This is my 10-point plan to help make your campervan buying experience a happy one

Owning one of the best campervans provides plenty of freedom and gives you the chance to set off on tour whenever you want.

However, choosing one requires some careful thought to make sure you’re getting the one that’s right for you. There are various converters to choose from and the best vans for a camper conversion all have their own selling points too.

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge and entering the campervan scene, these are my 10 tips to help make your purchase as straightforward as possible.

1 Ask yourself why

Do you really want to buy a campervan? What are you going to use it for? I still reason that a camper is a totally different proposition to a coachbuilt motorhome.

If you’re stuck between a campervan or a motorhome, the former is more suited to daily driving and occasional (but as regular as you want) camping; the latter is better suited to long-term touring and spending more time in.

2 Do your research

The camper market is disparate, to say the least. You could supply your own vehicle to a company for conversion to your specifics, or buy something more mainstream. There are plenty of good folk out there, but just a few wrong’uns to watch out for, too. And, well, it’s your hard-earned cash.

3 Seek out the experts

This point really goes hand-in-hand with carrying out your detailed research.

Any sensible advice should be most welcome, but it’s up to you to weed out the ‘blaggers’ from those who actually know what they’re talking about – and this is going to include sales folk, passing acquaintances, friends and family.

4 Check for approvals

Whether it’s NCC, Type Approval or more. Check out the background of any converter that you’re dealing with, too – does it have ISO 9001 certification for its manufacturing processes? Can it claim any specific links with the base vehicles it converts? Indeed, can it boast of any Practical Motorhome Owner Satisfaction accolades? The most recent set of results came out at the start of the year.

5 Brand values

Familiarise yourself with the names and reputations of the best campervan conversion companies, then the key points about their specific models. But also, in any conversion, look for proven products in terms of the roof, rear seat furniture and kitchen facilities. Too many brands to list here, but you’ll soon get the picture.

The campervan's towbar — It came fitted with a towbar, although Nick has yet to use it

Note, too, that there are differences from manufacturer to manufacturer in terms of how key fittings are made – I’m thinking about seating, roofing, cutting holes to add windows, and so on.

6 Take a test drive

Despite what anyone might want to tell you, there’s a world of difference between a car and a campervan when it comes to the driving experience, which is why a test drive is well worth doing.

Call me biased, but I do prefer the latter. I’m not in a hurry, I prefer the views out from the higher seating position, and more importantly, I actually feel safer.

7 Consider hiring

If you’ve never tried a campervan before, count yourself very lucky if you have friends who are prepared to let you have a go in theirs. Alternatively, there’s a good number of hire companies specialising in campervans these days.

A Toyota Granvia — Take the campervan for a test drive

8 Get the best deal

Note that ‘best deal’ does not necessarily mean the lowest purchase price. You also need to think about the aftersales service you’re going to get. In addition, it’s wise to acquire as much background information as possible on servicing records, and so on.

9 Don’t expect perfection

Life’s not like that. Neither is owning a campervan (although it can come pretty close).

10 Just go for it

Sometimes in life, your heart can rule your head. With a positive outcome. This could well be one of those times to trust your instincts.

After buying your ‘van, you can start planning your first tour and thinking of what you can do to ensure you have an enjoyable experience when pitched up, such as how to make a camper van bed more comfortable.

After some more advice for getting the most from campervanning? Then head to our Go Campervanning: General Advice section for more great ideas!

If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Motorhome magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things motorhome related.

nickharding

Nick’s first caravanning memory is his younger brother falling out of the bunk bed above him. That was over half a century ago. Around a decade later, his first driving experience was taking the family campervan across a field on his uncle’s farm. He’s now well into his fourth decade as a journalist specialising across the whole leisure vehicle sector. In that time, he’s worked for a wide variety of publications, testing literally thousands of vehicles and visiting almost as many different places throughout the UK, Europe and even beyond. These days, he’s never happier than when he’s out reviewing new or pre-owned motorhomes or researching and writing touring articles for Practical Motorhome. Or, failing that, you may well find him pitching near you in his latest campervan, a Volkswagen California (more often than not with his short, suffering partner, Lin, and crazy sprocker spaniel, Bonnie).