Do I Buy A Van For Touring? Tips For Indie Musicians
Buying your first van is an exciting point in any indie musicians career. Hanging out with the team, being able to roll up to the show in one vehicle. This is the command center on the road!
Some musicians even take their vans to the next level, creating beds, bunks, tv’s, microwaves, and other luxuries left at home.
A van is definitely a big investment for indie musicians. One that should be strongly considered before buying to avoid making the wrong decision, which could either:
A) Stunt your career because you should have been touring
B) Put you in Debt
I often see musicians contemplating if they should buy a van so I wanted to share my personal experience as a van owner.
I hope this can help you assess your own situation and find the right plan of action to move you forward.
Let’s break down the debate of buying a van now or waiting.
1. Ask Yourself
“What is my overall goal as an artist, and does buying a van directly relate to achieving that goal?”
Make sure you have an honest definition of what your music goals are. This is important for every decision you make!
2. Ask Your Team
Next, chat with your team mates/ band mates. Dive deep and really assess your situation.
Is your bassist getting married?
Is everyone else here for fun, but you are in this until the end?
Does everyone want to tour full time?
Be realistic about your agenda and don’t romanticize scenarios.
Ask your team, realistically, which situation best describes you:
A) The time you will spend touring in the next 12 – 24 months justifies buying a van.
B) The next 1-2 years is better spent on a rental van while you build up the music brand in other ways.
Like I said, this is a sizable investment and something that requires assessment.
If buying a van doesn’t make sense when the facts are laid out, put a pin in it for now and rent accordingly.
Here are a few places you can rent from:
This can be great for renting vans or trailers. I have had some weird experiences with the trailers before, but a lot of people enjoy the vans.
A Boston, MA based van rental company and eco friendly!
Here are some places to find vans for sale:
Craigslist
Craigslist is full of used vans. It’s actually where I purchased mine through a dealer.
It doesn’t hurt to post a status asking if anyone is selling a van or knows of someone.
Facebook Marketplace
Very similar to craigslist and there are lots of vans and vehicles posted daily.
Dealerships
Search on google, or if you have a dealer you like, go in and see what they can do for you.
Try asking yourself the questions discussed above and find the right answer for you!
