Caravan Finance & Caravan Loans

A caravan opens up Australia in a way nothing else does. Long weekends, school holidays, the lap of the country, or full-time life on the road. We arrange finance across the full range: full-size touring caravans, pop-tops, hybrids, off-road vans, camper trailers, motorhomes and campervans, new or used, from a dealer, a show or a private seller.

Caravan finance comes in two main forms. A secured loan uses the van itself as security, with the lender registering an interest over it, and is generally priced lower and available over longer terms because the lender's risk is lower. An unsecured personal loan is not tied to the van, and can suit smaller pop-tops, camper trailers or older second-hand units where the asset's value, age or registration status does not support security. Which one applies is usually decided by the van rather than by preference, and we will walk you through both before anything is submitted. Our guide to secured and unsecured loans explains how security works.

Used vans are financed every day. What changes with age is lender appetite: the maximum age applies at the end of the loan term rather than the start, so an older van usually means a shorter maximum term rather than a refusal. That shorter term is the practical constraint, because it lifts the repayment. Condition, brand and resale market all count, and a van with service history behind it is an easier proposition. Our guide to used and second hand caravan finance covers valuations, auctions, interstate purchases and what to look for on an older van.

Buying at a caravan and camping show, or privately? Both are common and both reward preparation. Shows are built around on-the-day decisions, so pre-approval before you walk in means you know your ceiling and can treat the finance offered at the stand as one option rather than the only one. On a private sale, the register is searched against the van's VIN to confirm nothing is owing, and the lender pays the seller directly at settlement once the checks are done. Our guide to buying privately with finance sets out the process, and for camper trailers specifically see camper trailer finance. If you are looking at a motorhome or campervan rather than a towed van, motorhome and campervan finance covers the registration issues that come with those.

Refinancing an existing caravan loan is worth a look if your circumstances have improved since you borrowed, or if a balloon payment is coming due. The same constraints apply, particularly the van's age against the term you need. Our guide to refinancing a loan covers when it stacks up and when it does not, and our refinancing page sets out what we arrange.

With access to more than 40 lenders, our job is to match the van and your situation to a lender that wants it. Appetite varies on age, on private sales, on unregistered or imported units, and on how self-employed income is read. It also varies on credit history, and a past default does not automatically rule you out, which we cover in caravan finance with bad credit. Getting that right before an application goes in is what avoids a decline and the credit enquiry that comes with it. If you are towing, it is worth checking the van's loaded weight against your vehicle's capacity before you commit; where a new tow vehicle is part of the plan, our car loans page covers that side.

1. Tell us about the van. Make, model, year, whether it is new or used, and where you are buying it. If you have not settled on one yet, we can work from a budget instead.

2. We look at your position. Income, employment and existing commitments, and whether the repayments sit comfortably. Self-employed buyers without current financials are not shut out; low doc options are assessed differently.

3. We settle the structure. Secured or unsecured, the term, any deposit, and whether a balloon suits. The term matters as much as the rate, because it decides both the repayment and the total cost.

4. We compare the panel. From more than 40 lenders, the one whose criteria fit the van, the purchase type and your circumstances. One application, not five, because every application marks your credit file.

5. Approval. Straightforward applications are often approved within a day or two once the lender has everything. We tell you what is outstanding rather than leaving you wondering.

6. Documents and verification. Contracts issued for signing. On a private sale, the lender verifies the seller's ownership and checks the register against the van's VIN.

7. Settlement. The lender pays the dealer or seller directly, any existing finance on the van is paid out, and comprehensive insurance starts from the day you take it. Then it is yours.