Campervan Economics

So, you want to get a campervan?

Good choice; good move!

There's nothing better in my view: the places you can go, the things you can see, the freedom - nothing beats it.

But which one, what budget?

There are many options; many different budget levels. You can spend as little as a few thousand (if you're handy with spanners, and don't mind getting your hands dirty with a few repairs).

Or at the other end of the scale, you can get a brand spanking new one for £60,000 to £100,000.

And you needn't stop there, the sky is the limit!

The Rule of Thumb

As a general rule (and it is just a general rule), you can bet on a camper van being roughly double the cost of it's base vehicle. So, if a Volkswagen Transporter might cost, say £40k for a base van, it'll be close to £80k as a campervan.

A quality, second-hand van of say 10-12 years old, with low-ish mileage might be £10-15k as a base vehicle, and £20-30k as a camper.

Again, it's only a rough rule of thumb, don't hold me to it. Prices from different manufacturers will vary, as will the specification and build quality.

Manufactured Vehicles, Conversions and Self Builds

Some manufacturers, most notably Volkswagen, make campervans themselves; they roll straight off the production line like any other vehicle. It has all the kit: bed, cooking facilities, electrics, ready to go. You pay your money and drive it off the dealership forecourt. Job done.

Conversely, campervan conversion companies are specialist coach builders who will take a base vehicle from Volkswagen, Ford, or another mainstream manufacturer and build a campervan around it. They may offer standard models that can be bought off the forecourt, or you may commission them to build one on your behalf.

The build quality of a good coach-built conversion can be as good as the manufacturers own model. Sometimes it can be better in quality and specification. Sometimes it can be worse. The market varies.

Others decide to build their own. The quality of workmanship and specification will vary depending on who did the building, their budget, level of skill and attention to detail. You'll need to assess whether it's up to scratch and worth the money if you're buying one second-hand.

Or, you can have a go and build one yourself!

Converting a campervan is a one way street: you take a base vehicle, you turn it into a campervan, and it will always be a campervan. You screw, cut, fit-out and re-wire it. You change it forever. It's never going back.

Upsides and Downsides

The upsides are easy: you're going to be able to go anywhere and everywhere at the drop of a hat. Your new holiday home is parked outside your house. You carry your accommodation with you wherever you go.

Weigh this up agist the normal costs of holidays: flights, accommodation, meals, etc, and you're going to be quids in. The campervan will probably save you money in the long run.

But there's other things to consider: will this be an additional vehicle in your family, or your daily driver?

Even though they're great for trips away, sometimes campervans don't fit the bill for day-to-day use: seating and cargo space may be compromised; fuel economy might not be as good as you're used to (remember, you're driving around with the weight of your bed and kitchen wherever you go), plus - possibly most importantly - your putting wear and tear on a vehicle that costs twice the price of it's base vehicle alternative.

It's worth factoring these costs in.

If you are going to keep your daily driver car and use the camper for recreation only, consider this: vehicles, like all mechanical things, don't like to be left standing. You can suffer more wear and tear on a vehicle by not using it. If it's left standing for long periods, when you come to use it you may find the battery is dead, the brakes have seized, there are issues with electrics, and the interior has a musty damp smell about it. Not the best way to start your holiday!

The bottom line: run it regularly, use it. Don't leave it standing.

The campervan will also need to be taxed, insured, serviced and maintained. These fixed-costs exist whether you use it a little, or a lot.

So, what's the answer?

The answer is...

Like most things in life, there is no right answer!

There are no absolute solutions, only trade-offs. You'll make the choice that's right for you: your situation, your requirements, your budget.

I can tell you what I did though. That's where the idea of the HUTT Bootcamp came from. It was my own solution, a 'third way.'

The Third Way

For me, cost, and 'total cost of ownership' was a big factor.

I was getting older, my kids were growing up. There were things to do and places to go, and it felt like time was of the essence: I wanted to work less, do more.

Life experiences had taught me a bitter lesson - our time on this earth is short. I vowed to make the most of every day, minute, second.

The old ethos of 'work harder to get more' was wearing thin. To be honest, it was wearing me out! I wanted to work less and travel more, capture these moments while it lasted.

Sorry, I'm blabbering - I'll stick to the point!

I could have quite easily bought a campervan to complement my two existing family cars, but I reckoned this was the wrong direction to go. If I had 'one vehicle that did it all', I'd be quids in, plus I got to do it my way: I could have more flexibility and lower cost than having a daily driver plus an additional leisure vehicle.

That's what the BootCamp does: it adds camper and leisure vehicle capability to the vehicle you already own (or the one you'll buy).

Running costs are the same as your daily driver, capital costs are lower (the couple of grand you spend on your BootCamp is nowhere near the vehicle_cost x 2 of a campervan).

And BootCamp can be taken in / out when you need it / don't need it.

Or with the caping modules removed, it's a useful addition for daily load-carrying, shopping carrying duties.

Your camping experience is more minimalist than a campervan. For me, that's an advantage, for others, it may not be their thing.

But from my perspective, the cost and utility advantages of a 'one vehicle that does it all' outweighs all. And that's where the BootCamp finds it's niche: for those that want simplicity and flexibility all-in-one.

At the end of the day, we don't need more stuff; we just need to do more with what we have.

Good luck with your decision-making. If you need any help, be sure to reach out, I'd be happy to talk it through with you.

See you on the road...