Buying a van involves many considerations (see our Choosing a camper van series for previous thoughts on this). When purchasing a van to live in for a considerable amount of time—rather than just for weekending or taking 1-2 week holidays—you may find yourself hunting for the eierlegende Wollmilchsau (eWs in short form). This needs a little explanation: the plain translation of the German term is “egg-laying wool & milk producing sow”. It’s something akin to the English phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none”, but expecting the aforementioned Jack to be master of everything. Hunting the eWs is like trying to find a unicorn…. no harm in trying, even when you know it doesn’t exist! 🦄
We knew there would have to be compromise, but identified the following critical attributes for our “ideal van”:
- Big enough—but not too big (no clear definition of big here; in Europe this may be different due to the different road conditions, from Autobahn to small Italian or Spanish village streets)
- Diesel heating, providing freedom from having to swap gas bottles too frequently and at inconvenient times
- Good beds, given sleep is important and so is ease of access—no climbing over each other in the middle of the night, if you please
- Plenty of light and windows to see the amazing countryside
- Staying within our pre-defined cost envelope.
However, one of the main factors we had to adjust our expectations to match was model availability. We didn’t have 6 months to wait for the right vehicle (although could be willing to trade again if the eWs turned up late). Also, there’s geography to contend with. NZ consists of two islands and we are North Island based. Getting to view a vehicle on South island would have been far from impossible, but logistics are complicated and the expense significant. It would have to be a true eWs to make the effort and cost worthwhile. As we said earlier, you’re best not buying a van that you haven’t seen and explored with all your senses, in person. We like cats, but cats in bags not so much!
Be realistic: are we wanting a bathroom or a wellness oasis?
S
In the event, we did months and months of research on YouTube and Trade Me before arriving in NZ. The upshot of this was that we arrived knowing the pros and cons of NZ-built vs. imported (European) motorhomes, and we knew what we could expect for our budget (in terms of model, age, mileage, general condition, etc.). We didn’t feel obliged to look on forecourts up and down the country before making an informed decision.
Try before you buy—maybe.
Tips and tricks
RV Super Centre (RVSC) offer prospective customers the option to “try before you buy” (info here). As they’re right next to Auckland Airport we thought this could be a sensible option, as we could rent our preferred model from the outset. Rentals are for a minimum of 5 days and are booked directly with e.g. Britz, not via the sales team. However, RVSC had no refurbished stock of our preferred model due in for the next few months. Furthermore, we didn’t fancy waiting 8-12 weeks for post-rental refurbishment if we said “we’ll take one”. Plan B was to borrow a car to tour the dealerships to see what was available immediately. But Plan C intervened: we purchased privately via Trade Me (after viewing/ test driving), foregoing the 12 month warranty a dealer would have offered.
Certification requirements
As new-to-New Zealand motorhome owners, we had to get our heads around the many legal—and otherwise sensible—driving/ safety requirements. Again, we researched this in advance, so went into a purchase negotiation prepared.
| Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Fitness (CoF) | A CoF is required every 6 months for vehicles > 3750kg (lighter motorhomes get a yearly Warrant of Fitness, or WoF instead) |
| Certified Self-containment (CSC) | Certification to NZS 5465 means a vehicle meets the ablutionary and sanitary needs of the occupants for a minimum of 3 days, without requiring any external services or discharging waste; blue CSC stickers allow stays at freedom camping locations. |
| Vehicle license | Known as the “rego“, a license is required to use a vehicle on the road; this also indicates if the vehicle is subject to RUCs. |
| Vehicle insurance | Although not compulsory, third party insurance is recommended; only Covi and Star will insurance motorhomes that are permanently inhabited. |
| Breakdown assistance | Optional; offered by e.g. Covi as Wings Roadside and the AA via a Motorhome Plus upgrade. |
| Warrant of Electrical Fitness (WoEF) | A legal requirement, with renewal every years. |
| Habitation battery check | Not required for Curiosity, which has a maintenance-free AGM (see below). |
| Vehicle service | The Mercedes-Benz cab should be serviced according to the manufacturer’s schedule (time or distance intervals). |
| Habitation service | Optional; packages are offered e.g. by RV Super Centre. |
| Road User Charges (RUCs) | RUCs are kilometre units purchased by diesel vehicles in advance online or from NZTA agents (i.e. a user-pays tax); the distance travelled on Curiosity’s hubodometer must not exceed the units displayed in her windshield. |
| Certificate of Loading | Required by heavy vehicles with a CoF, this displays info including tare, GVM, number of seatbelts, etc. |
| Gas Warrant of Fitness (GWoF) | Advised, but not a requirement. |
| Gas Safety Certificate | A legal requirement for new installations (e.g. burners, boilers); we were able to locate Curiosity’s via the Work Safe website using the VIN. |
Pre-purchase inspection and vehicle info
The Automobile Association (AA) offer a pre-purchase vehicle inspection ($NZ184 for members), however this is only available for motorhomes 3,500kg GVM or less. Similarly, Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ) will not inspect heavier vehicles as part of their $NZ199 assessment.
Free basic vehicle info can be confirmed via CarJam with a plate number or VIN; a NZ history and check for any debt owing costs $NZ14.75. A similar vehicle information report from MotorWeb costs $NZ19.95.
You can, of course, learn a lot by having a good poke around—as we did on on viewing and subsequently. Below follows an introduction to the features of our River Rest motorhome—our “rest home” if you insist!
Cab chassis
At the time of our purchase, Curiosity had done over 206,000km. The base vehicle has the following specifications:
| Item | |
|---|---|
| Make | Mercedes-Benz |
| Model | Sprinter C/C 513 CDI 4325 L |
| Year | 2015 |
| Colour | White |
| Engine | 95 kw turbo diesel, capacity 2,143 cc |
| AdBlue | No |
| Tare (unladen mass) | 3740kg |
| GVM (tare + payload) | 4490kg |
| Payload | 750kg |
| Transmission | Automatic (6 speed), Tiptronic |
| Drive train | Rear wheel drive (dual rear wheels) |
| Tyres | 6x 205/75R16C (60 psi all tyres per RVSC) + underslung spare |
| Certified seats | 6 (2 in cab; 4 in habitation) |
| Air conditioning | Yes (not including habitation area) |
| Electric windows | Yes |
| Cruise control | Yes (and limiter) |
| Central locking | Yes (not including habitation door) |
| Infotainment | Sony XAV-AX1000 Apple CarPlay Head Unit 6.2″ Double DIN [replaced Nakamichi NAM1610 7” 2-DIN AV receiver] |
Habitation
Curiosity’s coach-built habitation area was manufactured by KEA (also an endangered NZ parrot), the model being a River Rest M721 (ex-rental).
| External features | |
|---|---|
| Length | 7.21m |
| Width | 2.30m (2.80 including extended wing mirrors) |
| External height | 3.25m |
| Internal height | 2.15m |
| Reversing camera | Yes |
| Awning | Cvana 4m in length |
| Awning light | Yes |
| Bike rack | Fiamma Carry-Bike Pro C (2 cycles, 60kg max.) |
| Roof vents | 4 (all with insect screens, 2 with blackout blinds) |
