An Aussies Guide to buying a Motorhome/Camper in Europe

So, you dream of having your own motorhome or camper to travel one of the most amazing continents on the planet? You’re an Aussie or a Kiwi or from another non European country and don’t reside in Europe and you don’t know where to start?

Welcome to my blog! I will start by saying I’m no expert, all the information I give you is based purely on our own experience. I’m here to help you get started on the road to having your own little house on wheels to roam a continent packed with culture, language diversity, history, beautiful landscapes, incredible food and wine the list goes on…  From the romance of Italy to the Fjords of Norway, it’s a motorhome/campervan paradise and it is easier than you think! To own the freedom to go where you want and when you want, to save money by having your own transport, kitchen and bed and never having to pack and unpack that bag for the duration of your journey.

Why we chose to buy a motorhome

For two main reasons:

• To save money
• Flexibility and freedom

To save money

As beautiful and diverse as Europe is it comes at a price. It’s the most expensive continent to travel, especially Western Europe and Scandinavia. Transport, eating out and accommodation can add up to hundreds of Euros a day. It’s not a budget travellers paradise by any means although Eastern Europe and Spain/Portugal are kinder to the pocket. It’s great for a short vacation up to a month but you need a second mortgage if you want to travel this way for months on end.  Europe has one of the best train networks in the world and travelling by rail is very rewarding and wonderful experience but it’s not cheap even with a pass and most passes are only good for a short period of time. Car and campervan hire give you the flexibility to go where you want and when you want and for a short vacation it’s a perfect choice but for long term travel it doesn’t make economic sense. Many car hire companies charge a premium for taking the car across a border even though you are still in the EU. We hired a car in the Netherlands but if we took it to Germany or Belgium we would have to pay 50 Euros!  In saying that, we have hired a car in Lithuania and travelled all the Baltics for a month, it was cheap with no restrictions.

By having a Motorhome/Campervan you have your transport, bed and kitchen all in one thus saving money on public transport, accommodation and eating out.  Many places throughout Europe have places you can camp for free or for a small fee so further saving money.

If you are going to be travelling Europe for months or even a year it makes more economical sense to buy rather than rent but how do you do that as a non-European resident? Well, I am here to tell you it can be done which is what this blog is about.  Do read on…

Flexibility and Freedom

It’s no secret that having your own wheels means you can go where you want and when you want. There are no timetables or worrying whether you will get a seat. You can get to those off the beaten path little villages, castles, beaches and National Parks, you can go anywhere where there is a road, but not all roads have public transport.

How we bought a Motorhome/Campervan in Europe as a non-European resident

When we started doing our research, we found the amount of information on how to buy a motorhome in Europe as a non-resident somewhat lacking.  The difficulty of purchasing a motorhome/camper is not in the actual purchase but the registration, you need to be a European resident with an address to be able to own a vehicle.  As a UK Citizen I could have easily purchased one in the UK but we chose to purchase our vehicle in Europe for reasons I will explain further on.

Fortunately, a couple of travel blogs I did find written by other Australians and information on forums came to the rescue and gave us some pointers as to where to purchase and how.

Before making that purchase there are few things to consider:

Rent vs Buy

Probably the first thing you should ask yourself is how long do you intend to travel for and would renting be better than buying.  If you are  travelling only for a short period like a month or even a couple of months then renting is likely to be a better option and certainly less hassle.  If you intend to travel for months or even a year then buying is definitely going to be the cheaper option.

Left-hand drive vs Right-hand drive

Before choosing where to buy your vehicle, ask yourself first where you are likely to spend most of your time.  Will it be the UK or the continent? We asked ourselves this question and for the most part of our trip we will be spending it on the continent, so it would make more sense for us to have a left-hand drive.  If you do choose to buy a vehicle in the UK then you need to be comfortable driving a right-hand drive vehicle on the right hand side of the road.  We can tell you now that driving a right-hand drive vehicle in Europe is easier than driving a left-hand drive vehicle in the UK as the roads are smaller and with hedges and stone walls it can be challenging, where in Europe the roads tend to be wider.

Know your budget

The idea of buying a motorhome/camper is a dream but I won’t lie here, it does come at a cost.  The price will depend on the type of vehicle and the age. VW Kombi campers, although they are vintage and small, are quite expensive as they are iconic and that is what you are paying for.  Campers and motorhomes come in all shapes and sizes and you can pay anything from €4000 to €70,000 and you get what you pay for.  The older the vehicle the more likely you are to have issues, so you also need to think about this and budget for possible maintenance and repairs.

