Buying a new caravan is a very big investment, and it is essentialthat a potential-buyer thoroughly does their "home-work" beforehand, to best-ensure that they make a sound and wiseinvestment.
Firstly, and most importantly, it is suggested that you use the new CCA2-Part Buyer-Assist - "Evaluation & Comparison" - to determine exactlywhat caravan you:
Want / Need / Can afford, so that you don't get talked in to buying something that does not ideally suit your desired travel plans? or is outside of your budget!
"Self-Certification" of caravans, regrettably, does notprovide potential-buyers with anywhere near the same degree of assurance of Complianceor Quality, compared with motor vehicles, where all compliance evidence is examined byVehicle Safety Standards, before a new vehicle model is Approved for marketing in Australia.
In addition, a sample motor vehicle is thoroughly inspected by Government officers, to ensure that the vehicle does indeed completely match the Compliance evidence provided. The motor vehicle Certification process is further enhanced by having Government officials conduct strict "CoP" (Conformity of Production) Inspections of production vehicles on a regular basis.
Motor vehicle manufacturers are required to have a professional Quality Assurance program in place, to best-ensure that all future production vehicles are fully-Compliant and of high Quality.
Clearly, the Federal Government has now realised that there are a disturbing number of major short-comings in the caravan industry, as new more-stringentRegulations are being introduced. The Motor Vehicle Standards Act has been replaced by the Road Vehicle Standards Act.
The vital initial Questions to ask a Dealer (Supplier) are:
"Approximately, how many 'vans does the Manufacturer intend to produce each year"??? (Is the number more than 4"???)
"Are your 'vans manufactured under the MVSA or the RVSA"???
If the response is MVSA, ask "Has the Manufacturer applied for Approval under the RVSA"??? If so, "Has Approval been granted"??? If not, "Why not"???
"VSB1" (Vehicle Standards Bulletin No: 1) - that stipulates the legal requirements for caravans (and camper-trailers) - is being up-dated, but sadly again, this will not overcome all of the non-complianceproblems that have badly tarnished the industry, and caused frustrating and costly problems for far too many 'vanners.
This action will be gradually set in motion, and most unfortunately will not place the same mandatory requirements on all Manufacturers... and Importers. Why???
It is a real concern that a number of caravan Manufacturers - and Importers - have gone out of business in recent times... and new manufacturers have entered the (limited and highly-competitive) market. Quite a few production personnel are new to the industry. Also, some essential components have been very hard to obtain.
All potential-buyers need to be ultra-diligent when selecting a new caravan, so as to have a high level of confidence in the future prospects of any particular company.
NOTE: The "must-have" CCA article, "2-Part Buyer-Assist - Evaluation & Comparison", is available - FREE - via email: caravancouncil@optusnet.com.au
Thank you for that very interesting info. I hope you will continue with this and enlighten us even more on the regulatory side of caravan manufacture and importation, particularly the latter.
There needs to be regulations for sure...but what we do not want to see is Government "over" regulating any industry, whereby Manufacturers have to gain special licences at great cost, along with the requirement to jump hurdles at every turn which will only serve to cripple what is a growing local manufacturing industry.
We will then see imports taking over local manufacture and killing jobs once again...