| Windows | 7, all opening with insect screens except rear, single glazing with privacy tint |
| Window furnishings | Roman blinds or curtains (including cab separation) |
| Habitation entrance door | Kerbside, double locking, windowed, separable insect screen |
| Habitation entrance step | Manual operation |
| Kerbside services | Fridge vent, water filler, large garage locker |
| Offside services | Gas bottle, gas shutoff valves, shore power, toilet cassette, grey water outlet, boiler vent, small garage locker |
| Sleeping accommodation | |
|---|---|
| Berths | 6 (fixed rear transverse, dinette, luton) |
| Rear bed dimensions | 2.03 x 1.35m |
| Dinette bed dimensions | 1.85 x 1.20m |
| Luton bed dimensions | 2.10 x 1.60m |
| Air heater | Webasto Air Top 2000 ST diesel powered, with remote control rheostat (blowing to rear & in-shower) |
| Liquids | |
|---|---|
| Fresh tank capacity | 82L (external, underslung) |
| Grey tank capacity | 82L (external, underslung) |
| Tank monitor | Fresh level only |
| LPG cylinder | 9kg gas bottle x1 |
| Water heater | Suburban SW6D gas powered (12,000 BTU/h, 22.6L capacity) |
| Water pump | Flojet Standard R3526144D RV Water Pump 11L/min [replaced Whale Watermaster FW0814(B) automatic pressure pump] |
| Power | |
|---|---|
| Battery | Century C12-120XDA 120Ah deep cycle AGM (maintenance free) |
| Battery management | Projecta Intelli Charge Automatic 12V 25A 7-Stage charger (IC2500) |
| Voltage-sensing relay | BEP Marine Digital Voltage Sensitive Relay 12/24V (charging via alternator) |
| Solar panel | 150W (estimated) |
| Solar charge controller | EPSolar LandStar PWM (20Ah capacity) |
| Lighting | LED (rear & bathroom lights on separate circuit) |
| 12V sockets | 1 (in dinette) |
| 240V sockets | 5 (2 in kitchen, 2 in dinette, 1 in garage) |
| RCD/ fuse box | Beneath forward-facing dinette seat |
| Battery isolator switch | In dinette |
| Control panel switches & voltmeter | Adjacent to habitation door |
| Entertainment | |
|---|---|
| Radio | Majestic DVD5800 AM/FM Stereo, with DVD, CD, USB & SD Card |
| Television | Majestic L195DA 19” 12V LED TV HD, DVD, USB, MMMI, Low Power Current Draw (2x USB; 2x HDMI), with external DVB-T antenna |
| Kitchen and dining | |
|---|---|
| Bench | Length 231cm; max. depth 66cm; height 97cm |
| Sink | Dometic Smev VA 936 stainless steel, square bowl with integrated drainer (W590 x D370 x H125mm, bowl 320 x 320mm) |
| Water filter | Pentair Everpure 2CB5-K filter cartridge (replaced with 2CB-GW) |
| Cooker | Dometic Smev CU402 stainless 4-burner cooktop and grill, with range hood venting to outside |
| Microwave | Camec 20L 700W model 044431 (230V operation only) |
| Fridge | Isotherm Cruise Elegance CR 130 EL 12V compressor, 130L capacity (124L fridge, 6L freezer box) |
| Waste | Pull-out bin draw (2 fitted bins) |
| Dinette | Café style, behind driver’s seat, with face-to-face seating for 4-6 |
| Table | Length 115cm; width 74.5cm |
| Bathroom | |
|---|---|
| Toilet | Thetford C402-C bench toilet, with 19.3L holding tank (model 3232606) and 15L flush tank |
| Washbasin | Yes (folding) |
| Shower | Yes (wet bath) |
| Fitted cabinet | Yes (mirrored doors) |
| Storage | |
|---|---|
| Overhead cupboards | 5 (4 with middle shelf, 1 with bottle rack) |
| Drawers | 3 (2 large, 1 small) |
| Pull-out pantry | 1 |
| Hinged cupboard | 1 |
| Hanging wardrobe | Yes, with 2 shelves) |
| Under-bed storage | Yes (rear, separate from garage) |
| Under-seat storage | Yes (dinette) |
| Garage | Yes (width of vehicle, external hatches both sides) |
| Other internal features | |
|---|---|
| Safe | Yes |
| Dressing mirror | Yes |
| Smoke alarm | Goldair GS-536 (photoelectric) |
Video tour and user guide
One of the RV Super Centre staff made the following videos, posted to YouTube. The first provides an overview of the River Rest—very similar to Curiosity:
The second is a helpful user guide to the main features and functions of the model:
Pros and cons
You can’t have one without the other! We’re going to live with Curiosity for a bit longer before thinking about these some more—perhaps in a follow-up log?
Join us on future away missions
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