Other costs are tax and insurance and depending on how long you choose to keep the vehicle it will need to have a service and MOT (roadworthy)  during your ownership.

There are also the costs of kitting it out, if you purchase your vehicle from a dealership then it’s very unlikely to come filled with all the necessities to make it a home like bedding, kitchen equipment etc. so you need to budget for these costs. If you purchase from eBay, Autotrader, Gumtree etc. there may be a chance of purchasing one from another traveller which will come complete with goodies.  For more information please see my blog  Aussies Guide to Setting up a Motorhome/Camper.

Are you mechanically minded and handy?

Buying an older vehicle can have its issues. We bought a 17-year-old Burstner and in the first couple of months we did have to fix a few things like the water pump needed replacing and the lights were not working properly. Fortunately, Vaughan is very handy, so he could fix most of the problems and what he couldn’t fix we had done at a garage.  He also made a couple of improvements on our motorhome before we set off on our journey. I will discuss these in a separate blog.

The more you can fix yourself the more you save but if you are not handy and you are unlucky then garage bills will add up.

Size, style and Layout

Motorhomes and campers come in all shapes and sizes and finding one that is the right fit for you doesn’t always come easy especially if you have never owned or rented one before.

There is quite a lot to say about this topic, so I will write a separate post on this in due course with more detail.

One thing I have to say is if you are like us and buying a vehicle for a few months jaunt around Europe and you want something with a buyback option then you options are more limited as few places offer this service. If it serves the purpose and is the right price and condition, then you don’t need to be too fussy.

You can afford to be pickier if you are purchasing for a long-term investment.

We have had Matilda for a few months now and you come to know what you like and what you don’t like. For us we could go a much shorter vehicle, we only ever use the second bench seat at the dining table for meals, but this could be easily omitted and substituted for the driver or passenger seat swivelling around to face the table (many motorhomes/campers have this design).  Omitting this extra bench seat would shorten the vehicle.  A larger garage would be a must, then we don’t have to pull everything out to get to that one item we need.  Having a raised bed to make space for a large garage is a great design.

Where we bought our motorhome/campervan (The Buy Back Scheme)

Please NOTE the following information I am about to provide was current at the time of writing (2018/2019) pre-pandemic.  Since the Pandemic things would have changed and some operators I have mentioned may no longer be operating or have changed hands so you will need to do your own research and follow ups.

When we started researching buying a motorhome we found the price of vehicles varied considerably in different countries. UK was more expensive compared to its European neighbours (Germany and the Netherlands), you would pay in pounds for vehicles what you pay in Euros across the pond. Also in the UK the insurance is more costly and especially when you extend it to cover Europe, UK insurers are also known to put caveats on the amount of time you can spend in Europe at anyone time.

In saying that though, you can probably pick up some bargains on Gumtree and eBay if you prefer a right-hand drive, but they are likely to be older vehicles and getting them through the UK MOT might be painful.  The advantage of buying in the UK is there is no language barrier although we never had issues with this in the Netherlands!

Options for where to buy vehicles are:

UK

• Autotrader
• Ebay
• Gumtree
• Facebook groups – You will find plenty of groups specifically for  buying/selling motorhomes and campers.

Europe

• Marktplaats (Netherlands)
• Mobile (Germany)
• Autotrader (Netherlands)
• BW Campers – Friends of mine bought from these guys and highly recommend them as providing good service and being honest. They can also source vehicles on your behalf. Vans are sold empty of goodies.
• EuropeCampingCars (France) – These guys were recommended to me by one of my blog readers, they are a British Couple who own this outfit and have very good reviews.  I would put these guys at the top of my list for contacting first.  Check though as they may not still be operating post covid.

We found the cheapest countries to purchase a motorhome/campervan is the Netherlands and Germany.  In the end we purchased our motorhome from the Netherlands from a small family run business called Camperfun who specialises in renting and selling vehicles to non-EU residents and have the option of buyback. Since the time of writing, the owner of Camperfun has since retired and has now become  Europe-Roadtrip. which is owned and run by the son.

I will just clarify here, because the vehicle is not in our name, in reality what we have done is leased the vehicle for a fixed amount and will sell it back for an agreed amount.

Before buying our van, we contacted three different businesses that specialise in sell and buyback to non-EU residents, all three were based in the Netherlands. I searched Germany as well but found nothing.

