1 - Research!

There's no doubting that as soon as you arrive in New Zealand you'll want to get on the road with so much to see and do, and with hostel bills mounting, you'll be eager to get into your mobile accommodation as soon as possible. However if you turn up without any prior knowledge the process of buying your own campervan may take longer than you expect, or worse you may make ill-informed decisions. You need to know the market, where the best vans are, when the best time to buy is and what your budget will afford you. With a bit of research under your belt you'll have a head start on other buyers and you'll be less likely to get ripped off, your research may even help to shape your travelling plans.

The VanExchange is the ideal place to start your research. Using our advanced search features you can search cars and campervans from throughout New Zealand, you can specify price ranges, makes, models, locations and even the fuel type. Armed with these tools you can get to know the market before you're even here. If you register as a user you can also save these searches and check back regularly to see if there are new vehicles that meet your criteria.

2 - Plan

Planning and researching go hand in hand, once you begin to accumulate some knowledge you can start putting it to use. If you have registered at The VanExchange and are saving searches with your own criteria and checking back regularly you will begin to get a picture of what is available. What's more you will see that the more astute sellers list their campervans well in advance of their departure date and specify when the vehicle will be available. With a bit of planning you can set aside your own 'viewing days' and begin contacting sellers to arrange as many viewings on your allocated days as possible. Then when you arrive in New Zealand you will be using your time efficiently by inspecting as many vehicles as possible thus maximising your chances of finding the right campervan at the right price.

3 - Maintenance checks

Nobody wants a lemon! However the unfortunate reality is campervans do die and yours could die on you. To minimise this possibility we highly recommend a vehicle inspection as they'll give you an idea about the general health of the vehicle and protect you against other pitfalls (such as dodgy WOF's which have been reported in the past). Various car inspection services will charge between $100 - $150, but may well save you a lot more money on repair bills in the long run.

The AA offers thorough inspection services (http://www.aa.co.nz/motoring/buyingselling/inspections/prepurchase/Pages/default.aspx) which you can get from any AA approved mechanic, or for a slight premium you can utilise the mobile service and have a mechanic come to you. AA inspections are reputable and thorough, however local garages will be willing to look over the car for less.

Any seller should be willing to have their vehicle inspected before you purchase, if they are not you may be better walking away from the deal.

4 - Negotiate

If you don't ask you don't get, but there's far more than one way to negotiate! Different sellers will have different policies, but there are numerous avenues to explore and numerous things to look out for.

Price is the obvious bartering point and it's often the only angle of negotiation that buyers consider. Many sellers will be open to negotiate their price, but how much flexibility they have will depend on their situation. If a seller has time on their hands they are more likely to hold out for their asking price, but as their departure date nears they may be forced to reconsider. As the buyer you can try and hold out for a better price, but you have to weigh up your own opportunity cost of waiting around and paying for hostels, you also run the risk of losing out on a suitable van.

In addition the the vehicle itself there are often numerous 'extras' that you can get thrown in with the sale. Campervans typically have maps, pots, pans, stoves, camping equipment, CD's, books and pretty much anything else a traveller might care to use on their travels. Much of this may already be thrown in for the asking price, but be sure to check and negotiate everything you need - it may just be that the current owner is planning to take the stereo with them!

Every sale will include a certain amount of cost and administration, for example if you take our advice you'll certainly be getting a mechanical check before you buy - these rage from $100 - $150, but who covers the cost? As a buyer you don't want to fork out only to be told that the vehicle is un roadworthy, you may have avoided a wreck, but you're still out of pocket. You could agree to split the price with the seller to even things up, or if you are buying from a seller that is unwilling to negotiate from their asking price you could ask them to pay for the mechanical inspection - if the vehicle passes without any problems then you will meet the full asking price. Either way any 'cost of sale' expenses should be factored into your budget therefore where possible you should investigate whether these can be incorporated into the final sale price.

Mechanical inspections may also introduce new avenues for negotiation. A seller might expect to receive their full asking price if they believe their campervan is in good working order. However if your mechanical inspection shows otherwise then there should be room for negotiation - you could ask the seller get the repairs done before you meet their asking price, or they may be willing to drop the asking price inline with the cost of repairing the vehicle and you can get the repairs done yourself.

5 - Buy safe

Our most important piece of advice is to buy safe. Most sellers are genuine and trustworthy so it's not something you should lie awake worrying about, but you still need to follow some basic rules to ensure you don't get stung.

Dodgy sellers might coerce you into making a decision on the spot, they might make excuses about missing documentation or they might ask you to hand over money before changing ownership of the vehicle - these are all signs to look out for.

Don't be pressured into making any snap decisions, don't be afraid to ask awkward questions and never hand over any money until you are certain it is safe to do so. Legitimate sellers understand your position and should be happy to resolve any issues you have in order to make the sale and willing to prove any claims they have made about their vehicle.

If you follow the advice above we are confident that you will find a suitable vehicle in New Zealand and are equipped to negotiate a trouble free purchase.