Buying A Used Van For VanLife... A Complete Beginners Guide & Checklist.

Hi everybody, so one thing that all van lifers have in common is that we all have vans however for the majority of people starting out with van life they will have never owned a van before so choosing and buying a decent van to start their journey with can be quite stressful and confusing.

With the prices of vans being so high at the moment the stakes have never been so high either so if you buy the wrong van and it turns out to be a money pit you will be thousands of pounds down and very disappointed.

Don't worry, we have your back as usual and have decided to put together a quick no nonsense beginners guide to buying a van so easy to follow that by then end of it you will be able to spot a Lemon from 1000 yards.

We will also add a downloadable & printable check list that you can take with you to view a van so you don't forget anything important and we will add some questions to it that you should ask the seller. Ok thats enough chit chat

Here it is.... Buying A Van For VanLife... A Complete Beginners Guide & Checklist.

UPDATE - WE NOW HAVE A VIDEO VERSION OF THIS POST TOO... PLEASE CHECK IT OUT BELOW.

By the way sorry if this post seems all doom and gloom but that's the point of it, it is to help you identify problems easily so you don't get stung by anybody pursuing your dreams haha. I just though I would just point that out. Hopefully by the end of the post you will be able to see past anything anybody can throw at you.

BEFORE GOING TO VIEW THE VAN

DO YOUR ONLINE CHECKS

Once you have found a van you like the look of there are a few bits and pieces you can do before you even go to view the van.

Before you get excited and fly out the door it is best to do some online checks on the vehicle and it's history. There are some very untrustworthy people out there and even more so when it comes to selling vehicles.

So first you should do some online checks for...

MOT

The first thing you are going to want to check if the van has a current MOT, IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA AT ALL TO BUY A VAN COMING TO THE END OF ITS MOT.

If somebody is selling a van toward the end of its MOT there is a good chance that they know that it will not pass without a lot of money being spent on it. A van is worth so much more with an MOT than without one so anybody with any business sense at all would put a decent van through its MOT before selling it to get more money. If it has a short MOT and you don not have any money to spend to get it through walk away.

You should also take a look online at the vans current MOT to see if there was any advisories that weren't serious enough to fail the van at that point but probably will be by the time it comes around again.

Another thing you can check online is the mileage that was recorded at the last MOT test, you are going to want to take a note of this for when you go to view the van. If it is lower than it was at the last MOT test... Walk away

To find out how long the MOT has left, any advisories from the last MOT test and the last recorded mileage all you will need is the van registration number and you can do it by following the PINK link below...

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

TAX

For no other reason than a van without tax is illegal on the road, if it does not have tax or it is sorn then you are at fault even though you are just on a test drive. If it is illegal on the road then you can't test drive it and the NUMBER 1 RULE for buying a used van or car is never buy without test driving it first.

To see if the van has tax and lots of other helpful details like how much your tax will cost, the vans weight, type approval, emissions etc etc please follow the PINK link below...

https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

VEHICLE HISTORY CHECK

Although it's not free another check you should do before buying a vehicle is a history check. This will tell you a few very important details that you should never buy a vehicle without knowing however as I just mentioned this check isn't free so you might want to save it until you have seen the van and are interested in buying it.

There are a few companies that will do a full history test for you but i always just use the AA

https://www.theaacarcheck.com/

CHECK THE VALUE OF THE VAN

Checking the value of the van couldn't be easier, just follow the link below and fill in a few simple details and it will give you a value

https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/used-prices/

TELL THEM YOU WANT TO TEST DRIVE IT FROM COLD - IMPORTANT

This is one of the most important things to pay attention to, if you want to skip a few bits that's fine but make sure you don't skip this. Engines/vans will show different cold than they will warm. So it is important that you see the van when the engine is cold and then test drive it until the engine gets up to temp so you can see it cold when you get there and see it warm before you leave. We will cover this more in the test driving section further below.

Make sure the seller knows you want to see it cold before you leave because they might have been driving it etc so you will need to make sure it is a suitable time for you both.

To make sure it is cold when you arrive touch the bonnet and you will soon know. Anybody that tries to stop you viewing and driving the van whilst the engine is cold is most likely trying to hide something.

