Small vs Large Caravan Manufacturers: What Nobody Tells You

admin996144
4 hours ago
3 min read

If you’ve been following the caravan industry chatter, you’ve probably seen a few headlines about people who’ve had a rough time with a smaller manufacturer recently. The Cartwright story is just the latest one doing the rounds.

Now, here’s the thing: every time one of these stories pops up, the comments sections and caravan park happy hours explode with the same opinions:

“That’s why I’d never go with a small builder.” “Stick with the big guys, they’ve got the resources.” “These little workshops can’t be trusted.”

And to be blunt? That’s lazy thinking.

Because the truth is, size alone doesn’t tell you whether a builder is good, bad, or somewhere in between.

The Case For Small Manufacturers

Let’s give credit where it’s due. Smaller caravan manufacturers can offer things that big brands simply can’t.

Direct connection — you’re talking to the people who are actually designing and building your van.
Flexibility — want a layout tweaked? A feature added? You’ll usually get a yes, not a blank stare.
Care factor — in many cases, your van isn’t “order number 472.” It’s your van, and they take pride in it.

Plenty of families out there are happily travelling Australia in boutique-built vans that were made with more attention to detail than they’d ever get in a mass-production facility.

But you won’t hear about them as much, because good news doesn’t trend in Facebook groups.

The Case For The Big Guys

Of course, big manufacturers have their strengths too.

Resources — a bigger team, bigger network, bigger buying power.
Standardisation — processes that are repeated thousands of times, which can reduce mistakes.
Scale — the feeling that they’re more likely to still be around in 10 years.

For some buyers, that peace of mind is worth more than anything else. And that’s completely fair.

But let’s not romanticise it either: with bigger operations, you often lose that personal touch. You’re not customising — you’re choosing from the catalogue. And if something does go wrong, you might find yourself caught in the same long queue as everyone else.

The Real Issue Nobody Talks About

Here’s where the conversation usually goes off the rails: people focus too much on “small vs large” when they should be focusing on “committed vs uncommitted.”

Because it doesn’t matter whether you buy from a five-man workshop or a company producing 500 vans a year, what matters is whether the builder is actually going to:

Stand behind you when something goes wrong.
Have the systems in place to deliver what they promise.
Still be there years down the track when you need them.

That’s the real line in the sand. And it’s one a lot of buyers don’t ask enough about.

Where We Stand

At Offroad Grit RV, we don’t shy away from this debate. In fact, we lean into it.

We’re not a faceless production line, but we’re also not a fly-by-night operation working out of a shed. We’ve built our business to sit in the sweet spot:

✅ The personal touch and flexibility of a smaller builder. ✅ The systems, structure, and long-term commitment of a larger one. ✅ A promise that we’re here to stay, and we’ll back our vans wherever your journey takes you.

Don’t Be Scared Of Small Manufacturers

If there’s one thing buyers should take away from the noise online, it’s this: don’t let fear guide your decision.

Yes, do your research. Yes, ask the tough questions. Yes, be cautious. But don’t rule out a smaller manufacturer just because someone else had a bad experience.

For every horror story you see floating around Facebook, there are dozens of untold success stories, families living their dream, because they trusted a builder who cared enough to deliver.

So next time you hear someone say, “That’s why I’d never go small,” challenge them. Ask them if they’ve ever actually picked up the phone, met the builder, asked the real questions.

Because the difference isn’t size. The difference is commitment.

And that’s exactly what we’re built on.