Campervan Guides

Best Questions to Ask Before Buying a Campervan

6 min read

The questions that reveal how a conversion was built and how it has actually been used.

Who built the conversion, and when?

This is the first question and it shapes everything else. A conversion by an established converter usually comes with a build specification, a warranty history and parts you can still buy. A well-executed self-build can be excellent value, but you need to see evidence: photographs of the build, receipts for the units and appliances, and someone who can explain how it was wired and plumbed. A conversion nobody can account for is a conversion you are guessing about.

Can I see the electrical and gas paperwork?

Ask directly for the 12V and mains wiring details, any electrical installation certificate for the hook-up side, and a gas safety certificate if there is a fixed gas system. Look at the workmanship where you can see it: fused connections rather than twisted joints, proper cable sizes, a sealed gas locker that drains outside, and a carbon monoxide alarm fitted. Poor gas or electrical work is the one category of fault that is genuinely dangerous rather than merely expensive.

How has it been used and stored?

A van used as an everyday vehicle wears differently from one that comes out six weekends a year. Ask about winter storage, whether the water system is drained down in cold weather, whether it has been lived in for long periods, and whether it has been used abroad. Then check whether the answers match the vehicle: a van described as lightly used with a worn driver's seat, three sets of tyre brands and a well-polished gearknob is telling you a different story.

What is the base vehicle history?

Underneath the furniture it is still a Transporter, a Transit, a Vivaro or a Ducato. Ask for the service book, MOT history, cambelt evidence, and whether it was ever a commercial fleet vehicle. Look underneath for corrosion and along the sills and wheel arches for filler or a mismatched paint edge. Run a history check for outstanding finance, write-offs and mileage discrepancies before you commit.

Does it work for the way I live?

Practicalities decide whether a campervan gets used or sold on within a year. Will it fit on your drive and through your local height barriers? Is a pop-top roof workable where you store it? Do you actually want a fixed bed or will you convert the seats every night? Where does wet kit go? How long will the leisure battery run the fridge and lights without hook-up? Sit in it for ten minutes and mentally cook a meal and go to bed.

What is not included, and what needs doing next?

Ask what leaves with the seller — bedding, cooking kit, awning, bike rack, second key, hook-up lead, levelling ramps. Then ask what the next owner will need to spend money on within a year. An honest seller will name something; someone who insists nothing at all needs doing on a used campervan is either not looking or not telling. If you are trading in a caravan or motorhome against a van, get both figures written down before you agree anything.

Want to know what yours is worth?

A free valuation visit costs nothing and commits you to nothing. We come to the vehicle wherever it is kept, anywhere in the UK, and explain how the figure is reached.

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