However, honest sellers will see you at their home. Arrange to see the van in daylight rather than at night when you might miss damage. Take a friend or mechanic with you. A second pair of eyes, especially those that know about vans, can help spot potential faults or problems. Scrutinise all of the paperwork; a full service record and folder with receipts from reputable garages is always a good sign. Make sure the mileage corresponds to the van and its condition.
During the test drive, try every gear, including reverse, the brakes and all of the lights. Also, press every button and switch to make sure they all work and check the air conditioning pumps out cold and hot air. Listen out for any unusual noises or clonks. Having checked out others similar vans, you should have a good idea of what they are selling for. When you agree on a price, you can pay a small deposit or the full amount, but get a receipt from the seller. When paying, cash is the easiest, but a bank transfer is safer and more cautious sellers may ask for this than risk a fist full of dodgy notes.
If a fault develops with the van within the first 30 days of buying it, you may be covered under the Misrepresentation Act. This states the vehicle must be as described. You may also be able to claim for any repairs or losses as a result of problems with the camper van. It may seem straightforward buying from your mate down the road or your cousin who's getting a new van, but you wouldn't be the first person to buy a disaster zone just because someone in the family was selling it.
Obviously, if the camper van is literally being given away, take it. It it's being offered to you at a knockdown price, make sure the price is knockdown by looking it up. If the price is merely a fair price, weigh up what you know about the van against what you're being asked to pay. How long has the owner had it? Is the mileage genuine?
How often was the van serviced? Is there anything wrong with it? How much will the faults cost to put right? You may have private reasons for giving too much for a van to an impecunious, elderly or sick member of the family. It's a diplomatic way of helping them out. But otherwise you should not let your relationship with the seller colour your judgement. The van is a purchase you are going to have to live with and if it proves to be a money pit you'll have to live with that too.
First and foremost, is it used regularly? Camper vans are based on commercial vehicles which are designed to clock up , miles in a few years before being sold on or scrapped.
They aren't designed to sit unused for eight months of the year. Vehicles that are can be prone to all kinds of age-related chassis, suspension and mechanical problems. You should be looking for a vehicle as new as possible for your money regardless of mileage. A four-year-old camper with , miles is a far better buy than a year-old van with 50, miles. Peel back bits of rubber trim and look for 'tide marks' underneath, open and close all the doors and check for even shut lines and look under the boot carpet for fresh paint and a lack of the usual manufacturer's stickers.
Rust is less of a problem than it used to be and paint is now so expensive it's simply not worth filling a van with pudding and giving it a 'blow over'. But if the van is getting on, check all the usual places - round the wheel arches, under the valences if they're steel , round the edges of the boot floor, under the carpets if they will lift, in the bottoms of the doors, round the headlights and along the outer tops of the doors. Check the tyres. Uneven wear may be due to incorrect alignment settings, or it may be due to bent suspension components from kerbs, pot holes or road humps.
So be particularly wary of uneven front tyre wear. Now on to the interior. Dirt cleans off, but tears in the seats and broken bits of trim are notoriously difficult and expensive to put right. If the entire interior stinks of tobacco smoke you'll be up against it to get rid of the lingering odour. Has there been a dog in the van?
Has it scratched the paint? Don't feel you have to be polite about this to the owners, however nice they may be. It's your money they're after, not your friendship. Open the bonnet and check all the fluids. You want to look the oil on the end of the dipstick.
Is it up to the mark? What colour is it? Castor-oil yellow is excellent, light brown is good, dark brown is okay but a tar-like black in a petrol engine spells disaster. Unscrew the oil filler cap. If there is a deposit of whitish or creamy-grey 'mayonnaise' underneath, it means one of two things.
The van has led a life of very short runs from cold starts, has never warmed up properly and the condensation this has created has mixed with the oil. Engines run like this have less than a quarter of the life of engines run properly. The second problem 'mayonnaise' can reveal is a blown cylinder head gasket. It may be straightforward to replace this, or the head may need to be skimmed because it has warped. Have a look at the condition of the power steering fluid.
It should be red, not black. Same goes for the automatic transmission fluid most autoboxes have a dipstick. It is a good idea for automatic transmission fluid to be changed every two years essential with CVT automatics. Look under the van for leaks. Is there oil on the vendor's driveway? A leak from a cam-cover gasket is common and no big deal, but a bad oil leak from a cylinder head gasket means the head has to come off and, if it does, manifold studs may break and stretch bolts will have to be replaced.
A leak from the timing belt cover is bad news because it means that the camshaft end seal or a jackshaft seal has gone, contaminating the timing belt - so you won't just need a new seal, you'll need a new belt. Now ask to see the service history. Not a book full of stamps - the actual bills for all the work on the van that the owner has paid for or a computer print-out of its service history.
If, from this, you find that the van has been 'overserviced' had its oil and filter changed every months , then be willing to pay more for it than the guides suggest. If, on the other hand, it has been 'underserviced' with gaps of more than a year, then pay substantially less. If the van has a timing belt rather than a chain, in general this needs to be replaced every 60, miles or every four years, whichever comes first.
On some vans the replacement cycle can be pushed to up to five years or 80, miles whichever comes first, but no longer. If the service bills don't show a timing belt change, then budget to have it done. Automatic transmission fluid should have been changed every two years, brake and power steering fluid every two years. If the van has a manual gearbox and the oil in that was changed within its first 18 months on the road, this is a valuable plus point worth paying more for. A full UK driving licence category B entitles you to drive a conventional, rigid-axle camper van weighing up to kg.
