The Caravan Hunting Marathon—Dealer Vetting, Australian Hospitality, and a Million-Dollar Dilemma
After experiencing our very first individual inspection, we realized we desperately needed a benchmark to judge used caravans properly. To build our knowledge, we dedicated the next two days to a massive caravan hunting marathon, stretching from commercial yards to deeply personal backyard inspections across Melbourne.
Day 7: The Used Commercial Yard and Our First Taste of Aussie “Paper-Wrapped” Takeout
On Day 7, we headed straight to ECW Caravan dealership
in Bacchus Marsh first thing in the morning. After parking our Pajero in the front lot, we walked into the massive yard where rows upon rows of pre-owned caravans were lined up.
It was a completely different world compared to the brand-new commercial dealerships we had visited before. Those shiny, pristine models felt a bit too “glitzy” and sterile, making it hard to imagine our actual travel life in them. In contrast, this sea of well-loved, weathered used caravans felt incredibly welcoming and realistic. It matched exactly what we had been visualizing for our journey.
As soon as we stepped onto the grounds, a friendly salesman approached us. I told him we had seen a listing online that caught our eye: a used caravan made by Spaceland that featured a rooftop air conditioner.
Because it was a commercial dealership, both the exterior and interior were meticulously detailed and detailed—leaving a phenomenal first impression. However, dealership premiums are real. While our strict initial budget was $12,000 AUD, this unit was priced closer to $15,000 AUD.
More importantly, we made a crucial technical discovery. Even though it was a rooftop air conditioner, it was completely manual and did not feature an infrared remote receiver.
We had blindly assumed that all rooftop ACs utilized infrared remotes, which meant our SwitchBot Hub 2 setup would be utterly useless on this model. Since remote temperature control is a non-negotiable safety feature for traveling with our cat, BELL, this $15,000 manual unit was an immediate dealbreaker.
More importantly, we made a crucial technical discovery. Even though it was a rooftop air conditioner, it was completely manual and did not feature an infrared remote receiver.
We had blindly assumed that all rooftop ACs utilized infrared remotes, which meant our SwitchBot Hub 2 setup would be utterly useless on this model. Since remote temperature control is a non-negotiable safety feature for traveling with our cat, BELL, this $15,000 manual unit was an immediate dealbreaker.
We browsed the rest of the yard, but every other caravan featuring a rooftop AC shot past the $30,000 AUD mark. However, the trip wasn’t wasted because we made another massive breakthrough: we discovered a non-rooftop, built-in air conditioner system called the Heron Q, which is infrared remote-controlled! Up until now, we had only been filtering Facebook Marketplace listings for “rooftop” units. Realizing that under-bench or built-in models like the Heron Q opened up a whole new world of options completely expanded our search horizons.
Realizing “This is Australia” Through Our First Takeout
By the time we left the dealership, it was around 12:00 PM—perfect timing for lunch. We decided to try our very first traditional Australian takeout at Georges Fish & Chip Shop in Bacchus Marsh.
We ordered a simple, classic menu item: the “Tea for Two” pack for $26 AUD. Coming from Japan, we initially thought,
“Huh, $26 for a quick lunch feels a bit pricey,”
but when they handed us the food, we were completely stunned by the sheer, gargantuan volume.
The pack was loaded with a mountain of hot chips, two massive fillets of fried fish, and two deep-fried “Dim Sims” (an Australian-style giant fried dumpling). While it sounds simple on paper, every single item was absolutely massive. It was so heavy we could barely finish it! Everything was freshly deep-fried and heavily salted, making us incredibly thirsty, but it tasted amazing.
The presentation was also a pure reflection of local culture. The food wasn’t placed in a box or a plastic container; it was literally placed directly onto about three thick sheets of plain butcher paper, wrapped tightly like a parcel, and handed over. It made me simply think, “Ah, this is so typical of Australia.”
As a business model, I couldn’t help but laugh and think,
“Wow, their packaging overhead cost must be close to zero—genius!”
We grabbed a few essentials at Coles afterward and spent the evening back at our accommodation firing off messages on Facebook Marketplace. After reaching out to over 10 different sellers, we managed to book a jam-packed schedule of three separate caravan inspections for the following day. We went to sleep exhausted but determined to lock in our home-on-wheels.
Day 8: The NAB Ghost, Australian Hospitality, and the Ultimate Caravan Dilemma
The next morning, Facebook Marketplace reminded us of its unpredictable nature—one of the three sellers completely stopped replying, cutting our schedule down to two afternoon inspections.
Since our morning cleared up, we decided to handle an administrative chore. The National Australia Bank (NAB) had previously messaged us saying our bank cards were ready, so we headed into a local branch to pick them up. However, once we arrived at the counter, the staff looked into the system and bluntly told us, “Actually, they aren’t here yet.”
They promised they would call us the moment they arrived. I had a bad gut feeling right then and there—and as it turned out later, that branch never called us back a single time. Welcome to Australian banking!
