and their support for the Jayco dealers is excellent especially in regard to Coastal Motor homes.
In short we honestly believe that the Jayco is the best product of its type in New Zealand and that if you are looking for a top performer in regard to Jayco dealers you can’t go past Coastal Motor homes.
Happy travelling!
The Wilsons
30.04.09
What a great choice. On purchasing our new Coastal Motorhome in November 2008 we have never had any regrets.
The day we walked into it we knew it was exactly what we were looking for. It felt very spacious, open, with heaps of storage, lovely shower & toilet room, built in stairs to the cab over bed, everything we had wanted!
As for being on a Ford transit, it just runs like a dream.
Also, we would like to thank the very friendly staff and family members at Coastal, was great dealing with you.
Many thanks
Graeme & Raewyn Martin
33 Tipapakuku Road Dannevirke
If you’re in the market to buy a motorhome or a caravan then go no further than Coastal Motorhomes and Caravans in Whakatane. We looked at all makes and models of motorhomes but for true value and quality design we couldn’t go past the Coastal Motorhome. The Coastal Motorhomes are built to a high standard quality with spacious, well thought out designs to suit everyone’s needs. We have owned three Jayco Caravans and now proudly a Coastal Motorhome. In our experience the service and back up has been second to none. The team at Coastal, are always there to ensure you have an enjoyable experience with what you purchase. Mike, Gayle, Paul and Toni are a pleasure to deal with and always greet you with a happy smile. Nothing is ever too much bother for them to handle.
Thank you! Mike and the team at Coastal. We love our Motorhome.
Brian and Christine Iremonger
Gisbourne
April 2009
We purchased our first Motorhome in 1998, intending to buy a small inexpensive vehicle to see if we would enjoy motor homing. At the same time we joined the NZMCA.
Immediately we got the bug for traveling around and decided to buy a larger unit. Coastal Motorhomes had manufactured several 6.5m Motorhomes. One was on a new Ford Transit which we purchased and enjoyed traveling to the top of the North Island down to the South discovering all the unimaginable places which we never knew were there. We completed 20,000km’s in this Ford.
2001 we moved into a new Mercedes from the Ford and enjoyed this vehicle for 18 months or so then decided to try a caravan as we were moving to the South Island and discussed our requirements with Mike who sold the Mercedes for us, he was very helpful in suggesting a 21ft Jayco Heritage.
We took delivery of the new Heritage in July 2004 and headed south to our new home. We traveled through ice and snow down the desert road and were very impressed with the stability and handling of the Jayco with its electronic braking system. We spent our first two weeks at a Holiday Park in Christchurch which was a lot of fun surrounded by snow until we moved into our new home.
Although we really enjoyed the space and facilities in our Caravan we missed being mobile in a Motorhome so sold our Heritage to a friend who knew how much we had enjoyed owning it. We went back to Mike and Gayle at Coastal Motorhomes as we have total confidence in them. Nothing is a problem; they go out of their way to facilitate our requirements, and ordered one of the first Jayco Conquest Motorhomes to arrive in New Zealand in 2005. What a wonderful vehicle, everything had been thought through by Jayco right down to a lovely inner sprung mattress. We traveled down the West Coast one trip and over the Haast Past where we had a large dump of snow falling on our roof as we drove through, it was very exciting.
We parted with the Conquest as Ron had a major heart operation, he is now fit and well and waiting to pick up our new Jayco Optimum in July 08 and retrace our routes. We have chosen the Jayco automatic Fiat Ducato 7.1m Optimum as it has everything one could want with leather upholstery, air conditioning, diesel heating, solar panels, double glazed dometic windows, full cooking facilities, full entertainment system and its totally self sufficient to comply with NZCMA regulations.
We have met many really friendly people on our travels and learnt a few tricks from them. We highly recommend Coastal Motorhomes, and with Paul and Toni joining the team they have added a great deal pf knowledge to the family business. The after sales service is second to none; nothing is a problem to them. We are very excited about taking delivery of our third Jayco and haven’t found anything better for value for money, finish, performance, and style.
We had owned a little VW pop-top campervan for 4 years and loved being able to freedom camp. Therefore, with the impending visit of my mother on the horizon, we began to look for a larger motorhome that still allowed us to freedom camp but with more luxury and space.
We first visited Coastal Motorhomes in the pouring rain, but we were still greeted with a warm welcome from Mike and Gayle. The layout of the Jayco with the rear lounge took our eye straight away, we would be able to sleep over the cab, allowing mum to make the rear seating area into her bed. Having the large U-shaped lounge also provided a good space for entertaining friends in the evenings. The toilet/shower was nice and roomy and Coastal Motorhomes fitted a bike rack for our bikes.
So ‘Jerry Jayco’ became a new member of our family, after a few lessons from Paul and Mike on how to operate our new toy we were off to Auckland airport to pick up mum.
