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Looking at what comes standard on the smaller panel vans, there is a lot more than you used to get.
Oil is about £70 on it's own, but I don't have a wet belt. Pads and disks are very reasonable as are other service parts. It does, however, share the same platform and engines as the Stellantis cars, so reduces costs. The bigger vans are more van specific parts I'd assume.
If you want a decent non abused larger van, then they will be costly, especially if it's for your business needs. I really don't get why van-lifers are buying the monster mile vans and fitting them out. At the end of the day, it's a van that's entering the costly stage from general wear and tear.
Just Autotrader searched some Citroen Relays. Looking nearer £15k plus VAT for a lowish mile 4-5 year old van. Loads of stuff in them though, and all decent condition.
What budget were you looking at OP ? VW tax applies to the bigger vans too.
I picked up a brand new pair direct from the store for just £40.00. They are orange though, so there's that.
Didn't think it was too bad a deal if I'm honest.
No, not VW Transporters and their associated "scene tax"... I've known about that for a long time
I think thats any van to be honest
Go to any mtb car park and gone on the days it will be filled with Audi Estates, its now all vans.
Last time I went to Llandegla I genuinely recon it was 3:1 ratio of vans to cars (ok probably half of those vans were there doing the plumbing or electrics allegedly).... not that I am suggesting their fuel goes against the company....
Also vans did used to be sheds ie they used to have leaf springs, wind up windows, no AC, no sat nav etc. They now tend to have all the stuff you get in a car so they now charge more for them too.
Paid 29k€ for our brand new 7km on the clock XLWB H3 Ducato in 2021.
Think we got lucky.
Bought our brand new with 7km on the clock XLWB H3 Ducato in 2021.
Think we got lucky.
I bought a 2020 Peugeot Partner long wheel base with three front seats last July. Excellent condition, full service history, 105k miles. Best van I’ve ever had, drives brilliantly, fits the bike in standing up on one side, still loads of space for my work stuff in there. £6k.
That one was the fifth on the list I was looking at, all the others were either sold quickly, or the Seller couldnt sort out a viewing when I was available, so there are lots out there.
They loom large in the STW consciousness but I'm a little sceptical that van lifers are having a huge impact on the market compared to the hundreds of thousands of tradies in this country, and the explosion in self-employed (cough) delivery drivers over the last decade.
Keep that up and you're gong to get battered, son.
Less of your sauce
What are you so salty about, pal?
i know a load of non tradies with vans
what i think may have happened is that businesses weren't ordering vans in covid and that has led to a shortage on the secondhand market
Not sure your comparison with cars rings true as they've gone bonkers also. I bought a brand new Focus with the fancy diesel engine for £12k in 2004 (list price just under 15). Just had a look and a new one now is £30k list. Bought a new Discovery Sport for just under £40k in 2018 where as the current version is £52k.
Cars and vans have both gone bonkers which then filters down to the bottom. How much is bangernomics territory these days? Certainly not £500 or even £1000! My mate buys cheap as possible and his last couple of sub £1000 have been ready to scrap.
They loom large in the STW consciousness but I'm a little sceptical that van lifers are having a huge impact on the market compared to the hundreds of thousands of tradies in this country, and the explosion in self-employed (cough) delivery drivers over the last decade.
This. The motorways and town centres are still dominated by cars (well SUVs) and trades.
While there's definitely an expansion in van life (and I suspect they're over represented amongst the social circles many of us have being outdoor types) but they're a teeny fraction of the whole market once you factor in the big fleet users etc.
I bought a 2020 Peugeot Partner long wheel base with three front seats last July. Excellent condition, full service history, 105k miles. Best van I’ve ever had, drives brilliantly, fits the bike in standing up on one side, still loads of space for my work stuff in there. £6k
That's wild that that is considered a good deal these days.
Bought our 2015 partner (albe it a combi) in 2017 with 6000 miles on the clock for £8900.
Bought our 2006 partner van in 2009 for £3500 with 38k on the clock
Don't get me wrong I appreciate the markets changed but still seems an order of magnitude out of touch.
I bought a 2020 Peugeot Partner long wheel base with three front seats last July. Excellent condition, full service history, 105k miles. Best van I’ve ever had, drives brilliantly, fits the bike in standing up on one side, still loads of space for my work stuff in there. £6k.
That's an awesome price! Step up a size to a Boxer though, and you'd almost double that price... Time was when a big van was barely any more to buy than a small one when new, and when used, usually cos they'd do more miles than smaller ones, they'd be cheaper to buy than small vans after a few years...
Don't get me wrong I appreciate the markets changed but still seems an order of magnitude out of touch.
This...
I came to this expecting to be able to grab a decent 3-4yr old LWB Sprinter, Crafter, Transit or the like in good condition and full service history, for around £10k... I didn't expect to have to more than double that budget!
Not sure your comparison with cars rings true as they've gone bonkers also. I bought a brand new Focus with the fancy diesel engine for £12k in 2004 (list price just under 15). Just had a look and a new one now is £30k list. Bought a new Discovery Sport for just under £40k in 2018 where as the current version is £52k.
Cars have gone up in price about in line with inflation... Maybe a little higher, but not much. Inflation from 2004 to now stands at almost 90%, so you could reasonably expect a £15k in 2004 to be very nearly £30k now as that's pretty much directly in line with inflation. There were a couple of years during COVID where car prices skyrocketed, but they came back down pretty abruptly after COVID too.
Big vans seem to have gone up more in line with houses in terms of inflation than with cars... In 2004, a LWB Transit wasn't much more than £10k new, they're over £40k now
Are we at the point where people will buy converted vans and take everything out?
I've considered it, yes...
