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Buying a Camper Trailer
So you have seriously considered all the options we discussed in past articles and decided that you would like to buy a camper trailer as your holiday home.
No let see How may different styles of camper trailers there are.
There are several different camper trailers Some have a dedicated camper body like the flip-overs & windups etc with a hard floor, while others are based on a box trailer & commonly have a soft floor.
A flip-over camper mostly has a sealed hard top when travelling & opens to the rear to become the floor which is suspended off the ground on legs. This is an advantage especially when camped on sloping ground, on the beach in soft sand or when the ground may be a bit soggy underfoot.
From tow mode the camper folds out in minutes ready for an overnight camp with bed ready made. The kitchen slides out from the side which can be accessed when travelling.
Soft floors are also easy to set up for a one nighter, usually by removing the soft vinyl tonneaux cover, pulling the canvas out & extending the internal frame. Some require the use of a couple of tent pegs & ropes. Soft floor campers provide more floor space than a flip-over (without addition add-on rooms).
Soft floors can open to 12 or 14 foot wide allowing plenty of room for bedding for a large family. The bed is also made ready for a nights sleep. The kitchen is commonly mounted on the swinging tailgate or slides out from the rear making it an easy process to make lunch on the roadside.
A windup involves lifting the hard roof up mechanically to expose the canvas sides. The floor is well off the ground with steps into the caravan like interior. Some have a double bed each end that is pushed out when setting up camp. These campers usually have an internal kitchen with dinette allowing plenty of comfort. They also allow for more out of the weather style camping.
Some campers offer a slide-out kitchen which is easily accessible for roadside lunches or morning tea is an advantage on touring holidays.
There is plenty to consider before you purchase beside budget so my advice, is attend the local Caravan and Camping Show. Here you will find several different styles of camper trailer on display as the majority of manufactures usually attend these shows and being all under the one roof makes it easier for you to compare both style and price.
Talk to the sales rep and explain exactly what you plan to do with the camper and where you plan to go, he will direct you to the best model his particularly company has to suit your requirements.
Don’t fall for the old sales pitch Show Special and be rushed into purchasing what appears to be a great saving these shows usually last for 2-3 days if not longer so go on the first day if you can, shop around and then come home and do your homework.
Compare show prices with Prices online for both New and Second-hand camper trailers of the same model you like,
Ring other dealerships close to you and check their price,
Also I suggest you pay a visit to http://www.campertrailers.org This is the homepage of the Australian CamperTrailers Group. where you will find heaps of helpful information and have a chance to chat to other camper trailer owners before making your final decision.