Inspection 1: Pure Hospitality and a Mansion Tour
In the afternoon, we drove out to our first individual inspection. While it didn’t have the commercial sparkle of a dealership, the caravan was incredibly clean. It wasn’t a pop-top model, but it was beautifully compact and easy to manage. Priced right around our budget at $12,500 AUD, it ticked a massive box: it had a perfectly functioning infrared remote-controlled air conditioner.
However, it was an incredibly scorching 40°C day, and the AC was fighting for its absolute life. Even with the unit running full blast, the inside temperature hovered around 30°C. Sitting inside, I couldn’t help but worry, “If it’s already this exhausting with the AC cranked up, can BELL truly handle this heat?”
Additionally, the tires were manufactured in 2018, meaning they were far too old for the massive long-distance road trips we planned and would require an immediate, costly replacement. A couple of minor cosmetic issues caught my eye too—one of the four stabilizer pads was missing, and a brake light cover popped right off when touched.
But the true highlight of this visit was the seller. When I mentioned that I had absolutely zero experience towing large trailers, his face lit up with concern. He strongly urged us to take a professional towing safety course, emphasizing how challenging driving can be. Right there on the driveway, he pulled out his phone and started calling multiple towing schools on our behalf!
As the conversation stretched on, he warmly invited us inside his home. His wife gave us a wonderful welcome, and walking through the front door, our jaws absolutely dropped at the sheer, staggering scale of the house. It featured two massive living rooms, and the layout was so gigantic it felt like you could fit three entire Japanese suburban houses side-by-side inside it.
They generously laid out a spread of Golden Circle juice (apple & blackcurrant flavor) and a bowl of pistachios, sitting down with us for a long, casual chat. Their sweet family dog joined us too. It turns out the dog was completely obsessed with pistachios—the second I picked one up, he would lock eyes and slowly creep closer, only to be told “No!” by the owner. Watching him try his absolute best to resist temptation was incredibly adorable. We ended up staying for nearly two hours. We left the caravan on “hold,” thinking that unless the second inspection was absolutely flawless, we would buy from this wonderful family just based on how incredible they were to us.
Inspection 2: The Perfect Specs and the Fatal Shadow
We arrived about 30 minutes late to our second inspection, but the seller was incredibly understanding and welcomed us without issue. And wow… this caravan was spectacular.
It checked almost every single box on our dream sheet:
- Brand: It was a Jayco, the most popular and highly sought-after brand in Australia (making future resale incredibly easy).
- Style: A sleek pop-top model, making it aerodynamic and easier to tow.
- Air Conditioner: A relatively new, powerful infrared remote-controlled unit.
- Tires: Brand new, manufactured in 2025—zero replacement costs needed!
- Price: Exactly $12,500 AUD, sitting perfectly in our comfort zone.
- Layout: A brilliant floor plan where the middle area was incredibly wide open, with the bed, table, and chairs pushed to the ends. I immediately thought,
“With this open floor plan, the three of us (including BELL) will feel so much less cramped living inside full-time.” - Appliances: It even came with a Panasonic microwave, which gave us a huge wave of familiar Japanese reliability.
- Bonuses: The seller threw in a complete set of caravan gear—a hitch lock, stabilizer blocks, an awning (including a ground mat), and a full kit of essential tools.
It felt like the ultimate winner. Except for one massive, terrifying catch.
While inspecting the interior, I noticed that the corners of the ceiling had distinct black smudges. It looked suspiciously like mold. The owner insisted up and down,
“It absolutely doesn’t leak water, I promise,”
but in the caravan world, a rotting or compromised ceiling structure is a catastrophic, financially fatal issue. That single dark stain cast a massive shadow over the perfect specs.
The Brain-Racking Decision & The Brake Controller Revision
We told the seller we needed a bit of time to think it over and headed back to our accommodation. All evening, my wife and I racked our brains.
On one hand, the first family was so incredibly kind, and their caravan was solid, but it needed new tires and the AC struggled in extreme heat. On the other hand, the Jayco had a phenomenal layout, brand-new tires, a powerful new AC, and great resale value—but that ceiling stain could be a hidden nightmare. If we are launching a long-term journey, the Jayco’s newer AC and layout seemed objectively better, but we simply couldn’t bring ourselves to pull the trigger yet.
Amidst the caravan chaos, we also dug into the installation of the Electric Brake Controller and made a massive realization. Our Pajero currently only has a standard 7-pin plug and is missing an
Anderson plug, which is vital for powering the caravan’s battery and fridge while driving.
Initially, a local auto electrician quoted us $795 AUD to supply and professionally install both the Electric Brake Controller and an Anderson plug together. Since installing just a caravan-side brake controller unit on its own would cost around $890 AUD (plus we’d still be missing the Anderson plug), getting both wired directly into the car professionally for under $800 AUD was an absolute steal.
I immediately emailed the workshop with a few follow-up questions, but I haven’t received a reply yet. Since time is ticking and we need to get this sorted, I decided I’m going to walk straight into their shop tomorrow to lock in the job in person.
Tomorrow, I’m heading down to storm the auto electrician’s shop to get our Pajero’s towing setup booked, and one way or another, we must make the final choice between the two caravans. Which home will we choose? Stay tuned for the ultimate verdict in the next chapter!
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