How to buy a van in New Zealand; A complete guide (2024)
- Derek
- May 22, 2024
- 8 min read
Exploring New Zealand by campervan is undoubtedly the most immersive and flexible way to experience the country's diverse landscapes. The vast distances between destinations and the relatively high cost of accommodation and travel due to limited options and high demand make a campervan an appealing solution. This mobile home on wheels allows you to navigate the picturesque terrains of New Zealand at your own pace, seamlessly combining accommodation and travel expenses.
Why opt to buy a campervan instead of renting?
The decision largely hinges on the duration of your stay in the country. If your visit is under two months, renting might be more practical, given the competitive nature of the campervan market and the potential challenges in finding, purchasing, and later selling a van. Save yourself the stress and instead look into renting options. New Zealand boasts numerous rental companies specializing in campervans and motorhomes, but early booking is crucial due to high demand.
For trips exceeding two months, buying a campervan becomes a financially sound choice, provided you are willing to accept the inherent risks. While selling your van and recouping your investment is not guaranteed, the competitive market usually ensures a quick turnover. The risk of unforeseen mechanical issues can be mitigated through diligent vehicle care and thorough research before purchase.
What model of van?!
Selecting the right van is crucial in this process. There are various options you'll notice that cycle through the campervan market. Our choice was a 2002 Toyota HiAce which was a high top and long wheel base.. Though it came at a higher cost, the spaciousness and comfort it offered justified the expense. Equipped with a basic kitchen, ample storage, and a convertible bed into a table, this larger van never felt cramped for the two of us.
While it's acceptable to have preferences with different makes and models, flexibility and considering backup options are key due to the fast-paced nature of the market. Vans sell quickly, and securing your preferred choice may involve multiple bids. Familiarize yourself with different models; models frequently found in the campervan market are listed below:
Toyota HiAce
Mitsubishi L300
Mazda Bongo
Mercedes Sprinter
Nissan Caravan
What’s the process and what should you know?
The first and biggest step is finding a van. There are a slew of resources that you can utilize in your search of the perfect campervan, I found Facebook to be one of the best. Campervan travel is not new in New Zealand, and there are several well established Facebook groups with tens of thousands of members with the sole purpose of buying or selling campervans. Simply search “campervan new zealand” and several groups will pop up that you can request to join. There are other sites like TradeMe if you’re looking to broaden your search.
While you search for your van here are some important things you should know:
WOF: “Warrant of Fitness” every vehicle on the road in New Zealand needs to have a current and valid WOF. This is a certificate given by a mechanic to indicate that the vehicle is road safe. They check the tires, lights, for structural issues including rust, among other things. Vehicles older than the year 2000 need a WOF check every 6 months while vehicles newer than 2000 only need the WOF every 12 months.
REGO: This is the vehicles registration, all vehicles need to be registered to drive. If you buy a vehicle without a current REGO you will need to purchase the registration, whereas if you buy a vehicle with a current REGO you just be changing the registration into your name.
RUC: This stands for “Road User Charges”. All vehicles on the road pay for a tax to upkeep the infrastructure and roads of New Zealand. For petrol vehicles this is built into the cost of gas. If you’re driving a manual vehicle however, you will need to pay the RUC seperately online. You purchase a certain number of kilometers and you’re paid up until you pass that km mark and need to pay for more RUCs.
It’s always a good idea to buy a campervan that has a recent WOF and REGO, this means you won’t need to deal with the hassle of renewing these things nor the cost. A recent WOF is also releiving to know that the vehicle has been checked by a mechanic that it is road safe.
Self Contained: In order to legally camp in many areas of New Zealand you will need a vehicle that is certified self-contained. This certification indicates that the vehicle meets specific criteria for providing basic amenities for waste management, including a toilet, fresh water, and wastewater storage. Currently in 2024 the rules for being self-contained are changing, which can make this process a bit confusing. To summarize, under the new rules a vehicle can only be self contained if it has a fixed toilet and meets the sanitary needs of the occupants for a minimum of 3 days. Here is a link to the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association that goes into further details. Any campervans that do not meet the criteria will not have their self-containment renewed and will expire by June 2025. It is best to search for a van that adheres to the new rules since it will be easier to sell and retain better value.
You see a van you like, now what?
Once you have found some options you’ll want to meet the seller for a viewing. This is an opportunity for you to really examine the vehicle to see if it is the right fit for you and to inspect for any damage or potential issues. Not all of us are car people so it can be a daunting task, but here are some things that you should look out for:
Check for any signs of leaks, unusual noises, or engine smoke.
If available, examine the maintenance records to gauge the vehicle's history of repairs and upkeep.
Consider the mileage on the campervan, as high mileage may indicate more wear and potential future issues.
Assess how the van has been used; frequent short trips may cause more wear than long-distance travel.
Inspect the exterior and undercarriage for signs of rust or corrosion, particularly in areas prone to these issues.