The maximum gross vehicle weight GVW can be found in the driver's handbook or on a plate located next to the bulkhead or by the driver or passenger door. When up it should be solid. Try and imagine it in high winds. If it is damaged or worn in anyway anticipate an expensive bill to have it fixed. People of up to 6ft 1.
Although not able to stand upright, only a small stoop is required. What do you think about CI International? I am planning a three-four month trip around Europe with my husband and two small childen.
We just found a CI International that seems to be in good condition for almost 6, euro. Any thoughts? Also, any suggestions about adding seatbelts in the back to secure child seats.
They are typically good vehicles. Expect to have to replace some parts, to avoid problems on the trip. Speak to your local motorhome specialist or garage and ask them to fit seat belts.
You will need them. Also worth discussing with your insurance company to ensure they are happy with this. Re bying Be my first on a budget only looking for kitchen are and sleeping area but comfortable for two adults and dogs also cause be a long time plan costing for tuning vehicle to what recommend.
Buying a motorhome Hello, would you be able to advise me a bit?. If you can help in advising per se, then I would be so grateful. Insurance I am looking at buying my first campervan T2, very excited. I know it goes on owners details as well as vehicle, but I just need an average. Ive stopped searching google for any others now I found this. You can find the exact height and weight limit on the side or back of infant car seat reviews.
Kids who ride in rear-facing seats possess the maximum protection for the head, neck and spine. It is especially important for rear-facing children to ride in a back seat from the airbag. Must be smaller type and easy to park too. And reliable — not mechanically minded. Any ideas please? Check out mine for an Check out mine for an example. What to go for?
I am thinking about buying a campervan which is easy to do in every way as it will be just me and my dog. I want something economical and easy to drive for weekends away. They are nice vehicles. Well They are nice vehicles. Well made. They have nice fittings. The seats are good, the pop-top roof is good, and the electric blinds on the windows are good.
They do about 27mpg, so not great. They are also not fast. Also they are not campers, they are MPV. To make to a camper you need to strip out the interior. So not necessarily the best vehicle for a conversion, as they are old and expensive. Most have 4WD, but 2WD is better for most. Most are also automatic gearboxes, which will reduce mpg by 2 or 3 to 24mpg. The main issue is knowing what is a good buy and the price to go with it, as they tend to vary in price so much… Also, what are reliable brands as we would be driving for a long time.
Prices do vary a lot. Prices are based on the market value, i. Some sellers charge too much. Vehicles such as VW are always expensive as they are desirable. Mercedes are more expensive as they are very reliable. The best thing to do is to start building a list of the vehicles you like, what they include, their age, and how much they cost. VW and Mercedes are probably the most reliable, but Fiat are becoming very popular, but any vehicle that is well maintained look for Full Service History FSH can be just as reliable.
Camper Advice I could do with some Camper Advice. My wife is desperate to buy a campervan to travel around France in the summer. I am coming round to the idea but struggling to find what price I should be paying for different vans. We have seen a Nissan Vanette Mambo in good condition that had only done miles that we liked but had no idea what was a fair price. Does anyone know roughly what we should be paying for such a van?
Any Help at all would be great. It has very very low miles for the year, so check they are genuine. Is it a professional conversion or a DIY one? It looks likes a very good one, which is why it is more expensive. It is fairly old though. You could probably find something newer for the same money. Nissan made the van or the chassis, then another company converted it into a camper. Mambo might have been the conversion company. Very few vehicle manufactures actually make campers.
Almost all campers start life as empty vans, and are then converted into campers. Even VW never made campers, until recently. VW made vans and then companies like Westphalia and Devon converted them into campers. VW have just started making their own though. First time buyer — advice on budget? Hello, wondering if anyone can give me some advice on a budget for buying a camper.
We are looking to buy a 2 or 4 berth van-type ie standup, not a motorhome , for a month trip in Europe. Thanks in advance! Expect to put in a little TLC. If you are confident with mechanical work go for a lower price range, and do a full service before you go. If not spend more on the vehicle in the first place. Do you know where I can get info on these?? Citroen Campervans I have a Romahome Duo which is very much like driving a car.
It is based on a Berlingo and has a cooker, fridge, toilet 2 single beds or 1 double. Email me if you want more information. What are the downsides of thos camper van pls? Your terrific article. They produce a line of Mercedes Benz-based off-road vans including their top-of-the-line Beast Mode.
They also rent vans and have a share program that allows owners to rent their van through Texino and keep 50 percent of the profit. It can also tailor them to your unique style. If you're not ready to commit to owning a camper van just yet, no worries — you can also try it out by renting one. Start with the rental companies below, or check out our complete guide to renting a camper van for more in-depth info. RVshare is a peer-to-peer marketplace with more than , recreational vehicles available, with everything from luxury motorhomes to basic travel trailers.
Search filters are easy to use and include pet-friendly options. With a closed height of just 8. That helps you save on gas while minimizing the lift-off effect a rooftop tent can have on a small car rolling down the interstate. From that position, the tent unfurls like a soft clamshell design.
This makes the Condor and Condor XL absolutely huge inside — over seven feet across when open. Interior height is also maxed-out at 50 inches, and the weight is reasonable too: pounds for the smaller unit, and pounds for the XL. Another bonus is a hardshell lid that lets you rack other gear on top, like kayaks, bikes, or skis.
One of the best parts of overlanding is that, unlike hiking or mountain biking, you're completely protected from the elements — which means winter is just another season to hit the nonexistent road. Of course, you'll need to sleep sometime — and when you do, a good four-season tent like this two-person model from MSR is the perfect place to lay your head.
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