Need
some help to get you started? We hear all the problems so perhaps
we can set you on the right track.
At
Caravan World Magazine we receive many calls for help from people
who have decided to buy a new caravan.
It
may seem serious that having made this decision, many prospective
caravanners find themselves completely unable to choose a van from
the range on the market.
When we look at the size and extent of that range however, it's
not so very surprising that people are confused and bewildered.
In this first section of our Caravan World Yearbook we'll answer
some of the questions most commonly asked by would-be buyers. We'll
also examine the multitude of choices that face the beginner, and
try to suggest a few guidelines to help in the decision-making process.
Where
to Start
When
you decide to buy a caravan you already know what exactly what you
want it for. Is it for weekend escapes, leaving on the spur of the
moment and disappearing to your favourite peaceful (or lively) getaway
destination? Is it for family holidays with the kids, keeping down
the costs while allowing them to discover the great Australian outdoors?
Is it for the fulfillment of your lifetime dream - the around Australia
tour that might takes months or even years to complete. Or have
you perhaps decided to adopt an itinerant lifestyle for an indefinite
period and make the caravan you only home.
The
purpose will determine your van's size and configuration, its layout
and the extent of its fittings. So too will your tow vehicle, unless
you are in the happy position of being able to choose the van first
and then select a towing vehicle that will suit it.
Size
of the Caravan
The
most popular size for today's vans range between 11ft and 24ft (note
the use of imperial measurements - the caravan industry continues
to cater for those who have a built-in resistance to metric). Anything
smaller is not particularly comfortable for more than one person,
and anything larger becomes a towing challenge that will take much
of the fun out of caravanning. Generally, the smaller the van the
easier the towing.
Of
course the shape, height and weight of the van will also influence
towing performance. Today's slimline, lightweight and low profile
models are a complete contrast to the lumbering wheeled pagodas
of bygone years.
If
you can afford the right type of towing vehicle and have no qualms
about towing a larger van, it's a delight to own a luxury home on
wheels complete with its own en-suite, flushing toilet, hot and
cold running water, separate bedroom and full sized kitchen. If
your ambition is to be as independent as possible, staying in national
parks and free camping areas instead of caravan parks, in time you
can recoup at least some of the cost of your big van by reducing
overnight fees while living in almost total comfort.
On
the other hand there are very many people enjoying long-di stance
touring in small caravans - it's just a matter of how few personal
possessions you need to take along on the trip. Travelling light
has its own rewards.
Pop-tops
and Camper Trailers
The
development and subsequent improvements to the ‘pop-top' caravan,
with its fold-down reef section, have solved several problems which
might once have discouraged people from buying a van. If you prefer
- or are obliged - to store your van under a carport or in a low
roofed garage when not in use, the pop-top with a height of less
than 7ft when closed is the type you need.
It
should be remembered that pop-tops are only available in small and
medium sizes. A pop-top of 17ft or over is a rarity, since the larger
the roof are the more unwieldy it is to raise and lower. The task
of raising and lowering however is very much easier in modern pop-tops,
usually aided by gas-filled struts and often the addition of retractable
‘easy-lift' handles inside to provide grip and leverage.
Pop-top
owners who spend much time in the tropics praise the superior ventilation
afforded by the canvas upper wall section with its zippered flaps
that open to let in cooling breezes. The low profile of the pop-top
when closed also offers the advantage of less wind resistance when
towing, giving marginally greater economy as well as a better performance.
The
assumption that a pop-top van is lighter than a hard-top model is
incorrect. Today's pop-top roofs are better built with strong metal
frames which, unlike timber, won't warp, rot or leak but do weight
quite a bit more than the roof of a conventional caravan.
The
choice of a caper trailer, with a wind-up canvas upper section and
extendable sleeping accommodation on each side, is often made for
the wrong reasons. Older couples may buy a trailer for its easy
towing characteristics, but forget that one of the greatest pleasures
of the touring caravanner - the ability to pull up at any time of
the day for a cup of tea and a cap nap - will be denied them unless
they're prepared to go through the process every time.
For
families with young children however, the camper trailer is one
of the world's greatest inventions. The ability to fit numerous
beds into a small towing package, thee relatively low cost of the
unit compared with that of a full sized caravan, and the trailer's
economy all appeal to the younger buyers who make up a large percentage
of the market for this product.
Frame
and Axle Questions
The
old argument about whether a wooden frame is better than an aluminium
one still persists in some areas. The fact is that it doesn't really
matter. But the signs are already clear that aluminium is likely
to be the material of the future as softwoods become scarcer and
costlier and more responsible ecological practices prevail.
Prospective
buyers can often be confused about the number of axles that it's
best to have. This is not really a matter of choice. The provision
of two axles instead of one applies when vans reach a certain size
and it becomes imperative, for safety reasons, to share the weight
between four wheels instead of two. You won't often find many tandem
axles fitted to vans of less than 16ft, and only rarely will you
come across a single axle model of 17ft or more.
What
kind of Suspension?