We have gone through a market distortion and regardless of what vans are costing new the market has changed for second hand vans with both the van-lifers and courier/parcel owner/drivers competing for the same vans second hand
Makes a lot of sense, thank you for the input.
Covid seems a long time ago now but the disruption in production continued for quite a while after. I bought my current van in late 2022. I would previously of happily bought high mile used vans for £2k-£5k and use them for 6-8 years/ another 100k and still be able to sell them on.
That is where I was mistakenly at... I'd thought I would get something useable for £5k, and £10k would get me a mint low miler... How wrong could I be!
I've always had vans in the past but I've just accepted that I've been priced out and stopped worrying about it. I can't have an Escort Cosworth or a Delta Integrale either.
I'm happy with our Octavia and a Buzzrack. Where I used to kip in a van I now stay in a Premier Inn and enjoy the comfy bed and hot showers.
Classic STW! 😫 So, again... Where does one put 4 euro pallets or 4 full sized motorbikes in an Octavia with a Buzzrack?!?! Where would the mobile workshop go...? You do realise that vans weren't invented purely so that people could convert them into a mobile home on wheels, but for a long time now they have served a purpose for transporting BIG things the length and breadth of the country as required, right...? Or is a Mountain Bike the largest thing you can conceive wanting to transport...?
what i think may have happened is that businesses weren't ordering vans in covid and that has led to a shortage on the secondhand market
Could be... It would explain why there's quite a few 18 month old pre-reg vans out there, with significant discounts off the price of a brand new one, but still way more than I can afford... But then a real shortage of decent 3-4yr old, good condition ones, at reasonable prices!
Need to consider the ever increasing “driver owner” economy (a lovely way to pass all risk and cost on to delivery drivers rather than employ them)… having a real van as you only form of transport and your literal bread and butter has helped change ownership patterns, demand and price as well.
We’re talking primarily about the Gig economy here right? Mostly People doing deliveries. That has been the big growth industry driving demand for vans, especially aligned with Covid.
House round the corner seems to regularly have DPD liveried vans parked up outside overnight, I assume these are “owner/operator” vans otherwise they’d be in the DPD depot yard at night.
I also think it has to be finance driven, either Gig workers are taking on a chunk of debt tied to their zero hours work (is that responsible lending?) or they’re leasing the van. Both options sound expensive.
I don’t think #vanlifers have had the impact people think, a few well funded YouTubers and middle class people with money to burn on a fad are not the big motivating force, It’s bloody amazon.
So you really need to carry 4 euro pallets, 4 motorbikes and a mobile workshop? Bloody hell.
Sounds like you need an absolutely massive van. And if you need one that badly stop crying about the price and get to work.
I've only ever used one for mountain biking and camping so I'm doing you a favour by dropping out of the market.
#octavialife
House round the corner seems to regularly have DPD liveried vans parked up outside overnight, I assume these are “owner/operator” vans otherwise they’d be in the DPD depot yard at night.
I also think it has to be finance driven, either Gigworkers are taking on a chunk of debt tied to their zero hours work (is that responsible lending?) or they’re leasing the van. Both options sound expensive.
Round here there aren't many gig workers (Amazon, Evri etc) rocking a new Sprinter or Transit.
I suspect the liveried owner/operators are on some deal through the main brand like a franchise set up where they may also benefit from fleet/bulk deals.
In terms of finance - it's a self employed person financing a vehicle.
Bought my 2010 transporter with 40K miles back in 2017 for 12.5K +vat.
I just sold it with 112K miles for ....... 12.5K +vat
Alot of delivery drivers work for a smaller delivery company. They may or may not have liveried vans. Many drivers rent the van, or at least have a deduction as they dont get the same van every day. Then there are your single individuals who do deliveries and they can be in cars or vans. I'd assume those in vans would be opting for the longer shifts. My son did a few months delivering for a delivery operator for Amazon.
Where does one put 4 euro pallets or 4 full sized motorbikes in an Octavia with a Buzzrack?!?! Where would the mobile workshop go...?
You put them in the big van you’ve bought for more money than you hoped and charge the customer more, hence why everything is more expensive now.
Classic STW! 😫 So, again... Where does one put 4 euro pallets or 4 full sized motorbikes in an Octavia with a Buzzrack?!?! Where would the mobile workshop go...? You do realise that vans weren't invented purely so that people could convert them into a mobile home on wheels, but for a long time now they have served a purpose for transporting BIG things the length and breadth of the country as required, right...? Or is a Mountain Bike the largest thing you can conceive wanting to transport...?
You don't need a van, but a converted bus or a lorry.
I can get 4x 1sq m Euro pallets in my NV200 (I can't put much on them though)
I guess you have to factor in how much more useable and comfortable vans are these days? Cars, vans, mountain bikes, road bikes, etc have all gone up loads. Back when you could buy a new Transit for 10k + vat you wouldn't find many people buying them instead of the car they were looking at but you do now as they're so capable. My Tourneo Custom is comfortable to drive long distances, is as quiet as many cars, can fit up to 9 people in (god send when the kids tip up wanting a lift with their mates) and I can chuck my bikes in without taking the wheels off with room to sleep too. Why would I choose an MPV instead? Wouldn't save any money.
In 2024/5 when I was looking there were plenty of decent condition vans about with not insane milage for around 10k and a quick look suggests it's similar now. Considering how much you have to spend for a decent car second hand vans seem in the same ballpark?
That's not to say I'm happy about it, prices for most things have gone through the roof while my wage has not.
Last year a pal of mine sold his place in the build queue for a VW Transporter to a dealer for £7k.
Not a van, just the opportunity to order a van in 3 months time. It takes a while for this kind of market behaviour to unwind.