If you’ve been daydreaming about waking up with mountain views, taking long road trips to see family and friends and making memories along the way, you’re in the right place.

We know getting a camper van can seem overwhelming at first. Between the endless YouTube rabbit holes, DIY builders with conflicting opinions and pushy RV sales people chasing their next commission, there is a lot of noise out there.

But we’re here to cut through all of that. We like to keep things simple, point you towards helpful resources and help you find clear answers every step of the way.

Step 1: Define Your Travel Experience

Before you dive into van makes and models, take a minute to picture how you’ll actually use your van.

• Full-time adventurer: Planning to make your van your home? You’ll want to prioritize storage and comfort for everyday living.
• Part-time explorer: Hitting the road for long weekends and short trips? Flexibility will be key to making your van work for every scenario.
• Travel companions: Solo, with a partner, pets or kids? Consider who will join you most often and where everyone will sit and sleep.

Thinking about your future van travels will help you set priorities and figure out trade-offs.

Step 2: Choose The Best Van (For You)

Each Wayfarer Vans Conversion is installed in a Ram ProMaster or Ford Transit van. Not sure which one is right for you? Start by test driving both at a local dealership to get a feel for the size, visibility, and handling. You can also schedule a tour with a Vanbassador if you have one near you.

We have plenty of resources to help you compare options:

• Watch our webinar that walks through the key differences
• Read our RAM vs Ford blog
• Check out the Wayfarer Vans Fans page on Facebook to hear real-world feedback from our community.

Once you’ve picked your van, head over to our 3D Van Builder for the real fun. You can try out different layouts and accessories to make your ideal Wayfarer Vans Conversion. You can download a PDF of your van to save or send it to our team with any questions.

We Interrupt These Steps To Remind You: We’re Always Here To Help 🙂

We realize this is probably your first camper van, and it can feel like a lot to take in. Don’t worry. We’ve helped more than 1,200 Wayfarians hit the road, and we’re happy to help you join our growing ranks.

The best way to reach out to us is through the contact form on our website. We get back to everyone, but it may take us a few days. We’re a small team – no call centers or AI replies here. We’d rather schedule a relaxed phone call, take time to get to know you and answer your questions.

When you reach out to us, you’ll hear from one of our Journey Architects. They’re here to help you navigate the process, and you definitely won’t get any pushy or salesy vibes. Chances are, they’ll spend more time swapping stories about a great campsite near you than suggesting any accessories you may want to consider.

Step 3: Finding your van

Getting a van from a dealership partner? Your Journey Architect will connect you with a rep from the dealership and help guide the process from there.

Getting a van elsewhere? You can source a new or used van from a private seller or any other dealership you like. Just check with your Journey Architect to make sure the van is compatible with a Wayfarer conversion.

Pro Tip: Share photos of potential vans with your Journey Architect. Some sellers may have mislabeled a van’s wheelbase or specs, and we can help you avoid a major headache.

And if you’d like more resources on the vehicle purchase process, check these blogs out:

• How to buy a van in a different state tips and tricks
• New vs used blog

Step 4: Financing and Dealership Logistics

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but here are the main routes:

A: Finance Everything Through a Dealership:
For simplicity, you can finance both the van and conversion through a dealership and have only one monthly payment. Your Journey Architect will prepare your invoice and coordinate with the dealership. Keep in mind that your credit and financial details will determine if the dealership will include the entire conversion, or only part of it, in the loan.

B: Shop Around for the Best Rate:
You can compare loans from local banks, credit unions, or online lenders. Steps are simple: pick your van and conversion, get an invoice, get pre-approved, and close the deal.

C: Longer-Term RV Loans:
Want more time to pay? We partner with lenders offering RV loans up to 20 years. But they aren’t the right fit for everyone. These require strong credit and loan history, so check with your Journey Architect to see if it’s a fit.

And check out our full guide to camper van financing for all the details.

On the logistics side, if you are buying a van through one of our dealership partners, the van will be delivered to Wayfarer Vans HQ at no cost to you. If you are getting a van elsewhere, be sure to check out the details on our shipping program, to see what your options are for one-way or round-trip shipping of your van. We even cover up to $2,000 in one-way shipping costs!

Step 5: Install Day

We’ll get you on our schedule and most builds are completed in just a day or two. We build all of the furniture in advance, so once your van arrives at Wayfarer, our team can get the conversion and accessories completed in a jiffy.

In the past year, our wait times for scheduling installs has ranged from 2-12 weeks.

You’ll get to choose between an in-person Vandoff (that’s our punny version of a handoff) or a virtual Vandoff if you aren’t traveling to our HQ. During this walkthrough, we’ll go through every detail of your conversion so you feel confident and comfortable for your first night in your new van.

Even after your Vandoff, the support doesn’t stop. You’ll have access to Wayfarer Weekends around the country, the Wayfarer Challenge, and the Wayfarer Vans App to help you get the most out of your van.

Buying a camper van is an exciting process, but the real fun starts once you hit the road.