RV Camper Vans For Sale

Are those RV camper vans for sale really what you want? You don't want to be like those people who buy one, only to find there's not enough room for everything they want to take along. Save yourself some money and the hassle of trading up, and be honest with yourself about your needs and expectations.

Consider how you plan to use a camper. Is it just for weekends and short trips, or do you plan to live in it full-time or seasonally? How many people will be in it? Four people can usually camp in a van for a short time, but for longer durations, one or two people may be all anyone's nerves can take.

What amenities do you need? No, really think about it. You'll find RV camper vans for sale with just the bare basics or with all the luxuries. You may think you can get by with just a bed, sink, and stove, but consider how many days you can go without a shower and still consider it an adventure. How long until you're tired of trying to find a fast food joint to use the toilet? What if you come down with the intestinal flu? In the middle of the night?

If you're sure you only need the basics, it will be easier to find vans for sale in your price range. You could even go with a vintage Volkswagen if you're a bit of an old hippie. But if you want more amenities, rest assured that you can find camper vans with kitchens, toilets, water storage, 120-volt hookups, and, yes, even showers.

Photo courtesy Helena

Modern camper vans are simply modified Ford, Chevy, GMC, or Dodge vans, so it's not hard to get used to driving them. That's the reason most people prefer them. They're easy to maneuver and they are much safer in a crash than the large RVs. They certainly get better gas mileage. And parking is rarely an issue; they will fit in most parking lot spaces or along the street.

On a vacation, an RV camper van can go places the big guys can't. You'll be able to really escape the crowds since you won't be limited to an RV park. Drivers of the huge RVs have to tow a smaller vehicle so they can drive around to the sights, but you can just drive a camper van wherever you want to go.

Now that you're sure of what you want, where do you find RV camper vans for sale? Of course, for a new one you can just go to an RV dealer and see what they have on the lot or order one custom made. But I'm guessing you don't feel the need to spend quite that much money.

Good used RV camper vans can be hard to find locally. After all, it's not something that everyone has and replaces periodically like a car. RV dealers will have used campers they've taken as trades, but you're likely to find a better price buying from an individual. The classic places to look are the newspaper classifieds or the free shopper papers.

If you don't find the camper van you want locally -- and there's a good chance you won't -- you'll need to branch out, accepting that you'll have to drive a bit to check them out. You can search locally and more distantly on Craigslist, but it is cumbersome to look at each community separately. Try SearchTempest to search multiple locations on Craigslist within a chosen search radius. MotorhomeFinds and RVTraderOnline specialize in recreational vehicles. And, of course, eBay is the place to find some good deals.

eBay gives you plenty of tools and resources to use when searching for RV camper vans for sale so you can feel confident about your purchase. However, you still have to do a little homework and use common sense. The first step is to think about what you need in an RV camper van, how much you're willing to pay (don't forget to consider the added costs of tax, title, registration and transportation), and, since it's probably not in your home town, how you will take possession once you've made the purchase.

Next, do a search on eBay and find some likely prospects. Now you're ready to do some research. Everything you need is right there on the internet and on eBay for researching the vehicle, the seller, and any associated costs.

• Research the vehicle: Read the vehicle description closely. This is where the seller presents the details like make, model, year, mileage, condition, and amenities of the camper van. They'll tell you their terms of sale and payment requirements.
  
  If the seller hasn't already included the vehicle history report in the listing, you can get one yourself from AutoCheck or Carfax. Based on the VIN, the report provides information about possible issues like major accident damage, odometer rollback, fleet usage, hail or flood damage, prior theft or salvage, as well as the number of previous owners.
  
  Check the Kelley Blue Book to see what the camper van is worth, and peruse eBay's Reviews & Guides to see if other eBay Motors members have rated the vehicle.


• Research the seller: You'll want to know as much about the seller as possible. Check out the seller's profile and read feedback from previous customers. Contact the seller directly if you have any questions; they should be happy to help you.


• Research costs: If you need financing, click the Payment tab right there on the page to find out estimated payments and connect with a lender. The Shipping tab helps you estimate and arrange shipping if you can't go pick up the camper van yourself.

It may sound like a lot of work, but it really doesn't take that much time to assure yourself you are getting a good deal on a sound vehicle. eBay is a great place to find a huge selection of RV camper vans for sale. I used eBay to buy the Astro van I lived in; it was a smooth transaction, and I got years of use from it.

So have you found the perfect
RV camper van for you?

Go ahead and place a bid. Soon you could be rolling down
the road in your very own freedomobile!

Photo courtesy Handolio