Mars Caravan Body & Seals Care – Exterior Maintenance Overview
Your Mars caravan is built to handle real-world travel, but like any caravan it relies on good exterior care and healthy seals to stay dry, solid and looking great. This section brings together a series of short, practical articles on how to look after the body, seals and exterior fittings of your van.
If you’ve ever wondered “What should I use to wash it?”, “Is this seal normal?” or “How do I know if I’ve got a leak?”, this is the place to start.
Why Body & Seal Care Matters
Regular exterior care helps to:
- Prevent water ingress by keeping seals healthy and identifying issues early.
- Protect the body and decals from harsh sun, dirt and road grime.
- Minimise corrosion and damage from stone chips and gravel roads.
- Maintain resale value by keeping your caravan looking and feeling newer for longer.
Most of this comes down to simple, regular habits rather than complicated work.
What You Should Check Regularly
As a quick guide, we recommend:
- After each trip: Light wash-down of the exterior, especially front and lower panels, and a quick look at obvious seals and trims.
- Every few months: More deliberate inspection of roof joints, corners, windows, doors and hatches for cracks, gaps or ageing sealant.
- After heavy rain or off-road travel: Check inside for any signs of damp spots, staining or unusual smells.
- Annually: A thorough clean and inspection, often combined with your normal service visit.
In This Series
To make things easier to find, we’ve broken Body & Seals care into a series of focused articles. Each one covers a specific topic in more detail.
- How to Wash Your Mars Caravan (Panels, Roof & Decals) What to use and what to avoid, safe washing techniques, caring for paint, gelcoat and decals.
- Checking and Maintaining Seals (Roof, Corners & Fittings) Where the key seals are, how to visually inspect them and when to contact Mars or a service centre.
- Early Signs of Water Ingress – What to Look For and What to Do Stains, soft spots, swelling and musty smells – how to spot potential leaks early and what steps to take.
- Doors, Windows & Hatches – Rubber Seals and Weep Holes Everyday care for rubber seals, clearing weep holes and reducing nuisance water issues around openings.
- Stone Chips, Front-End Protection & Gravel Road Care Managing stone strike areas, basic touch-up options and caring for stone guards after rough roads.
- Awning Rail & Roof Accessories – Inspection & Care Cleaning and checking awning rails, solar panel mounts, antennas and roof fittings for early signs of seal issues.
- Storing Your Mars Caravan – Covers, Weather & Ventilation Best practice for long-term storage, using covers, reducing sun damage and keeping moisture under control.
When to DIY and When to Ask for Help
There is plenty you can do yourself, including gentle washing, basic visual inspections and keeping seals clean. However, for anything that looks like a potential leak, or if you’re within your warranty period, it’s always best to ask before attempting major resealing or structural repairs.
If you notice:
- Cracks or gaps in roof joints, corner trims or around major fittings.
- New stains, damp patches or soft spots inside the van.
- Persistent water entry even after simple cleaning and checks.
Please take clear photos and lodge a support ticket with your van details and a brief description of what you’re seeing. Our team can help assess what’s going on and advise on the safest next steps.
Next Steps
If you’re just getting started, we recommend reading these first:
- How to Wash Your Mars Caravan (Panels, Roof & Decals)
- Checking and Maintaining Seals (Roof, Corners & Fittings)
From there, you can dip into the other parts of the series as needed – for example, when you’ve been on a big gravel road trip, are preparing your van for storage, or suspect you might have a leak.
With a few simple routines and the guides in this series, you’ll be able to keep your Mars caravan’s exterior in great condition and catch small issues long before they become big ones.