A'van commenced as a family business in 1969 in Melbourne Australia. Father, Jeff Van Baardwyck is helped by sons Scott and Jeffrey. Jeff's wife Marion looks after the administration side of the business. In the beginning, as they sold a van they would buy more "kits" from the States and slowly, but surely the Australian content was increased. Nowadays the A'liner is about 90% Australian sourced, which means that you can buy with total confidence, as spare parts are unlikely to ever be a problem. Sales of A'liners in Australia far exceed those of the United States where the product originated from way back in 1969. There have been several upgrades to the factory, with the latest being a move to a completely new facility in Melbourne, to cope with the massive increase in orders. Despite the new factory, and extra shifts, demand still outstrips supply and you will usually have to wait several months if you want a brand new A'van. They are currently the fastest growing manufacturer of recreational vehicles in Australia - no mean feat for such a relatively young company. They presently have one of the most modern RV factories in Australia. Due to continued improvement the A'van has evolved into the best possible folding wall camper available in Australia today with over 1000 vans belonging to the A'van Club of Australia. The very interesting photos below are of the oldest A'van in Australia. This unit is regularly used for "sanity breaks" by Managing Director Jeff, on trips down to the Mornington Peninsula. A'van Campers Australia do not at present have a  web site or email address, however many dealers have a strong internet presence if you wish to do further research. Contact details are on the A-Dealer page of this site and we really try to keep the list up to date as more dealers come onboard!

One A'van that's not for sale!

Causes enormous interest wherever Jeff takes it!

You can either try to buy privately or from an A'van dealer. Obviously buying from a dealer is the safest, least hassle  way to go, as you will usually get some sort of warranty. So this therefore, is our recommendation for what it's worth. So here are a few well tried strategies for finding that elusive A'van of your dreams! A good move is to email your closest dealer detailing what you are interested in. The dealer will then contact you when and if a unit becomes available. We suggest you list your name/email with several dealers - even interstate ones. A'van's premier dealer for 2001, our Brisbane dealer, for instance, will ship a van anywhere in Australia, so distance is not a barrier with many dealers. Price wise, there is little difference between the dealer's price and the private seller's price, unless you find a seller desperate to sell such as someone going overseas in a week etc. From talking to other club members, the dealer price is never more than $500.00/$1000.00 above the private sellers. Resign yourself that at present (2002) it is a seller's market as the waiting time for most new models is up to 9 months with over 1000 units on back order. Try to beat the price down by all means, but avoid going away to "think about it" as there is a strong chance you will get "guzumped" and lose the van, as there are far more buyers than sellers. If buying through a dealer, whack down a decent holding deposit. We are based in Brisbane so we will outline how to find one in this area only.  Just adapt the suggestions to suit your own locality. Below we have listed all the ways we know of to track down a used A'van! Please share with us all any other methods you have come across.

•  The best starting point is a visit to your nearest A'van dealer. Let them know your requirements and while you are there pick their brains! Ask to be contacted as soon as anything suitable is traded in. Dealers often know of models coming in several months down the track. This happens when an owner decides to upgrade and there is a long production wait for their new van.
   
•  The Saturday edition of the Courier Mail ($1.50) seems to be the most popular way of selling, however as we write this there has not been a solitary A'van advertised for four weeks! So much for this advice!
   
•  The A'van Club of Australia also has a private list of members wishing to sell their van.
   
•  Caravan Trader Magazine comes out bi-monthly, is Queensland based and contains the largest listing of caravans for sale in Australia both by private and dealer sellers. ($4.95) More info at: www.caravantrader.com.au
   
•  Caravan World have a new for sale section right at the back of the magazine. No internet presence yet. www.subscriptions.ninemsn.com.au
   
•  Use search engines on the internet such as Google - to date we have only seen units advertised in America - particularly on E-Bay.
   
•  Ring around and email the dealers - but be certain to let them know how long you can wait. Don't limit your emails to A'van dealers as occasionally others do get used A'vans traded on larger vans etc.
   