The three businesses I contacted were:

• Dutch Campervans 
• Camperfun also known as Europe-Roadtrip
• Bosma Campers

When I contacted Dutch Campervans they didn’t respond at all, so I gave them a miss.  Both Camperfun and Bosma responded,  Camperfun were better with communication than Bosma but we decided we would visit both to see what vehicles they have in stock and to assess their customer service.  From what we read others have bought vehicles sight unseen, but we were not going to do that, you would not buy a car sight-unseen so why would you do it with a motorhome!  Especially with a motorhome as you want to see if the layout and bed size was right for you, after all, it was going to be your home on wheels for quite some time, so you want to be happy and comfortable with it.

We spent a week in the Netherlands looking at vehicles at both Bosma (based in Emmen) and Camperfun (based in Hoogeveen) before making our decision.  Both businesses were within half an hour drive of each other.  Here is our comparison.

Bosma

Advantages

• Large range of vehicles of all sizes and price range
• Will do the registration, tax and insurance on your behalf
• Comes with warranty
• Offers buy back
• If there was an issue with accident or breakdown then contact would have been easy
• These guys would be my choice if we were able to buy the vehicle and put it in a friends/family name as they had a large range of vehicles.

Disadvantages

• Delivery comes as is, warranty and checks at extra cost (package) – This is not necessarily a bad thing as you know for sure the vehicle has been thoroughly checked.
• Delivered to you having been fully serviced and MOT but at an extra cost – Once again not necessarily a bad thing.
• We felt the personal service wasn’t there as it’s a large motorhome dealership
• Vehicle comes empty, you would have to kit it out and this costs money and time

Camperfun

Advantages

• Small family run business that specialises in renting and selling to non-EU residents so personal service was there provided you opt for buyback.
• Will do the registration, tax and insurance on your behalf
• Offer buyback
• Service and MOT and any fixes done before delivery. Although some customers complained about receiving vehicles in badly need of service and fixes  so thoroughly check your vehicle before handing over any money.
• Comes with basic 2-month warranty covering the engine.
• The vehicle comes kitted out with bedding, towels, kitchen stuff and other essentials that you don’t need to purchase. They have a large shed full of goodies to fill your van with so our outlay to kit out our motorhome was very little.
• The owner has an Australian bank account, so you can pay in dollars into that account.

Disadvantages

I have updated my list based on feedback through my blog from past clients, note though this is clients from pre-covid:-

• Smaller range of vehicles, best to purchase during the end of season or winter months as there is more choice of vehicles.
• Vehicles average 10 to 20 years old although I have been told that Europe-Roadtrip will source a newer vehicle of your choosing.
• Tardy with a response. Only one contact and has proven not to always be easy to get hold of straight away. This may be different with Europe-Roadtrip.
• Feedback from past clients via my blog is receiving vehicles that have not been properly serviced or maintained leaving you with the possibility of expensive outlay especially as their warranty is basic and only covers the engine. We got caught out with this when the water pump packed in only 3 weeks after collecting the vehicle.
• Only get service if you opt for buyback.
• Can be rude and unhelpful if you challenge them when things go wrong.

In the end, we bought our vehicle from Camperfun as they seem to have more experience with sell and buyback to foreigners. We were able to kit out our motorhome with all the homewares and necessities we needed which saved us a heap of extra outlay. We had access to tools and equipment to do improvements and help with repairs.  Even though the motorhome isn’t exactly what we were looking for in the beginning as we wanted something 6 meters or less we were happy with what we got in the end and having that extra space is a bonus.

Buying a vehicle is simple enough, registering it as a non-European resident can be the tricky bit.  If you are fortunate enough to have family or friends living in the country, you purchase your vehicle who can register it for you under their name or address then it’s all very easy.  I have a UK passport, so it would have been easy for us to buy a vehicle in the UK and register in my name using a family or friends address but we wanted a left-hand drive vehicle as we planned to spend more time on the continent than in the UK.

The Buyback Scheme

Buying a motorhome/campervan is straightforward but you don’t want to be stuck trying to sell your vehicle at the end of your trip especially if you are close to your Schengen visa expiring! Camperfun offer a buyback scheme which simply means they offer to purchase the vehicle back from you for an agreed price at the end of your trip.  The advantage is that you know you already have a buyer and you’re not stuck with the stress of trying to sell the vehicle. The disadvantage of this scheme is you may get much less for it as opposed to trying to sell it privately.

The Paperwork

Vehicle Check

If you choose to purchase on-line or from someone you don’t know then it is recommended to have the vehicle checked before purchase. My Car Check is a service that will give you information on the vehicle such as number of previous owners, outstanding unpaid loans, written off or even stolen.

