Some vehicle tips

You need a vehicle to make the most of your time in NZ. If you are planning on getting work with accommodation - buy a small car thats fuel efficient. Book hostels and accommodation when you travel. Van life takes commitment and it’s not for me as I’ve realised. I worked 3 different jobs, all with accommodation provided and could have done without the van in hindsight. But I don’t regret buying a van overall as it was a fun new experience. You don’t need insurance, but I would strongly recommend 3rd party minimum. New Zealand roads are bad and the drivers are worse. If you want a van, you will have a hell of time selling it coming into winter. On the other hand, it’s a great time to buy as there are many on the market. Everyone is trying to sell a van for more than they paid. If you’re buying from backpackers, use this to your advantage. They need a sale and you can negotiate a more favourable price. I bought a van for $9.5k (I paid the backpacker price) and sold it for $7k a week before my flight home. I was also offered $3k and $4k respectively elsewhere and this was my backup. Trade me is a great website and will also give you a value for all vehicles. If your new to van life and want to be comfortable long term, look for a setup with fridge, solar, phone chargers etc. But don’t compromise on taking an older vehicle. They all get past the point of repairing over 350,000-400,000km judging by the market. You want to be able to sell it in after to recoup some of the cost. Look for something under 250,000km. When you’re looking at vans, test everything, do all the features advertised work. It’s got solar, test it. It has electric doors, test them. Does the sink work properly? The van I bought had leaking grey water pipes which was a pleasant surprise on our first trip away. Most important of all, consider the mechanical side. Consider a CoF, certificate of fitness that you will likely pay for. Why should you buy a poorly maintained van for the inflated backpackers price. If you don’t get a CoF, make sure you test drive it for at least 10 minutes. If it’s going to be yours, it’s got to be right. Finally, consider the maintenance costs on top of the purchase price. I paid for 2 new front tires, a flat tire, cracked ball joint, service, WoF, registration and tightening of a loose bolt in the suspension which took 2 different mechanic shops to resolve. This all adds up. Best of luck with your travels and enjoy.