GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #9 | Page 33

RV FEATURE Eagle and On the Move – are strong companies who back-up their product without argument. GORV: IS THERE AN ELEMENT OF ‘BUYER BEWARE’ IN THE RV INDUSTRY, WITH ‘BACKYARDERS’ AND OTHERS NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING BY CUSTOMERS? CT: Unfortunately yes, and this is another reason why it’s so important for customers to buy through reputable dealers who have preferably been with the same manufacturer for many years. Look at how long the dealer and manufacturer have been in business, and whether or not the manufacturer has changed hands – this can be a good or bad thing. Don’t buy off a ‘backyard’ manufacturer. It might seem cheaper at first but in the long run you’ll pay. Look for companies with genuine runs on the board. GORV: YOU’VE OWNED CANTERBURY CARAVANS SINCE 1997. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THOSE EARLY DAYS? CT: When I bought it, Canterbury Caravans was a couple of years old and was owned by Graeme Williams, who owned Regent Caravans at the time. He had this dealership in the World of Caravans complex. I heard a whisper that Graeme might want to sell it. Colin Tobin is a stalwart of the RV industry. There was just an old granny flat, a grey Fergie tractor but no other infrastructure. I approached Graeme to sell it and he shouted me a sandwich, we shook hands, and I bought the business. Before that I was sales manager at Scenic Caravans – I ran that dealership for 13 years. The first thing I did when I bought Canterbury was to put a ‘fat boy’ gas bottle in as prior to that they didn’t fill a van’s gas bottles. Within six months, I put a shed up for caravan pre-deliveries. A couple of years later, the shed was too small so I extended it and started offering smash repairs. GORV: FINAL QUESTION: POP- TOP OR HARD ROOF CARAVAN, WHAT’S YOUR PREFERENCE? CT: I’ve always preferred full hard-roofed caravans. A pop- top is actually heavier than an otherwise identical caravan because of the construction of the ‘hole’ and associated reinforcement of the roof. The old thinking was that a pop- top was better on fuel because it had less wind resistance but in reality there’s no difference. But, yes, if you have a low carport or garage, then a pop- top can be beneficial. Resale-wise, it’s caravans. People want caravans. Tall people appreciate a caravan more, too, as the benches are higher, seat backs are higher, and even the entry door is higher than in a pop-top. CANTERBURY CARAVANS IS AT 587-589 DORSET ROAD, BAYSWATER NORTH, VIC (ONLY 300M FROM THE OLD LOCATION). FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT CANTERBURYCARAVANS.COM.AU gorv.com.au 33