Choosing a home….on wheels

Trying to decide on which caravan to buy, is one of the toughest decisions. Not too small, not too big, not too long, with correct bedding, amenities and add ons.

Below are three of my current favourite contenders. Aspire 617 from the Avan range, Expander Outback from the Jayco range and Gecko bunk ensuite from the New Age range.

Avan Aspire 617
Jayco Expander Outback
New Age Gecko bunks and ensuite

So we started looking at size, tare weight, quality, warranty, reviews, cost of upgrades and ability to have ad ons (a grey water tank is a must.) Wow information overload.

So we went back to the basics and created a list of must haves and optional extras (our wants list.) There will be 2 adults and 1 child under 2. I will be working as a locum general practitioner on the road, so some closet room will be necessary as will kids toys and entertainment.

Must Haves…

Queen bed
Bunk beds – 2 at a minimum
Under bed storage
Fresh water tank
Grey water tank – inbuilt or under carriage
Solar panel + battery storage
Larger fridge option
Gas cook top
Ensuite – toilet, sink and shower
Airconditioner
Power point and USB ports
Second additional battery
Ducted gas heating

Optional Extras

Satellite dish
TV/DVD and TV aerial
Awning walls
Solar upgrade 2x 140W + regulator
Camera reversing and side view
Weight distribution device
Skylight

Recon work

Once we had a rough idea of what we were looking for in a caravan, it was time to start looking at the goods, feeling the fabric and testing the size.

Rosehill Racecourse - NSW Caravan, Camping and Holiday super show April 30th to May 5th.
Sydney Showground - Sydney Caravan Camping Outdoor Lifestyle Expo September 20th to 22nd.

After a while we realised we needed much more room. So we moved away from the expander vans.

A change of mind

We fell in love with New Age Caravans. So we were then trying to decide between; 22Ft Mantaray and the 21Ft Roadowl. After a lot of research and viewing of the vans, we finally bit the bullet and purchased the Roadowl.

Roadowl won us over due to the cost. The cost was almost $15,000 less due to it being a non modifiable design (ie; mass produced.) Quality remains the same.