Choosing the best motorhome, caravan, or camper trailer (RV) takes a careful approach. There are a lot of things to consider, and getting any one of them wrong can prove to be a costly mistake. You need to take your time to make sure that what you choose is perfect for your camping needs.

This isn’t a decision to make overnight. The wise move is to spend at least six months doing research and getting all your financial ducks in a row. We put this buyer’s guide together to help you tick all the important boxes when shopping for your next motorhome, caravan, or camper trailer.

Step 1: Determine Your Budget

Your budget is the very first thing you need to figure out when shopping for a new or used caravan. You need to factor in not just the purchase price of the RV itself, but also the cost of ownership.

This includes:

• Camping accessories including BBQ, chairs, linen, pots, and pans
• Insurance premiums
• Extra fuel costs
• Registration
• Gas cost refills
• Campground fees
• Storage fees – will the RV be stored at home, at a friend’s house, or in designated storage?
• General maintenance including servicing.
• Interest and repayments if borrowing the funds.

You should also think about your camping lifestyle. If you prefer being at a park close to restaurants and take-away food while you’re on the road the cost of ownership is going to be much higher than if you’re content to cook your own meals at an off-grid site.

An Important Note on Insurance

Insurance on some RVs is more expensive to insure than others. Be sure to check the insurance requirements and get at least three quotes for every type and brand you’re thinking about buying. 

Pro Tip

You might be tempted to skimp on the contents insurance to shave a little off your monthly payment. Yet personal items, camping equipment, appliances, entertainment equipment, and digital devices can easily be $10,000. If you are carrying jewellery, computers, and cameras this will be much more. If the worst happens, and those items are stolen, burned, or damaged, and they aren’t covered in the policy, it could be a total loss.

Many insurance companies have a specific amount of content coverage in different policy types as standard. Be sure to ask about the amount when you request a quote and compare it against what it would cost to replace your items, at new/current prices and increase the contents coverage accordingly.

When you get your caravan, camper trailer or motorhome, be sure to let your insurance company know where you’re storing it, and how it will be stored. If you move it to another location temporarily – don’t forget to tell them! Also, protecting it from the sun, wind, and strong storms helps your RV stay in tip-top condition and hold its value. It may also get you a small discount on the insurance!

Step 2: Consider the Type of RV

Once you have an idea of your potential budget, you can sharpen the focus on the type of caravan or camper that best suits your needs. Each has its pros and cons. Have a thorough discussion with your other half about where your ideal camping trip would be. Is it at the beach or out in the bush – maybe a combination of both?  Can you survive without an ensuite or is a toilet onboard a necessity?

Another important consideration if your tow vehicle. Is it suitable for the type of RV you are considering? If not, then you may need to consider a more lightweight option if your budget doesn’t allow for a vehicle upgrade.

There are many types of RV’s including:

• Camper Trailer
• Camper Van
• Pop up Caravan
• Hybrid Caravan
• Touring Caravan
• Semi Off Road Caravan
• Off Road Caravan
• Fifth Wheeler Caravan
• Campervan
• Motorhome

The Towing Vehicle

If you choose a camper trailer or caravan, you also need to consider the towing vehicle. While some lightweight camper trailers and pop-up campers can be towed by a family SUV, you might need a large 4WD truck or a commercial vehicle to tow a larger caravan.

When choosing the perfect RV, you need to consider and be aware of the following requirements for your tow vehicle:

• GVM – Gross Vehicle Mass (Total weight your vehicle can weigh, this includes all accessories, passengers, fuel, luggage, camping gear, and tow ball weight)
• GCM – Gross Combined Mass (Total weight of your vehicle and RV)
• Towing capacity rating (maximum weight RV can weigh)
• Maximum Tow ball weight
• Payload
• Driving the vehicle when not using the caravan
• 4-wheel drive for off-roading
• Fuel economy (towing an RV can nearly double your fuel consumption)
• Current vehicle equipped for towing (you will need a towbar, trailer wiring, electric brake controller, Anderson plug)

Pro Tip

Towing capacities on vehicles are not always what they seem. Your vehicle may be rated to tow 3500kg for example but once you add in the weight of accessories (e.g., bull bar, canopy, a second battery, fridge), passengers, and tow ball weight, you might be over your GVM before even putting in any luggage, camping essentials, or important items like some cold beers in your fridge.

Authorities are increasing their policing of overloaded vehicles, which include harsh penalties and not being able to drive your vehicle further which results in expensive tow trucks. All around OZ has a fantastic calculator to help you determine if the weights of your vehicle and/or trailer are legal.

Step 3: Consider the Brand

When choosing the best camping option for you, it’s best to stick with well-known brands that have a good reputation and have been around for at least 10 years or more. This should be a sign of reliability, quality, and customer service.

Consider where the caravan is manufactured. A caravan produced in another country may not have the same quality construction as those made locally.

Contact a local repairer in your area or in your closest capital city. Ask them about brands generally or give them a couple of specific brands to give you their optinion. We took this approach when shopping for our latest caravan and it quickly answered our question as to why the manufactuer would not let us join their Facebook page!

Pro Tip

Check Facebook for pages dedicated to popular RV brands. Read through the posts and comments to understand if there are common or consistent issues. Look for “Lemon” pages for each. If a brand has a Facebook page but only allows owners to be members, this should be a red flag! Ask the admin about being accepted because you are thinking about purchasing their brand. If they say no – well that’s a “no” to buy!

Step 4: Try Before You Buy!

This is one of the most important steps! This has personally saved us from costly decisions on many occasions.

A great way to get a feel if the caravan you are considering is right for you is to hire one for a weekend or holiday. Several websites and dealerships offer caravans for hire. You may not be able to hire the brand you are looking at; however, the style is enough to give you an idea if it is the right one for you.

Try Star RV for motorhomes or hire companies such as Camplify which hire a broard range of caravans, camper trailers and motorhomes. Not only will you be able to get a taste for that style of camping, but it can also help you better understand what features need to be a high priority for your camping style, and which are not. 

Conclusion

The process of choosing the best RV can be almost as much fun as going camping. Take all the time you need to research brands and consider the type of RV that suits your camping style.

Be honest with yourself about your budget. Be sure to factor in not just the price of the rig, but also the cost of ownership. Think about the camping supplies you’ll need to buy to make the most out of it. Consider where you’ll store it, and any storage costs you might have to bear.

Make sure to research different brands and look through Facebook groups for honest opinions. Also, research the insurance requirements and get at least three quotes to make sure there aren’t any other hidden fees or reduced benefit.