•  Caravan Classifieds is an internet only based listing and at present is quite small -  www.caravanclassifieds.com.au  You can place a wanted add for $10.00. We have never seen an A'van on this site to date though, but you never know your luck.
   
•  The Personal Trading Post www.tradingpost.com.au comes out every Thursday. ($2.00) You have to very quick off the mark as most vans sell before lunch! The out of town ones usually last a few days. You can check online BEFORE the paper comes out but be aware that not all vans are listed online as soon as they advertise. Anyone using the "pay upon sale" option does not get listed on the internet until AFTER the paper comes out. The same ads run for three weeks. We are talking about the Queensland edition here - other States have similar papers, but ours is by far the largest and the "original" too!
   
•   Use the Around Oz For sale and Wanted section by clicking on this link - private sellers only. This service is completely free - the aim is to put private buyers and private sellers in contact with each other. We are using the Around Oz email address to stop spam and to respect your privacy.

This site concentrates more on how to get the most out of your A'van rather than model differences. There are no down loadable brochures here either. Contact any of the A'van dealers and they will forward you a brochure with multiple layouts. These are excellent and in colour and give you a floor plan for each model. The only problem is at present there are no inside views at all. We are working with dealers to rectify this, as it is a very real problem and one that the internet can fairly easily solve. If your knowledge is limited on interiors have a look at Gary Kratzmann's site www.carsandcaravans.com.au as by simply clicking on a floor plan you get to see all interior and exterior views. (available by May 2002) You do have to wait a minute for this info to come in but once loaded you click away and get the views instantly. This is ideal for those living in the country miles from a dealer. At the time of writing not all models have been covered as it is a huge job, but it will give you a good idea of model variations. This sites A-Dealer page gives you the contact details for all dealers in Australia and all have something unique to offer, so please check them all out. Looking at the USA, A'van internet sites can give one the totally wrong impression, as the Australian A'vans are a better design/build quality as they sell at a much higher price than their USA counterparts.

The best way to compare floor plans is to attend any of the major caravan and camping shows as there is absolutely no substitute for actually "sitting in" the floor plan you are interested in. There is a good chance that every model will be on display. As a guide the currently most popular A'vans are the sofa bed model and the rear lounge (models 3C and 2B)

It might be an idea to read the A'vanners A'list by long term A'vanners Siggy and Heather Nowak. This is a very interesting, very extensive work detailing their mistakes and what they would do next time. Could save you money.

Unlike many RV's on the market, it is extremely easy to determine the exact build date of an A'van. As well as being on the Compliance Plate it is welded forever on the A-frame, and is very thoughtfully in plain English and not in some dreadful code as used by some manufacturers. The one shown for instance was made in 2000 and is serial number 1828.  You will find it under the van just above the front stabiliser. It is extremely easy to read, but you will have to lay on the ground! To find the exact date it went on the road simply look at the registration certificate.

The short answer is VERY! It is all a matter of demand. A'vans are enjoying a huge wave of popularity as thousands of "baby boomers" commence their retirement. There is presently a tremendous boom in all RV sales - not just A'vans, due to all the baby boomers and the huge exposure given to this lifestyle on TV. The events of September 11 have also made many retirees rethink their plans and explore Australia first. The A'van is possibly so popular because the concept is so unique and it captures one's imagine and fulfils many dreams.

Remember that unlike many other RV's, just about anything can be fixed on an A'van due to the unique design. Don't be put off by older models (1996 etc.), as all the early ones were completely built by hand by craftsman. The main item to check is the floor. If the floor is "dicky" in any brand RV, please do avoid lots of grief further down the track and don't buy it regardless of the price, as it cannot be a bargain. To replace a floor in an A'van is a massive task and in our view just not worth thinking about. From 1996 to mid 2001 all A'van products had a high quality, water resistant composite flooring. This material is used in most modern buildings and if looked after correctly will last for many years - probably the life of the van. You may notice minor swelling on a strengthening piece underneath the table. This is a nothing problem usually. Check at the rear for the underside battery box vent. All late models have absolutely the best floor in the RV industry, as it is one piece waterproof ply with a membrane coating. Just about every other manufacturer uses joins in this. The A'van approach is expensive and must cause huge handling problems in the factory, but it is totally worthwhile.

