Buying and renovating the camper van!

I talked about it in the practical guide! Choosing your vehicle to set off on the big adventure of nomadic life is no small task. Feel free to read the dedicated article on the subject to find a few tips. Today, I am sharing the experience, from purchase to the end of the renovation.

Buying the vehicle: finding the right deal.

I will not lie to you, I was extremely lucky with the camper van. But my case should prove that with patience and organization, you can find a rare gem.

The search began on September 1, 2021, just after handing back the keys to the studio in Nantes. The leap into the unknown! Without housing and without a way to move around, I was able to stay temporarily with relatives in Noirmoutier. That was really when I started browsing LeBoncoin every day, from morning to evening.

It was a very pleasant period - I was at the beginning of the “vanlife” adventure, with that thirst for freedom - but I still had to find this new home on wheels.

Finding the right listing and knowing how to react quickly.

After several days spent searching, and even going to see vehicles in person without being convinced, I came across a listing that matched exactly what I was looking for. A 1996 Ford Transit 2.5L turbo diesel camper van, with overcab bed, bathroom at the back, two desk spaces, an equipped kitchen, lots of storage, and a valid technical inspection. Let’s go!

The first positive point was that I called very quickly after the listing was published, and I was the first to go see it. It is no secret: this lifestyle is becoming more and more popular, and converted vehicles sell at crazy speed. You absolutely have to be very reactive and decide quickly, which is why preparing everything beforehand matters. Do not start searching if you do not have a very clear idea of what you need, or if you do not have the money to buy very quickly. You risk wasting your time and energy.

The second point that worked in my favor was that the seller was an elderly man who was in a hurry to sell his vehicle. I made him an offer very quickly, which suited him, and everything was organized in two days.

And that is how, on September 11, 2021, thanks to a gentle succession of events in my favor, I became the owner of a 1996 camper van with only 92,000 kilometers on the clock, for 11,200 euros. The dream became reality.

The beginning of the renovation: feeling good at home.

Although this camper van matched all my basic criteria, it badly needed a little refresh. I wanted to say goodbye to the fabric on the ceiling, to the old lino on the floor, to the 1996 floral patterns on the cushions, and make it electrically autonomous.

- Redoing the ceiling

I first started by removing all the fabric already in place, which was already coming loose in places. That had the advantage of letting me see that the wood underneath was in perfect condition. However, it took me two extra days of work to remove the dried neoprene glue under the fabric using an electric sander and arm strength, before I could lay fiberglass.

Once the wood was cleared of all that old powdered neoprene, I glued fiberglass sections and then repainted them white with anti-humidity and anti-mold paint. The result is magical! A white ceiling already made it look much more modern. The vehicle seemed bigger because it became brighter. The camper van had just undergone its first renovation.

Neoprene, my love

- Making cushion covers

For the cushions, I was lucky to find that all the foam inside was in perfect condition. I “only” had to buy fabric. Without much sewing skill, I had to ask for a little outside help and borrow some equipment.

I managed to make new covers in only four days, using the old ones to create patterns on the fabric. Once finished, the camper van was really starting to look good. There was nothing more satisfying than seeing the results of our work, little by little.

- Laying a new floor

For the floor, I decided to leave the original lino in place and lay adhesive faux parquet planks over it. It was not only a budget question, though a little, because I absolutely had to think about the vehicle’s total weight. Real wooden planks would have added far too much weight, especially since I also had to anticipate the future weight of the new battery and all our personal belongings.

This compromise was perfect and allowed me to have a much more pleasant-looking floor. In the end, it was almost the step that took me the most time, because of the number of cuts I had to make. But it was worth it.

The little beer at the end of laying the floor

- Becoming electrically autonomous

Last step, and not the least! Redoing the original electrical plan to create a new circuit running with a solar panel. I could write a dedicated article on this subject because there is so much to say, and maybe that will come… But the essential thing is that it took several days of preparation beforehand to properly evaluate future consumption, the need, and therefore which components to buy. Then I had to understand how the vehicle’s electrical network was built and exactly where to intervene.

All of this was largely possible thanks to MyShopSolaire, where I bought all the electrical equipment and with whom I exchanged at length to install the solar panel safely, in only two days after receiving the components.

It may look messy, but in reality it is a clean installation

Final cost

Put together, with the interior repainting and a few other things here and there, it took almost two full months to complete this renovation project. The budget was between 2,500 and 3,000 euros. Adding the purchase price, I became the owner of a 6.40-meter-long vehicle, without needing a heavy-vehicle license, almost refurbished like new and electrically autonomous, for under 15,000 euros.

So yes, you might tell me that it is still a significant amount of money, or maybe not. But some vehicles alone can cost three times that, or even much more. Still, I no longer have rent to pay, no electricity or water bills, and no loan to repay. All that remained was to go where I wanted. In the end, maybe it was worth it, don’t you think?

If you liked this article, do not hesitate to let me know and share it around you. And if you are renovating your vehicle and have specific questions for me, or if you would like more details about what I was able to do, feel free to ask! I would be happy to talk about it with you.

The pleasure of enjoying every sunset, even when it freezes.