Buying a van...............................(lots of help needed)

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Buying a van...............................(lots of help needed)

10 posts & 8 voices | Started 2 years ago by thisisnotaspoon | Latest reply from skidartist

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thisisnotaspoon - Member

Where should I start?

Are VW's popularity just based on people wanting VW camper, even if it is a T5?

Just seen a petrol transit (camper van) with 410,000 on the clock for £1,800! Are van engines indestructible?

Budget £4k ish, is it worth spending that much, seems to be an in between price, lots of old scrappy vans for £1k-£2k, then not much untill you get to nearly new ones. Is an engine with 100,000miles realy any better than one with 300,000 I'd guess by that point its probably been rebuilt anyway?

Want it to..............

Be a super practical car, got the midget for 'car' duties and fun on the b-roads.

Carry motorbikes

Carry mountain bikes

Double up as a basic camper van (mattress on floor, camping stove and porta-poti stylee)

Tow a trailer (with a boat on it)

Posted 2 years ago #
Xan - Member

Don't but it IMO. The petrols are terrible. Especially with 410k on it. They are also terrible at towing. Much better with a big Diesel engine IMO

Posted 2 years ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

Wasn't thinking of getting it, just happened to be local so went for a gander.

Either someone's been buy with the filler and blacking, or it was remarkably rust free for something that's been round the world 15 times!

Posted 2 years ago #
trail_rat - Member

found exactly the same thing

also found people wanting top dollar for stuff that frankly is shit - esp on the dub scene - 200k on a baby engine transporter for 8k .... hmmmm ok the engines are bomb proof but that wagons gonna need serious wedge spent on it shortly and connects either 2-3k for 160k on the clock or the odd one would pop up at 4-5k with 40 k on the clock.

in the end ive decided to buy a new combo for not much more than my 5k budget .... will do everything i need - carry bikes , allow me n missus to sleep in the back - do 70 on the motorways and have a life span of more than 3 years .... used combos go for about 3k with 25-30k on the clock ex lease wagons

think about how much van you really need on a day to day basis - i figured i end up hauling round alot of van on my travels for the 10 times a year id need the space. figured that 55mpg was worth more to me than space a few times a year when i have a trailer i can use if i need it - ive coped with a shit small car till now so even a wee van will be an improvement 1 not sure if 1780mm in the back is enough for a motorbike though

i guess with a midgit your used to fixing broken cars - im fed up of it now !

Posted 2 years ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

considered the combo/connect/berlingo type thing, but recon a SWB van is probably closer to what I need, there's already my midget and the missus has a fiesta, so it'll probably only get used 10-15 times a year, but when it does no doubt it'll be for shifting something big

Posted 2 years ago #
Imabigkidnow - Member

Look for old ambulances (i.e. invalid/infirm/privat as opposed to emergency response)
My parents had a session of these for family touring/camping holidays back when we were a proper family of six .. though we're all grown up now (I'm the youngest at 28)

Cheap but well maintained.

Posted 2 years ago #
timber - Member

for 10-15 trips a year, would look for a transit as easier to find big and cheap, as long as its not a builders wagon it should still be tidy, don't under estimate the space you need to easily put a big motorbike in a van and to strap it

the previous shape transit will be even easier to fix than your midget

there are fancier vans, but if it's not a daily driver, I wouldn't say they're worth the extra

Posted 2 years ago #
stratobiker - Member

thisisnotaspoon - whereabouts in the country are you?

Why?
Because if I wanted a van I'd go to Dave Pearce in Ludlow and ask him to find me something.

Why?
Because Dave often knows of vans for sale that he's worked on and serviced. He'll know who had them, what they've been used for and how they've been treated.

It's the same Dave Pearce who is Pearce Cycles. I'm sure that many on here will vouch for Pearce Cycles, and anyone who know's Dave well will vouch for his honesty, integrity, and knowledge.

Give him a call, just for a chat, weekdays, on 01584 876016

SB

Posted 2 years ago #
Liftman - Member

Renault Traffic, we use them at work and they just run and run, come in a variety of configurations, cheaper and imo better than a transit.

Posted 2 years ago #
skidartist - Member

so it'll probably only get used 10-15 times a year

I can rent brand new transits for £22+vat a day, inclusive of insurance, less for longer hires. Why on earth spend £4k something that you'll hardly ever use. Your budget (exclusive of insurance - you'll not have a NCB on the van if you already have a car insured- tax, servicing, MOTs and repairs) would keep you in hire vans for the best part of a decade.

at 15 uses a year your insurance alone will work out at around £22 a trip.

Posted 2 years ago #

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