From 1996 to mid 2001,  the chassis was Duragal. Many people assume that the "gal" part means that the surface is galvanised for rust protection. This is not correct. Duragal is a very strong steel and as long as there is minimal rust it is quite good as it contains a high proportion of zinc. Current production A'vans all have a hot dipped galvanised chassis. This is not quite as strong as Duragal but it will possibly last the life of the van without rusting.

Watch out for hail damage on the roof as this is impossible to disguise. The outside finish is either smooth aluminium or an attractive stucco surface. From 2002 only the smooth finish is available. The smooth finish is easier to repair using normal car refinishing techniques, but minor blemishes show up more readily. The stucco is far more tolerant to every day minor damage from stones etc. It is simply one of those personal preference things!

Up until 2000, all A'vans had a gas detector usually mounted at floor level. This appears to have been dropped in late 2001. We found this gadget to be super unreliable (far tooooo sensitive) as all sorts of non-related gas compounds set the thing off. A simple switch is all that is needed to rectify this problem and the DIY section on this site allows you to solve this minor problem.

Try to buy a unit that has been garaged or kept under shelter. If buying from a private seller ask him where he stored it and try and inspect the spot particularly if it is a difficult access site. The condition of screw heads is a dead give away if a unit has spent its life outdoors. Don't be put off by high mileage units, as if it was mostly bitumen, the unit will be fine after a simple axle and brake service. Bearings are very cheap and not hard to replace. Looking at the tyres is the best way of estimating mileage. Overloading can be a problem with ANY brand RV sold in Australia. It is very easy to detect in an A'van, as the inside edges of the tyres will indicate abnormal wear.

A'van compliance plate

Location of the Compliance Plate

It is illegal in all states of Australia to sell a caravan without a valid gas certificate and a certificate of road worthiness/safety - there are some exemptions detailed on the transfer forms. If you are a seller allow up to $250.00 for these inspections - cost depends on your location. In Brisbane at least, mobile services will come to your door to do this, although this is a slightly more expensive way of doing this.

GAS:- Des Ferguson (07) 3822 2746 or 0419 798 312 ($70.00) (recommended) and 0419 798 312, George Stevenson (07) 3264 1144

SAFETY & ROADWORTHY:-  AAA Safety Certificate Services 0427 631 160 -  ($70.00).

If you are a seller please be careful in Queensland at least that you don't do this BEFORE you find a buyer, as they are only valid for 21 days! This is VERY unclear on their website and on the transfer forms, but we were tipped off by a club member who had to go and get another certificate. In other States we suggest you just ring your nearest dealer or look in the Yellow Pages under Plumbers and Gas Fitters (darn hard to find!) In Queensland you DO NOT need a Safety Certificate if the ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass - tare + load on your compliance plate) is less than 750 kgs. Could any A'vanners with info on this subject from other States regulations and inspectors please email us so that it can be put up on this page.

Also needed for the Safety Certificate is the VIN Number (Vehicle Identification Number). You will find this on the compliance plate. All A'vans start with 6T9T27V97. This identifies A'van as the manufacturer. Vans WITHOUT a compliance plate or a VIN number not the same as above could well be STOLEN.

It is also a legal requirement to retain the original Plumbing Industry Commission Compliance Certificate. This is the compliance info as supplied when the unit was manufactured. It must be retained for 10 years. It is also another good check of exact manufacture date (top left of form). You will find this in the instruction manual package. The sticker at the bottom may have been removed. This is quite OK - you will usually find in somewhere in the sink area.