Owner guides
Why buy a campervan?
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Why buy a campervan? Almost every owner had this question on their mind before joining the van life. Ask those same people today and they’ll likely tell you that a campervan was one of the best investments they ever made. Great for them, great for their family, great for their pets and great for their bank account!
That’s right. Not only does a campervan help you save on accommodation expenses, but hundreds of campervan owners around New Zealand now generate passive income by hiring out their van when it’s not in use.
In case you’re still not convinced, let's dig a little deeper into the top 6 reasons why buying a campervan could be a game-changing investment.
Why buy a campervan?: 6 reasons to invest in a home on wheels
1. Absolute freedom
When you purchase a campervan, you buy into a sense of freedom. Suddenly, you have the flexibility to travel wherever you like, whenever you like. If you get home from work on a Friday afternoon and decide you want a weekend getaway, you can be on the road in less than an hour!
No longer are you rushing to catch buses, trains or planes at a certain time. No longer are you frustrated by delays or long queues at check-in. No longer are you sat next to a stranger on a 6-hour journey. And no longer are you bound to a certain route! In your campervan, you can go to remote places that public transport simply won’t take you.
You also set your own itinerary when you buy a campervan. If you only want to drive for an hour before pulling up stumps, you can do that. Alternatively, drive further and reach an unforgettable free camping spot in the depths of the wilderness (more on this below).
Not to mention, you can use your campervan as your everyday run-around vehicle in between adventures. Transport and accommodation in one!
2. Self-contained for freedom camping
With a little planning, it’s possible to make your campervan fully self-contained and receive a Self Containment Certification (in line with the New Zealand Standard for Self-Containment of Motor Caravans). All that you need onboard is:
A toilet;
Freshwater storage;
Wastewater storage; and
A rubbish bin with a lid.
The biggest benefit of a self-contained campervan is that you can stay in freedom campgrounds around the country. New Zealand is blessed with some of the best and most scenic freedom campgrounds in the world - so you’d be nuts not to make the most of them.
Owning a self-contained campervan is also handy at caravan or holiday parks because it means you can avoid using the facilities if they’re overcrowded, dirty or not up to scratch.
Although, most of the time, you’re probably going to want to use the park's toilets so that you can avoid cleaning out your portable toilet (best saved for emergencies).
3. Family time, new friends and a sense of community
Buy a campervan, travel around for a week with your family and you’re bound to make some lifelong memories together. It’s a rare opportunity in a busy world to get some one-on-one time with your kids. There’ll be laughs, singalongs, deep conversations and maybe even a tiff or two. But at the end of it all, your family is left with memories that last a lifetime.
And besides family bonds, you’ll likely also make some new friends and discover a sense of community at the various campsites you visit. Like-minded campervan owners making memories of their own. Chances are you’ll end up sharing a glass of wine and a sausage sandwich with them over the campfire. Some of them may even become life-long friends with similar interests and travel plans.
4. Pet-friendly holidays
Hate the idea of leaving your pet behind when heading off on holiday? Buying a campervan is one of the most animal-friendly choices you can make. Not only is it good for the wellbeing of your pet, but it also puts your mind at rest knowing your animal buddy is safe, sound and well cared for.
Depending on what kind of animal you have, you may be able to design your campervan to have a ‘seat’ or storage area for your pet. This helps to keep the rest of your campervan clean and is the safest option for restraining an animal on the road.
You’ll also find that the majority of caravan and holiday parks are pet-friendly, meaning that they’ll have plenty of room to run around and enjoy themselves.
5. Save money whilst travelling
Yes, buying a campervan can be a significant investment at first. Particularly if you plan on buying brand new. However, there are ways of reducing the initial outlay dramatically, such as converting a second-hand van. We’ve previously responded to the question “how much does it cost to convert a campervan” and the answer might pleasantly surprise you.
But once your campervan is up and running, you can save a significant amount in travel expenses compared to the average tourist. You no longer have to pay an average of $100+ for costly accommodation options like rooms or cabins.
Instead, you’re paying an average of $35 per night for a powered campsite. And in the case of freedom campsites, you’re paying nothing at all.
Slowly but surely, your investment in a campervan starts to pay for itself. Not to mention, you can generate extra income by hiring your campervan out through Camplify…
6. Earn up to $10,000 a year by renting out your campervan on Camplify
There’s a quick and easy way to start earning a return on your investment after buying a campervan - rent it out on Camplify when it’s not in use! Instead of letting it sit idly in the driveway or garage, hire it out and generate passive income from the comfort of your own home.
Each year, heaps of Kiwis earn up to $10,000 by renting out their campervan through Camplify. And the best part is, Camplify takes care of many of the expenses involved in hiring out your vehicle, including:
Comprehensive hire insurance.
24/7 AA nationwide breakdown cover for hirers.
Dedicated customer support.
If you’re interested in joining Camplify as an owner, try our earnings calculator and see how much income you could generate each year if you rent out your campervan!
Try before you buy
If you are thinking about buying a campervan, there’s two crucial things you must do beforehand:
Read our guide on what to look for when buying a campervan so that you can make the right call when faced with hundreds of potential purchases.
Try before you buy so that you can be confident in what you want and need.
Camplify offers all sorts of campervans for hire in New Zealand. Search through the many listings and find one similar to the one that you wish to buy. Hire it for a few nights and see whether it meets all of your expectations! You don’t want to invest your savings into a campervan, only to later find out that it’s not really what you were after.
To get you started, we’ve picked a few of our favourite campervans across New Zealand:
Juno (Hamilton)
Bernie (Auckland)
Kowhai (Queenstown)
Retro Rusty (Mount Maunganui)
Underdog (New Plymouth)
Enola (Ramarama)
Ricky Baker (Auckland)
Sandy (Hawkes Bay)
Silverliner # 1 (Christchurch)
Ourfun (Rolleston)
Larry (Christchurch)
Tuatara Campers (Auckland)
Ready to buy a campervan?
You’ve now got 6 solid reasons why you should buy a campervan: the self-contained living, the freedom, the bonding, the pet-friendly holidays, the money saved and the passive income that can be earned.
We’ll give you one more reason to buy a campervan: travelling makes you happy and that’s great for your mental and physical health! What more could you ask for?
So, don’t wait. Hire a van and get inspired! When it comes time to buy your own campervan, you will know exactly what you’re after. And don’t forget to make your money back by hiring it out through Camplify when you’re not using it!