ASK A FEW QUESTIONS

There are a few questions you should ask the seller before setting off that might save you a wasted trip.

First does it have V5C (log book) if they don't have the full V5C walk away or tell them to get one and you will come back if they do. A little green slip is not good enough it needs to be the FULL A3 piece of paper that folds into A4 size. If it is just the little green slip the could be stolen, written off or under a finance agreement.

YOU COULD LOOSE YOUR MONEY AND VAN AND MIGHT GET ARRESTED

Although this is a common thing and police will normally be sympathetic and not arrest you for handling stolen goods.

Next ask when the timing belt was last changed and when it is due, if it is very close to needing to be done then this will cost you quite a lot of money to do. If you are spending all of your money on a van then you don't want expensive repairs to think about straight away. So depending on wether you have taken things like this into account and have a budget for it if it is close to needing to be changed I would walk away.

You can google the van you are looking at and see how often it is meant to be changed and look at the milage of the van to get some idea of this. For example a 2014 Movano needs its timing belt changed every 75,000 miles so if you were looking at one with 70,000 miles on the clock then you are due an expensive timing belt change in less than a year.

Another thing that you really don't want to buy a van without is a service history so ask if it has one and ideally you want a full service history with receipts etc so you can see any work that has been done since it was registered so you know it has been well looked after. If it hasn't got a full service history saying it was serviced once a year or every 12,000 miles then there is a good chance that the van has not been looked after well at all and probably not a good option for a mobile house. If the service history book is missing a few years at the end of it I would walk away again as it hasn't been looked after recently so it is probably on its third owner by now, however...

If you are taking the budget van budget build route there is a good chance that your van will not have a full service history, if this is you please pay extra attention to the checks below as the older the van the more likely they are to have problems, the cheaper the van the more problems it is likely to have problems etc so you need to know what they are and how hard they are to fix.

Find out what the van has been used for... The reason for this is it will make a huge difference to the condition of the van and the engine.

For example a 2016 Ford Transit Custom with 100,000 miles on the clock that has been used solely to transport boxes of crisps by walkers from their factory in Leicester up the M1 to Gary Linekers secret storage facility in Leeds. This van would be in a very good condition and even though 100,000 miles sounds a lot the miles would be pretty much all motorway miles and because of the light cargo there will have been no real strain put on the engine, gearbox or anything else.

Another thing you will know is that it will have been very well looked after as Walkers are a huge company and would (in this example) have service contracts with Ford, so not only will it be a full service history it will be a full manufacturers service history and that is the top trump for used vans. And finally because we know the make and model we can check the timing belt change interval and on a Ford Transit Custom we can see that there is still another 50,000 miles to go before you need to pay to get it done.

Another example would be a 2016 Vauxhall Vivaro with 80,000 miles on the clock that has been used solely to to transport heavy paving slabs and bricks around in London traffic all day every day by Dave the local drive way cowboy would have had to work hard for at east of of the journeys on the way to jobs as Dave is a cowboy who does't like to play by the rules and overloads his van regularly to save an extra trip in London traffic. This will but extra stress and strain on the van and in some circumstance too much extra stress that some parts on your van are not made for and they will fail very quickly. Not only will things fail quicker on this example the condition of the inside of the van front and back will most likely not be quite bad too. Dents, scratches, and rust patches in the cargo area are very likely.

Unlike the example above a full service history for this van will be very unlikely as Dave has some mechanical skills and is more than capable of changing his own oil and filter at home by himself because after all money doesn't grow on trees. And finally the timing belt needs to be changed every 72,000 miles and this van is 80,000 miles. This is good right it has only just been changed 8,000 miles ago... Wrong this is beyond DIY Dave and his skills so it is actually 8,000 miles overdue a timing belt change, he probably got the quote to get it done and decide to get every mile that he could out of it then sell it to get a new one. Because let's face it who would pay that much money for a timing belt change and then sells it pretty much straight away? Only big companies!

