Choosing your motor mover
■ Which brand?
Which brand are you going to choose? We’d recommend sticking to the well-known manufacturers, such as Powrwheel, Truma, Purple Line, Al-ko, Rhyno, Reich, E-GO, Emove, Quattro and Movemaster.
■ New or used?
With a new mover, you should get a three- or five-year warranty, but caravan dealerships are increasingly offering used motor movers for sale that may have been recycled from an older or damaged caravan. These will often come with a shorter warranty of six months or a year, but can offer excellent value for money.
■ Budget?
New motor movers are available at a wide range of price points, depending on the spec and the brand.
Our advice is to buy the best you can afford, that suits your needs. For example, if you don’t need auto-engagement, you can save yourself hundreds of pounds.
The more expensive models will look much cooler, while the less costly ones, such as the Purple Line Enduro, tend to forgo stylish cladding, saving you weight and dosh.
There are plenty of quality brands to choose from
■ Twin-axle or single-axle?
Only twin-axle owners have to consider this. You can manoeuvre a large twin-axle with two motors, saving cost and weight. The only slight drawback might be the turning circle, which won’t be as tight.
■ Which weight?
Less well-specified systems do much the same job as the more upmarket ones, but won’t weigh as much, giving you up to 10kg of extra payload. Firms such as Powrtouch offer a choice of specs and weights in their range.
■ And power?
How much does your caravan weigh and will the mover have the power to pull it?
Most manufacturers publish a weight limit (usually from 2000kg); this is possible because electric motors offer maximum torque from zero rpm.
What gradient slope can the mover pull your van up? Typically, this is 20-25% (one-in-five to one-in-four) for a 2t van.
■ Specification?
The job of the mover is simple, but you can pay extra for sleek designs and improved spec, including, for example, auto-engagement, and soft start and stop functionality. Not vital, but still nice to have.
■ Is it swappable?
If you decide to change or upgrade your caravan, can you take your mover with you? If your new caravan doesn’t have one, this could save you a lot of money.
■ Clearance
Will the motor mover offer sufficient ground clearance when fitted?
■ Leisure battery
Do you need to upgrade your caravan’s battery? Will a bigger battery fit into the battery box?
■ Warranty
How long will the motor mover’s warranty last?