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.