Buying your caravan is an excellent option specifically when you want to discover the great Australian outback. However, when you glance at an extensive range that caravan has to offer, it’s easy to get lost. That’s the reason, we have put together an all-inclusive list of five vital caravan buying tips in question and answer style, so it becomes easier for you to understand and helps you in your buying decision.
What is the purpose of buying a caravan?
Think beyond your first trip and plan for a couple of years, so it becomes all the more important to ask yourself a few questions:
- Do you want to take up a touring lifestyle making caravan your only home?
- Are you buying a caravan for fulfilling a cherished lifelong dream of roaming around Australia, which will probably take months to cover?
- Whether you will be using your caravan for just weekend getaways with your family or friends to one of your preferred destinations?
The purpose will decide your caravan’s size and design (including the layout and the number of fittings and features you need). The intensity of your touring will determine the need for important features such as off-road capability and independent rear suspension for your brand new van.
How would you tow the caravan?
If you want to tow the caravan with your existing vehicle then, first of all, you need to check the towing capacity of your vehicle, as this will let you know of the maximum weight for your dream caravan.
Are you thinking of buying a small or big caravan?
Purchasing a bigger caravan can become a towing challenge, which will take away the fun from your caravanning and if you purchase a smaller caravan, then it would not be comfy for more than one person. As a general rule, the smaller the caravan, the easier it would be to tow. Besides, the height and shape of the caravan is also an important factor to consider along with the size, as all of these will determine towing performance.
Modern day’s lightweight, slim-line and low profile variants are completely different from yesteryear’s heavy-wheeled pagodas. The hot favourite size for today’s caravans ranges between 11ft and 24ft. Nonetheless, if you can spend more to get hold of the right towing vehicle and aren’t anxious about towing a bigger van, then it’s a pleasure to own a luxury home on wheels with an en-suite, hot and cold running water, toilet with a flush, decent kitchen and separate bedroom.
What about pop-tops & camper trailers?
With the fold-down roof section, the pop-top caravan is proving to be one of the ultra-modern in small to medium size caravan offerings. When you’re not using your caravan and want to store it in your garage or under a carport, then pop-ups are perfect, as you wouldn’t require building dedicated high roof-line carports. Besides, the low profile of the pop-top and camper trailer when closed provides the benefit of less wind resistance and improved fuel efficiency while towing. The alternate option of a camper trailer that comes with a wind-up canvas upper section and stretchable accommodation on each side is a fantastic choice for families having children.
Do you want to buy brand new caravan or second-hand is good to go?
If you have decided to buy a second-hand caravan then ensure you buy from a licensed dealer only. This will help you to grab clear title on the caravan you’re purchasing; no other option will guarantee you a clear title on the used caravan. Certified dealers conduct many thorough checks to make sure that the units they are selling don’t owe any money or not stolen.
On the other hand, brand new caravans are built with the newest technological advancements, so they provide comforts, safety features and many advantages including durable, lightweight build quality and independent rear suspension. Moreover, when you buy a new caravan, you also have the choice to custom-build the layout of your caravan to match your requirements and desires.
The final checklist for buying the right caravan
Prepare a final checklist before visiting dealer-showrooms near you. This checklist should contain specific questions that relate to your towing vehicle, caravan and your touring style. At a bare minimum, this checklist would include:
- List out the things and sort them in two columns, such as (1) you need – under essential; (2) you desire – under luxury.
- Figure out the towing capacity of your current vehicle – you’ll have to buy a caravan that matches your vehicle’s tow capability.
- What amount of space you would need in the caravan.
- In the next couple of years, where would you be taking your caravan – Workout how many trips you’ll be making (an estimated total distance)?
- Where would you store the caravan – workout the maximum height restriction?
- What is indispensable to you – the pleasure of light touring or the creature comforts of home?
So you have collected all the required information and ready to visit dealer-showrooms. Great!
Visit the Golf RV dealer today if you want to buy a brand new or used caravan in Penrith – you can pick from a wide range of new and used caravans to match your needs and budget. Golf is known to build high-quality, competent and durable recreational vehicles for the tough Australian conditions, so you’ll be making the right decision by purchasing a Golf RV for your caravanning escapades.
