Our campervan had its second birthday this month. It was a big purchase, so I thought I'd reflect on whether, after two years, I'm happy that it was a good buy.
First, I'll outline why a campervan was in my sights in the first place. It started around 10 years back, watching a TV programme called Going RV which showed big American RVs and fifth-wheel caravans, so nothing remotely like the campervan that we eventually bought. But an interest was triggered.
Next came #vanlife on YouTube. While I scoff at reality TV shows and wouldn't be seen dead watching Big Brother, The Kardashians or Love Island, I was hooked on YouTube vanlifers, devouring each video put out by the likes of Eamon & Bec, Trent & Allie and Max & Lee. Yes, I do see my reality TV versus reality YouTube hypocrisy! Anyway, these vanlife guys seem to be living the life - new places, exciting adventures, all done in a smallish van that they converted themselves. Plus, they're confident, young and good looking too!
Why wouldn't I want to be like them? So, I figured, if we bought a van and converted it into a camper (after all, Sally likes DIY), that would be an adventure in itself. Then we'd hit the open road, head off into the sunset, visit those new places, have exciting adventures and, the pièce de résistance, I'd become young and good looking too!
It was a great idea if I ignore that Sally didn't want to live life on the open road for months at a time and didn't want to convert a van. She also made the good points that even if she had wanted to do the conversion, we had nowhere to do it nor anywhere to park it once done.
I assumed my campervan dream was over, but still watched my vanlife YouTube "friends". Eventually, I sat down with Sally and told her that the idea was still in my head and I had to either do something about it or I must try harder to consign it to the bin. Obviously, given our campervan is having its second birthday, it wasn't the bin.
What we didn't do, and what we did
Sally was telling the truth when she said she didn't want to do the conversion, that we had nowhere to do it and nowhere to park the finished article. So, we didn't buy a Mercedes Sprinter, Fiat Ducato or Ford Transit and convert it ourselves. We weren't like my YouTube vanlife idols in that way.
Instead, we bought a smaller van, a Volkswagon Transporter 6.1 that would fit into the underground parking of our apartment. And instead of converting it ourselves, a campervan conversion company did that.
We also spent a lot of money buying it - €78,594, which at today's exchange rates is £67,500 or US$85,800. Eek! I talk a bit more about the cost in my June 2021 costs post in case you want some more detail. By the way, we bought it in Covid times, and campervan prices, both new and used, were crazy.
And if you want to see a bit more about what we bought, have a look at the we got our campervan post.
Was it a good buy? Why I'd say yes...
We've been away more often than we would have done if we didn't have it and we've been to some places that we wouldn't have otherwise gone to.
I had a dream and we made it come true. I like that I won't therefore look back in future years and wonder if I should have done it, because I did do it.
Was it a good buy? Why I'm not so sure...
Unfortunately, while the YouTube vanlifers are often young and good looking, buying a campervan hasn't turned me into an Adonis, I just can't understand what went wrong😞
I spent 23 nights in it during 2022 and in the first six months of 2023 I'm at 22 nights. That's not as much as I expected, although I'm certain it is more trips more places than if we'd not had the campervan. However, I'm not convinced we're using it enough to warrant the cost.
I struggle with the environmental aspect of having a diesel campervan. I try to be environmentally conscientious, and the campervan doesn't seem to tick the box on this.
So, has the campervan been a good buy?
My head leans towards no. It says we don't use it enough and I should be making a better environmental choice, so it's not been a good buy.
But, my heart says yes. It likes that I've gone for it, that we have been to more places and seen more things, and I won't be looking back and saying "what if?". On that measure, it's been a good buy.
In any case, whether a good buy or not, I'm glad we did it. I had my idea and made it happen. That's how I'd like to lead my life (even though I don't always manage it) - my little version of trying to live without regret and not looking back and saying "I wish".
I do wonder if we should sell it, buy an electric car and a tent, although I suspect the tent idea would send Sally into a tailspin and wouldn't get used much. But at other times, I think we should keep the camper and keep on trying to have adventures. These really are first world, early retirement dilemmas that I'm very lucky to have.