Needing a van for a month in Europe this summer. Will it be cheaper/easier to…
Hire in the UK- are hire companies ok with going abroad
or
Buy something and sell it at the end of the trip
or
A third option that I haven’t yet thought of which is obviously better

Advice please!

For what purpose…?

To put literally all the toys in the world into then razz around the alps for larks.

We might occasionally pull over for some riding/paddling/camping/swimming/climbing etc

Renting will be very expensive if going abroad. If you can afford to buy and sell that would be the cheapest option.

Renting will be very expensive if going abroad.

I’ve an account with one of the larger hire co’s and they sent me their new rate card just this morning so I can tell you that…they charge an extra £20 per day on top of any given hire rate for taking broad.

Cheapest I’ve found given extra Europe charges (although why that is prices per day when it is a document to prove ownership is anyone’s guess) is £826 with Europcar- but that has a mileage limit of 2800 miles. Will it get us to France, Switzerland, Italy and back? Taking the Hull-Zeebrugge so saving mileage by not driving to Dover!

How much have you got to spend if you do buy? Enough for something in decent nick?

Can you afford to keep it once you realise how great vans are?

Depends how many of you are going if its with mates I’d just do the hire van. If it’s family or just yourself I’d buy a banger and sell it on.

What car have you got – hire or buy a trailer?

Did the aUK to Morzine and back in Augustand that was the best part of 2000. 800 miles to use on a months worth of whims ( not including Italy) isn’t a lot.

If you buy make sure you run around in it locally before heading off on the trip so that any issues can be seen and fixed close to home.

How many are going? How much stuff? You might be better off with a large car. If there is more than 2 sleeping in the van with loadsmof gear will be a no go.

We did two up in corsa with bikes last year. Did the Pyrenees and alps. Its certainly roomier in a van but not essential. Vans are also more expensive on the toll roads and probably worse on fuel. I’m not saying don’t do it. We’ve done some great van trips. Just there are more options.

South coast to the house in italy is 1380 miles each way using the tolls to give you an idea.

£825 could almost buy you my Renault tragic. I say buy!!!

Have a LWB Traffic Crew auto here that just needs the robot pressure system bleeding and a sensor.
Lost interest in it tbh.

We have been to the Alps in the van a couple of times and it’s great, easy to carry spares, bikes are out of sight at stops, you see around you better as you are sitting higher off the road. And toals were no more expensive than a car for us, crew van though so might be different.

Buy a cheap van between you, run it for the month and then flog it for £500. We’ve done this many times in the past when younger. Just pay for some half decent cover to.tow you to a garage.
If it totally dies then just fly home (never needed to).
Vans are brilliant for Europe,. You can sleep in them. They’re more secure than a bike rack, more stealth than a bike rack as well.

But an old.Pug Boxxer or Citreon Relay, get a long wheel, high top and then you can knock up a bed/shelf the entire length of the van to sleep on (imagine sleeping bags laid out like in a tent) and all the kit/bikes go underneath. If it’s just 2 of you you can even have different beds. They layouts are limitless.

As you’re not planning on keeping it and thus do not have to worry about it being practical for day to day life then a big cheap one would be ideal for you beeds.

I’ve picked up old Boxxers and Relays for £500-800 and sold them on for pretty much the same money. And being French the parts are easy to get in Europe (Sprinter parts are rather costly!!)