Due to the restrictions and other issues around COVID-19, many people are turning to caravans as an alternative to holidays by air overseas or even interstate and stays in other forms of accommodation. The travel restrictions are one and a very major consideration but some may also see having their own self-contained and self-controlled environment as a health safety consideration.
So for those embarking on the very first caravan purchase, Jade Caravan Finance offers a cheap caravan loans and tips, hints and information on the purchase process.
Choosing Your Caravan
There are many basic issues to consider when buying your first caravan. These include, but are not limited to:-
- Type of vehicle: a traditional caravan, a camper trailer, a mobile home or an RV. Each offers its own distinct features and advantages. We covered the differences between each vehicle in a recent blog article – check it out in our resources library.
- New or Old? This decision is often driven by price or more specifically, your budget. Before jumping one way or the other…if a new caravan is beyond your budget consider going down to a less expensive category such as a new camper trailer rather than going first to a used caravan. While there are great vans in the second-hand market and Jade provides loans for used caravans, a low price tag may come with uses such as rust in the suspension. Issues which may add up to higher maintenance in the medium term.
- Price v Affordability: consider the price tag in terms of monthly repayments on your Jade Caravan Loan to assess affordability. We provide a Caravan Loan Calculator on our website to instantly calculate a rough ballpark estimate on repayments.
- Towing Vehicle: If you’re going to buy a caravan or camper, you need a suitable car to tow it. If you have a medium-sized passenger car, you will want to focus on small vans and campers that can be towed with your vehicle. They do exist. If you have a larger vehicle/SUV, check the towing capacity before committing to a purchase.
- If you don’t have a vehicle suitable to tow, consider a mobile home or campervan with vehicle and accommodation in the one vehicle.
- Driving Capabilities: If you’re going to tow a van, you need to know how. Some states have conditions on driver licences in regard to towing. Ensure your licence meets those conditions. If you’ve never towed a trailer or caravan, seeking out professional lessons may be advisable. Safety on the road is paramount.
- Size: Obviously the size of your caravan will depend on how many people you need to accommodate. For families, most manufacturers offer versatile floorplans and a large number of configurations so you can include bunk beds for the kids.
- Travel Plans: There are different vans for different road surfaces. If you plan to go off-road, make sure you choose a suitable model. The off-road models will usually have a higher price tag due to the heavy duty features. So if you only intend to stay on the bitumen and overnight at holiday parks, a standard model may be a better option.
- Timing: New caravans are often built-to-order. If you want to head off quickly, you may have to purchase a stock caravan from the showroom.
Choosing a Manufacturer
This is probably where the buying process gets very difficult as there is a large number of great Australian caravan manufacturers with wide ranges of models to suit every purpose. With many of the caravan and camping shows cancelled for 2020 due to COVID-19, the opportunity to see a large showcase in the one location is unfortunately not possible in most states.
But manufacturers offer loads of detail on their websites and many include video tours. Some of the leading manufacturers include: New Age, Jayco, Supreme, Millard, Victory and many others. As with all major purchases and especially being your first caravan purchase, check out the forums and reviews for opinions and feedback.
Securing Your First Caravan Loan
That may end up being the easiest part of the process as Jade Caravan Finance is renowned in the recreational and leisure finance sector. We offer cheap caravan loans for first van buyers and forever caravan purchasers. Not all banks and lenders offer finance for caravans to all applicants. So engaging our services as your finance broker gives you access to a large number of lenders, including those that do specialise in caravan finance.
The most popular form of caravan finance for private buyers is the Secured Caravan Loan. This type of loan includes:
- Jade’s cheap caravan loan interest rates, fixed for the loan term
- Fixed Loan Term
- Fixed Monthly Repayment
- Option to make additional payments
- Minimal break fees if you decide to payout the loan early.
Your Jade consultant will source you a no-obligation quote and on your acceptance of the quote, proceed to process your application and handle the paperwork.
To discuss a loan for your first caravan, contact Jade Caravan Finance and speak with one of our consultants at 1300 000 003
DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IS FOR GENERAL CONSIDERATION. ANY REFERENCE TO OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES HAS BEEN SOURCED FROM AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT SOURCES. INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE SPECS IS SOURCED FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE. NO LIABILITY IS ACCEPTED FOR ANY ERRORS IN THE PRESENTATION OR INTERPRETATION OF THE FACTS AS PROVIDED BY THESE SOURCES. WE ADVISE ALL INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES TO REFER TO THEIR ACCOUNTANT OR FINANCIAL ADVISOR FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE SPECIFIC TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