Registration, Insurance and Tax

As a non-European resident without an address you can not register your vehicle in your name.  If you are fortunate to have a relative or friend in the country of purchase who can register it in their name or yours using their address, then it’s all easy.  Camperfun can do the registration, tax and insurance in their name on your behalf, so this gets around the issue of registration as a non-EU resident.  As mentioned already the whole process is like a long lease arrangement.

It does mean that if we have an accident or breakdown then we must call Camperfun as the vehicle is in their name which could take more time for resolution and leave you stranded a little longer.

Camperfun offered only  3^rd party. The excess though is quite high at 720 euro.

If you purchase a vehicle and able to put it into your name then you have the flexibility to choose your own insurance company and breakdown cover although you would need to check this as rules may be different depending on what country you make the purchase.  For example, if you were to purchase a vehicle in the UK then you need to know the following:

• If you are not a resident of the UK and don’t hold a UK drivers licence then your insurance options become limited.  At the time of writing, this blog a company called DU Insure will insure non-UK residents although check this company is still working.  A great option but from what I read don’t cover all European countries, especially those outside the EU.
• If you want to travel to Europe then you will need to purchase extended cover for Europe travel and you will need to check what countries they do cover, this can be expensive.  This may have changed with Brexit so you will need to follow up.
• Check with the Insurer if they put time restrictions on your travel in Europe for example a maximum of 60 days at any one time. Insurance companies in the UK are known to do this.

In short, UK insurance companies are restrictive and expensive in comparison to European Insurances and even more of a pain if you are not a UK resident.

Before choosing your insurance make a list of the countries you intend to visit and make sure your insurance covers those countries. The insurance company Camperfun uses covers all the countries we want to visit, even the non-EU countries.

Also in the UK you can not purchase Insurance or Road Tax without a valid MOT certificate.  Road Tax in the UK can be purchased on-line

The Green Card

The Green Card is an international certificate of insurance providing visiting motorists the minimum compulsory insurance cover required by the law of the country visited.   A green card is no longer compulsory for all countries in the Green Card System and you will not be asked for it. However, if you plan on visiting the following countries then you need to carry the green card with you and may be asked for it at the border:  We were asked for it at the Montenegrin border!

Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Israel, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine

The card is A4 sheet on green paper and must be the original, a copy printed on white paper will not be accepted.

On the Green Card form will be country codes and check boxes, make sure that a country you plan to visit is not “checked” if it is it means it is not covered.  There is an option to buy insurance at the border, costs will vary.

Note: Kosovo is not covered but you can purchase basic insurance at the border.

If you are purchasing in the UK then DU Insure offer insurance cover for non-UK Residents.  Bear in mind they don’t cover all European Countries.

MOT

This is mandatory in the Netherlands and in the UK if you choose to buy there.    It can be costly if your vehicle doesn’t pass so make sure your vehicle has had recent MOT before purchasing. Without MOT you cannot get Insurance and TAX.

International Drivers Permit

If you don’t have an EU licence, then it’s a good idea to have an IDP as some countries may ask for it. This can be obtained in your home country but also if you are Australian you can purchase it on-line through the state motoring organisations (RACV etc.) and have it sent to you like we did.

Storage

If you are planning on keeping your vehicle for a year or more like we are and won’t use it for a period of time like the winter months then you need to think about where you are going to store it. Many campgrounds do offer wintering as they call it where you can store it with them for a certain amount.

During the colder months late November to early April we will store our motorhome at Camperfun in Hoogeveen for a small fee of €25 a month where it will be kept inside a large shed.  During storage the insurance changes to mandatory of just €80 a month which covers fire and theft.  You do not pay the road tax while the vehicle is off the road.

Paying for the Vehicle

You have chosen your vehicle and now you have to pay for it!  Camperfun have a Australian bank account so you have the option of transferring the amount into that account to save on conversion fees. Unfortunately we were not told about it until after the event so transferred to Camperfun’s Dutch account using HiFx.  We do however pay our tax and insurance into the Australian account.

International Money Transfer companies fees change so it’s worth shopping around before choosing one.  They offer much better rates than banks.

Final Note:

Would I buy again through Camperfun or Europe-Roadtrip?  I have to be honest and I would probably check other options first to see what other players there are in the market. We also considered next time maybe buying one in the UK.  Our experience was based on buying though Camperfun not Europe-Roadtrip, even though we had no major problems I feel that if anything had gone wrong we would not have received good service, we were lucky.  However feedback from a good friend of ours who did go through Europe-Roadtrip said he would likely send people their way.

Published: November 2018

Updated: August 2022