Things to Look at When Buying a Camper Trailer
It is important to get all the facts when buying a camper trailer because you want to get the right one for your needs, now and into the future.
Making the wrong choice now could be costly.
So what are the most important things to consider when buying a camper trailer? Firstly, you need to consider where you intend to travel.
If you are travelling the highways and pulling in at caravan parks with power and water supplied, you don't need to get an off road camper.
However, if you want to get off the beaten track and travel to the most remote places of the country you will need a 4x4 camper fitted with features that allow you to be self sufficient for extended periods of time.
For example you will need gas appliances (or solar) so you are not dependent on recharging batteries.
Your fridge will also need to be an absorption fridge that can run on both battery power, mains and gas.
Another option is to get a generator appropriate for your needs, which is another difficult task.
I list things to look at if you need to get a generator in my website link below.
Next, consider how many people the camper needs to accommodate, as this will dictate how many beds are required and storage space.
If you have a family to house while on the road you need to be able to comfortably sleep them all and store clothing, bedding, supplies as well as recreational equipment.
Make sure you can fit the fishing rods in! Once you have decided on the size and features you require, another important consideration is the capacity of your car to tow the camper trailer.
Again, you need to consider the terrain you will be traveling, and the likely demands that you will place on your car.
For off road camping you will need a 4WD, especially during the wet months when a lot of roads become impassable for the standard 2WD.
You need to consider if the weight of the camper trailer is too much for your vehicle.
There is an accurate way to do this.
In your vehicles owner manual you will find the gross trailer weight (GTW) and the tongue weight (TW).
The GTW shows the maximum weight that the car will pull.
Check that against the weight of the camper trailer.
Make sure you have some in reserve so you don't over work your motor.
The TW is the maximum downward force that the tow bar can take.
Again, this is an important consideration.
If you are buying a new camper trailer, read as many reviews as you can, and check the different warranties on offer.
Go to the showrooms and get in the trailers to get an idea of how they feel.
Talk to the salespeople.
Try to get an idea of which are best supported with after sales service.
If you are considering getting a used camper trailer, there are a list of other things you need to consider to make sure you get a good quality camper, which I consider on my website below.
Making the wrong choice now could be costly.
So what are the most important things to consider when buying a camper trailer? Firstly, you need to consider where you intend to travel.
If you are travelling the highways and pulling in at caravan parks with power and water supplied, you don't need to get an off road camper.
However, if you want to get off the beaten track and travel to the most remote places of the country you will need a 4x4 camper fitted with features that allow you to be self sufficient for extended periods of time.
For example you will need gas appliances (or solar) so you are not dependent on recharging batteries.
Your fridge will also need to be an absorption fridge that can run on both battery power, mains and gas.
Another option is to get a generator appropriate for your needs, which is another difficult task.
I list things to look at if you need to get a generator in my website link below.
Next, consider how many people the camper needs to accommodate, as this will dictate how many beds are required and storage space.
If you have a family to house while on the road you need to be able to comfortably sleep them all and store clothing, bedding, supplies as well as recreational equipment.
Make sure you can fit the fishing rods in! Once you have decided on the size and features you require, another important consideration is the capacity of your car to tow the camper trailer.
Again, you need to consider the terrain you will be traveling, and the likely demands that you will place on your car.
For off road camping you will need a 4WD, especially during the wet months when a lot of roads become impassable for the standard 2WD.
You need to consider if the weight of the camper trailer is too much for your vehicle.
There is an accurate way to do this.
In your vehicles owner manual you will find the gross trailer weight (GTW) and the tongue weight (TW).
The GTW shows the maximum weight that the car will pull.
Check that against the weight of the camper trailer.
Make sure you have some in reserve so you don't over work your motor.
The TW is the maximum downward force that the tow bar can take.
Again, this is an important consideration.
If you are buying a new camper trailer, read as many reviews as you can, and check the different warranties on offer.
Go to the showrooms and get in the trailers to get an idea of how they feel.
Talk to the salespeople.
Try to get an idea of which are best supported with after sales service.
If you are considering getting a used camper trailer, there are a list of other things you need to consider to make sure you get a good quality camper, which I consider on my website below.