INSUARANCE

Even though you will only be test driving the van for a short amount of time you still need to be insured to drive it on the road. There are some special insurance policies that will allow the driver to drive any vehicle at any time but for the vast majority of you the insurance policy you already have for your car will not cover you.

You could ring up your current insurance company and get them to add temporary cover to drive the van for an hour or a day etc and that might be the easiest solution.

You can also get cheap temporary cover for specific reasons just like this by follow the links below...

https://www.confused.com/van-insurance/temporary

VIEWING THE VAN

Don't worry it will all be on our checklist...

ON THE OUTSIDE

OIL PATCHES UNDER THE VAN

When you arrive to view the van it is time to start checking it out straight away, the first thing you should look for is patches of oil on the floor under the van or near to where it is parked. Lots of things can cause an oil leak including expensive things like a cracked head, worn gaskets, cracked sump etc these will all cost a lot of money so any signs of an oil leak is a bad sign. It could be something simple and cheap too but it will cost you money to find out and fix either way.

BODY WORK

Next thing to take a look at is the body work including the roof for any dents, bumps, scrapes, scratches etc. these are just mainly cosmetic really and is personal preference wether you can live with it not not however any bare metal showing on the van from a rust or a scratch will soon turn rusty if not treated and painted ASAP and this can turn into a full new paint job for your van wether you have to take the time to do it yourself or pay a professional to do it for you this might be a deal breaker for you. If it is walk away.

RUST

Check for any rust as rust is the beginning of the end for a van and we would never recommend converting a van with any rust on it anywhere. If you can only afford a van that has rust in places then you will need to spend the time sorting the rust out before you start the conversion and this will involve decent welding skills or a large bill from a professional.

Not only is rust not idea but enough rust in the wrong places will make your van fail its MOT as it will not be safe to use on the road. if you do not have the time or money to fix a rusty van it would be best to walk away. Check inside and outside of wheel arches and the sills (under the van along the side) as these are very common places and once they go it will cost a fortune to fix. Rusty sills and wheel arches = walk way

TYRES

Next thing to check is in our opinion one of the most important things on your van and that is the tyres. Tyres propel you and your family along the roads at up to 70 mph these should be in perfect condition at all times. This means tread, pressure, tyre walls and anything else.

First of all you are about to test drive this vehicle that you have never seen before in your life so you want it to be safe but also tyre pressures over 10 psi below the limit and low tread can get you points on your licence wether you are just test driving the vehicle or not, nobody wants that. Tyre pressures could be sorted on the spot with a pump but tread depth can't. So I would walk away you can not legally test drive it and you never buy a van without test driving it.

This is what a tyre 10psi under pressure looks like...

AA Car Tyre Safety Kit - Tyre Pressure Gauge & Tyre Depth Gauge

https://amzn.to/3xVpeUC

As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Check the walls of the tyres too, if the outside wall has and cracks or bumps/lumps in it it is pretty much a death trap, if the inside wall is worn and you can see or feel white threads or worse metal wire it is a death trap... walk away do not test drive unless they replace the tyres.

Check the tyres are wearing evenly, by this we mean each tyre has even wear all the way around as sometimes if it is wearing unevenly he wear pattern can tell you what needs fixing. Some of the time it is due to wrong tyre pressures and is easily fixed at home but sometimes can be tracking or suspension and then that costs money. None of these would be a deal breaker for me however if you don't have a budget to fix it it could be a deal breaker for you.

SUSPENSION

Another thing you should test is the suspension system to see if your shock absorbers and struts are in a good condition, you do this by pushing down on each corner of the van (this requires some strength) if everything is working as it should be the corner should literally bounce once back to its normal position. You will get another chance to check out the suspension on the test drive.

Bad suspension is not a complete deal breaker as it is not a hard job to get done and compared to a lot of other problems it isn't that expensive to fix however it will still cost money.

NUMBER PLATE AND VIN NUMBER

Don't forget to check that the number plate and VIN number match what you found on your pre viewing vehicle checks...

You can find this on the dashboard somewhere and should be visible from the outside of the van by looking through the windscreen.

