How to stay safe when selling your campervan or motorhome

Selling a campervan should be an enjoyable thing

Selling a campervan or motorhome should be a fun and safe experience. You are finding a new home for your vehicle so it can continue its journey, and you should not be at risk in doing so. Most of the people who contact you on our Campervan and Motorhome Marketplace will be exactly who they say they are: a couple buying their first camper, a visitor to New Zealand, a family upgrading, or someone who has hired one and decided to take the plunge and buy their own.

But campervans and motorhomes sit in a price bracket that attracts a small number of people who are not genuine. Knowing what to look for can save you a lot of trouble during a sale.

What does a scam buyer look like?

There is no single red flag, but the same handful of patterns come up again and again. Any one of these on its own might be innocent, but if you spot them it is a signal to slow down and ask for more information.

They want to move very quickly

A message that goes almost immediately to “how can I make payment” is often an indication that something is not right. A campervan or motorhome is a significant purchase, and a genuine buyer will usually take their time over it. Not wanting more information or a viewing is a red flag.

The message is vague

Genuine buyers ask about specific things. Odometer reading, self-containment certification, what the fit-out is like, when they can come and see it. A message along the lines of “I am interested, kindly advise” with no mention of the van itself is usually automated.

They do not want to view the vehicle in person

Anyone buying a vehicle at this price will want to see it. Be cautious of buyers who say they are overseas, buying on behalf of somebody else, or wanting to arrange freight or a courier collection without ever seeing the van.

The offer is too good

Full asking price, or above it, with no questions and no viewing, is not how people buy campervans or motorhomes. It is how people set up a payment scam.

The payment method is unusual

Cryptocurrency, gift cards, a payment service you have never heard of, or an offer to pay more than the asking price and have you refund the difference. All are red flags.

They ask you to pay for a report from a provider you have not heard of

This one deserves a closer look, because it is currently one of the most common scams aimed at sellers rather than buyers.

It usually plays out like this: the buyer seems keen and asks sensible questions, then says they will only go ahead once you have obtained a vehicle history report, and sends you a link to a particular provider. The site looks professional. You enter your card details, pay twenty or thirty dollars, and either no report arrives or what does arrive is worthless.

The report was never the point. The website is the scam, and your card details were what they were after. Some of these sites also sign you up to a recurring subscription that is hard or impossible to cancel.

How do I protect myself?

On our marketplace, buyers contact sellers directly, so the conversation is between the two of you from the start. That is deliberate, because it keeps things simple, but it does mean the sense-checking is on you.

• Take your time. A genuine buyer will not rush you, and pressure to act today is itself a warning sign.
• Only meet in person when you are comfortable, somewhere public and in daylight, and have someone with you. For example, a supermarket car park is a perfectly reasonable place to show a campervan.
• Do not share your ID, bank details or home address early on. None of it is needed to answer questions about the van.
• Go with them on the test drive, check their licence first, and make sure your own insurance covers someone else driving. Keep hold of the keys when you are not in the vehicle.
• Trust your instincts. You are allowed to say no to a buyer.

How do I handle payment safely?

This is where most of the risk sits, and the rule is simple. The van does not leave until the money has landed in your account.

Not a screenshot of a transfer or a pending notification, or an email that looks like it came from a bank. Log into your own banking, see the funds sitting there as available, and only then hand over the keys and the paperwork.

A few specifics worth knowing:

• Interbank transfers in New Zealand usually clear the same day, but not always instantly. It is entirely normal to wait, and a genuine buyer will understand.
• If someone overpays and asks you to refund the difference, stop. That is one of the oldest patterns there is.
• If you are accepting cash for a lower-value van, count it at a bank branch rather than at the roadside, and check it carefully.
• Never accept a cheque, and be wary of any arrangement involving a third party holding the funds unless it is a service you chose and recognise.

If you take a deposit

Deposits are a sensible way to hold a van for a buyer who needs a few days to arrange finance or travel, and they are also a common source of argument. Put the terms in writing before the money moves: the amount, what it is holding, how long for, and whether it is refundable if the buyer changes their mind.

Keep it modest, a few hundred dollars rather than a few thousand, and treat the full payment rules above as still applying to the balance.

What checks will a serious buyer run?

Here is the useful thing about due diligence: a buyer who is running proper checks is a buyer who is serious. If they are paying for a vehicle report or a pre-purchase inspection, that is a clear sign of commitment. Welcome it rather than resisting it, and be ready with the answers.

