CARAVANS EASILY BEAT INFLATION

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33791, 13 March 1975, Page 15

CARAVANS EASILY BEAT INFLATION

While New Zealand is held in the grip of an economic recession, the state of the caravan industry is a lot brighter, with many exciting new trends and aeveiopments.

Caravans are now an appreciating product, and not a depreciating one, as is happening to most manufactured products. This means that they are a very good hedge against the inflation eating away at bank accounts and cash in hand.

■ Caravans are in big demand — and some retailers are finding it hard to meet the demand not only for new caravans but used ones as well.

The situation is such that a caravan bought about three years ago should be at the same value now, or even higher. For this reason, people trade in their old caravans for new ones.

Why do people invest money in what is essentially a luxury item? The main reason is that in spite of the fact the caravan may be a luxury item, it is also very practical. A caravan is something a whole family can use and appreciate, not only for holidays but when it is kept at home. If the caravan is kept at home, it can be used as an extra room, if not a selfcontained unit in case visitors come.

Or if a caravan is left idle from holiday season to holiday season, it can be used as a bedroom for an independent member of the family, or as a study for students who find they cannot “swot” with all the noise made in a house.

A growing trend is the use of a caravan as a quick getaway during a normal week-end. Caravanners used to go out during the peak holiday season and long week-ends, and leave the caravan sitting on blocks for the rest of the time. But New Zealanders are now organising their caravans in such a way that

they can make a speedy exit from city to country, not only during summer, but during winter as well. Another interesting trend is the number of retired people who are buying caravans and using them for a slow, but extensive tour of New Zealand. Others are using them as permanent living quarters. It is possible to buy a section of land and use a caravan as a semi-per-manent bach, even to the extent of planting shrubs and developing a lawn on the section.

And if the family gets tired of going to the same area where the caravan has been based there is no problem moving it to a new site in another part of the country. Mobility is the caravan’s main advantage over the holiday house.

The caravan can also include all the amenities of the holiday house — coloured television, refrigeration, deep-freeze unit, showers, bath, toilet, central heating, insulation, gas or electric stove, lounge suite, wardrobe and cupboards, vanity unit, sleeping accommodation for two, four, or six persons, and carpet on the floor. All these comforts, now regarded as a part of daily living in New Zealand, can be fitted into a home away from home.

Next to the ability of a car to tow the caravan, space and comfort must be regarded as most important if caravanning is to be enjoyed. It must be remem-

bered. that the caravan is an normally stationary for 90 per cent of the time. Many of the bad “habits” acquired by caravans are now being solved, mainly because of the

many companies involved in the caravan industry. Independent hydraulic braking systems for caravans are a recent innovation. It works on the principle of “override”, which means that as the car slows or brakes, a plunger on the coupling, connecting the car to the caravan, pushes the hydraulic fluid back and begins to lock the brakes.

Another recent invention has been the stabilisation anti-sway bar, which raises the back of the car, reducing the load put on the back axle. The device cuts out the caravans tendency to sway, and makes for much easier driving. Raising the back of the car also means that realignment of the headlights may not be necessary — but always check.