Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Are you thinking of buying a van to build your own camper van? There are a few things to consider, so I’ll share some tips to find the right van for a conversion.
From experience, you’ll want to research, figure out what you’d use it for, and budget. Then you’ll need to physically look around at dealerships.
This might help you narrow down your options, plus I’ll give you one afterthought.
1. Do research.
One of the first things to do is research. This might take a few months.
In the beginning, I knew nothing about van conversions and all the options. There were a whole lot of them to choose from.
So, I read about them and watched videos of other people doing conversions. It was a lot to take in, and a big task, but doable.
There were Mercedes Sprinter vans, Dodge Sprinter vans, Ram ProMasters, and Ford Transits. Then there are four-wheel drives and two-wheel drives.
You can find ones that are stripped down and ones that are all decked out. Size differences ranged in height, length, and width.
2. Figure out what it’d be used for.
Before narrowing down the research, ask yourself how you’d use the van. This will determine what kind of van you need.
If you plan to live in it full-time, you might consider having a bed, sink, and bathroom. For road trips, I’d still want those amenities.
Plus, I thought about wanting to have one fully ready for dispersed camping or staying off the grid.
Being able to travel off-road means you can explore more. So, having a 4-wheel-drive was important.
Using it to haul bicycles, tools, and materials came to mind as well. So a larger-sized van was in the works.
Now, you’ll have to think about how often you’d use the van. If it’s only once or twice a year, maybe you’d be better off renting one.
But if you plan on using it at the beach, staying at a campground, or going on road trips, it’ll be worth it.
3. Determine the budget.
After determining your needs, you’ll be able to narrow down the type of van to look for and price them. A good place to start is searching online.
I focused on large-sized, 4-wheel-drive vans. And the ideal van was the Sprinter.
There was a broad range of pricing, and vans were priced anywhere from $25,000 used to under $100,000 new.
Well, that meant that a used van would be more in the budget. Most vans in this range were passenger or cargo vans.
On a side note, it’d be another $50,000 to $70,000 to do the build-up, so don’t forget to add that in.
4. Look around at dealerships and van shows.
You’ll actually want to look at vehicles in person at some point. I went to an overlander show early on.
I recommend doing this if you’re very uncertain. This was helpful because I saw many different options and ways to do a build.
They also had trucks and trailers, and it was cool to see how they converted those vehicles as well.
And after doing the research, I looked at dealerships to find a used van. You might check online to see what they have in stock first before dropping by.
I went to a few places, including RV dealerships, because they may have vans too.
You don’t want to rush this, as everyone out there is trying to sell things off their lots.
5. Take a final look and purchase.
If you can, take your final look before making the purchase. The salesman might direct you to vans that are popular choices for conversions.
At a Mercedes-Benz dealership, I got to check out what they had. After seeing all these vans, I got really excited.
They had a 4-wheel-drive van, in the extended length, which comes out to a little over 24 feet. It had low mileage and was previously owned by a contractor.
It was “like new.” I recommend checking out the inside and outside of the van, and taking it for a spin.
Ask questions about the warranty and payment options. Discuss the price, and if it’s higher than your budget, ask them for a deal.
I can’t guarantee they’ll budge, but if they’re trying to move vehicles off the lot, they’ll consider lowering the price.
Afterthought: Think About Storage
Okay, I added this as the final thing, but it should be one of the first. Think about storage before buying your van!
Don’t buy a van unless you have a place to store it. Will you park it in your driveway? On the street?
If you live in an apartment, will it fit in subterranean parking? Is street parking limited? Is it safe?
Maybe you’ll rent a parking spot or garage for your vehicle. This is definitely something to think about!
Read More
