Buying a caravan planning to join you full time

MacDee · Newbie

Buying a caravan planning to join you full time

Desert Dweller · Guru

Coromal have been making caravans for a long time, they must be doing something right. We haven't heard any bad reports on our travels. smile smile

It may be best to do a few extended trips away first to see if the living in a caravan lifestyle is for you before burning your bridges. wink wink

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Friday 16th of February 2018 04:58:29 AM

Kebbin · Guru

Welcome Macdee to make a decision on the Princeton would require a little more info like the ATM and your tow vehicle make and model. Apart from that a friend has a Coromal Element and is quite happy with it.

Possum3 · Guru

MacDee, suggest you get information from Caravan Council of Australia - Note this is a different organisation than the Caravan Industry Association (Manufacturer's Association) see www.caravancouncil.com.au/compliance

All information relevant to Caravan Purchase is fully covered by Caravan Council of Australia - and it is free to peruse or Download.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Good advice as always Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan ... but are you on some sort of commission rate per post?

cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Friday 16th of February 2018 10:01:23 AM

mezza56 · Senior Member

I was thinking the same thing , possum loves that caravan council

Possum3 · Guru

It is just that there are so many Rogue Dealers and Shonky Manufacturers conning the Unwary buyers - Colin Young the main man at Caravan Council has put together a lot of sound advice and checklist's for intending Caravan and Motor Home Owners.

His credentials if placed on top of each other would make a pile so high "Jack Spratt" couldn't jump over.

If passing on some good information can help any Newbie I'm for it.

And some of us that have owned vans for decades can also still learn from their site.

PeterD · Guru

I support the councils advice as well. I see too many come onto the forums that have a van that should really be towed by a Ford F truck or similar or a light European flat top truck. We should be giving all the places to explore for advice or posting that advice here.

Peter, many years ago the advice given to new vanners was to choose a van that is 80% total weight (ATM) of the maximum loaded weight of their tow vehicles max loaded weight. This gives a good safety margin for most towers particularly newcomers. Back in those days the maximum towing capacities of out tow vehicles was more in keeping with those thoughts of the size vans we should be towing. Since those days the tow vehicles maximum towing capacities have increased significantly more than the growth of the size and weights of their products. Are these maximum towing weights safe towing weights? Yes they are for compact heavy trailers like horse floats. However when you come to caravans that are much longer and higher the situation changes significantly. The increased height and particularly the extra length makes caravans far less stable. We thus should be voluntarily derating the modern tow vehicles to take this reduced stability into consideration. The Caravan Council certainly does, it is run by engineers who understand the behaviour of vans. The tow vehicle salesmen certainly know very little about the and thus reckon you can tow less stable vans up to the manufacturers specifications.

The other problem you will come up against is that most vehicles will not tow a van of maximum allowable weight with a full load in the tug. I will possibly get chipped like possum for this oft repeated link but here goes. See this links. The truth about 3500kg towing Why a 3500kg tow rating may not really be a 3500kg tow rating

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Peter (and possum) ... I too agree the Council's website is an excellent source of advice.

As is the comment you make in your post re 'times past'.

The two sites you provided are also recommended reading and good to have them trotted out on a regular basis - not just for the inexperienced but also those who are 'experienced' ... we should always be keeping up to date with developments and advice.

In passing, my playful dig at possum for providing the link to the Caravan Council was just that playful - note the

It was just interesting that it, and the words in the post, keep appearing in post after post.

As I said then ... good advice as always ...

Cheers - John

MacDee · Newbie

Thanks to one and all I certainly will take the advice and check out the Caravan council thanks for that Possum and thanks to Peter D for the advice from years ago. I must say Im finding the ATM GTM and Tare a bit confusing we have a Prado but are considering changing depending on the van we eventually get.

Possum3 · Guru

John, I was well aware that it was only a dig - But I am just so aware of the absolute grief and heartbreak of those being flim - flammed by slick commission salesmen. I try to make all newcomers aware of the potential for hazards of vanning. I s'pose the words are similar as it is the same message - Take Care.

iana · Guru

Coromal sold to the same crowd that owns Camac (I think), not the same vans, infact the Coromal now is identical to another brand, maybe conquest, made here in Perth, same van painted different.

PeterD · Guru

Let's get things straight as to who is up ho and who is paying the rent - Fleetwood Corporation.