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Caravans, Camper Trailers, Slide On Campers, Accessories and Repairs |
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Caravan,
Camper Trailer and Slide On Camper
manufacturers and dealers Make your selection with the links below Please note - if you are looking for service, repairs or accessories for your caravan, camper trailer or slide on most of the dealers on the relevant pages provide these services. |
Camper Trailers Caravans Slide On Campers
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Choosing the right caravan, camper trailer or slide on
With the growing popularity in caravaning and camping there has never been such a wide variety of equipment to select from.
Before you purchase a caravan, camper trailer or slide on it is essential that you decide exactly what you want in the way of size and inclusions as well as where you want to take it.
Naturally, with a slide on, the size of your vehicle will largely determine the size of the camper, although there is a moving trend to deciding on the slide on first and then choosing an appropriate vehicle. With a slide on you may want to consider how easy it is to get the vehicle out from under it once you get to your destination, so you can do day trips and so on.
Start with the 'where you want to take it' question first, simply because this starts to define your options from the base up. If you are thinking of buying a slide on then this is not such an important issue as most of them are rugged enough to go wherever the vehicle carrying it will go. Always ask first, though, as there are some around that's construction may not be rugged enough for serious off-road, if that's what you want to do.
On road only or including off-road. On road only then there is a very wide choice. If its off-road is that on fairly good dirt roads only or really off the beaten track? There is be a big difference. Just because a manufacturer says the caravan or trailer is for off-road use they could mean for the ocassional dirt road with corrugations, not for going serious off road.
There has always been a wide choice in the past for normal caravans and camper trailers and not so much for serious off road but that balance is changing.
With the popularity of four wheel driving and the desire to visit remote places by more and more people there are now several manufacturers of rugged off road caravans from the fairly basic to absolute luxury. The majority of camper trailer manufacturers also supply off road trailers.
Whilst the bigger the better may be tempting, if you are going serious off road the bigger may be a disadvantage, all depends on where you want to go.
If you plan do do some serious off road trips a caravan, even the toughest off roader, may be out of the question anyway, as may be a trailer of any kind. In which case you will need a slide on or camping equipment. All depends on where you want to go.
With a caravan there are several factors to consider before purchasing. Probably starting off with the size, how many does it have to sleep, many of the modern vans are two berth only, what sort of seating and eating arrangements would you find most comfortable. Would you be able to watch the TV in comfort, do you want air conditioning, a full caravan or a pop top, double bed or singles and so on.
If you are buying a new unit, and this applies to caravans, camper trailers and slide ons, there can be a very long wait these days for delivery, in some cases as long as nine to twelve months, especially if you want to have various items customised to your tastes or you want a specific colour of upholstery, or a different appliance, or optional extra and a variety of other reasons.
However the majority of manufacturers and dealers have floor stock in their showrooms that you can pay your money and virtually drive away with if you are happy to accept it with the way it is configured and fitted out.
Do you want your own shower and toilet? If you are going to stay in some of the less visited areas that don't have showers and toilets this could be a very important consideration. Many caravans, camper trailers and slide ons these days have hot water on demand which makes showering in your own facilities even more attractive. If this is the case ensure that the unit you are purchasing has the tank capacity to carry sufficient water. If not can extra tanks be fitted?
What happens to the sullage? Does it have a portable tank that can be simply removed for emptying or does the whole caravan need to be taken to the dump point.
There is no point in having your own shower if you plan to go to places where you have to take your own water and your unit doesn't store enough for the number of days you need.
What sort of cooking arrangements do you prefer. There are some that only cook on the BBQ when they are on holiday to those that cook as they would if they were at home, including cooking the odd roast.
How big does the fridge need to be. This might not seem so important but if you prefer to stay at places away from the crowds then you may also be away from the shops. You could consider an additional portable fridge/freezer. If you are going for a camper trailer then this may be your only option.
If you are choosing a portable fridge consider its ambient cooling range. If the label say, for example, that the freezing temperature is up to the ambient temperature -30 degrees this might seem plenty, but if it is going to be stuck in 40 degree temperatures it's not going to freeze very well. Consider vacuum packing some of your provisions, especially meat, it extends their shelf life and freshness. Vacuum sealing units can be bought for a couple of hundred dollars.
Decide what power you will need for the fridge. For example it is all very well having just mains power but that doesn't help if you want to travel all day and there is nothing to power the fridge whilst you are driving, it is equally unhelpful if you want to pull over in a lay by to sleep the night. If you plan to use the towing vehicles battery to power it when you are stopped make sure that it won't draw so much power that it runs the battery flat. You may even consider fitting an auxiliary battery in the vehicle.
Some people may consider a small portable generator only to find that when they reach their destination there is a ranger or property owner that won't allow it to be run. It happens.
If you have decided on a camper trailer consider the time it takes to get it setup when you arrive at wherever you are going. If you are planning to do a lot of short stops at places then it can be fairly tedious if it takes forever to set the thing up before you can even go to bed. This is particularly so in some of the older varieties and 'home mades'.
There are camper trailers available that literally take minutes to set up, could even be quicker than leveling a caravan. If you plan to go to one destination once a year and stay for a week or two then the setting up may not be such an issue. Stopping for one night here and there then it certainly may be.
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