A vehicle history report

Most buyers will order a report from CARJAM or MotorWeb. It shows the registration history, odometer readings over time, whether the vehicle has been reported stolen or previously damaged, and whether there is money owing against it.

It may be worth running one on your own van before you list. It costs very little, it means nothing on that report can surprise you halfway through a negotiation, and you can share it with buyers to help the conversation along.

Those two are the established New Zealand providers, and that is exactly the point made above. Use a name you recognise rather than a link somebody sends you.

A check for money owing

The Personal Property Securities Register records security interests against vehicles, which in plain terms means money still owed to a lender. If there is finance outstanding on your campervan, clear it before you sell. A buyer who purchases a vehicle with a registered security interest can have it repossessed by the lender, which is a serious problem for them and a serious problem for you.

A pre-purchase inspection

Many buyers will want an independent mechanical inspection, and the AA is the usual choice. Their pre-purchase inspection is a 100-plus point check taking around 75 to 90 minutes, currently $199 for AA members and $229 for non-members. Mobile inspections are available in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Whangārei, Napier and Hastings, where they come to you. You can also book by calling 0800 500 333 and choosing option one.

What paperwork do I need to sort?

Tell NZTA the same day

NZTA does not record who owns a vehicle. It records who the registered person is, meaning who is responsible for licensing and compliance. Until you tell them you have sold, that is still you, and so are any parking tickets, speeding fines and licensing fees for a vehicle you no longer own.

You can notify online through NZTA. The buyer completes their own notification separately, and it is worth checking they have actually done it rather than assuming. Alternatively you can visit an NZ Post store that processes vehicle transactions.

Road user charges

If your campervan runs on diesel, you are legally required to make sure it has a current RUC licence when you sell. Sort this before handover rather than leaving it for the new owner to discover.

Keep a written record

Write down the date, the agreed price, the odometer reading, and the buyer’s full name and address, and both sign it. Two copies, one each. It takes two minutes and it is the only thing that helps if there is a dispute later.

Hand over the history

Service records, the self-containment certificate, gas certification, the current WoF or CoF, and any build documentation if it was a custom conversion. Good paperwork is part of what you are selling.

Once the vehicle has gone

Cancel your insurance only once the change of registered person has gone through, not the moment the van drives away. Keep your record of the sale somewhere safe for a few years, and if the van was listed anywhere else, take those listings down so nobody is chasing a vehicle that has already sold.

What if something feels wrong?

• Stop responding. You do not owe anyone an explanation, and continuing the conversation only gives a scammer more to work with.
• Do not share anything further, particularly financial or identity details.
• If you have already given card details to a site a buyer sent you, contact your bank straight away and ask them to block the card.
• Block the number or account they contacted you on.
• Tell us at nzmarketplace@quirkycampers.com so we can look into it and warn other sellers.

Frequently asked questions

Should I let a buyer test drive my campervan?

Yes, with sensible precautions. Check their driver licence, go with them, keep it short and local, and confirm your insurance covers another driver. A buyer who refuses to show a licence is a red flag, and you should not allow a test drive.

Is a bank transfer safe?

A completed bank transfer is the safest method for payment. The risk is not the transfer, it is handing over the van before the money has actually arrived. Wait until you can see cleared funds in your own account.

Should I pay for a vehicle report if a buyer asks me to?

Not at their instruction, and never through a link they send you. If you want a report, order it yourself from CARJAM or MotorWeb. A genuine buyer runs their own checks at their own cost.

Do I have to tell NZTA that I have sold the camper?

Yes, and straight away. Until you do, you remain the registered person and any tickets or fees are yours. It takes a couple of minutes online.

What if there is still finance owing on my campervan?

Clear it before you sell. A security interest stays attached to the vehicle rather than to you, so a buyer could have it repossessed even after paying you in full. If you are not sure whether anything is registered against your van, a vehicle history report will tell you.

Does Quirky Campers check the vans listed for sale?

We do not inspect vehicles and we do not verify what sellers tell us. We are not party to the sale and we take no commission on it. That is why the checks above matter, on both sides.

Thinking of selling?

Our marketplace is built for campervans and motorhomes, with proper space for the conversion as well as the vehicle. You can list your van here, or have a look at what is currently for sale. Questions about listing, or something you want to report, email nzmarketplace@quirkycampers.com and we will come back to you.

Photography: Sean Gatz via Unsplash.