Like all caravan buyers or travellers, this was a really important decision for us. Throw in the fact that we planned to live full time in our caravan, and it became a “home on wheels” decision for us.
This brought a few additional factors into the process, so without doing a full-blown comparison around part time vs full time travel, here were our requirements.
Firstly, Annie had a set of non-negotiables, which turned out being a good approach. Means she will be a lot happier in the long run. And who hasn’t heard of “happy wife – happy life!”
Annie’s list was:
- Separate toilet and shower. Making sure the toilet was located on the offside (opposite side to awning) This means you are not changing the toilet cassette whilst someone could be sitting under the awning.
- Island bed, allowing access from either side of the bed ( see below pic)
- Air conditioning
- Heater – via reverse cycle air conditioning initially. Diesel heater in the future.
- Plenty of light and ventilation
- Modern and simple colour scheme
My list looks a bit different, go figure, knowing how a male mind works 😊
My List was:
- under 3000 kg ATM ( see our article explaining these different weight acronyms)
- semi off-road on a 6-inch chassis
- solar panels x 2 and batteries x 2
- tunnel boot with access from either side of the caravan
- generator cupboard to use as a wet storage area
- full height shower and highest ceiling possible ( 2000mm)
- a bed that my 183cm height would fit
Not a lot about comfort factors for me, all about being able to tow our new van safely and effectively.
That left us with 2 lists below :
Nice to have list:
- decent sized fridge and freezer
- efficient stove/grill with combo of electric and gas
- plenty of accessible storage space
- small microwave for reheating or defrosting
Research list:
- dinette seating versus L shaped or club lounge
- ability to make customisations – for example removing the oven for more sauce pan space, and installing a linen cupboard
- a mid-located door next to the bedroom versus a rear entry door
- angled bench in the kitchen ( see photo)
- fans x 2
- grey water tank for off-grid and National Park camping requirements
We can’t stress enough how important it is to fully research and test what you think you need.
Don’t allow yourself to just accept the model shown to you by the dealer. If it doesn’t suit YOUR requirements, there is always chance to negotiate some changes.
Our dealer, Sunrise caravans at Burpengary QLD, was very invested in making sure we had the chance to discuss any changes.
Dinette – so, with the above in mind, we initially did not like or want dinette style seating, as we found it quite restrictive and a bit dated looking. However, after trying L shaped and club lounge seating, we changed our minds a lot, and don’t regret our decision. The van we chose, also had extended leg supports for the dinette – a nice touch when watching TV
Mid-door – funny how your needs change from the first time you start looking for a caravan. I was convinced that a mid-door next to the bedroom was a bad fit for us. BUT we ended up with just that, resulting in more usable space in the kitchen / bathroom area.
It also gave us the option to have additional bench space, a must for long-term travelling and cooking.
Angled bench – this design resonated with us, as it provided extra space around the sink and directed traffic around the fridge area really well.
Fans – this was a good value decision, based around keeping air moving around the van.
Grey water tank – given we had decided to try free camping, showground stays and even farm stays, it made a lot of sense to have this installed. Some national park areas now mandate you are fully self-contained, including grey water. We have a 110litre version.
Add to the mix, our van came with a 3kg washing machine, not unusual these days, but we are very glad it did.
We have realized by experience, that there is not always access to a laundromat in rural areas. Especially if you are not staying in a caravan park, something we are doing less of now.
Coming soon – full specs on our caravan purchase !
Of course, we then had to tow our new caravan. Many caravan reviewers suggest choosing your van first and then deciding on your tow vehicle.
This is to ensure you get the caravan you want, then match it with a tow vehicle that can do the job. You may even already have that tow vehicle in the garage.
Ensure that you have a combined discussion and decision here. Here’s some examples to think about.
Example 1
Let’s say you have an Isuzu MUX in the garage already. You head out looking for that dream caravan, and there it is. All 3200 kg of fun and travel ahead. But hang on.
Can your Isuzu MUX tow this caravan safely and legally? And if not, are you prepared to compromise your caravan choice or do you have the money available to upgrade your tow vehicle to something more substantial?
Research carefully before committing any dollars to the caravan purchase.
Example 2
Let’s say you have a normal sedan in the garage, and plan to purchase a tow vehicle AFTER choosing your caravan. What limitations do you have to consider?
Will you be comfortable towing more than 3000kg behind you? Will you be living full time in the caravan, or doing a series of trips over a few years? Does that impact your decision?
Only AFTER finalising the above decisions, can you adequately choose your appropriate tow vehicle. This is not something to rush into without lots of research and discussion with experts in the field.
I had some different ideas
I decided a dual cab would be our vehicle of choice for a few different reasons. And I made that decision BEFORE choosing a caravan.
In hindsight I would do it differently, as suggested in the examples above. And think about it, once you have made a ton of money on a tow vehicle, it’s not an easy or cheap process to change vehicles down the track.
I decided a dual cab would give us maximum towing ability at 3500 kg (see our article clarifying how this tow weight is not achievable) and also allow us to store additional gear in the canopy area, not affecting the cabin of the vehicle.
My research also gave me more confidence with the suspension and chassis of a dual cab versus an SUV. A lot of times this will be personal preference, but my mind was settled on a dual cab.
Here is the full article on our Mazda BT50
The article explains our tow rig’s specifications and the changes made after purchase. Happy hunting for your caravan and tow vehicle.
If you have questions or need some advice, get in touch via our Contact page.
We are always happy to help out!