Throughout our 3 months with mum, we never felt cramped and the freedom ‘Jerry’ gave us was amazing. One particular spot I remember was Monkey Island at the southern most tip of the South Island. We pulled in to freedom camp for the night and ended up staying five! Our solar panel kept us topped up the electricity, the toilet has a large capacity and we had a great TV signal.
Mum’s visit was a huge success and we continue to travel in Jerry enjoying every minute.
Any questions we had during our first few months of ownership we would email or text and Toni was always prompt with her replies. Coastal Motorhomes were a pleasure to buy from and the back up support from this family business second to none.
Thank you Mike, Gayle, Paul and Toni when we want a new van we will be back to see you.
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About 1996 my wife asked me “why don’t we have a motorhome”? My response was that we were too busy to enjoy it and also they were quite expensive. Within a year we were almost retired and living in Mount Maunganui. Again I was asked about a Motorhome and we made the decision to purchase our first converted Japanese bus. This gave us a wonderful introduction into the joys of being able to take off at moments notice and enjoy the companionship of all the other like minded folk, enjoying stopping at the Lakes, the beaches, maybe up the mountain, you name it we have probably been there.
I remember saying to my wife that to be affordable we would need to spend forty nights away in the Motorhome. This being the cost of the capital tied up in a motorhome. Would you believe that over ten years we have averaged slightly more than one hundred and twenty nights per year, this more than anything justifies the capital cost.
Our second motorhome was another converted bus but which we have very warm memories but after seven years of second hand vehicles we started looking for something new. We looked long and hard, many were too expensive for our budget but we continued to look and after weeks of looking and enquiring, we heard of Coastal Motorhomes. Our first introduction was to Paul Farrell, Mike and Gayle; the parents were away on a much needed holiday. Paul was enthusiastic about the products they were selling and it did not take Riki and me long to make up our minds and we became the proud owners of a brand new Jayco. Jayco is made in Australia but is wonderfully suited to New Zealand conditions. Riki loved the rounded cabinetry, the rich finish to all interior and of course, all the new components included in the finished product.
The Jayco is built predominately on a Fiat Chassis and over the two years we owned our first Jayco we found it very stable, some people continue to hold the opinion that you need rear wheel drive through dual wheels, well we have now just purchased our second Jayco and I would not have done that if I had any reservations about front drive and single wheels at the rear.
The 2008 model of the Jayco Conquest, built on the very latest Fiat Ducato is a magnificent motorhome. It is slightly longer than our last Jayco at 7.19 metres but it has all the best of the previous model but certainly with the club lounge in the rear has an enormous amount of room. Our model conquest has the option of either sleeping in the luton or making up the bed in the rear lounge area. We chose to make up our bed at night, it only takes two or three minutes to make up and then we have a wider bed and space for reading etc.
One of the things we find so good with the Jayco’s sold by Coastal Motorhomes is that they are complete, diesel heater, solar panel, LCD TV, DVD/CD player, dual hot water, full oven and a very efficient grill complemented by three burner hobs plus one electric plate, one option is 150 cubic three way fridge/freezer, which we would recommend, the bathroom is quite adequate, shower, toilet and fold down hand basin, we also went for an outside shower, great for when you have grandchildren with you or if you have been in the surf, or for just washing our hair.
Riki and I have enjoyed our dealings with Coastal, Mike and Gayle always greet us as old friends and Paul looks after any adjustments, of which there are very few quickly and efficiently. Their daughter Toni looks after administration and always makes us feel very welcome.
Finally the new Fiat drives beautifully, there has been a big increase in power, the cruise control is good and of course a six speed automatic gearbox is just the icing on the cake.
Are you thinking of buying a Motorhome?? Well stop thinking and go & see for yourself at Coastal Motorhomes in Whakatane. We would love to share one of our stories on motor homing in our 15 years traveling. It all began in 1991 when Dennis and I decided to have a lifestyle change. Dennis built up a 1973 Bedford Van into a customized motorhome named ‘Blue Cruiser’ our first trip we set off to the South Island. WOW! Did we ever have fun working fruit seasons and voluntarily looking after campgrounds plus cooking at a Christian camp, and we also helped to cook our NZMCA winter Christmas dinner held at Bethany Camp Kaiteriteri. After eight weeks we moved on to an orchard at Tasman packing apples and pears.
After numerous ferry trips up and down the Island we got serious and made a visit to Coastal Motorhomes & Caravans at Whakatane to look at buying a new van. Paul showed us a brand new Jayco 2005 7mtr on his computer. We just loved the design which was built in Australia. We then ordered one that was the first Jayco imported into NZ. After two years we sold our Jayco and yes definitely went back to Coastal and ordered a new one and now have a 2008 Jayco.
Why did we go back?? Excellent value for money, great workmanship, and wonderful back up service from Coastal. We have friends impressed with our vans and have now also ordered one.
Our experience is you can talk to Mike, Gayle, Paul and Toni and be impressed with the service not forgetting their great staff that are always willing to help you.
