What to Look for when Purchasing a Used Campervan

Cold winter days can have your dreaming about summer holidays.  Trips to the beach and spending evening outdoors can be a lot of fun when you have the freedom of a campervan (motorhome).  But beware, campervans equate to a large dollar outlay so you want to see it well spent. 

A good campervan has the reliability of a great vehicle and the comforts of home - though probably not all of them.  Don’t become doe-eyed over gorgeous interiors only to find it overheats after two hours on the road. 

Here’s our top buying tips to head you in the right direction (so to speak).

The obvious signs

Sit down with pen and paper and make a list of things you want to check when first inspecting the campervan.  Evidence of accidents, storage available, current WOF, dampness, broken wing mirrors, number of owners, tyre tread and a hundred other little things.  Having a checklist means you have a document to check everything against. 

If you wish to take things further after the initial inspection check if there is money owing on the campervan.  Websites such as checka.co.nz and revscheck.com.au offer affordable history reports by simply typing in the vehicle’s registration number.

The not-so-obvious signs

Investing in a pre-purchase inspection is imperative. Reputable companies like aa.co.nz offer thorough reports. This is even more important if you are buying sight-unseen.

Online reviews

Have other campervan owners had trouble with the beds, the radiator, the toilet facilities or the steering?  Like anything else you want to learn about these days Google can be an enormous help. 

Test drive

Found a campervan you like? Get a feel for it as you would with any other vehicle.  Does it accelerate well and what noises do you hear when driving?  After driving for twenty minutes, park the vehicle and check for leaks.  Don’t forget to run the air conditioning on warm and cold too.

Resale value

What are you long term plans for the campervan? Will it be used for years of summer family holidays around your country, or are you planning a nine-month break with your spouse to travel the distance of New Zealand or driving from Melbourne to Perth!  This can help you when researching fuel consumption, campervans that perform well on long-haul trips and determining what features are important to you. 

We also recommend doing some research into popular campervan models and those that hold their resale value well. 

If you and your campervan are travelling between countries we can help with all the logistics and legal jardon. It’s what we’ve been doing for over 25 years and we understand what international customs need in order to make the transfer a smooth transition.  See what campervans we have shipped in the past.