Have you been dreaming of pulling up next to Lake Annecy in a cute little van half-way through your six week tour of Europe? Despite it feeling hugely overwhelming to get there, it is so doable! Hopefully I can give you some tips that will lead you one step closer to creating your dream van lifestyle. Two years ago I decided to embark on the journey of renovating and traveling in a van due to always wanting to travel but in a sustainable and budget friendly way. If you have been dreaming about joining me on this journey, continue reading for some tips of what to do and what not to do when creating your van life.
Choosing your van
There are many things to consider when looking for your van purchase. Firstly, decide what type of van you want in terms of reliability, size and whether you want it part-converted or brand new. I went for a second-hand van that had been part-converted! Due to my lack of DIY skills, buying a part converted van was more cost efficient for myself as it provided me with the basic layout for my build. Purchasing a van was not as simple as buying the first one I liked the look of as it is important to keep in mind the mileage and insurance. As I was only twenty one when I began my search, finding cost efficient insurance was a killer! TOP TIP: if you see a van you like, enter the reg into an insurance site to see what you would be quoted! That way you won’t make the mistake of buying a van that will cost you too much for insurance. My van is twenty years old, so another thing I wanted to check was the MOT history to see what advisories it’s had and if the vehicle has had any extensive work. If a vehicle previously or currently has a lot of advisories or work done, I suggest not viewing unless you want to end up stranded up a mountain in Switzerland with no phone service!
Viewing vans
ALWAYS GO AND VIEW A VAN IN PERSON! Unfortunately, with the growth of van life some people have been caught out by scams. Make sure you go and view any van you’re interested in as pictures do not show everything and can be deceiving. An in person view can allow you to check for any signs of rust or damage on the van. Viewing the van allows you to get an idea of what extra work needs to be done in order to make the van unique to you! Seeing the van gives you a sense of the size of the vehicle and whether you will be comfortable driving it around. My transit style van was also a reasonable size for me to drive and something I knew I could manage fine with.
Buy the van!!
Buying the van is easily the most fun part. Always purchase something that is within your budget as much as we’d all love to live our best hippy lives and buy a VW Camper Classic! But fear not, the silver lining is that you can spice up your affordable purchase with the remainder of your budget to complete your conversion. Make sure that this van is definitely the van for you and a project you will enjoy completing… If so, BUY THE VAN!
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