So, you’re planning to visit New Zealand? Have got a week off and prepared to explore this beautiful country?
New Zealand is an island country situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. There are many beautiful places to visit throughout the country. From the country’s epic scenery to the beautiful waterfalls, there is so much to explore.
There are many travelling options available to explore this great country. One can use the public transportation system or do Couch surfing and move with the locals.
But, that’s not the case with everyone. Many people want to experience the culture, interact with the locals, etc. There are many places in the country like rural towns, coastal roads, etc. where it is challenging to reach by public transport. Hence, travelling the country with a Campervan can be a good idea!
You can buy a new campervan, or you can buy a used one which is in excellent condition. In this way, you can save a lot of your precious money and use it elsewhere.
Following are some practical and easy-to-follow steps which can help you to buy a campervan in New Zealand:
Step 1: Sort-out your priorities
Before deciding to buy a campervan, you must be cleared about what exactly do you want? You should know about your budget. You should be clear about the compromises you can make if the campervan is not similar to your need.
If you’re planning to modify your campervan, you must make sure that the engine of the campervan should be in good condition. Later than, you can change the look of the campervan in whatever way you would like to do.
Step 2: Facebook groups or Car fairs
After you have decided the exact type of campervan you want, now the time is to find one. There are many Facebook groups where you can join and look for the right kind of campervan you want. In these groups, people usually post their selling and buying requirements of the campervans. You can join any region-specific Facebook group and find the right ad.
These ads are posted by the locals or the travellers like you who have also bought those campervans in the same way as you were trying to obtain. These campervans are generally in good condition because mostly the travellers sell them and have already maintained their shape.
If you’re unable to find the right one for you, you can also visit www.travelcarsnz.com. This website contains a large variety of campervans for sale. You can also visit websites like TradeMe, Carfair.co.nz, etc. to find a campervan for you. These sites are the local marketplaces and offer you to see a wide variety of the campervan.
Step 3: Get your campervan inspected
It is essential to have a thorough inspection of the campervan before you buy. Many times, people usually sell a thing when it is going through some problems or if it wasn’t working correctly. Hence, it is MUST check anything before buying precisely. You can hire a mechanic to get it checked.
If you’re buying the campervan through a car fair, don’t rely heavily on the mechanic present there. Usually, they have a deal with the fair organizers and also pass a vehicle even if it was suffering from the problems.
You can hire a mechanic from outside the car fair and get the campervan inspected. Although they will charge more than the on-site mechanics, but believe me, they’ll be worth it and will help you to buy the right campervan.
Step 4: Pay for the van
After you have selected the campervan and thoroughly get it checked, it’s time to pay for the van and make it your’s. You can directly take out the cash from your ATM and make the purchase, or you can transfer the money in the seller’s account by using online services like TransferWise.
They will automatically do the currency conversion for you. Before moving the money in the seller’s account, you can check the rate of the campervan in your currency to have the exact idea of the total cost after the currency conversion rate.
Step 5: Get the paperwork and Insurance done
After buying the campervan, it’s time to do some critical paperwork. The paperwork of putting a vehicle in your name is quite simple. You can even get it done without the presence of the previous vehicle owner. Just take the registration card along with you at the local post office and get the work done. Make sure that your vehicle has a valid inspection sticker.
Although it is not compulsory to have vehicle insurance in New Zealand, you can buy one to avail the benefits that come along with it. Purchasing insurance will cost you for as low as $250.
For more info about buying a campervan in NZ please check the following link:
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
