Frequently Asked Questions
Caravan Compare is free for buyers, we do not sell caravans, and partners can pay us.
Yes, free for buyers. There is no fee, no signup and no paywall on any tool or comparison on the site. Partners can pay us, which is what funds the work, and we set out every way that can happen on our how we make money page.
Our focus is Australian-built caravans. We publish where a van is built when the manufacturer states it publicly, and we do not guess at it otherwise. If origin matters to you, the compliance plate on the van tells you the manufacturer and the country of manufacture, and it is worth asking the dealer to show you it before you sign anything.
It compares the manufacturer's published figures for your car against the manufacturer's published figures for the caravan, and shows you the ones that fit. Always check the numbers against your own vehicle's compliance plate before you tow: modifications such as bull bars, winches and suspension upgrades change what your car is rated to do, and the plate is the figure that counts.
No. We do not sell caravans. We are a comparison and research site. We help you find the right van, then point you at that brand's own dealer network so you deal with them directly.
Ball weight is the downward force the caravan puts on your car's tow ball when it is hitched. Your car has a maximum ball weight in its own specifications and the van has a published ball weight of its own, and the second has to sit under the first. Too much weight on the ball makes the steering feel light, and it is one of the figures an insurer can look at after an accident.
The weights come off the manufacturers' own published material, and we record where each figure came from. Tare weight is the one to treat carefully: it is the van as the maker specifies it, and options fitted at the dealer such as extra batteries, water tanks or a different suspension change it. The weight plate on the actual van you are buying is the number that decides whether your tow is legal.
Nick, the founder. We are an independent Australian site, we are not owned by a manufacturer or a dealer group, and we do not sell caravans.
The full version of the money answer is on how we make money, and about us covers who is behind the site.
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