When you’re ready to explore the vast wilderness that is Australia choosing your mode of transport is one of the biggest decisions you have to make. Get it right and you’re in for a glorious treat of trees, outback roads and wildlife. Get it wrong, however and you’ll wish you never left your couch. There are 3 main modes of transportable dwellings in Australia being the Caravan, the Motorhome and the Camper trailer. For this exercise we thought we’d compare buying a used motorhome and a Used Camper trailer and see how they stacked up.
Used Motorhomes
There’s no doubt that when it comes to comfortable living on the road your motorhome is a much more advanced beast. They come with all the comforts of home and vary in size, luxury and storage space. You don’t need an additional car to tow them and the set up and pack up is as easy as closing the door and driving off to your next destination.
You could seriously survive all that mother nature can throw at you in one of these and never lose TV reception. The motorhome is a vehicle that people look at buying if they’re sick of towing, don’t want to tow or just know that they can’t live for 3 months on the road without satellite TV and air conditioning.
So even though we’ve established that a Motorhome is the most luxurious option, there are some downsides. When you’re looking around for used motorhomes for sale in NSW, there is plenty to consider. These things have an engine, a gearbox and a drive train so making sure they were serviced and looked after is a must. They are large vehicles and can be difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. The other thing with them is that if you do set up and then feel like some local fish and chips, you have to pack up your whole house to go to the local takeaway.
So here you have it:
Pros:
- Comfortable, spacious, luxurious
- Quick set up and pack up time
- Cost effective to run
- No need for a second vehicle
Cons:
- Packing up if you need to use a car
- Can be hard to maneuver
- Service costs
- Up front cost to buy
Used Camper Trailers
If exploring without breaking the budget is on the agenda then a camper trailer is worth the look. The most basic of these is nothing more than a box trailer with a tent and mattress attached to the top. You can, however set up an entire city of the side of one of these and make your away from home house, larger than your real one. The variety that is available and the add ons that you can get on camper trailers now make them a viable option for most people that want to get out and explore. They are compact, lightweight and easy to tow. They can also stay set up and you have your car to go off and explore.
There are now many variations in a camper trailer and you can even attached a shower and toilet section to make it more comfortable. You can also find fold out campers that have a hard floor and make setting up 10x quicker than a traditional trailer.
On the flip side, there’s no TV and no air con so if you’re looking at travelling to the top end, or over any summer months you could find it unbearably hot under your tent. They certainly don’t have the luxury or comfort of a Motorhome either. When looking for a used camper trailer make sure you check for waterproofing and rips and tears, along with rust.
Pros:
- Won’t break the bank
- Lightweight and easy to tow
- Many add ons available.
Cons:
- No creature comforts
- Not secure with no lockable doors
So what’s the best option? It depends on your circumstance. Is comfort more important than budget? Is ease of set up more important than using your car at the other end? In the long run it comes down to your wants and needs and what you’re willing to pay to get them.
