Many of us dream of owning a camper van and being able to travel freely while always having a place to sleep. Sadly, camper vans are not cheap to buy. There are however tricks for bringing down the price. Below are just a few tips for saving money when buying a campervan.
Shop second-hand
A brand new camper van costs about $150,000 on average. Used camper vans are much cheaper – the average price is about $40,000.
It’s important to find a used camper van that is in relatively good condition. While older and more worn camper vans are likely to be cheaper to buy, you can expect a lot more repairs and reduced fuel efficiency. Overall, you could end up spending more in the long run by buying a very cheap used camper van.
Explore your finance options
Most people cannot buy a camper van using cash and so have to rely on finance schemes. Interest rates of finance schemes can vary, so it’s worth taking your time to compare your options.
On top of loans, you can explore leases. Both can have similar monthly payments, although you do not get to own a leased vehicle. Buying a camper van with a loan could give you more freedom to modify your vehicle than a lease. However, leasing could be preferable for those who don’t want to take on huge extra debts.
Consider the size
Smaller camper vans are often a lot cheaper, but this does mean more cramped living conditions. In the smallest campers, you may only just have enough space to sleep. The biggest camper vans are essentially motorhomes and come with full kitchen and bathroom facilities.
Work out which type of camper van you are looking for. If you are literally just looking for somewhere to rest your head, a small camper van may be all you need.
Convert your own camper
It’s possible to build your own camper van by transforming a regular van. This could work out a lot cheaper than buying a camper van and it gives you the freedom to design the interior how you want. Of course, it is a lot more work and may require being fairly DIY-savvy.
You can always look into bespoke carpentry manufacturers near you. Getting professionals to design the interior of your vehicle could ensure that everything is good quality so that you truly enjoy using your camper van.
Hire a camper
Do you really need to own a campervan? If you’ve got a dream of going on a road trip and are unlikely to go on any more road trips for a long time after, it may make more financial sense to hire a campervan. There are companies that can allow you to hire campervans for a few days to a few months depending on your needs. Short-term camper van hire is likely to be a lot more affordable than buying a camper van. Of course, if you want to go on frequent trips over the course of a year, it may make more sense to own a campervan.
