Choosing A Van For Conversion
Choosing A Van For Conversion
Camper Conversion
Choosing the right van is like finding a partner - it needs to be reliable, fit your needs, and not make you want to
scream at it every time you spend time together.
The first step in any campervan build is choosing Before launching into your van research, there are a
which van to buy! few admin things to think about first. Notably, it's
important that you check the legal and insurance
Converting a van costs time and money, so you want requirements in your country.
to make sure that you make the right choice from the
outset. Vans come in all shapes and sizes: Tall, small, For instance, some countries require a standing
wide, thin, flamboyant, stealthy, utilitarian, rickety, height of 6ft inside the van, some campervan
cheap, expensive. Finding the right van is an exciting insurance companies will not insure a converted
and fun process. So let’s discover the best van for school bus, and some regions won't tax your van if it
your camper conversion! weighs over 3.5 tonnes. So check your country's
requirements before buying a van!
Imagine the heartbreak if you bought a van only to
find that you weren't able to convert it...
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The spec sheet below showcases the stats and
dimensions of some of the most popular vans for
camper conversion (with a European bias). This is
based on the 2014 L3H3 model of each van. This
should help demystify the selection process!
Mileage on purchase; Roaming Home Study The size of a panel van is denoted by the letters 'L'
(length) and 'H' (height). Its wheelbase can be either
We also found that as of 2023, the most common short (L1 / SWB), medium (L2 / MWB), long (L3 /
year of vehicle was a 2015 reg. This means that on LWB), or jumbo (L4 / XLWB). Similarly, its height can
average people are using a van that is 8 years old. be low roof (H1), medium roof (H2), or high roof (H3).
My van is a long wheelbase, high roof Ford Transit
(L3H3). If you plan on spending any length of time in
your van, I would suggest you seek out a high roof
with at least a medium wheelbase.
Classic van
Small van
Though a little cramped for full-time living, small
The origins of the motorhome date back to 1910
vans can be a great choice for weekend warriors.
when Pierce-Arrow introduced the first campervan
They can still fit a bed and stove!
at the Madison Square Garden auto show. Before the
vanlife movement kicked off, motorhomes were
typically pre-built by professional companies. For
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many people, buying a pre-built motorhome is still straight away. You likely won't be able to register it
the best bet due to the simplicity. legally as a campervan though.
Bus / Coach
My van ‘Beans’
I have a long wheelbase, 2012 high roof Ford transit
(L3H3). I bought it with 190,000 km on the clock. It is
my pride and joy - we’ve had so many beautiful
adventures together - and hopefully there are many
more to come!
New vs. Used vans; Roaming Home study
In my element
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How much should you
spend on a van?
The 2023 Roaming Home Study gave us some
excellent insights into how much people are
spending on the base vehicle for their conversions.
Unsurprisingly, we found a tight correlation between
the age of a vehicle and its cost. A work van reduces
in cost by about €2000 per year. Though it should be
noted that the cost of a van that is two years old or
less is quite a bit higher. The best value may be found
around the three year mark. I'm going to let you in on a secret…
“Do you have the service history?” If the van doesn't have a tax disc you will need to put
your hand in your pocket to pay for this year's tax
A prudent vehicle owner should always keep a (and potentially back tax!)
service history for the vehicle. A vehicle with a
service history is more likely to have been cared for. “Is the used van registered in a foreign country?”
If you can obtain the service history you can see If the van is registered in a foreign country you could
when the last service was (if it was a long time ago, be in for a hefty tax bill for importing it when you
you may well be in for a nasty surprise). buy it (Vehicle Registration Tax). Better to buy local.
“What did the previous owner use the van for?” “Can you reduce the price?”
Most used vans will be retired work-horses. ie. “Hmm, the van looks really nice - I'd love to buy it,
construction, carpentry, electrician, etc. but the price is too high for me unfortunately… The
max I could afford is X”.Background checks before
Understanding what the previous owner did can help buying a used van
you know how much love was given to the vehicle -
was it a sole trader or larger company?
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number and the VIN (vehicle identification number). How many previous owners has the van had?
You will need to ask the vehicle owner for the VIN.
Figuring out what a vehicle has been used for by the
If everything checks out (and you're using previous owners will help you get a feel of the
AutoCheck), you should see a message like this current state of the vehicle.
appear:
Get an auto-mechanic to
check the van
Get an auto-mechanic to check the vehicle before
Has the van got any finance on it? you buy it! I received a very detailed report from a
mechanic who went to check out my van for me. The
Take care here! There could be an unpaid loan on the inspection cost about €120 - it was well worth it. I
van which you are about to purchase. That loan will brought up some of the issues with the dealership,
become yours to pay if you buy it. and they got their mechanic to fix the problems
before I bought the van.
Is the van stolen?
Ideally before you get the mechanic to inspect the
Don't buy a stolen van. Obviously... You will lose the van, you will have headed over and looked at the
van and all the money you spent when the police vehicle yourself - but that is not totally necessary.
come knocking.
I spent a lovely few days with my van in Grindelwald, Switzerland - ogling up the infamous North Face climb on the Eiger (in the background)
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