Buying a campervan is exciting — but it's also one of the bigger purchases most people make, right up there with a car or a small extension on the house. Whether you're looking at a ready-converted van or a base vehicle you're planning to convert yourself, a bit of due diligence now can save you thousands later and, more importantly, save you from a van that lets you down on the M6 in the rain.
Here's what we tell every customer to check before they commit, whether they're buying from us or anywhere else.
1. Start with the base vehicle, not the interior
It's easy to fall in love with a beautiful kitchen, a clever bed mechanism, or a nice colour scheme — and completely forget to ask about the bit underneath it all. A stunning conversion built on a tired base vehicle is still a tired vehicle. Before anything else:
- Check the full service history and make sure it's genuine, not just a stamped book.
- Get the MOT history online (free, via gov.uk) and look for repeat advisories — the same issue flagged year after year is a warning sign.
- Ask when the cambelt/timing chain was last done, and check it against the manufacturer's interval. This is an expensive job to get wrong.
- Check for outstanding finance and that the mileage matches the paperwork.
2. Look underneath for rust and damp
This is the single biggest hidden cost in older vans, and it's the one most buyers miss because it's not visible from inside the cab.
- Check the chassis rails, sills, and wheel arches for rust, not just surface bubbling but actual pitting or filler.
- In a converted van, ask specifically whether the floor and wall cavities were rust-treated before insulation went in. Once a conversion is built, rust underneath the floor can spread for years before anyone notices — by which point it's a strip-out job.
- Damp is the conversion world's quiet killer. Ask if a damp meter check was done on the walls, roof, and floor as part of the build or inspection.
3. Test everything that isn't the engine
A conversion adds a second vehicle's worth of systems on top of the base van — electrics, gas, water, and often solar. Each one is a place things can go wrong.
- Leisure battery and electrics: ask to see the wiring diagram, and check whether the electrical work was done to a recognised standard (in the UK, look for NICEIC or similarly qualified installation).
- Gas systems: any hob, heater, or gas appliance should have been fitted and signed off by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Don't take "it works fine" as proof — ask for the certificate.
- Water system: run the taps, check the pump, and look under the sink and shower tray for any past leaks or staining.
- Heating: if there's a diesel or gas heater fitted, ask how old it is — these have a service life and aren't cheap to replace.
4. Ask about the inspection process, not just the finished product
Any workshop can tell you a van is "in great condition." What matters is whether that claim is backed by an actual process. Before you buy, ask:
- Was the base vehicle inspected before conversion work started, or after? Building on top of an unchecked vehicle just hides problems rather than fixing them.
- Can you see photos or documentation from during the build — insulation, wiring runs, sealing — or is the finished van the only thing you get to judge?
- What happens if something goes wrong after you drive away? A verbal "give us a call" isn't the same as a written warranty.
This is exactly why we built our own process around three stages — a 57-point inspection before any conversion work starts, documented updates throughout the build, and a lifetime warranty with a free annual safety check afterwards. Not because it's unique to do it properly, but because it shouldn't be optional.
5. Take it for a proper test drive
Not just around the block. A campervan drives, brakes, and handles differently from a car, especially once it's loaded with water, gas bottles, and gear.
- Drive it at motorway speed if you can, and listen for wind noise around seals and windows — a sign of a poor conversion fit.
- Try reversing and parking — visibility is often more limited than people expect.
- If possible, test it fully loaded (or ask what the payload and weight distribution look like), since an empty van can hide handling issues that appear once it's packed for a trip.
The bottom line
A campervan is only as good as what's underneath the furniture. The conversion is the part you'll see every day, but the base vehicle, the systems behind the walls, and the process behind the build are what determine whether you're looking at years of reliable trips — or years of repair bills.
If you're weighing up a van right now and want a second opinion, we're always happy to talk through what to look for, whether you end up buying from us or not. Feel free to get in touch or drop by the workshop in Daventry.