Three years ago, Liz Morrell bought her first campervan on a very tight budget. But what has the true cost been since… and was it worth it?
Words & pictures ❚ Liz Morrell
I will admit that I’m a bit of a shopaholic. I buy things on a whim. But, when I randomly decided to buy a campervan in the middle of a December night? That was taking things a little far, even for me.
Yet, fresh from a bad break-up, it seemed like one of my best decisions in a long time. There was just the tiny matter of how I would afford it. As a freelance, my income fluctuates at the best of times. When this 2am bolt of inspiration came, I hadn’t even finished paying for Christmas.
Instead, I’d grabbed my phone and started searching, curious about how much I might need for this new dream. And there it was. The 23-year-old VW T4 that would later become mine, advertised for £4,500 – an amount I could just about pull together.
This VW was my first step on the campervan-buying ladder. Not everyone can afford a brand-new ’van at the start so buying used is a great way to get on the first rung.
That purchase was three years ago and this is the first time I’ve calculated the overall cost. So, the big question is, what have I actually spent in total?
JANUARY 2021 – THE ’VAN ITSELF £4,200 (purchase)
Opinion was divided about whether I should buy the ’van. Was I buying a rust bucket that would spend more time waiting for recovery than it would on the road, or was I bagging a dream for a bargain price?
I did my research, quizzed the current owner, and considered costs. Expensive items, such as the cambelt and water pump, had been replaced recently. The mixed MoT history at least meant that many existing issues had been tackled. After viewing, I decided to take the plunge with the advice of my dad – who has owned many classic cars – ringing in my ears. “Make sure you have a budget of at least £1,000 a year for unexpected maintenance.” The owner and I agreed a sale price of £4,200 – which included a new alternator and battery – and in early 2021, the vehicle became mine.
JANUARY-MAY 2021 – BITS AND BOBS £200 (upgrade)
My first purchase, even before the actual ’van, was a set of plastic drawers for less than a tenner. I’d intended to use my existing camping gear but soon decided that the ’van deserved a few new, homely touches. And £200 seemed a small investment for some new kitchen equipment and a bottle or two of Autoglym polish.
FEBRUARY 2021 – OIL L