Pay attention to the condition of the frame and chassis.
Inspect the condition and tread depth of the tires.
Check for uneven wear, which may indicate alignment or suspension issues.
Inspect the brake pads and discs for wear.
Inspect the interior for signs of wear, tear, or damage.
In any case let’s face it, we can’t all be experts when it comes to vehicles and what to look out for, this is why it is critical to get a pre-purchase inspection. You can get this done at most mechanics and in the larger cities there are even mobile mechanics that will come to you to conduct the pre-purchase inspection. A pre-purchase inspection will give you a really good understanding of the condition of the vehicle and reveals far more than a WOF test. The mechanic has a checklist they will run through during a pre-purchase inspection to inspect the engine, brakes, framing, etc. It is also not a bad idea to get a report on the vehicle to understand its past registrations, history of any accidents, verify its odometer, and ensure there are no outstanding debts, among other things. A pre-purcahse inspection by a mechanic really put us at ease with purchasing our van, it will cost you about $150NZD and is definitly worth it especially if you’re not an expert. You’re about to spend thousands on a vehicle, I’ve heard of too many horror stories about people dropping $15k on a van for the engine to fail on them a month later. The inspection is a no brainer and I would not purchase a vehicle without conducting one.
Let's talk amenities...
Those are the basics and most important points about the vehicle aspect of buying a campervan. Finding a mechanically sound campervan is just half the battle, you’ll also want one that is practical and allows you to live out your campervan lifestyle! Here are some things to keep in mind as you search for the perfect campervan:
Sleeping Arrangements
Check the bed size and layout to ensure it accommodates your needs.
Consider the ease of converting seating areas into sleeping spaces.
Assess the mattress quality for comfort during extended periods.
Interior Layout
Evaluate the overall layout for efficiency and convenience while living in it.
Ensure there is enough storage space for your belongings.
Is there enough space to be comfortable on rainy days when you’re forced inside?
Kitchen Facilities
Inspect the kitchen setup and take note of it’s capabilities including fresh and grey water storage
Verify the availability of cooking and eating utensils.
Assess the counter space for meal preparation, can you cook inside on rainy or very windy days?
Climate Control
Check the heating and cooling systems to ensure comfort in different weather conditions, the temperatures can vary widely across New Zealand
Assess ventilation options to maintain air circulation. It’s nice to have windows that can be opened and fans.
Seating Comfort
Assess the comfort of the driver and passenger seats for long drives.
Consider additional seating areas for passengers.
Electrical Systems
Verify the functionality of electrical systems for lighting and consider if it is enough lighting for your needs.
Check the availability of power outlets and USB ports.
Confirm if there a second battery and how it charges
Consider your power needs, we wanted a van with a solar panel to keep up with our powered fridge, laptops, phones, camera gear, etc… If you don’t require a lot of power, you may be fine without solar.
Additional features
Consider features like an awning for outdoor shade, we did not have an awning and that is one thing we wish our van had.
Does the van come with everything you’d need or will you need to purchase items? When we bought ours it was off of a campervan conversion business thus we had to buy a lot of the things we needed like camping chairs, outdoor table, additional kitchenware, gas tank, organizational bins and baskets, bedding, etc. Whereas when we sold ours, the people that bought it got it with everything they’d need to get on the road exploring right away.
Does it come with any outdoor adventure equipment you may need? Tent, surfboard, bike, etc. Though less important, this may be a dealbreaker between two options.
Overall Space and Layout
Evaluate the overall interior space to ensure it suits your comfort preferences. Consider the days where weather may be unfavourable or you’re just sitting around for long periods. We found the convertible bed to benches and table setup to be great for those rainy days where we could catch up on rest.
Consider the ease of movement inside the campervan, would you be able to access everything and convert the interior without leaving the van? We were able to convert the benches and table to a bed and access all our storage and kitchen area without leaving the van which is great for bad weather, and to avoid getting sandflys and mosquitos in the van in the evenings.
Some interior shots of our van including our power setup from our solar panel
The Sale
Now that you’ve found the perfect van and have had a pre-purchase inspection that has cleared the vehicle, it’s time to go through with the sale, but how? Buying a campervan can be stressful especially when it comes to the exchange, you’re dealing with people from a variety of backgrounds and different banking systems and moving a large sum of money can get complicated. You can wire the funds from your bank to their bank but that can take days to process. This was one of my worries. You also want to avoid an exchange delay while waiting for money. There are a few options and we ended up using WISE which is like an online bank where you can have accounts in different currencies. It ended up being a great solution since the business we bought off used Wise and we got our buyer to use it as well and each exchange was incredibly smooth and instantaneous.
You can also wire money or deal in certified cheques, but we found Wise to be the most secure option for us.
After all is said and done you’ve got yourself a van and are ready to explore the country! Make sure to take care of the campervan and get it serviced at proper intervals to maintain its condition and value for when it comes time for you to part ways with the van.