UNDER THE BONNET

CHECK THE COOLANT

Take the lid off and look for any oil in the fluid even any rainbow patterns that happen when a little bit of oil is present. This is a sign that there is something seriously wrong like a cracked head or a failed head gasket. both will cost you quite a lot of money to fix so I would walk away.

Also check the coolant level, if it is low there could be a leak in the coolant system SOMEWHERE but it will cost you money to pin point it and fix it.

This is another reason you should only view a van when the engine is cold, if the engine is hot DO NOT open the lid on the coolant or you will quickly regret it.

CHECK THE OIL

First check the level, there should be a maximum and minimum lever and the oil should sit somewhere in between both, if the van has been well looked after it will most likely be spot on the maximum. If the level is low this could mean it is burning or loosing oil somewhere, if it is high it could mean the same and just been topped up incorrectly.

Next check for any sign of any water mixed in with the oil, this can be a sign of a leak in the coolant system that could cost you money but also water mixed in with the oil can cause serious damage to your engine as it reduces the oils cooling properties so if it has been driven like this at all there is a good chance the engine has serious damage to the inside so this is time to walk away. Signs of water in the oil are little droplets or air bubbles all the way to thick milky creamy looking stuff. If it's milky walk away

Check the consistency and colour of the oil, different oil colours can tell you different things.

Ideally a vans oil should be an amber colour, the lighter the amber colour of the oil the newer the oil, sometimes it might look really dark amber this just means it has been in longer it could look a bit blackish but if you hold it to the light you should see a tint of amber in there somewhere. This is older oil and should be changed soon.

If the oil is milky as mentioned above signs of a coolant leak or it has only been taken for short drives so the engine never really gets up to temp so any condensation caused by combustion. This can then make it into your oil and mix with it.In early stages of this the oil might look grey not milky.

If the oil is jet black this is a sign that the van has not had an oil change in a long time and is in fact not cooling the engine correctly anymore. This is usually solved by a good service and oil change. if it is SLUDGY AND BLACK walk away.

CHECK LEVELS

There are a couple of other levels you should check before you test drive the van and that is the brake fluid level and the windscreen washer levels so you know that the van is safe to take for a test drive and that when you try the washers and wipers out on your test drive you know there is fluid so all should be working.

DOORS, LOCKS & WINDOWS

All three of these things are very important for van life as the last thing you need is to be walking around checking all your doors are locked, rain getting in through gaps in the doors or one I have personally experienced myself in a LDV maxus is windows that don't open at all, this makes life hard in general but even more so when it comes to toll booths or car park barriers that you need to take a ticket from on the way in it just becomes really annoying.

LOCKS

So before you do your test drive make sure that all the doors lock and unlock with the button on the fob if it has one. It is quite common to find vans that have had the ignition barrel changed or a single door lock because it was cheaper. You want to be able to lock and unlock all of your locks at the click of a button from inside and outside your van. A lot of modern vans also have alarm sensors that are motion sensitive and there is normally a way to turn them off when you are inside the van via the key fob... it is vital that this is not faulty in anyway if you are going to convert it into a camper as it will keep going off all the time when you are inside the van. the best idea would be to google to see if the van you are looking at has this feature, how it works and then test it is working when on site.

Also check how many keys come with the van too, if they have more than one you will want them all obviously for security reasons but also they are very expensive to replace to a spare will come in very handy. Check all keys work with everything!

WINDOWS

Most vans will only have windows in the cab but some vans will have them installed on the back doors, sliding doors or even in some side panels especially if you are looking at an already converted van, partial convert or even a factory built camper/motorhome.

Fist check out the windscreen, check for cracks or chips in the windscreen. It doesn't take long for chips to become cracks or for small cracks to become big cracks. This isn't a deal breaker as chips can be filled and windscreens can be replaced if it is too bad but the cost might be something you are not prepared for unless you point it out to the seller and try to knock down the price because of it.

Next check any extra windows that you might have added to the van like barn doors, sliding doors, side panels. If any are opening windows check they are all functioning as they should and most importantly can be locked securely. Check for any signs of leaks, rot, rust, water runs etc, leaking windows are no good at all for van living and will get into everything and rot it out. This can also be an easy fix if you have some money to spare but not if you don't so that is something to consider depending on circumstances.

