Why You Need To Do A Shakedown Trip In Your New Campervan

Unearthed RV Mountain Views

You’ve finally picked it up – your new pride and joy! And you can’t wait to take this little beauty away. When preparing for long-term travelling, while it might be tempting to pack up and run away for a couple of weeks or months, it’s always a good idea to do a shakedown trip or three to iron out any glitches you may come across.

So what is a shakedown trip exactly? A shakedown trip is a short trip close to home that will allow you to test the waters with your new campervan, caravan or other RV. It allows you to figure out:

  • what to pack
  • what you can leave behind
  • what you’ve forgotten
  • how to operate the different appliances and accessories in your van

All, before you head off on a larger scale trip where help may not be as easy or close at hand. Trialing close to home means that if you run into any big problems, you always have the option to pack up and head home in a worst case scenario.

At handover, you will be shown how everything works in your campervan, but it can be a lot of information to take in and being shown what to do and doing it yourself a few days later can be a very different experience, and it can be easy to run a mind blank.

 

Awning Setup

Our Tips For Your Shakedown Trip

Some handy hints to consider while you are in the honeymoon period with your van planning your trip with your new campervan:

  • Firstly, do you know how much weight you can carry in your van? Make sure you weigh everything as it goes in – and you don’t inadvertently overload it! Remember that fuel, water and people all count towards your weight limit!
  • Pack your van with everything you think you’ll ever need (within your weight limits) – and after each trip, remove anything you haven’t used. It’s amazing what you don’t need!
  • Try travelling with a full tank of water and travelling without – see what difference it makes to your fuel economy by minimising extra weight in your vehicle. Consider places along your trip where you could fill up closer to your destinations.
  • Do a few trips – one where you can hook up to power, one where you are completely off-grid – and check that you know how to operate all appliances using different power inputs and that each appliance works on each type of power.
  • Find your local dump point and learn how to empty your toilet – don’t forget to pack some disposable gloves and remember to press the air lock button!
  • Put your awning up and down a heap of times – it’s amazing how quickly you can forget how to do it if you don’t do it often.
  • Practise levelling your van. When it is new, this can be a bit like trying to reverse parallel park as a learner driver. Trying to do this while everyone is watching can be a bit daunting, so make sure you get some practice in. If you do get stuck on your travels though, we’re sure you could ask a fellow camper to help you out.
  • Develop some checklists that is suited to your campervan and your belongings. What do you plan to keep in the van, what needs to be removed or put back in. Also consider a schedule type checklist for cleaning and maintenance of your van.

 

If you find during your shakedown trip you have any questions, write them down and get in touch with the dealership you purchased from to get the correct information in relation to your van.

Roadtrip Rainbow

Where To First?

No doubt you’ll want to get out and about in the great outdoors ASAP. Here’s our top local (ish) campsite suggestions for testing out your new baby:

Imbil Camping Retreat

Set on the banks of Yabba Creek and within walking distance of the Imbil township, this great little camp gives you the best of both worlds as you can chose from powered or unpowered sites – with the added bonus of only being a short drive from the Sunshine Coast

Kenilworth Homestead

This is another one of our favourites, this one is set on the banks or the Mary River and close to the township of Kenilworth, home of the famous Kenilworth Bakery where you can try your luck with their 1kg Donut Challenge!

Neurum Creek Bush Retreat

If you fancy heading south, then this fabulous campground, just west of Woodford, is worth checking out – especially if you have kids – as there are a range of fun kids entertainment options on throughout the year.

Mudjumba Beach Holiday Park

If you prefer a beach trip, then there are a heap of great caravan parks scattered all along our fabulous coast line. Mudjimba Beach Holiday Park is a great one to check out – situated just across the road from the beach and in walking distance to a range of cafés and restaurants, it’s a perfect weekend getaway.

Rainbow Beach Holiday Village

If you are keen to venture further afield, Rainbow Beach is always a great option. This caravan park is situated right in town, next to the Rainbow Beach Hotel and close to the beach – what more could you ask for?

These are just a few of our favourites – and there are many great campgrounds close by of the Sunshine Coast. The most important thing is that you are out and about and enjoying your fantastic new van!