Why Caravans/Campers are so expensive.

Are things really that 'slow' east of Narre Warren tonight.

Jimbo, I couldn't believe the price of camper trailers when I spat the dummy with tents and leaking air mattresses and decided I wasn't gonna sleep on the floor any more.

A well used, covered in red dust, galv box trailer, with 2 extra leaf in the springs, a buggered 3 way fridge, small water tank, no battery, and heavy canvas contraption on top, was in a caravan yard for $11,000.00 !!! WTF ?

I'll spell that out....ELEVEN THOUSAND F**KING DOLLARS !!!

Needless to say I bought a Jayco camper for a few thousand less and was happy as. Last year we bought a new Jayco outback finch for twenty grand, and having crawled in, over, under and around it, I recon these would come into WA on the back of a truck for less than $10,000.00 each !!!

Apart from the fridge, there isn't much in the way of expensive stuff, and I cannot for the life of me see where all the money is. Yes, they are mass produced, and rather cheaply if you ask me. It amazes me even more when Goldstream want another $10,000.00 for a camper with only moderate difference.

Don't get me started on the Ultimate campers. Sure, they're well made, but $38,000.00 ??? GET OFF THE GRASS !!!

Cheers,

MUZZ

Think it is like all thing's RETAIL 100% plus mark up.Sheez you gotta love the lucky country if you are in the right industry.
Cheer's Bob.

hey....your right

i'm gunna stick to my tent and or swag until the prices come down...should I hold my breathe

Jimbo, it is all about grey suited accountants, in grey suited minds wanting the company's profits paid for. Part of that problem is that the grey suited minds want to be paid too. I guess we could stop paying accountants to start with.

Jimbo,
this is scarey dude..
we agree 3 times in 1 week.. This will have to stop.

>> Paying the prices we do for a shed/tent on a trailer is over the top.

I've been using pretty much this exact statement for yrs. I say 'a box trailer with a tent on it'.

$300 for box trailer
$1000 for SC tent (or $300 for a Rays one)
Matress $50
other materials $500
One of those foldin' kitchens $500
-----------------------------------------
~~$2000 yet they sell for $20,000....

dude in our club just selling his mobile roadblock for $60k to UPGRADE!!! Theres only him and the missus. They spec'ed it so much they cant walk past each other inside! one has to get out so other can walk thru! not sure of make or spec, but I can buy a small holiday style house and land in the country for that (in middle of nowhere too :) ).

Jimbo. If your worried about the price of caravans and campers, check out motorhomes!!. 20yr old trucks with ten year old boxes on the back, 25- 30 grand!!.

Cheers Axle.

Jimbo..Having followed the construction of a camper closely I think it's the complexity, custom building & relatively low numbers required that adds to the cost. I was surprised at the hours needed to assemble one, everything seemed so fiddley & needed to be so precise to seal out the dust & be strong enough to take the pounding one gets offroad. The canvas was particually difficult to get perfect & is nothing like just sticking a tent on top. The options too available on most of the expensive campers would account for many dollars, stud pattern, wheel track, solar systems etc etc. Building a standard "T model Ford" type of camper trailer on an assembley line just wouldn't work as everyone in Oz wants something slightly different to suit their needs so large enough numbers of one model which could bring efficiencies are just not possible.
I roughly priced all the parts (quality) required to build my own trailer coming to nearly $15,000 so can appreciate what company's are charging that have big overheads & labour costs.

Cheers Craig.........

Ive looked at camper trailers but you are still after all in a tent and the cost is exhorbitant.
I dont really want to tow offroad so I decided on a very neat little Viscount caravan.
Solid as a rock and only weighs 660kg with a clean fridge and stove for 5K

Man, I think I will be staying with my $300 tent I bought 7 years ago. Still does a great job.

Do you really need to spend a lot of money on a caravan? Tink about why you are actually travelling. I do it because of the lifestyle and visiting new places. Luxuries are very low on my list of priorities.

Do you really need a heated water bed with fold out vanity basin integrated neatly into the carbon fibre walls that have been artistically decorated by local artists at an interior design school?

All of these things are there just to try get people to buy things they don't need.

Jimbo the caravan industry will never be as big as the car industry.

When I retired in 1999 we bought a 1978 model Jayco Dove camper van, in very good condition for $5,000.00. Had new springs fitted OVER the axle, and larger wheels, 14inch.Tows like a dream behind my 2000 Ford Explorer. Went round the West side of Oz. in 2002, incl. the Gibb River Rd. and environs. Car & Van performed admirably for the 25,000 Km./6 month trip. Hope to keep it, and the car, as long as I'm still able to wind it up and down.Wife loves the van too.

I agree 90% of comanies out there do have an extremely large mark-up. There are a few that offer them at a reasonable price though. I noticed tonigght on www.ozziecampers.com they are offering a new all australian made 6x4 camper for $2800.00. Had to beat that price I recon and I cant see there being much profit in that.
cheers