Modern caravan campers are a symbol of an adventurous and free-roaming lifestyle.To maintain this lifestyle, however, we sometimes have to bite the bullet and purchase replacement parts for our beloved RVs.
For some campers, purchasing spare parts can be a stressful experience. They’re never sure whether they are buying what they truly need or whether the piece will be compatible with their particular caravan.
There’s absolutely no reason that obtaining spare caravan parts should be this stressful. To help you out along your replacement journey, the following few paragraphs will be offering some worthwhile tips to help you pick the right replacement piece the first time.
What Needs to be Replaced?
At one point or another, there will be certain parts of your RV that will need to be replaced.
What parts will need a replacement will ultimately depend on how your use your RV.
A few commonly replaced parts include weather seals, hinges, latches, and locks.
What Type of Caravan or RV?
If you already know what caravan part needs replacing, your next step is determining your caravan’s type. Most caravans can be categorized into one of the following categories:
- Conventional
- Twin axle
- Teardrop
- Pop top
- Glass Reinforced Plastic
- Folding
- Airstream
- Fifth wheelers
To pick a compatible spare part, it will be imperative that you know what type of caravan will be working with.
What Brand of Caravan or RV?
Knowing the type of RV you own is not enough, however. It is also important to know what brand of caravan you have. Most manufacturers accredited by the Caravan Industry Association of Australia have a business website which allows consumers to purchase parts specific to their model of caravan.
A few popular accredited manufacturers include:
- Atlantic Caravans
- Billabong Caravans
- Elite Caravans
- Newline Caravans
- Winnebago Australia
A full list of accredited manufacturers can be obtained via the Caravan Industry Association of Australia website. If you’re unsure about purchasing spare parts, sometimes going straight to the manufacturer is the easiest solution.
What About Appliances?
Whether you’re seeking spare parts for caravans, or caravan accessories and appliances, the same process applies. You will first want to know the exact brand and model of the appliance in question. Even though all caravan fridges may seem identical to you, there are often quite a few differences between brand names and various model lines.
You should know both the brand name and model of whatever appliance you are hoping to repair to ensure that you purchase the right piece the first time. Like caravan manufacturers, many accessory manufacturers also offer sell spare parts via their business website.
If, for example, you are looking for Camec caravan parts for a Camec-branded appliance, you could simply make your way over to the Camec website to browse their extended catalogue of spare parts.
Competitor Pricing
Once you’ve browsed the manufacturer website to find the exact piece you need, you can also check out competitor prices. Type the part name into Google to browse offerings from other retailers. Be sure to match the manufacturer product SKU to the SKU advertised on the competitor website to ensure that you are buying the correct item.
DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.
