We are soon heading off on a campervaning trip around NZ and in true NZ traveller style we have bought ourselves a converted campervan! It is a people carrier which has had the seats taken out and a mattress put in the back, with some space left for storage. Buying a car like this has some risks as they are normally old, have done lots of miles, and have normally been owned by travellers with little money to spare to do it up. We therefore looked carefully into things we should check over before buying the car and I thought I would share our tips with you :)
1. Check the WOF! The newer the better, you don't want to get stuck with a huge bill just after buying the car!
2. Have the car checked out by a mechanic! We did this and it cost us $50 but this provides a much more in-depth look at how the car is running, something the WOF does not cover.
3. Don't pay ridiculous amounts, and if you can don't buy it in Auckland! People arrive in Auckland and buy campervans for far more money than they are worth elsewhere in the country. Also travellers can be really stingy! Remember the van you are buying will be old, it will have miles, and it is probably not worth $4000!
4. Go for the car which is going to come with less risk. We looked at two identical vans, and on first viewing one seemed far more aesthetically pleasing with a sink, pull out sofa bed, pull down table etc etc etc. But, this car needed its tyres and windscreen replaced. Don't get swept away with the aesthetics, they are not too hard/ expensive to put in yourself!
5. Do the standard checks, the tyres, the windscreen, make sure the windowipers etc work. We used this
website, print it off and go through it when checking out the car!
6. Offer lower than the asking price, most people will add $500 onto what they actually expect!
I am going to post photos of the van before and after! I am hoping to install a sink, storage and curtains :)