If you are buying a van with skylights/roof windows installed already you will want to check them for signs of leaks too. You should be able to get a rough idea from the inside but if you can get on the roof to take a look even better, maybe you can see it from a nearby upstairs window if you are viewing it at somebodies house.

And finally the most important windows windows to check are the drivers and passengers side windows. You want to make sure they both open and close properly and smoothly. Juddering can be a sign of something on its way out or dirt and much in the mechanism. Both are quite easy and cheap to sort out at home if you have some skills but takes quite a while so would cost a few hours of labour at least and labour isn't cheap. It is best to test them with the engine running not just with the ignition on as they do require quite a bit of power.

DOORS

Another problem that a lot of used vans suffer with is doors that don't quite shut properly for multiple reasons and this is no good for van life for multiple reasons.

The first reason is leaks, the last thing you want is a gap for the rain to get into as this will cause a lot of damage no matter how small the gap is. If the water runs down into your wood floor it will soak in and rot your floor underneath everything you have built into the conversion. To fix that you will need to rip everything out to replace it and you don't want that at all.

Another reason is security. If your doors don't shut properly there is a good chance that your central locking sensors wont connect properly either so you might click the button on your fob to lock the van in an emergency but it won't work and all doors will remain unlocked.

Also there is a method of breaking into vans called the peel and steal where thieves literally grab the top of your door and bend it outward to break in. It is very quick and they are away in no time at all. If the top of your door is already sticking out far enough for them to get their finger tips in that is half the battle for them so will be even quicker so that will make you an easier target.

It is most common on sliding doors because of the way they work with rollers and runners but other things can go wrong with other doors too so you will want to check them all.

Some problems can be fixed with just a few adjustments with a spanner at home in a matter of mins however if the runners or rollers are warn they will need replacing and that isn't an easy quick job especially f you have already converted your van. The chances are you will need to dismantle a part of your build to get to the back of the sliding door runners to remove them and you 100% will need to remove the sliding door.

TEST DRIVING THE VAN

Before jumping into the van and shooting off on your exciting ride there are a few more things you will want to check from the outside whilst the engine is running.

The first thing you want to do is start the engine the get back out of the van and check the exhaust pipe. This is another reason you need to view the van when the engine is cold as problems that will show up when the engine is cold might not show up when the engine is warm.

SMOKE

You need to check for any smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe and if there is any you need to determine what colour the smoke is, smoke isn't always a bad thing on a cold start as it can be caused by a few things but if there is still smoke coming out when you get back from your test drive and the engine has reached temp then there is most likely a problem.

Blue smoke - Blue smoke is a big no no so if you see blue smoke walk away straight away unless you have very deep pockets. It is caused by oil somehow mixing with the fuel and will be an expensive fix. Blue smoke does look quite white most of the time so have a good look from all angles if there is smoke and try to catch the tint.

White smoke - White smoke on start up is usually just the steam and will disappear once the engine gets up to temp. If when you get back after the test drive and the engine is warm there is still white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe this will more likely be smoke not steam and could indicate serious engine problems that would cost a fortune to fix like a head gasket or even a cracked cylinder head. This will be more hassle than it is worth and if it was me i would walk away.

Black smoke - Black smoke on a cold start also isn't always a bad thing as it is excess fuel burning off. Sometimes on cold mornings any vehicle might have problems starting the first time you try to turn it over but even if it doesn't start it still sent enough fuel to do the job so when you try to start it again and it fires up there will be more fuel that it needs and burning this off will cause black smoke so this is quite common to see especially in the winter. Again the problem is if there is still black smoke coming out when you get back from your test drive as it won't take long to burn off any excess fuel from the start up. If there is still black smoke coming out this means that there is another imbalance somewhere in the air - fuel ratio and your engine isn't getting enough air. This could be as simple as changing the air filter but could also be a faulty sensor, a blocked pipe, a fuel pressure regulator or a few other bits and pieces. none are particularly expensive to fix so black smoke is not a game changer. However again if you are looking for a van that is ready to go and have no extra money for repairs black smoke will likely cost about £100 or so to fix so beware of that.

