Andrew and Sarah Altschwager loved caravanning so much they decided to open their own dealership on the New South Wales Coffs Coast which has gone from strength to strength over the past 16 years.
More than 16 years ago, Andrew and Sarah Altschwager and their young family left behind a cold Melbourne winter and embarked on a caravanning adventure of a lifetime.
They really loved caravanning and chose Coffs Harbour, NSW, for their sea change lifestyle before starting their own caravan dealership — Caravans Coffs Coast — in 2008. Over that time, the business has grown into a thriving dealership which now specialises in purpose-built offroad vans for adventurous couples and families who enjoy time off-grid.
Caravans Coffs Coast boasts a highly experienced team which manages daily business operations including personalised customer service and sales, administration, handover technicians and after sales warranty.
“We love what we do and are lucky to be able to do it in the awesome holiday location of Coffs Harbour,” said Sarah.
Owners Sarah and Andrew Altschwager
Leading brands
Caravans Coffs Coast customers are adventure bound couples and families looking to travel offroad and who need to be fully self-sufficient. They are looking for a purpose-built caravan designed to withstand the harsh conditions and rigours associated with offroad use.
Caravans Coffs Coast is a dealer for Titanium Caravans and Eden Caravans and recently added the Swag Off-Road Campers brand to its line-up. Swag Off-Road Campers are a lightweight hybrid offroad camper with an external kitchen, a separate full ensuite and a king-width bed.
Swag Off-Road Campers in the front yard
“We have chosen to include only the highest of quality brands that we would be happy to own ourselves, and most importantly they must have an amazing back up service which shows in all our amazing customer reviews,” Andrew said.
“Our range of premium quality offroad caravans, hybrid caravans and pop-tops appeal to couples, families and single travellers which all have one thing in common — they need to be self-sufficient and want to be able to free camp as much as possible with the confidence that the product will perform what its designed to do.”
The admin office staff
Trends and changes
Being long-term caravanners, Andrew and Sarah have seen huge changes in the industry over the past 16 years.
When they opened their dealership in 2008, the caravan industry was predominantly focused on lightweight caravans which could be towed with large sedans and small utes.
“Over the years we have seen 4x4 utes such as the Ford Ranger and Isuzu become more popular and lead the industry in towing larger vans up to 3500kg,” Andrew said. “There is now a new phase of American trucks with even larger towing capabilities seeing larger, heavier offroad caravans becoming popular.
“These larger American trucks such as the Chevrolet Silverado, RAM, Ford F trucks as well as small heavy licence trucks, are set up for towing large, heavy hauls and can tow a 4.5 tonne caravan with ease and comfort. The American truck towing capability will now influence the way Australian manufacturers build caravans — layouts will be larger with more inclusions and custom fitted with every option you could imagine.”
The handover workshop crew
Point of difference
Andrew and Sarah believe there are benefits for customers who choose to buy a caravan through a dealership, rather than directly from the manufacturer.“
A dealer is 100 per cent focused on the business of promoting and providing the best product to suit the client needs,” Sarah said. “Our expertise and advice will assist them to make the best choice to suit their needs and budget. We also have a dedicated handover workshop with technicians ready to help with towing setups, install tow hitches and taking you through the whole process of handover day.”
Caravans Coffs Coast strives to be ahead of other competitors in the caravan industry by observing customer needs and requirements and using the team’s previous experience in building, designing and manufacturing to improve the dealer’s product offerings.
Titanium vans featuring a toolbox with slide-out for a Weber
The team can custom design an offroad caravan to ensure it suits the customer’s personal style and option it up so that it is purpose-built to match their towing and travel needs. Customers can select from an extensive list of options from manufacturers, with a large array of colours to customise the benchtops, upholstery, flooring, external cladding, decals and much more.
“Our biggest point of difference from other caravan dealers is our hands on experience and providing caring and efficient after sale service which is validated when you search all our Facebook and product reviews. These five-star reviews don’t happen overnight, they are a credit to our team which continually strives to make every caravan purchase experience as enjoyable as possible. Our team enjoys turning up to work each day and we have a lot of laughs with our customers, it’s great fun.”
Staff checking off new vans
Trusted advice
Caravans Coffs Coast recommends the same advice for a first-time caravan buyer or an experienced caravanner — that is to do your research on the brands you are considering via any Facebook owners’ group, then check the manufacturer reviews on product reviews, Facebook and Google business reviews. Anyone buying a pre-owned caravan should have the van inspected by a repairer to check for water damage and a general report of worn parts and the van’s overall condition.“
Also remember the dealer you purchase from is just as important as the brand and its manufacturer. The dealer will be your first point of call for after sales service and warranty,” said Andrew.
The sales team
Staying ahead of the game
Caravans Coffs Coast is selective with the brands it sells and supports.
“We have a great relationship with all our caravan manufacturers, which are also family operated businesses like our own. We have been a Titanium Caravan dealer for over 10 years and during that time Titanium Caravans has evolved into an industry leading offroad brand, we are so proud to be part of that journey.
“All of our manufacturers are leading the industry and are constantly reviewing, designing and improving their products. Titanium recently introduced a new premium gullwing toolbox and new rear Wolf bumper option. They also now have more electrical options, offering a large Victron 12V energy system behind the fridge covered by the new filtered premium electrical access door. Their ingenuity has impressed many manufacturers in the industry who are now copying these concepts.”
Caravans Coffs Coast has spent many years designing and marketing premium offroad caravans and has established a solid reputation. Looking ahead, the team’s aim is to cater for as many different offroad caravan camping options as possible. Their yard currently displays offroad caravans, pop-tops and hybrids with layouts ranging from 13ft to 22ft (4m to 6.7m) priced anywhere from $66,000 to $205,000 plus.
Inside one of the Titanium vans
After sales care
All customers who buy a van from Caravans Coffs Coast can rest assured knowing they’re in good hands together with the manufacturers who offer an express factory warranty to back up the products they build.
“We are not immune to warranty issues and have learnt over the years that consumers simply like value for money and should a problem arise they want any issues attended to as quickly as possible with the least amount of stress.
“We pride ourselves on providing amazing customer service with a dedicated after sales/warranty department in charge of coordinating parts and warranty claims together with repairers and manufacturers.”
More information
186 Pacific Highway
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
P: 02 6652 5523
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