How to Prepare Your Caravan Before Selling?

Letting go of your caravan after it has served you well for so many years can be a hard call to make. Perhaps you've travelled to all the places on your wish list, or it's time for an upgrade because you want those extra bells and whistles of a new caravan.

Selling your caravan can be a challenging experience, so we have prepared 4 essential tips to help sell your caravan on Everything Caravan and Camping in a short period, without any extra hassle and to maximise your profitability.

1. Give Your Caravan a Deep Clean

If you are serious about maximising your caravan's profitability and appeal, starting with a deep clean is essential. A deep clean will give your caravan the feel it has been looked after during the inspection phase and give you the chance to grab some slick photographs.

It is important to clean both the interior and exterior of the caravan. When cleaning the exterior, follow the top-down approach of washing the top and letting the dirty water run down.

Use an extendable brush for any hard-to-reach areas. Avoid using a high-pressure hose that can wash off the paint and result in interior water leaks. When cleaning the interior of your caravan, pay full attention to every detail.

Ensure the kitchen is thoroughly cleaned, the bathroom wiped down, the bedroom set, drain pipes unclogged, and the toilet is clean. A deep clean can feel like a dreadful task; therefore, hiring a detailer may be a viable option.

2. Get Your Caravan Serviced

Get a professional to conduct a full service to complete any remaining repairs to ensure no hiccups occur during the inspection period.

Despite not having any engine, a caravan still suffers from the dust and debris that infiltrates the bearings and joints.

Consider the electrical and waterproofing issues that come from the endless vibrations of uneven roads. Sometimes, significant problems can occur if you haven't completed regular maintenance checkups.

A typical service from a qualified RV mechanic can range anywhere from $200 to $500. They will inspect all moving caravan components, brakes, bearings, tyres, suspension, shackles, lights, wiring, plumbing and more. It is essential to go to someone trustworthy, honest and, most importantly, qualified as a caravan mechanic specialist.

3. Take Some Slick Photographs of Your Caravan

Quality photos can make a world of difference and significantly increase your odds of attracting buyers. A smartphone with a good quality camera is all you need to make a great first impression. Consider the following tips when taking your photographs:

• Day of the photograph - take your pictures about 30 minutes after sunrise or 60 minutes before sunset to have the best quality photos. Most beginners mistake that the sun is their friend, but this actually results in the sun washing out the caravan's paint colour.
• Shoot every angle - buyers want to see every aspect of the vehicle before making the trip to inspect the caravan. It's better to be honest than hide any parts that have been damaged as they will see them during the inspection anyway. Show them all angles, including front, back, from the corners, and sides.
• Orientation - buyers prefer landscape images. This will allow you to fit the entire caravan in a single photo.
• Image quality - your regular phone camera should be sufficient to take high-quality images. But if you zoom in and the photos aren't clear, it's most likely you haven't taken the time to have the proper 'focus' before taking the picture.

4. Prepare to Deal with Enquiries

You have cleaned out your vehicle, got it serviced, taken some great photos, and it's finally time to decide how you will sell your caravan.

Everything Caravan and Camping is the perfect place to list your caravan and receive enquiries to your own email address.

For more details, you can view our current promo of free listings for a limited time only.

When creating your listing, you will need to provide the caravan's make, year, model, price, and location. When deciding the price, we recommend you do your due diligence and see what other listings for the same caravan are listed for. Start at a reasonable price but be prepared to have a little negotiation room.

When you get to the inspection phase, expect questions from potential buyers. These include the frequency of use of the caravan, storage, maintenance, different caravan weights (TAR, GTM, ATM), off-road capabilities, service details and where has it been taken to. Have your answers prepared as it will help you deal with these enquiries.

Overall, when you break down the process of selling your beloved caravan, it can be a simple one. Think about how excited you were when you bought the caravan and what kind of questions you had in mind!