LIGHTS AND INDICATORS

Functional lights and indicators are legal requirements on a vehicle so although most problems with lights and indicators are quick inexpensive fixes you will need them all to be working to legally test drive the van and as the driver at the time it is your responsibility even if the owner is in the van with you . Make sure you check them all...

Headlights

Brake lights

Sidelights

Full beam

Hazard/Indicators

Any lights down the side of the van

Number plate lights

Reflectors

And just for good measure - the interior lights

WEIGTH AND HEIGHT

WEIGHT

Before you drive the van it is a good idea to double check that your licence covers you to drive it.

If you have a normal driving licence and passed your test AFTER 1997 you can drive a van up to 3.5 tonne (3500kg) fully loaded

If you have a normal licence and passed your test BEFORE 1997 You can drive anything up to 7.5 tonne (7500kg) fully loaded

To find the weight just look inside the drivers door on the frame for a metal panel and the weight you need to pay attention to is the top weight listed.

HEIGHT

It is also a good idea to know the height of the van before you set off on a test drive as most high top vans can't fit through car park or Mc Donalds drive thru height restriction bars and those things are everywhere. You don't want to damage the van then on a test drive that would suck big time!

CHECK ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS

Now it is time to get in and check that all the bits and pieces in the van work as they should, this means all the things you actually need to operate the van on the road and all the added extras for entertainment and comfort. I have been guilty of forgetting to do this quite a few times and always end up with something really small but highly annoying.

I'm not going to go into details on each bit as that would take forever and some vans will have bits and pieces that others don't. Basically if it is in the van and it is meant to do something it should do it or it will cost time and money to fix. if you have something in the van you are viewing and it is not on the list be sure to check that it works properly.

Radio - does it turn on, does it receive signal, DO THEY HAVE THE CODE

Windscreen wipers

Washer jets

Horn

Electric windows

Electric mirrors

Interior light

Speakers

Heater - on all settings

Air con - does it work, does it need re-charing

Seat controls

Hand brake - the higher you need to lift it before it clicks the sooner the cable will need replacing

Seat belts - do the sockets work, do they lock when tugged quickly, is there any damage to belt.

Milage - does it tally with your online checks

Bluetooth

Aux cable points

Handsfree

WARNING LIGHTS

When you turn the key in the ignition all of the warning lights should light up to show you that they are all working. They don't stay on long but have a quick check to make sure they all light up as they should and most importantly they all turn off after a few seconds. Any warning light is an instant MOT failure so will need sorting out.

THE TEST DRIVE

For the actual test drive it is all pretty basic and straight forward, you just need to check that everything works, feels and sounds right. You will all have some driving experience so most of this should be second nature to you and if anything seems off it will be obvious. A few things I will say though is that vans are mainly diesel so the engines might be sound a bit louder and mechanical to you if you are used to petrol engine cars. They also don't have as much sound deadening as cars so engine and road noise is louder in a van and completely normal.

Also if you are driving a van for the first time ever please be aware that the breaking distances on vans are nowhere near as good as cars so leave more space and start to break earlier.

Commercial vehicles also have different speed limits on some roads for example cars can go 60 mph wherever you see a national speed limit sign but vans can only go 50 mph so make sure you know them.

And you should also be MORE aware when turning or passing parked vehicles as vans are much longer than cars so you have to turn later and slower into side roads for example and when passing parked vehicles check your mirrors to make sure you are completely passed.

The test drive shouldn't be just a quick drive around the block in low gears and you are going to want to make sure you do a few things.

Drive for at least 15 - 20 mins - this will make sure the engine gets to temp

Drive on fast roads - you need to test the van in all gears

Drive around roundabouts - check for knocking and noises

Left hand turns - Check for knocking and noises

Drive up a steep hill - if possible

Reverse - just check all is working as it should.

