2000 Toyota HiAce Camper: $9500 OBO

We'll be selling our van in mid/late-April 2019 in Bolivia, Peru, or Chile. We're committed to giving the buyer the best experience possible - with the van in great driving condition, a full kit of everything you'll need for #vanlife, and a familiarity with the paperwork involved, you'll be ready for adventure on Day 1. We had a poor experience buying it, and we'd like to take what we learned there and make this the best experience for the next owners, so you can spend less time thinking about the van and more time seeing amazing things with it.

The Facts

• It's a 2000 Toyota HiAce former ambulance with ~170000 miles.
• It has a custom-fit fiberglass top giving it an inside standing height of 5'8" (about 175cm)
• It has a bed that converts quickly to a couch, with storage underneath and behind.
• Gas mileage: 10L/100km on average, similar to a 4Runner or other light truck.
• 170W solar panel professionally installed in 2019, with 208AH of batteries connected by relay.
• Professionally-installed 3M security film on all windows to deter theft and prevent quick snatch-and-grabs
• Alarm system
• 5-speed manual transmission, 2.4L engine
• Mileage on one tank: about 500kms
• Kitchen inside with two propane burners and a electric-pump-fed sink. 7kg tank with adapters, easily filled in South America
• 60L blue water tank and 20L gray water tank
• Small (14") TV that runs off DC power, with HDMI input
• 3 DC plugs throughout the van
• Fairy/ambiance lights inside
• 1 camping table, 2 chairs, and a stool.
• Retractable awning mounted outside
• Both European and American AC plugs within the van, wired to a 750W inverter
• Reflective curtains for all windows to keep it cool and black it out at night
• Roof rack with small spare tire and plenty of room for more stuff or spare fuel can

The Good

• Except for the height, it's a normal-sized Toyota, which makes it much easier to navigate cities and find parking.
• The bed is super comfortable - even if we stay the night at a hostel for the showers or parking, we still might sleep in the bed.
• Thanks to the design of the couch and bed, it has a huge amount of storage, probably the most of any liveable van of its size. Estimated 1.5 cubic meters, or ~50 cubic feet. That's 10 normal-sized suitcases you won't have to lug around!
• Early on in our trip we discovered a bunch of little surprises throughout the van of things that should have been repaired or replaced, but weren't. When we found them, we fixed them to the highest quality possible - not just for the next owners, but because our whole trip was ahead and we didn't want to waste any time re-fixing them. We haven't found any recently, so we think you'll have a pretty carefree trip.
• Easy shore power connection into the van's electrical system - so when you're staying at an improved campground or a friend's house, you can wire in and not use battery power
• The 2.4L engine is larger than the standard 2.0L in most HiAce's, which is nice to get up steep hills and cruise on the highway
• It comes with everything you need to get going, so you don't have to waste time (like we did) hunting through foreign shopping malls when you should be hiking!
• It's got Chilean plates and only simple graphics on the side - you won't stand out as a gringo (if you are one)!

• Van life in general:

  • it's so nice to sleep out of the wind and rain, with 4 solid walls
  • In the cold nights of Patagonia, the van naturally stayed about 10C warmer than outside, which was perfect for sleeping. In the warm nights of Santiago, the roof vent fan kept it cool enough to sleep.

The Bad

• One of the little hidden treasures we found in the van was that the exhaust manifold, instead of being replaced, is just wrapped in fabric. It causes no problems other than a rattle while driving. We didn't have the chance to replace it at the time we discovered it, but if it's important to you we can make that happen.
• The van model itself is common in Chile and you'll have all the parts you need - except for the engine, which isn't. However, we already completely disassembled, inspected, and rebuilt the engine, so the chances that you have to do anything to it are pretty much nil. It has run perfectly for us since that was completed. Most engines don't get a second life like this!
• One wooden sink cabinet repeatedly got wet and then was not properly dried by previous owners, so it's black in the corners. We've bleached the hell out of it, and don't let our food or any eating surfaces touch it, and so it hasn't been a problem. We've put plastic in the way to prevent it from continuing to get wet.
• Of two remote keys, both can unlock the van but only one can lock it. Further, the driver's side door can't be locked or unlocked by key.
• The van has a back-up camera but it hasn't worked since we received the van. We're planning to get it repaired.

Improvements We Made Since Buying

• Installed 170W solar panel package
• Installed 3M security film

• Completely disassembled and rebuilt the engine, replacing every part that looked like it even might need repair or replacement, with a brand new one. Have pictures and videos of the whole process. This involved replacing:

  • Timing belt cover and assembly
  • Oil pump
  • Crankshaft bearings (custom-machined to fit the crankshaft, since it was slightly smaller from its mileage)
  • We also re-machined multiple surfaces in the engine to restore them to new condition
• Repaired the electric starter (replacement wasn't advised)
• Replaced all four brake shoes
• Replaced the bearings in the power steering serpentine belt guide wheel, along with the belt itself
• Remade the blackout/sun reflecting window shades
• Added water spillage protection around and under the sink

The Package

The van will be sold with:

• A guide explaining everything you have to know to use the van and enjoy the amazing camper lifestyle
• 40L Klimber AC/DC electric cooler (works great, and under vendor warranty until July 2019)
• A whole kitchen setup: ** 2 plates, forks, knives, spoons, cups, and mugs ** 1 tupperware container that fits in the fridge, and two large pyrex bowls with lids ** 2 frying pans, one non-stick and one ceramic ** Cleaning towels and supplies
• Bed setup: ** Recently re-covered memory foam mattress pad ** Full bedding set
• Camping extras we can either take home, or sell alongside: ** Wifi extension kit lets you pick up wifi from hundreds of feet away! Super handy for street or campground parking ** Camping gear like tent, stove, etc
• A full tank of gas, propane, water, and spare oil, so you'll be ready to hit the road!

The Logistics

• Buying and owning a Chilean vehicle is simpler than the list of blogs on the topic might have you think.

• We'll walk you through the whole process:

  • First step after arrival to Chile: Obtain RUT (Chilean identification number). We recommend you get yours via Suzi Santiago's service. Can be done in half a day, with only a couple days' notice to them and for about $90 US
  • Then, you can take all the time you would like to inspect the van and see that it's exactly as described.
  • Once you're ready to make the transfer, we know where to go and whom to talk to, and we can finish that in less than half a day. You'll pay the notary fees and the transfer tax, no more than a couple hundred USD.
  • Then, if you want, and if there's time, we'll camp out next to you for your first day and night so we can show you all the ins and outs and answer any questions you have!

• It will be easier (on you) to do the transaction inside Chile, but we can legally sell it outside of Chile anywhere there's a Chilean consulate. That will add a couple steps:

  • Our transaction will be simpler: we'll just go to the embassy/consulate, get a Power of Attorney (poder) saying that you have the right to sell the van, as me, to you.
  • Then, whenever you return to Chile, you'll go through all the steps above to basically sell the van to yourself in my name.