Whether
you choose a van with independent suspension or a basic solid axle
and leaf spring, once again there's no reason for anyone to challenge
your decision. Smooth riding independent suspension (any of the
numerous designs available) is great to have on most Australian
roads, kind to you van, and these days problems with it are rare
indeed. Those who go for a van with the traditional leaf spring
design will probably pay a little less and can enjoy the reassuring
thought that there isn't much that can go wrong.
When
do you need an Off-Road Caravan?
People
are inclined to be confused by the term ‘off-road', and no wonder.
It's a term that shouldn't really be applied to a caravan, which
is by nature a vehicle designed to be towed ON a road.
There
are however vans designed and built to cope with the varying degrees
of rough road to be found in this country. The most rugged of these
could perhaps be described as ‘off-road' - they include the range
from Elross Caravans of Western Australia. We've seen a number of
custom built models designed by various manufacturers
to customers' specifications. Golf's little ‘Bushman' with a narrow
track that fits into 4WD wheel ruts and equipped with its own emergency
and recovery gear, might also be included in this category.
More
common are the models which can appropriately be described as ‘out
back' caravans. These are fairly conventional in design and are
usually beefed up versions of a manufacturers normal range, with
added strengthening to the chassis and items such as under van protection
for water tanks, bumper bars that extend underneath for protection
when emerging from washways, special dust-proofing and perhaps externally
mounted jerry cans or other sensible additions.
Then
there are the standard caravans that are recognised as being particularly
durable. Some notable builders are Evernew and Hallmark. Both of
these makes have been proving themselves for years on some of our
most notorious inland tracks, but visually there is little that
sets them apart from other brands. Among the remainder you'll find
many makes that carry a warranty covering towing with a 4WD vehicle.
This may not seem as important as it was a few years ago when 4WD
suspension was rough enough to traumatize a van's chassis. Today's
4WDs are greatly improved in this regard, but you can be sure that
the caravan with such a warranty can take a moderate amount of punishment
if necessary.
An
entirely stock standard caravan can usually travel on rough corrugated
roads for short distances without suffering damage, providing care
is exercised.
Outback
travel with a caravan is really a matter of using commonsense. Read
the condition of the road, watch the van and if things appear to
be getting too rough for it, go back. Check weather conditions before
you go to ensure that you don't get stranded, and if you want to
disappear into the real wilderness for a few days, leave you van
on site in the nearest town and take a tent.
We'd
also like to point out that Australia today is well served with
bitumen roads and these are supplemented by many unsealed roads
of reasonable standard in most weather conditions. Almost anywhere
you are likely to want to visit on your own, the first time around
at least, is accessible without the need to risk life, limb or property.
Layout
Where
layout is concerned the most popular caravan today, as we are constantly
told by retailers, is a 15-16ft pop-top with front kitchen, island
double bed at the rear and an L-shaped dinette at one side with
a small lounge seat opposite. Consequently this is the size and
layout that is offered without fail at every caravan retail outlet
around the country. Don't be rushed into buying this floorplan though
if you think you would prefer a model with a side kitchen and a
big club lounge under the front window. Custom-building is the norm
these days, and it's usually worth waiting a month or two for the
van you've set your heart on if it isn't available ‘off the peg'.
The
question of double or single beds makes many couples smile, but
it's really a serious point to consider. Smaller than home-sized
double beds (often only 4ft wide) may look cosy and appealing in
a salesyard, but on-site in tropical Cairns they can turn cuddly
couples into hostile insomniacs. Unless you are both sound sleepers
and accustomed to tropical climes, it may be more practical to opt
for a single bed layout. One consolation is that this will give
you more usable living space in your van, including seats for visitors.
The
standard of a caravan's finish is usually easy to determine by glancing
inside cupboards and under seats. Most manufacturers have abandoned
the heavy and less durable chipboard and returned to genuine timber
for cupboard shelves and doors. Ill fitting joints and rough splintery
surfaces too are mostly things of the past, but vigilance is still
recommended.
Fittings
You'll
be faced with an alluring array of internal features when you start
to shop around the caravan retail outlets. Having decided on the
size and style of van that's right for you, the huge variety of
choices that remain mean that the final decision is still by no
means easy.
Space
restrictions make it difficult for us to advise you but we can tell
you that most modern features have been suggested by real caravaners
and are genuinely worthwhile additions.
The
Bottom Line
New
buyers are sometimes astonished by what they consider to be the
high price of today's caravans, but they have always kept in step
with inflation. When you look carefully at the improvements in design
and the excellent modern materials and accessories used in today's
models you'll see that most of them represent real value for money.
Prices
do vary of course. There are budget models, and makes that traditionally
cater for the lower end of the market, and there are also some makes
that are rather superior and might be regarded as status symbols
in the same way as certain motor vehicles are more desirable than
others.
On
the whole what you get is what you pay for, but the caravan industry
today is competitive enough for a little shopping around to be worthwhile
if you have the time and inclination. Serious bargain hunters generally
wait for the annual state caravan and camping shows when manufacturers
and dealers become very generous, offering impressive discounts
and well priced ‘show specials'.
Whatever
you pay, if the caravan brings you a pleasurable lifestyle it's
money well spent.
Reproduced
courtesy of Caravan World Magazine. Available at Newsagents
monthly.
www.rvpoint.com.au
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