GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #33 | Page 14

Personalisation: Buying new will allow you to choose your preferred layout, colours and often even the appliances. Would you prefer a cupboard instead of an oven? No problem. Hardware: Not all manufacturers will provide options for all of the equipment on a caravan, such as the suspension and coupling. However, given the size of the RV industry, you should be able to find what you’re after. For example, if you would prefer Cruisemaster XT suspension over the standard Oz Trekker on a particular van, or an Al-Ko 3.5-tonne offroad pin coupling instead of the standard ball coupling, there are reputable manufacturers who can provide this level of flexibility. The same goes for the 12V system and water tanks. It shouldn’t be too much trouble for a manufacturer to add, say, lithium batteries and an extra water tank, or even a grey water tank. You'd be forgiven for thinking this is a new van. In fact, it's a well cared-for 2015 Crusader. 14 \ Buy once, cry once: It’s far better to get it right the first time, lest you find yourself attempting to retrofit an underslung axle to increase your van’s ground clearance, or cutting up the cabinetry in a bid for more kitchen bench space. This point extends to items such as water tanks. Better to have the weight of all that water factored into the payload at the outset, rather than trying to retrofit additional tanks to a used van only to find yourself with 50kg for your gear. There are some genuine finds on the secondhand market. This immaculate bathroom proves this point.