Almost any vehicle can be modified for more performance, improved comfort, added functionality, or just better aesthetics. Caravans can use some mods as well if you know where to make them for the best results. Let’s find out what we can do with our caravans to add more value to them, but without devaluing them in the process!
Ensure that Nothing Violates the Terms of Your Caravan Insurance Policy
Northern Ireland has not made it mandatory for a caravan to have insurance. However, when a caravan is towed along with you as a touring caravan, it’s just as susceptible to accident and theft as any other vehicle on the road. One may even argue that a caravan is more susceptible to accidents and theft because of its size and lack of independent immobility. Therefore, even if you are just towing a touring caravan around, you will still want to insure it against theft, accidents, and damage incurred from extreme climatic conditions.
In addition to the cost of the caravan itself, you probably have stuff in there for tours worth hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. Therefore, it is highly advisable to never make any modifications to your caravan that might violate the terms of your caravan’s insurance policy. Better yet, if you have not bought insurance for the caravan yet, or in case your former policy is about to lapse, compare caravan insurance policies on CompareNI.Com first. It’s an impartial platform to find and compare caravan insurance policies, quotes, terms, etc. in one place. Just be sure to choose a policy with terms that are more liberal towards your future modding plans.
Install an Awning
A caravan is a small mobile home and it’s incomplete without a good awning for everyone to sit under its shade, eat, drink, and enjoy a scenic location during stops. Unless you can find one from the caravan’s manufacturer that is designed for the model you own, get a custom-fitted awning.
Balance the Load with a WDH
A weight distribution hitch (WDH) can always be useful to balance the extra load of a caravan while towing, but it becomes a necessity if the caravan is just too big for your car to tow properly. Installing a WDH for the best weight distribution requires experience, so a DIY job is not recommended.
Caravan Solar Panels Make a Lot of Sense
If the recent summers in NI and the UK are any indication, you won’t be regretting the decision to install solar panels on top of your caravan. If your caravan did not come with a PV array installed already, it is time to get one installed and make the sun pay for your caravan’s air-conditioning needs!
Finally, don’t forget to upgrade your main vehicle with towing mirrors before heading out for the tour. Most passenger cars come with side mirrors that are inadequate for towing a caravan along, so it’s a safety mod that you should not forget.
