Purchasing a camper van is both a thrilling and scary experience! You are about to fulfill your dream of living a van life, traveling, and being a nomad. However… you have also heard horror stories of engine failure, rusted-out floors, leaking windows, and failing power systems.

In this Camper-Van Purchasing Guide

• Where to find Used Camper Vans
• Best Van Types for Van Life
• Choosing a Practical Van Layout
• Evaluating the Materials Used in a Van Build
• Renting a Camper Van to Narrow down your Preferences
• Red Flags
• Service Records and Pre-purchase Inspections

Where to Find Used Camper Vans

• Vanlife Trader
• Vancamper
• RVTrader
• Local RV dealerships

Budget Used Camper Vans:

• Facebook Marketplace
• Craigslist
• Facebook Groups

Van Type

The type of van you choose may be one of the most significant decisions when buying a van for van life.

The most common vans for van life

• Mercedes/Dodge Sprinter
• Ram Promaster
  • The benefits of the Sprinter and Promaster are that they are a more pleasant drive, are typically more spacious, and have walls that are typically vertical, which is a benefit for building and opens up the living space
  • However, these vans typically come at a higher cost. Most people would consider the Mercedes Sprinter Van as the best van for van life.
• Ford Transit
• Ford E-series
  • The E-series vans are cheaper and easier to repair to find a mechanic and doing the work yourself.
  • These vans have walls that curve inwar, making your van conversion a bit trickier, and the final van build feeling smaller.
  • For the E-series van to be tall enough to stand, a fiberglass high top must be added to the roof. These tops come with their own set of van-build challenges.
• Chevy Express
• VW Westfalia

Class-B RV’s are also popular for van life, and you may come across some when buying a van for van life.

Some of the Best RV Vans

These popular camper vans often include a table that converts to a bed, a wet bath, and an indoor cooking space. The brand of chassis and engines on these Class-B RVs vary.

• Roadtrek
• Leisure Travel
• Winnebago

Considerations Before Purchasing a Van

• Age of van- the older it is, the more problem and fixes down the road
• Van Length
  • Impacts parking locations and living space
• Do you need 4WD?
• How stealthy do you want to be?

The Sprinter is the most popular van for van life, but each van comes with its pros and cons! You may have made up your mind on which camper van will be the best for you, next let’s get into which style of van will be the best van to live in.

Finding the Van Layout You Love

Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube can make vans look idealistic. However, you must consider more than just looks when purchasing a camper van.

A great way to know what to look for in a van layout is to actually try out van life for a few days! You can learn all about renting a camper van here: USA Camper Van Rental Guide.

Van Layout Considerations

• Do you want to make your bed every day?
• Is there enough storage for your hobbies and activities?
• How big is the fridge, kitchen, and food storage location?
• How many people will be staying in the van?
• Do you need a high top (ability to stand up)?
• Are you living in this full-time?
• How large is the water storage?
• Will you be working remotely from a van? Was it set up for this?

When choosing a van, you must consider which is the best van to live in. It may look great, but is your butt going to be in your partner’s face while you cook and they’re in a meeting? Do you have to scooch out of the hallway to roll out your fridge? Are you able to sit up in bed and have enough room for… activities? Before purchasing a camper van, especially an old or used camper van, it’s important to not only consider the layout but the weight and quality of the material and hardware used.

Weight, as well as weight distribution, can impact the longevity of the vehicle’s engine, tires, and suspension.

Materials Used in the Van Build

Before buying a camper van, you should know what materials and items were used in the space. How much weight does the build add to the vehicle? This will not only decrease fuel efficiency but will put more stress on the engine which can lead to more problems long term. Also, if a vehicle is too heavy, some shops may not have a lift large enough to work on the vehicle!

• Calculate energy consumption needs here
  • What battery charging methods are available. Examples: DC-DC/alternator charging, solar, shore power, and generator charging.
• Type of Batteries
  • Lithium, AGM, and Lead-Acid batteries are common. Lithium is considered the best because of its lightweight, ability to discharge without harming battery life, and ability to be stored in living spaces. It is also the most expensive choice.

• Are there any leaks in windows, roof fans, solar mounts or anywhere else?
• What type of mattress is included and how thick is it?
• What type of insulation was used?
  • Havlock Wool and 3M Thinsulate are the best. Reflectix is basically useless unless on a window.
• Water storage type
  • Will you need a hose to fill up? Or can you refill 5-gallon tanks at the store?

Evaluate the Seller’s Usage of the Campervan

There are a few red flags to watch out for when purchasing a used camper van. You want to make sure you are getting the best van for Vanlife. If you feel any rush to buy or sense any dishonesty from the seller, move on.

• How long did the seller use the van?
  • If they are building a van just to sell it, the design may be impractical and not well made.
• Did the seller have the van only for a short time?
  • Did they run into problems that they are trying to pass off to you?

Service Records

Arguably the most important factor in finding the best van to live in is a consistent and existent service record history. This shows the vehicle has been well maintained, you may run into fewer surprises and will save you money in the long run.

• Review Service Records
• Pre-Purchase Inspection

Having a pre-purchase inspection is also a great idea. This will give you confidence as a buyer and you may be able to negotiate the price if repairs are needed. I failed to have this done for the van I purchased because I felt rushed to hit the road and start school in a few days. Three hours into the drive a clunking sound began, halting the trip and leading to a terrible night of worry and uncertainty. A $1,500 mechanic bill and $250 flights home taught me my lesson. Don’t rush when buying a camper van, and have the van inspected by a mechanic before purchasing. I’m not sure a mechanic would have caught this problem, but knowing the rest of the engine was sound would have eased a lot of my worry.

Buying a Van for Vanlife- Conclusion

There are many factors to consider when trying to find the best camper van for you.

• Research which van type will be best for travel style and budget
• Pre-purchase inspection
• Evaluate the campervan’s layout

The camper van market is competitive, but you should never feel rushed to make a purchase- this may be easier said than done after months of searching for the right van.

Learn from my mistakes! Ask pertinent questions, and prioritize your individualized needs. It can be stressful finding the best van to live in, but the more research you do the better equipped you will be to pick the right van, avoid being scammed, and save yourself future time, money, stress, and breakdowns.