Can this Chinese-built caravan cut it in Australia - Snowy River SR20

Is it any surprise that caravans coming from China are as good, if not better than some that are made in Australia? Maybe it is. But, consider all the practice the country has had developing our camping products. Our tents mostly all come from there. So do our camper trailers, our headlamps, fishing rods, LED lights, fridges, batteries, awnings and solar panels. In fact, if you want to see what else you could get from China, simply head to a website like alibaba.com, and order 1000 of them yourself. It’s almost that easy.
With that in mind, we take a Chinese-built, Snowy River SR20 to the banks of the Snowy River in Marlo, Victoria, to see just how it handles a real Aussie camping trip.
Watch the video and read the full review on the ROAM magazine app. www.magloft.co...
Find out more about ROAM magazine at www.timetoroam.com.au
Find out more about Snowy River Caravans at www.snowyrivercaravans.com.au

[@bobholden6321]

We have recently purchased an SRC21, after many months of searching, researching, talking, looking over all options, build quality, functionality, price, features and so on, we decided on the Snowy river. At $65k new, we believe it is the biggest bang for our Buck. I can honestly say the build quality, is head and shoulders above the rest. Everything, yes everything has been thoroughly thought of. i really don't care where it's built !! i have been to China with my work sourcing products and have seen plenty of sub graded products coming into Aus, On the other hand i have seen world class products being built in China from European companies as the costs are so much lower, that said, you pay for what you get........ in fact the last conference i attended in Dubai, claimed that 74% of Australian household and domestic products are made exclusively in China. this would also include Caravan products. We are a world economy now so it really does not matter where things come from, China is the worlds biggest warehouse, they must be doing something right !!!

[@wyattfamily8997]

Meanwhile Australians lose their jobs.

[@lindsaykelly2224]

@@wyattfamily8997 the shell comes from China and the Aussie firm puts all good quality fittings and appliances into it it’s a fine quality finished product

[@coover65]

Wouldn't be hard to break into the Australian market. Some of our maufacturers are still using timber frames with bits of polystyrene for "insulation". Everybody wants to buy Australian, but nobody wants locally built crap.

[@steeldragon5867]

It is important where the van is made very important

[@robertfredericks3587]

Well that review wasn't worth two bob.

[@Brent71387]

Maybe they should rebrand them as Yangtze river caravans😁

[@lindsaykelly2224]

Yeah mate you got a handle on this

[@cognaccologne6869]

I would prefer to buy a Chinese built van, than an Australian built Jayco these days. And Avan! The quality in those two brands have gone to the dog house. Where there are not many compliments about Chinese vans. And they are way cheaper

[@ottoswinebar]

Suspension parts east to obtain ?

[@grahammcbride7866]

Why is it not important where it’s made it’s important to me

[@bobholden6321]

Wow, if only you knew where 74% of our products came from, yes 74% come from China Exclusively

[@perry8498]

Interesting I didn’t know it was a import

[@wickedleeloopy2115]

Chinese campers have been around for at least 20 years. Bit more common now days.

[@johnmerton3630]

The first thing i want know is the price.

[@lostinidlewonder]

$75,660

[@westbeach8097]

Possibly not.

[@Bel_leonie]

Not really important!? Are you serious?! My kids futures depends on Australia being able to provide jobs for them not just foreigners. We have seen how much the world already has been taken over by the Chinese dropping their currency dollar so no other country can compete! We don’t want to live in the new southern China in 20 yrs! I want to live in Australia. And I want my kids also to have a country they can afford to live on with healthy food and not polluted cities with a billion other Chinese living here. So yeah I’ll buy a kedron before I ever buy a Chinese made caravan. Purely on principal! And your kids will reap the rewards for myself and other Aussies who will be doing the same hey????

[@lindsaykelly2224]

I agree that’s why so many Aussies have jobs at the somerton plant vic where the vans are put together

[@goddfrey978]

@@lindsaykelly2224 Just assembling it here dosent make it Australian, I wonder how many chinese workers are employed there puting these things together. Just buy Aussie made keep Australian manufacturing going it keeps the country growing. There are so many Manufacturers in this country and we all should supporting them.

[@johncleaver4245]

Um, China is on our “side of the world” not the other...

[@daneflinn3022]

What? They're in the Northern hemisphere!

[@johncleaver4245]

@@daneflinn3022 Both China & Australia are considered Asia-Pacific countries hence the punctuation marks when describing our part of the world.

[@daneflinn3022]

@@johncleaver4245 Berlin is closer to Bejing than Canberra is the point I'm making.

[@johncleaver4245]

@@daneflinn3022 I see we’re your coming from, but the Berlin/ Canberra comment? As you’d know capital city’s do not define a country’s boarders…The mainland of Australia is closer to the mainland of China than Germany is to the mainland of China…but I see we’re your coming from. All we have to do is watch the news and every night we are reminded that Australia is in China’s“ part of the world”…cheers Dane.

[@wyattfamily8997]

China is not "our side" on anything.

[@Chipmonster1983]

Buy Aussie made. Far better quality, these things fall apart

[@bartonez123]

Is that really true? Lots of Aussie caravan makers being taken to fair trading for defects - it seems the oncoming influx of Imports is making the Aussie vans cut corners. Hell, a lot of the Chinese vans have better structural rigidity than the local ones, and are actually more likely to stand the test of time. I'd do it on a case by case basis - a lot of dud local brands out there at the moment (even the big names), choose the van that meets your needs. If you happen to save thousands because you choose an import that matches a locally made van, then you've won.

[@Chipmonster1983]

As an EX owner, yes its true. I suggest you do some reseach mate. The Chinese built caravans and camper trailers are absolute rubbish

[@bartonez123]

@@Chipmonster1983 most research seems to indicate quality that either matches or exceeds though. Bit heavier, but more robust. Industry has changed a lot in the last few years, and it hasn't been kind to the local guys. It wasn't like Australian vans were particularly hard to beat as it is, they are kind of trash compared to the rest of the world

[@Chipmonster1983]

Name me a Chinese van thats better than a Kedron or Bushtracker

[@bartonez123]

@@Chipmonster1983 I think you've missed the point. The Chinese vans aren't going to be better than expensive locally built ones (aside from chassis rigidity, which Chinese vans excel at, at the cost of weight) - but they can match quality, and be tens of thousands cheaper. (And Kedron have a bunch of fair trading cases ongoing for failing to deliver on warranty repairs too...). If you'd rather pay extra for nothing, go for it, but don't dismiss the foreign vans out of hand. I'd rather put the extra $20,000 into fun than into a overpriced local manufacturer with an increasingly dodgy reputation. A lot has changed in the last couple of years.

[@aussienscale]

Yeah nah !!

[@lindsaykelly2224]

Sounds like you can’t pass nothing

[@Tassie1966]

That would have to be the worst caravan review that i have ever seen.

[@wyattfamily8997]

Surely it should be called the Yangtze River so as not to imply Australian heritage to consumers.?

[@lindsaykelly2224]

It's virtually all put together in Melbourne it's high quality so let it be Snowy River

[@philipfox1952]

I was thinking about one but sorry to say no more. I like to promote Australian made by Australian workers

[@lindsaykelly2224]

Ok head on down to Somerton vic and see all the Australian workers fitting these vans out they turn out a very good product