Can You Get A Camper For Less Than £2,000?

If you have a any kind of knowledge of campervans and motorhomes then you will know from the classifieds and the glossy magazines that these are not a cheap purchase. With slick salespeople, bespoke kitchens and revolving sofas, you may well be inclined to think that motorhomes are for the wealthier in society. Not to mention running one on an annual basis, from tax to motorhome insurance, there are many expenses that you need to be aware of.

So what can you get at the bottom end of the spectrum? This is a common question asked by people. The bottom line is yes you can, but you will have to be prepared to be ready to do some DIY. There are certain considerations that you need to be aware of, otherwise you could end up with a cheap purchase that will turn into a dreaded money pit.

Option 1 – Non-Runner

Buy a non-runner; there are plenty of old campervans out there, which are non-runners from a £1,000 upwards. Granted this will be an ongoing project. Be prepared with this option to sink time and some money into it. You can strike lucky and potentially get a running vehicle at this price point up to £2k, but there will either be rot in the bodywork, mechanical issues or need a new interior. If you want something that is cheap and you don’t mind turning this into a new hobby and labour of love then this is a good option.

Option 2 – The Panel Van 

If you want to get a taste of the camping lifestyle quickly then buy a panel van. For £2,000 and in fact a lot less, there is a lot of choice out there, you can pick up a good example at this price point. Otherwise known as a ‘tin tent’. When you have more funds to spare, you can add kit to he van as you go along and go for a full conversion as time goes on.

If you go for a panel van with side windows to start with and a high-top, then you will not have to add them in later. You can easily put in a mattress, a stove, lighting and storage extremely cheaply. This has become a very popular option; you even see many VW type 2 vans used for this exact purpose.

Option 3 – Caravan And A Van!

Now that may be a misleading title, but it is deliberate. We are not saying buying both of these outright. However if you are in the DIY camp of creating your own campervan from the ground up, a good option is to a budget panel van and then finding a specialist dismantler of caravans. This is essentially a very affordable way of kitting out a van with full kit on the cheap.

You can use all the interior fittings, furniture, electricals and repurpose them in your van. Now unlike car production, motorhomes do not have all of their fittings installed by fully qualified engineers, it is done on a production line. So if you are good in this field you could soon have your van kitted out very easily at a huge knock-down price. What you do need to be aware of though is that this is known in the trade as a ‘re-installation’ so you would need to have the vehicle inspected by qualified personnel as your van is now classed as a ‘habitual environment’.

It is actually very easy to come across caravans being dismantled due to minor accident damage and water ingress. As caravans change model line ups so often, many of the parts and molding’s used to build the caravans are no longer in production by the company, especially if it is an old caravan as it is not worth it financially for the insurer.

If you are prepared to put the work in then it is certainly feasible to get up and running in a campervan for bargain money, as long as you don’t mind a bit of hard graft.