RV FEATURE
MICK AND LINDSAY
Caravanning experience: 13 years on the road full time.
Ownership history: three Jaycos, one Retreat and one Nova.
Current caravan: 25ft Nova Family Escape with custom layout, bought new.
GORV:
Why did you purchase a new van?
M&L:
We’ve always purchased new vans. With the
latest caravan we wanted a specific layout
with a separate bedroom. We also wanted
coil suspension and composite construction,
which would have been virtually impossible to
find in a secondhand van.
GORV:
What issues did you have with your purchase?
M&L:
The wait time for the new build was longer than
expected due to our customised layout.
GORV:
Is there anything you would do differently
next time?
M&L:
We would still buy a new van but we would
purchase from a dealer or manufacturer closer
to where we live, as that would make
it more convenient to
meet and discuss
any issues with the build. It would also make
it easier to arrange the first service and any
initial warranty work that may be required.
GORV:
What advice would you give to newcomers to
the lifestyle?
M&L:
Don’t purchase anything on a whim. Do your
homework. Read as many reviews as you can
and visit as many showrooms as you can to
physically see what different vans are like in
the ‘flesh’. Take a notebook with you and write
down important things you're told and any
thoughts you have when shopping around.
We would also recommend buying a van that
is one to two years old as your first van. It
saves you money and the owner should have
any issues sorted out. Make sure you
get a thorough hand-over.
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