Broadly speaking, diesel engines have longer life expectancies than their petrol equivalents. That's because the typical diesel has to be more strongly engineered to cope with its inherently higher compression ratio and heavier moving parts, which also means it runs slower with less stress.

However, the advent of turbocharging and higher diesel engine speeds have also seen some lighter duty diesel engines lose some of that under-stressed longevity, meaning that they're not living as long as some old-school, slow-revving, under-stressed diesels. Modern changes including DPF technology, exhaust gas recirculation (for emissions) and single-rail, high-pressure injection have also contributed to shorter working lifespans in some diesels.

In any case, the life you will get out of any engine is directly related to how well it's been serviced and maintained throughout that life. A petrol engine treated to proper servicing will easily outlast a diesel that has been neglected and abused. As for the Hyundai petrol engine in your van, the rule of thumb says you should be aiming for at least 200,000km before spending any meaningful money on repairs. Again, though, this is entirely dependent on regular maintenance.

Rather than concentrate on a particular brand, the best advice is to find a vehicle with a full service history and signs that it has lived an easy life. Too often, commercial vehicles like vans are bought by their first owner and used and abused. They’re nearly always purchased with a job in mind, and that job can often wreck them or at least shorten their lives.

Sometimes, the down-time associated with proper servicing means that maintenance is skipped, other times the sheer weight of the cargo being carried puts a lot of strain on mechanical components. A van that has been used by, say, a pool chemical company might have been exposed to highly corrosive chemicals every day of its life and could be hiding lots of rust. Even a florist’s van might have every nook and cranny filled with potting mix, waiting to become damp and start the rusting process.

Another good idea is to buy a van that has already been converted to a camper. This conversion is not an inexpensive process, so letting the previous owner spend the money is a terrific concept. Keep an eye on the classifieds for a van that has done a tour of duty with a grey nomad or van-lifer, and is now up for sale as the owner moves on to something new.

What you bought is a 2012 model car, because that's the year it was built. Even if it is called an MY13, the clock starts from the day it was finished on the production line and stamped with its VIN plate. The confusion comes because lots of car companies now have specifications that change earlier than January 1, a practice that began in the US, and which they refer to as Model Year this or that.