Yours in Motor homing
NZMCA 6235
Dear Mike and Gayle
You will be aware that we looked at every manufacturer of motorhomes 
before choosing you. We have proudly owned ours for a little over a year and want to tell you how pleased we are.
Your product stands out for a number of reasons. It is comforting to know that we are dealing with a family owned business where you are professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and are prepared to listen.
The layout is practical with an outstanding bathroom and shower. We have a good sized living area and lots of locker and storage area. The wood used inside is just enough to set it apart from the rest. The excellent workmanship shows and a typical reaction from every first time visitor is “wow!’ The stylish chic of our Coastal motorhome always draws attention wherever we go.
We use our motorhome in all weather to find it cool in summer and warm in winter.
Planning is always exciting and you were prepared to incorporate small changes that we wanted. Gayle is excellent with décor and teamed up with Dianne to have an interior and colour scheme which is both practical and classic.
Inevitable teething problems have been attended to without fuss or bother. Your after sales service has been outstanding. We recommend you and the team all the time as we too now feel very much part of the Coastal family.
Kind regards
We were introduced to the idea of getting a motor home by friends who also recommended Coastal Motor Homes, Whakatane. Our friends were often away in their bus and thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of being able to travel, visit friends and stop when it suited them. We made several trips to the Coastal site to see what type of vehicle would suit us, but did not go ahead to get a mobile home until I was about to retire from full time work.
We looked forward to seeing more of New Zealand as we had enjoyed family trips with a small caravan when our 
children were young in the early 1970’s. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s we had enjoyed several camping trips taking our two boys with tents in British Columbia and in the Pacific North West of the United States, when we had worked for a period in Canada. We had returned to New Zealand and made some overseas trips when we were both working as our boys grew up.
Time moves on and retirement crept up on us. We then had more time and already had traveled to overseas places, so now it was time to see more of New Zealand at a more leisurely pace. Also, as we later realized, having a motor home gives independence when we visit friends or family and want to stay overnight. We initially bought a Jayco campervan but after a season we upgraded by trading this at Coastal Motor Homes for a new 2 berth Jayco mobile home on a Fiat chassis. This vehicle suited us as the double bed can be made up all the time at the back of the van and there is plenty of storage space. This vehicle is easy to drive and still small enough to park on our section or in a supermarket car park. The backing camera makes maneuvering more straightforward. Having a solar panel is also an advantage as it is not necessary to make sure that the van batteries are fully charged before going away.
We have a lot more favorite places to find. Some of the special places we have enjoyed so far are the Coast just south of Kaikoura. I have memories of staying here as a young child about 1948. The crayfish are a little more costly than the half crown each but now the main road is sealed and there are dual tunnels on the highway. The views of the sea, rocks and headlands are just as magic as they used to be and the sun rises from the sea are worth getting up early for. Hamner Springs, (http://www.hanmersprings.co.nz/), is another great place to relax in the hot pools or to take an easy climb up conical hill through the mature trees to see the view across the valley. Nearer to home a trip to Gisborne is good for a relaxing few days by the coast. The nearby arboretum (http://www.eastwoodhill.org.nz/), is well worth a visit to see the tremendous variety of trees. There is also an excellent bookshop (www.muirsbookshop.co.nz) on the main street if you want to read on the occasional wet day.
The Waikite valley thermal area just south of Rotorua has a clean thermal pool and a cafe in a secluded bush setting. The thermal spring which supplies the pool is impressive and only a short walk from the pools. You need to book ahead here for a campsite as the camping ground is quite small, (http://www.hotpools.co.nz/).
We are waiting for the present spell of wet and windy weather (July 2008), to pass so that we can get away again.
We collected our new 2008 JAYCO in February. A purchase that was brought about having read about them in an Australian Motorhome magazine whilst away on holiday. What took our eye was the layout 4 model with a large rear lounge, a set up that we feel through experience meets our needs for when we have family with us or for socialising with friends which is so important as motorhoming is richly enhanced by meeting people and having the odd beer/wine and a good natter.
On our return from Aussie we obtained Coastal Motorhomes name as JAYCO distributors and we went off to see them in Whakatane. By the end of the day we had ordered our layout 4. It was also beneficial to be able to specify a variety of changes/extras to make the van suit our needs, ie larger fridge, full oven, extra roof vents, plus many other additions.
Our first trip away proved we had made the right choice for the right reasons. We met up with a number of other N.Z.M.C.A. members at Pahi Point and the large rear lounge came into its own. Lots of people, lots of hilarity (a few drinks) and some lousy drawings in the game of Pictionary. Following that a weekend out with our daughter, son in law and 2 grandchildren was easily accommodated with the abundance space afforded by our van.
We should add that the whole buying experience with the family owned company of Coastal Motorhomes was hassle free and indeed a pleasure. Paul and Toni were extremely helpful and accommodating, keeping us informed at all times and when we wanted some extra work carried out on our van it was done as and when arranged, with the minimum of inconvenience. We are looking forward to many more enjoyable experiences in our JAYCO motorhome.
