I've been looking at trucks today; I'm not actually certain I want a new truck but because I'll be buying a new caravan I figured I'd investigate trucks at the same time. So I went 'scouting' which is something I quite enjoy doing to be honest.
I saw a couple I like today, big fuckers, and managed to check out a few decent caravans also and...but am no closer to a decision. I started off at the Dodge dealership looking at the Dodge Ram 1500 TRX then drove over to Chevrolet trucks as well however at both I was less than impressed with the people I spoke with, they didn't listen to me and my requirements and seemed intent on trying to sell me that which I did not need so I lost interest and headed over to look at some caravans instead.
As I said, I don't need a new truck because I already have a legit twin-turbo diesel-suckin' V8 truck that is more than capable of hauling whatever caravan I get - which will be something in the vicinity of three tons in weight - but because I'm diligent and like to know I've made the right decisions in life I tend to research, compare and evaluate my alternatives prior to moving in a particular direction and I like to plan ahead, buy a little more than I need in the present, as well. This has helped me make better decisions that I'm more content with moving forward.
With the caravan (and truck for that matter) it's a pretty complex decision to make, there's many angles, perspectives and considerations.
Some of those are basic things like overall size (I need to know I can garage my vehicles), ongoing cost of running and maintenance, the off-road ability of both meaning the truck needs to be four wheel drive and I need to be able to get the accessories I require easily and the caravan needs to be a genuine off-road trailer capable of handling the rough stuff.
One of my favourite places.
Of course, the caravan needs to have the right equipment such as lithium batteries, solar system and inverter, water tanks, reverse-cycle air conditioning (Australia is hot in summer), indoor and outdoor (slide-out) kitchen, a refrigerator/freezer, diesel generator, storage and so on...That's not to mention a suitable suspension system (independent), acceptable tow bar weight (on the tow bar of the truck) and an overall ATM (aggregate trailer mass) weight that is acceptable for the vehicle and generally - Heavy caravans means greater fuel usage on the vehicle and towing is more problematic including when off-road. There's a lot of other considerations like layout and all, however I don't want to bore you.
Back in the day I was happy to sleep on the ground in my swag (I've done a post on that item before here) and have slept on the ground more times than I could count but as I get older I'm looking for a little more comfort and ease of use. I have an off road camper trailer currently, but there's a little bit of set up on that and I'm looking more for something I can simply open the door and get into instead. It will cost me a lot more (a fuck load more) but that's the only way forward. I still have my swag and use it now and then when I go into the wilderness alone, but comfort is the focus now.
I had a reasonable time looking around today and saw a few things that made it clearer raised new questions to ponder but that's what the whole process is about: Research, comparing and evaluating.
I've been off-roading and camping, including with camper trailers, for so many years - I know a lot - so I'm not out there learning about that; it's about understanding what will work for me, suit my needs now and into the future, because...well, it's a fuck-ton of money to spend and getting it wrong isn't something I'm keen on doing.
What have you researched intensively prior to purchasing? Tell me about it in the comments or ask me any questions you'd like, or just fucken say hello...it's your call.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Image(s) in this post are my own