Try before you buy gives you the advantage
of discovering what best suits your needs.
This can save you considerably when you eventually buy your own caravan / rv
Related
Articles:
Starting Out
First time caravan / rv owners? There are many things to consider.
Make sure you get the right one for you.
Buying an
RV can be a costly exercise. If you have not owned
an RV
before, and you are not sure which RV is right for you, consideration should be given to hiring
a
caravan, trailer, motorhome or RV
for
say a minimum of two weeks or several shorter individual
times. This gives you a chance to experience what works
and doesn’t work for you
especially if the RV is to be your full time home.
It will also give you a feel
for what you want as inclusions in your RV in the category of ‘nice
to have’ and ‘must have’.
When doing
so, particular attention should be paid to the
following:-
The
size –
will it accommodate
all the family, how suitable will it be to tow, will
you have difficulty storing the RV at home?
Sleeping arrangements –
do you like the option
of a pop out bedding section leaving more internal
common area. Do you want bunks for children?
Do you want single beds or a double bed? Does
the lounge convert to a bed for those extra guests?
If the double bed is against the wall would an
‘island’ bed more practical?
Refrigeration –
is the refrigerator and freezer
big enough? Will it be large enough if you are
living in the RV full time or for those long
extended holidays. If travelling in the north would
a tropical ‘T’ rated fridge suit or would a
compressor fridge be best ? (Tropical Climate Class
‘T’ rated refrigerators designed to operate in
temperatures up to 43 degree C. and best for the
temperatures of northern Australia).
See related article on fridge ratings
Hot
water –
do you want a hot
water system for easy washing up and showering?
Shower –
do you want an
internal or external shower or both? It’s nice
to wash off the sand and salt water from the ocean
before coming inside. Will an internal shower
compromise interior living space?
Toilet –
will a porta potti
(that goes under the bed) suffice or would you
prefer a separate toilet cubicle? There are
combined shower/toilets available. Van toilets
can have a cassette or a vacuum toilet system.
Annexe –
do you think you need
an annexe? Perhaps this would provide extra sleeping
area for children.
Take
the time to sketch a layout you think would suit
your needs.
Buy or
subscribe to various magazines and read extensively to
educate yourself. Consider joining a caravan chat forum
and ask questions. When staying in caravan parks or
trailer parks, walk the park and look at how people have
improvised their caravans, motor homes, 5th
wheeler, slide-on camper or camper trailers to make life
easier for themselves. Most people are happy to talk
and share their experience and ideas.
Hire Insurance
Insurance
is a very important issue if you are hiring and most
hirers offer insurance through the hire agreement
contract. Be sure to check the fine print to
ensure it covers you for
off-road use if you want to travel to out of the way
places. Standard policies will normally cover you for
travel on gazetted roads but always check with the
insurer.
Also, make sure the hirer takes you through the RV and
shows you how everything works before leaving the yard.
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