The Third Camper Van: Something Different
Now that I already had two camper vans, I decided to get something different for the third one. I wanted to offer customers – and ourselves – the opportunity to experience trips in various types of mobile homes. I fell in love with the LMC Innovan 590 model at first sight. I was particularly pleased with its modern grey "base color," which gave the vehicle a trendy look.
I started searching for a suitable vehicle, but in Finland, this newest model was only available as new. So, I once again turned my attention to the German market, which is notoriously vast – there's a lot of supply, often at better prices. I quickly found several lightly used LMC Innova 590 vehicles, still of the latest body type. As the summer season was approaching fast, I didn't want to delay. I quickly made a deal with a car dealership in Leipzig so that the vehicle would be available for customers to book well in advance.
Delays and Doubts
After the deal, however, communication with the seller started to falter. He responded to messages poorly – and sometimes not at all. I repeatedly asked when the car could be picked up and what was delaying its collection. When the deal was made, there was no mention that the car would not be immediately available for handover.
Time and again, I received the same answer: the car was waiting for a final delivery inspection. When more than a month had passed with inquiries and waiting, I began to suspect if something illegal was going on. Eventually, I received an explanation: the car's gas heater had been found faulty during inspection, and they had been waiting for a spare part for over a month. I didn't fully believe the explanation – why couldn't they have informed me right away? – but at least some kind of answer came. My suspicions of a scam lessened slightly.
I always check the background of cars purchased from abroad using CarVertical, with the chassis number. I often also confirm with a local dealership that the information matches. Additionally, I check via Google Maps that an actual car dealership is located at the advertised address and that it has good customer reviews. Nevertheless, when buying from abroad, the excitement remains – even with accumulated experience, there's always a small chance of a scam.
Unusual License Plate Solution
At the beginning of May, I finally received a message: the car was ready for collection. Previously, I had asked car dealerships to arrange German transit plates in advance, usually for an additional fee. This time, however, the dealership refused. I decided to try an alternative solution that I had heard about in car circles: I obtained red and white sticker plates from a Finnish vehicle inspection station in advance. When applying for the plates, I had to know the planned route and dates when the car would be in traffic.
Based on my Google search, it was permissible to drive with any country's transit plates within the EU, so I assumed this also applied to Finnish sticker plates. The inspection station couldn't say whether I might encounter problems at various national borders. Also, experiences with sticker plates found online were mainly limited to the Finland-Sweden axis. I decided to try anyway – success would save hundreds of euros compared to German plates. Furthermore, applying for transit plates in Germany can be a time-consuming process if the buyer has to be involved.
Trip to Leipzig
I pre-arranged separate insurance for the purchased car with my insurance company and booked a flight to Berlin. When traveling alone, the most convenient route involved flying to Berlin, from where I continued by train (with one change) to Leipzig, and then by bus to the car dealership. I only packed a backpack, as my intention was to handle the car pickup in two days. Into the backpack, I slipped a change of clothes, a pillow, and a sleeping bag – I didn't want to spend time searching for a gas cylinder; I planned to start driving back right away.
The flight to Berlin departed early, and I arrived on time. I rarely use public transport, and unfortunately, my expectations weren't exceeded this time either: at the Berlin airport platform, it was announced that the train would be severely delayed. The local train company, Deutsche Bahn, informed me of the delays by email and continuously offered new connections to my destination. Eventually, the system dismally announced that I wouldn't make my connecting train – and no other options would be available for the same day. At the same time, however, the train arrived, and I decided to try my luck.
I monitored the schedule of the next train and noticed that it too was a little late. I might have a chance to make it – even though the system had already given up. I had already looked at the Berlin Südkreuz station map and memorized the route I would have to run to the platform.
Schedule Struggle and Leipzig
As soon as the doors opened, I started running towards the next train. The journey was short, and I made it in time – a few other passengers also just barely made it aboard. I sighed with relief. The early wake-up was already taking its toll, and missing the train would have been costly. The seating practice on German trains is peculiar from a Finnish perspective: if you haven't reserved a seat, you can sit anywhere freely – but since reservation information isn't visible on the seats, someone can ask you to move at any time. Luckily, the train was empty, and I could travel in peace, watching the German countryside whiz by.
I arrived in Leipzig and admired the magnificent, old train station, which, according to signs, was the largest in Europe. Wiser from previous trips, I decided to eat properly before heading to the car dealership – handovers and paperwork can sometimes take hours, and hunger doesn't help the matter. After eating, I caught a bus right next to the station. The train ticket was valid on the local bus, so there was no need to buy a separate ticket.
Car Finally in Hand
In the car dealership's yard, the correct car was waiting, reassuringly ready for pickup. There was only one salesperson at the dealership, who didn't speak English at all. However, he was friendly and handled the handover professionally – unlike in his emails, where he was almost unreachable. I spoke poor German, and the rest was handled with Google Translate.
A small mishap occurred while demonstrating the refrigerator: the door completely came off when the salesperson opened it. A mechanic was called to the scene and quickly fixed the situation – the door could be opened from both sides, but one side had perhaps never been used, so the mechanism got stuck. The handover went smoothly, and soon I was attaching the Finnish transit plates to the front of the car.
The drive began leisurely. I had reserved two days for it, so there was no rush. I listened to podcasts and local radio stations, stopping occasionally to eat and take a short nap when I felt tired. On the first day, I reached Poland, near Wroclaw. With a quick search on Park4Night, I found an idyllic lakeside parking spot where I spent the night in complete peace.
A Cold Night and Lessons for the Future
It had been warm during the day, but the temperature dropped significantly at night. I woke up cold in my sleeping bag – without heating, the car also collects a lot of moisture in the cold. After a short night's sleep, I concluded that next time I would bring a gas cylinder, even if the weather forecast promised warmth. However, an early wake-up also meant I could continue my journey early, so there was some benefit to the short sleep.
Hotel Night in Kaunas and Return Home
As I drove north, the weather only got colder, so I decided to spend the next night in a hotel in Kaunas. The A1 highway (Via Baltica) runs right past the city, and Kaunas was already a familiar place. It's always a pleasant stopover on a road trip – the city has a relaxed and lively atmosphere, lots of students, a suitably compact size for walking, and good, affordable restaurants.
I drove all day and arrived in Kaunas in the evening. I went to a restaurant for dinner and enjoyed a few drinks before retreating to the hotel for the night. One of the great advantages of camper vanning is that you can park your vehicle at a hotel and enjoy its services if you wish.
The next morning, I continued towards Estonia and the port of Tallinn. There was a lot of road construction, but after a well-rested night, driving felt easy. I made it just in time for the last ferry of the evening and arrived home at night. No one stopped me because of the sticker plates during the entire journey, so this seemed like a viable concept for quick pickup trips.
Considering all expenses, I saved over 15,000 euros in two days – and got an exciting adventure as a bonus.
