When purchasing a van check its gross weight and compare it to what your towing vehicle is allowed to tow. (For example a Falcon or Commodore can generally tow about 1200 kg with a ball weight of 120 kg with light weight towbar or 2200 kg with heavy duty towbar & towing pack) this should be in your service book or contact the dealer. If the manufacturing company of the towing vehicle does not give a towing weight then the RTA has specifications. The manufacturing company specs override the RTA specs. Also check you have a suitable tow bar as some manufactures have light duty and heavy duty tow bars. Your vehicle may tow your van without any worries but if it doesn't match manufacturers specs you may find if you need to place an insurance claim your insurance company may not cover it. Unless you are going to places that will need a 4x4 there is no need for you to buy one as long as what you are towing suits your car. Some people like 4x4's because they are up higher and for security reasons and that is fine. Just bear in mind that a 4x4 is more expensive to maintain than a conventional vehicle.
    Towing aids are in my opinion essential. It helps keep the towing vehicle and van level by keeping weight on the front wheels and it also dramatically reduces caravan sway.
When purchasing a second hand van pay attention to the underside for rust, it may have done a lot of beachside holidays. Check the tyres for age, they may have plenty of tread but they start to perish from the inside due to sun and age. Once they start to perish moisture absorbs into the tyre, as the tyre gets hot on the road the water will boil and the tyre can blow. Inspect tyres for wear on the edges, vans have a tendacy for the axles to bend due to over loading or constant hammering from rough edges of the road. It's not the end off the world but it is something that will need repair. I would expect about $500 to get someone to do it for you. Have a good look for non factory sealant at the joints. It may have been leaking. You will need to decide wether the repair was done properly and is there any possible rot problems that could have occured. Check if the window seals have shrunck, if they have there may be leakage around the glass. Is the LPG bottle in date. There will be a date stamp on the bottle, over 10 years and they can't be refilled without testing and restamping. A new bottle isn't that expensive to replace but it may be a bargaining chip for you. If the van you are looking at has things added to the back eg. bike rack or tool box it will most likely be weighted incorrectly and could cause sway of the van at cruising speed. If extra weight is added to the font of the van the amount of weight being placed onto the tow ball may be to high.


Tyres - on your caravan you need to have Light Truck Tyres. New vans have them as standard equipment but if you have an old van it may have the old style cross ply (conventional) tyre or radials. These tyres are squeamish on the road and cause the van to sway and generally be hard to get along with.

Top of page
Packing caravan - It is very important that you get this right. As a general rule your caravan and towing vehicle should be level. If you don't pack your van correctly it will be a nightmare to tow. Make sure you distribute the weight evenly in the van and do not pack heavy things in the top cupboards. Pack securely especially glass. If you are going to travel on dirt roads pack in dust proof containers. Pack the things that you will need for setting up in an easily accessible position. Setting up can be a stressful time. You have been on the road for hours, you're tired and the last thing you want is to be unable to find something you need. You may also find a drill with a masonry bit will be helpful. I have been to some sites where the ground was so hard I had to find ant holes to put my pegs into. If you are going to have water in your tank while you are travelling you are better off having the tank full rather than half full. If the tank isn't full the water will surge when cornering or braking causing the van to be unstable.
    By using a contact roasting machine and a health grill (George Forman is one brand but there are others) you will be able to reduce the number of cooking pots and pans you will need, it's also much better at wash up time.
    Setting up your TV, microwave and DVD player permanently is also I find a benefit and stress relief. Gone is the packing and unpacking of them and then finding somewhere safe in the van or car to put it while you are travelling.
Check your registration papers or rego label for the tare and gross weights of the caravan (empty weight & full weight respectively). You will generally find that you only have about 300 kg of weight allowed in the van.

Top of page

Toyota Dealers Australia	Nissan Dealers Australia	Ford Dealers Australia	Holden Dealers Australia
Landrover Dealers Aust	Mitsubishi Dealers Australia	Mercedes-Benz Australia	Iveco Dealers Australia

Pre Holiday Check List

Car
Fuel tank and Jerry Cans (if needed) full
Washer bottle full
Lights all working.
Mirrors secured and adjusted.
Insect screen in front of radiator.
Radiator and Heater hoses
Fan belt for cracks and wear
Check for oil leaks
Wiper blades
Tyres in good condition
Extra spare tyre (if needed)
Basic tool kit
Spare hoses
Spare fan belt
Workshop manual
Road service membership up to date
UHF Radio
Mobile Phone that will work where your going
Some good music
Let people know where your going (in case of Emergency)

A Pre-Holiday service & check from your local mechanic is recommended. Including brakes & tyres.
It will cost you less to spend money getting the car up to scratch
before you leave on a trip than it will if you break down.
If you are towing a transmission cooler will assist in keeping
transmission oil cool and prolong the life of your expensive auto
transmission.