Track goes down renting route

Melbourne’s Track Trailer and national RV hiring platform Camplify are working together to drive sales of new Tvans, Cub campers and T4 Hybrid caravans. 

Under the arrangement, Track Trailer through its Melbourne retail division Outback HQ is listed by Camplify as a Premium Manager, with existing owners or new vehicle buyers encouraged to list their RV on the Camplify holiday rental platform.

Outback HQ looks after hand-over, servicing and storage of the vehicle as part of a 12-month agreement, including equipping the vehicle with a cutlery/crockery pack, while Camplify liaises with holiday hirers and organises insurance if required.

With the latest Tvans now nudging $100,000 plus options, and the range-topping T4 Rhapsody retailing for $155,740 after the most recent price rise of about $7000, the Bayswater, Victoria-based off-road camper and caravan specialist is well aware that its hero products are gradually being priced out of the reach of younger buyers and is hoping the Camplify arrangement will bring them back into the ‘affordable’ spectrum.

Track said on average Tvan owners rarely spend more than six to eight weeks a year travelling, with Camplify suggesting owners budget on three months rental per year in these post-COVID times while rental demand exceeds supply.

According to Track Marketing and Distribution Operations Manager Lloyd Waldron, a young couple with a house and a dog can pay off a $90,000, 2021 model Tvan by renting out their pod camper for up to $180/night during peak times, while still using the unit for their own adventures in off-peak times.

He said this would be achievable by contributing an upfront 40-50 per cent payment and leaving the balance to be financed and mostly paid off by hire income over five or six years. A realistic income on a Tvan under this formula is around $10,000 per year.

"This brings a quality, Australian-built camper within reach of younger buyers who otherwise would only be able to afford a cheaper imported camper," Waldron said.

"However by the end of the Camplify hire agreement, most will own a saleable asset which will be available at no cost to them for holidays."

Tvan rentals can range from $90-$180/day in peak times depending on the age of the unit and options fitted, with owners setting their own prices. Cub campers usually rent under Camplify from $140/day.

Track also offers a wide range of camping equipment for hire in conjunction with its Camplify rentals. These include generators, Maxtraxs, gold detectors, swags, stretchers, sleeping bags, and bed linen.

There are also potential tax benefits to owners as they are effectively running their own hire business.

Track also sees the Camplify plan as a good way of locking in forward orders and has appointed a dedicated 'Camplify coordinator' to handle the extra business it has generated.

Those purchasing a Track product in the usual way sometimes decide to list their van later, with storage of rental units currently taking place in Track’s previous production facility, while building of the units now takes place in a newly-acquired adjacent factory in the Melbourne suburb of Bayswater.

"Owners who do not wish to rent their vehicle out can also store it safely under cover by arrangement at Track," Waldron said.

Another advantage of the Camplify arrangement is that potential Track buyers can try before they buy, while those with an order in for a new Track product can rent out a similar unit for holidays while they wait for theirs to be built.