Blast the heater when engine is at temp - does it get hot

Emergency stop - in a safe location

Are there any noises coming from the brakes - squeaking, grinding

Does the steering wheel shake when you apply the brakes

Does the brake pedal feel spongy

How high is the bite point on the clutch - High is bad

Does it slide in and out of all gears easily

Does the gear stick pop out of gear or try or move (vibration is ok)

Is the accelerator pedal responsive

Does the van try to pull to the left or the right

Does the rev counter needle shake instead of moving smoothly

Can you hear any belts screeching

Does it overheat - check temp gauge

Are there any weird smells

AFTER THE TEST DRIVE

Once you get back there are a few things you need to check again before switching off the engine.

Check for any smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe again, now the engine is warm there should be no smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe at all. Any sign of Blue or White smoke it is best to walk away as this will most likely cost you a fortune. Black smoke will not be as expensive but will still cost some money to put right.

Look for drips of oil dripping from the engine on to the floor, as oil heats up it gets thinner and will leak out of smaller holes a lot easier than when it is cold. After the van has been parked up for a min or so still running look on the floor for new wet oil drops. If you see any there is obviously a leak and this will be expensive to diagnose and fix.

STILL NOT SURE

If you think you like the van but are still not 100% sure about it then there is something else you can do.

You can pay a reputable company like the A.A or the R.A.C to go and have a look at it for you and do a full check over of the vehicle for you with lots of specialist tools and expertise. They do charge quite a bit for the pleasure though so you don't really want to take this approach to every van you look at. I would only use this service once you have done all of your checks on the van you have decided you want to buy so your not just throwing money away.

This could also be a good option for anybody that has found they want to check out but it is the other end of the country. It would probably cost less to get the A.A to check it out and report back to you then it would be to get a train, bus or drive to see it anyway.

https://www.theaa.com/vehicle-inspection

https://www.rac.co.uk/buying-a-car/vehicle-inspections/comprehensive-inspection

https://logistics.org.uk/vehicle-inspection-service

https://www.clickmechanic.com/pre-purchase-inspection

FULL CHECK LIST

As we mentioned at the start of the post we have written a free downloadable check list that you can download, print off and take with you when you go to view a van.

To Download the check list for free please follow the link below...

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CHECKLIST

Ok so that's about it from us today we hope you all found it helpful, if you did please consider subscribing to our Youtube channel for awesome video content and checking out some of our other blog posts by scrolling down on this post

Thanks for reading and we hope to see you all again soon

KEEP SCROLLING DOWN FOR MORE AWESOME STUFF

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

🔥🔥🔥🔥 AWESOME YOUTUBE NEWS🔥🔥🔥🔥

Our Youtube channel is now live and we have some amazing content planned for you over the next few months including...

Full Van Conversions

Product Reviews And Recommendations

Chinese Diesel Heater Videos including installations

Off Grid Set Ups Van Life Hacks

Van Build Hacks

Simple Van Build Step By Step Guides

Van Life Cooking Budget/Cheap Van life Builds

Interior & Exterior Upgrades V

an life competitions and raffles

And much more ​

To keep up to date with all our new content and be the first to see our new videos please subscribe to our YouTube Channel be following the link below and clicking SUBSCRIBE...

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE YOU OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

KEEP SCROLLING DOWN FOR MORE AWESOME STUFF

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS

PLEASE JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUPS

We have set up our very own facebook groups and would love it if you would join them to help them grow. We post lots of helpful content to both and are always around to answer any questions you might have about van builds, van life, diesel heater etc... Please click the pictures below to join our groups

If you liked this post please subscribe to my blog or like my Facebook page to keep up to date with all my posts. To like my Facebook page please Follow the link below

WE HAVE ALSO JOINED INSTAGRAM AND WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD GIVE US A FOLLOW, PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW FOR AWESOME EXCLUSIVE POSTS, PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

https://tidd.ly/3g5S80I

As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases

#vanlife #vanlifemovement #vanlifeideas #vanlifesurvivorsguide #vanlifeuk #selfbuild #vanbuild #DIYcamper #homeiswhereyouparkit #vandweller #vandwelling #vanlifediaries #vanlifers #camperrenovation #campervan #vanconversion #vanconversions #selfbuildcamper #homeonwheels #vandiy #vanlifers #vanlifestyle #camperlife #campervanconversion #camperliving #usedvan #2ndhand #guide