How to Buy a Camper Van

camping image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com

Drive out onto the nation's highways for a wild adventure in a camper van. Fill the camper van with your camping gear, clothing and personal effects and do not worry about having to pack and unpack with each stop. Load the family, dog or friends and roll down the road in a self-contained vehicle to experience the numerous parks throughout the nation.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Find a Van

Things You’ll Need:

Method of purchasing a van
Transportation
Paper and pen or pencil

Step 1

Open a search engine like Google and type "camper van" and the location of the city and state you are in. Write down the addresses of dealers and RV camper stores carrying the camper vans in your area.

Step 2

Look up the lemon laws of your state on the Internet by typing in "state lemon laws" in your Internet search engine. Print a copy of the lemon laws and read them. Understand the lemon laws and what your rights are when purchasing a new or used camper van for your state.

Step 3

Drive to the dealerships or, if it is a used camper van and it is being sold by a private seller, to the seller's location. Ask the dealer or private seller about warranties, if the camper van is being sold as is, and if it is used, if it comes with a Car-Fax vehicle report. Decide what features you want with the van if you are buying it new from a dealer. Negotiate the price with the dealer to get the features you want.

Step 4

Pay for the camper van with your method of payment or financing. Ask the dealer about returns and a warranty. Ask for written copies of all agreed upon terms.

Step 5

Take possession of you camper van as per the laws and registration needs of your state upon completion of payment or financing.

Tips & Warnings

Do not offer up your bottom line in the sales negotiation. Ask the dealer to give you the lowest price and negotiate from there.

Know and understand your rights and the lemon laws for buying new and used vehicles in your state.

Resources

Lemon Law America

Article Written By Eric Cedric

A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.

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