How to build a Campervan

In New Zealand, traveling by bus is quite exhausting and expensive. By the way, the heavy backpack becomes heavier day by day... Therefore, many backpackers long for their own campervan.

Advantages of having your own car:

- Flexibility: you can reach places that you can't reach by bus, whenever you like.

- Free accommodation: at certain parking lots (App: camperMate or wikicamps)

Disadvantages of having your own car:

- Time-consuming: car search, car check (you should definitely have your car checked by a mechanic before buying it)

- Expenses: acquisition costs, fuel, insurance, WOF (license plate), REG (registration), service, other renovations, in-car (as well as the entire camping equipment and sleeping gear)

- Risk: accidents

Our Story

Day 2 in NZ, NOT YET
Gerlinde was motivated and wanted to buy a car on the first day. So we wrote to a few people on Facebook who advertised their cars in various backpacker groups. Already on the second day, we had our first car viewing in Auckland. However, the guy seemed unreliable, so we decided - luckily - not to take the car right away. Later we found out that the prices on Facebook are very overpriced... For me, buying a car was still a bit too early. We didn't have a bank account yet and had to figure out everything here, etc. In the end, I managed to convince Gerlinde to wait a bit and meanwhile travel by bus.

For the first 2 weeks, we bought an Intercity bus ticket with 15 hours of travel time to get around a bit on the North Island. But then the bus trips became too tiring for us, so we started looking for cars again...

Day 13 in Tauranga, LOOKING FOR A RIDE

Gerlinde and I went on Facebook and trademe in the evening to look for and check out some cars. Then we found a campervan that met all our requirements. The only catch was that the car was in Gisborne (about 2.5 hours away). Nevertheless, we wanted it and decided to take the long journey the next day. In the evening, we told our Couchsurfing host Shane about our achievement. However, he was not thrilled at all. 320,000 km, $3700... oh no. He said he would find us something better. Shortly afterwards, we received 3 text messages from him with car links. However, they were just 'normal' cars where you still had to install the bed, etc. Okay, let's see...

Day 14 in Tauranga, STILL LOOKING FOR A RIDE

In the morning at breakfast, Shane showed us the cars again that he had already sent us. He was totally excited and wanted to show us the cars in person. Okay, why not! He took us with his car to the car dealer. There was a white Honda, and I was allowed to take a test drive! Crazy. My first drive on the left side of the road and my companion - SHANE, our Couchsurfing host, hehe. Apparently, he was terrified during the drive (Gerlinde in the back seat too). Okay, I have to admit, the first roundabout almost went wrong... but after a few intersections, it was almost normal. We were really excited about the car and decided to take it. However, Shane was still not 100% convinced and kept looking on Trademe (like classifieds in NZ). Suddenly, he talked to a lady. It was about a Toyota Estima and we could get it for $3700 instead of $4200, with 197,000 km. Shane immediately made the deal on the phone and said that we would pick up the car tomorrow. That's awesome! We trusted Shane completely :))) The only catch here was that the car was in Rotorua (1 hour away). He wanted to take us there by car the next day, but we declined with thanks because we still had bus hours left.

Day 15 in Rotorua, WE GOT IT!

We picked up our baby and couldn't believe that we finally had a car. Our car seller registered us as the new owners online, and we arranged the motor vehicle liability insurance over the phone, really easy.

For me, Gerlinde's first drive on the left side was not so relaxing, but we arrived safely :)

Day 16. - 22. BUILDING A CAMPERVAN

We checked into a hostel to dedicate the next few days to our baby. On the first day, cleaning was on the agenda. Both of us cleaned for 2 hours, the car was so dirty...

Then we went to the Warehouse, where we got curtain rods, bedding, etc. When we wanted to mount them, they didn't stick with super glue :D and when we tried to remove the car seats, it seemed impossible - so we went to sleep frustrated. *Tomorrow is another day* we thought...

After 3 nights in Rotorua, we checked out and made our way back home to Tauranga :) Accompanied by #Baby one more time and #one love, we were already looking forward to when it would be 'ready to sleep'. However, the way there still seemed very far :(

We chilled out in a shopping center and started looking for a job again, how we could manage with the car, and where we could sleep tonight. It wasn't easy at all. We wrote countless applications, inquiries on Couchsurfing, and watched YouTube videos #how to build a campervan. :)

All of a sudden, I received a message from Nicole, the house sitter (see previous post). Nice! So we stayed there for 3 nights to get our car ready. Gerlinde started with the curtains.

We made them from a blue bedsheet, cutting it into pieces and sewing it together. We somehow had to make a bed, but how?? We drove into town and looked for a hardware store. There was a lot of wood outside a building, so we had to go there. We got out of the car and went up the stairs. I knocked on the door and told the men about our construction project. They stared at me as if I were a ghost. When they said it was the marketing department and that we just had to go down to the garage, I was very embarrassed. We burst out laughing when we left.

Downstairs was a huge hall with lots of wooden boards. A young man named James, over 2m tall, helped us. We told him with all our charm what we were planning and asked if he could help us. He was pretty shy and awkward and always had to ask his colleagues. As his efforts to help us increased, his colleagues started teasing him. An older colleague made a wolf howl as he walked past us. Gerlinde couldn't stop laughing. Another colleague put a sign on the window *Focus James :-)* while he was sawing boards for us. ;-)

He always agreed with our suggestions for the bed frame *Sweet...* that was probably his favorite word. When all the pieces of wood were cut, we asked if we could pick them up tomorrow, as we still had to give back the seats... Sweet...all good.

On the way home, we stopped at a mechanic to ask if he could remove the seats for us. He said yes, but it was very time-consuming and would cost $150-200 WTF. We couldn't afford that... what should we do now? We asked Shane if he knew someone who could remove the seats for us at a favorable price. *I can do this* Wow. He even offered to store the seats for us. So nice!! Day saved. The next day, we went to Shane, but somehow felt uncomfortable because we were asking him for help again... but he was visibly excited, gave us his tools, and off we went. It really took us 2-3 hours to unscrew those stupid seats and remove the rails.

Then we immediately started working on the bed. He provided us with his drilling machine, screws, etc., and we got started. He couldn't believe how well we did it. He had underestimated us! *Kiwi girls would never do this,* he said amazed at the end. We were also proud of ourselves!!

He then attached the curtain rods for us and sawed a board for us to use as a backrest (which we currently use as a cooking table). When we were finally finished, we thanked him countless times and wanted to ask what he would get for it. *Just bring me a bottle of rosé wine, but a cheap one* He's so nice! What would we have done without him...

At Nicole's place, we put the mattress in, Gerlinde made the bed, and we were sooooooo happy!! Finally!!!

In the evening, we were so motivated that we immediately drove to Coromandel (3 hours drive) and slept in the car for the first time in an overnight parking lot in Coromandel. We did it. ❤