Owning a campervan offers an incredible amount of freedom when planning your next holiday. Set off from home and, assuming your campervan holds up, you can go as far away as you like by taking it on a ferry too. Plus, if you’ve got a good heating system then there’s no reason you can’t go on a road trip in any season. These are the essential things to do in preparation for a campervan road trip and a few ways how to maintain a caravan.
Make Vehicle Performance Checks
The most important thing is that your campervan is in top condition, safe and reliable to drive, especially if you’ll be out on the road for a few weeks or longer. There are various visual checks you can make yourself, rather than taking it to the garage straightaway. These include:
- Tyres should have a legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, no cuts or other damage and a spare tyre should be in place
- The lights need to be clean and bulbs shining brightly
- Change the oil if it hasn’t been done in a while
- Make sure the windscreen wipers still work
- Test the brakes and listen for any odd noises when driving
If you do spot some issues, especially when driving, then it will be worth getting a general vehicle maintenance check from your local garage. This preparation is much better than encountering an emergency breakdown and the bills that come with it when on holiday.
Scrub Up the Interior
It’s not just the engine and exterior that needs to be functioning properly. As you’ll be spending a lot of time sleeping and living in the campervan, you need to get this area sorted out as well. If you haven’t used it for a long time, begin by cleaning the kitchen, from appliances such as the oven and fridge to pans, cutlery and more.
The bedrooms might need a good airing out, fresh bedding put on and a dust down. Depending on the age of your campervan, it could be good to redecorate as well or install a new sofa, table and chairs to increase the comfort levels. Work out your budget and the costs of this work, prioritising what’s necessary first.
Get Ready to Drive Abroad
If your road trip is going to involve driving abroad, most likely in Europe at the start depending on how adventurous you are, you need to be adequately prepared. There are many requirements for driving in Europe you must meet and there can be differences between countries.
Insurance, breakdown cover, a valid driving licence, vehicle registration certificate and a passport are essential. Driving outside the EU and EEA may require a Visa or international driving permit, while you might need extra equipment such as a reflective jacket, warning triangle and breathalyser in your campervan as well.
This should get your campervan well on the way to being ready for a long or short road trip, whatever the season and no matter what the destination.