Most buyers start with a model they saw online and a rough idea of how they want to travel. The steps below are the same whether you are after a 6.4 m semi-integrated for two or a 4x4 bush camper with a long-range tank. Nothing is rushed, and you can stop at any point if the unit does not match the roads you actually drive.
Tell us the berths, transmission, licence code and engine size you need, plus whether the unit has to handle gravel park roads or only tar. We reply with the models that fit, including tare, GVM and ground clearance figures so you can compare before travelling.
If you are outside Cape Town, we film the interior, bed arrangement, washroom and kitchen block, then send the clip with notes on fridge size, gas fittings and water capacity. Buyers who prefer to see it in person book a slot at the Kuils River yard.
On site we open the gas locker, run the hob and fridge, check the solar and dual battery setup, and test the tow bar rating against what you plan to pull. Tyres, brakes and the pop-top or roof seals get a close look, since those are the items that fail on long trips.
If you are swapping an existing campervan or off-road caravan, we assess it the same day and set the difference against the new unit. Registration, licence code confirmation and the roadworthy side are handled together so you are not chasing documents later.
We walk you through water filling, grey draining, gas shut-off and the solar controller before you leave. Rental fleet units and ex-fleet models follow the same handover, with the service history attached. From there the first trip usually tells you what to adjust.
Not sure whether a coachbuilt, semi-integrated or panel van conversion suits your routes? The format breakdown covers body length, wheelbase and sleeping layout side by side.
A listing photo tells you very little about whether a unit suits your trip. The specs do. Every model page carries body length, wheelbase, tare and GVM, fuel tank size, fresh and grey water capacity, solar wattage and battery type, so you can compare a 6.4 m semi-integrated against a 7.4 m coachbuilt without guessing. Sleeping layout, fridge volume, gas fittings and tow bar rating sit in the same block, which is usually where a shortlist gets cut down.
Ground clearance is listed separately for a reason. A 180 mm unit handles tar and graded gravel comfortably; a 265 mm 4x4 bush camper with a locking rear diff is the one you want for deep sand and rough park tracks. Knowing which side of that line a model sits on saves a wasted trip.
Berths, transmission, licence code, engine size and price band narrow the list fast. If you only hold a code B licence, the 3 500 kg GVM units stay in view and the heavier coachbuilts drop out.
Interior, bed arrangement, washroom and kitchen block are photographed per unit, not pulled from a brochure. You see the actual shower tray, hob layout and fridge position before you commit to a viewing.
Buyers travelling from Gauteng or further north often ask for a filmed walkaround first. It covers the exterior panels, the garage or canopy, and the water and solar setup, so the yard visit is a confirmation rather than a first look.
Pre-owned trade-ins and ex-rental fleet motorhomes sit in their own section with their own condition notes. That keeps new stock and used stock from blurring into one long scroll.
Not sure which format fits your route? Compare the full range on the solutions page, or get in touch and describe where you plan to travel.
Most of our buyers come back with the same kind of feedback: the numbers on the spec sheet matched what they found on the road. These are notes from people who took a unit through the Karoo, the Kgalagadi or a long weekend on the Garden Route.
Coachbuilt 4-berth
We towed a small trailer up to the Cederberg and the 2 000 kg tow bar rating held up fine on the gravel passes. The garage swallowed two folding bikes and the gas bottle without a fight. What sold us was the walkaround video before we drove down from Gauteng.
Pieter and Anneke, Pretoria
Semi-integrated 2-berth
I did not want to upgrade my licence, so the 3 500 kg GVM was the deciding factor. The turning circle is tight enough for the Kuils River yard and for small campsites in the Overberg. The 200 W solar panel kept the fridge running for four days off-grid without hooking up.
Marlize, Somerset West
4x4 bush camper
The 265 mm clearance and the long-range tank made the difference on the sand tracks into the Kgalagadi. The pop-top folds flat under low branches, which I did not think about until I needed it. The dual battery system ran the 60 L fridge for a full week on the 160 W panel.
Johan, Upington
Panel van conversion
I asked for a viewing slot on a Saturday and got a proper walkaround of the washroom and kitchen block, not just a look from the door. The tare and GVM figures were on the plate, and the licence code was explained before I signed anything. That kind of detail matters when you are buying used.
Riaan, Bellville
Trade-in and fleet unit
We traded in our older semi-integrated for a rental fleet unit that had just come off contract. The water and solar setup was checked in front of us, and the fridge and gas fittings were tested before handover. The separate trade-in section made the whole process less of a scramble.
The Daniels family, Kuils River