Old(er) or New(ish) Van…..which is better value for money ?

Hugoman

Hugoman

Joined
Mar 1, 2023
Posts
601
Likes collected
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Funster No
94,324
MH
Hymer
Exp
25 years plus 30 in a tent
Every 6 months or so when a shiny blingy Motorhome parks up next to me behind an abandoned abattoir/ French Aire I think to myself perhaps I should “upgrade”.

I have a 2004 Hymer B674 (picture enclosed) pretty much perfect layout for me…two lengthwise single beds over a huge garage, convertible to a huge Kingsize (should I get lucky) …the beds that is not the garage. Solar, Gaslo, 2.8 JTD engine, original pull out scooter rack so I can easily go over my payload.

But here’s the thing, to get an equivalent van say a B680 but 10 years newer…so 2014 I’d have to pay about £50,000 more ! Or something even newer and we’re talking an extra £100,000 more.

So what am I getting for my extra £50,000 to £100,000 ?

I suppose it would be lower mileage… mines just on 100,000 miles 😥

But is that it !

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As long as it’s reliable and in good condition and not costing a fortune every time you have the MOT done I would stick with what you have and save yourself a lot of money and stress over getting things sorted on a new van when using dealers who are reluctant to sort anything out😊
 
Lenny HB said:
We like having a new Motorhome now we are old and retired it's nice to have new things. We prefer to have a new Motorhome rather than a new car
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HaHa… I was like that as a little boy. I remember one Christmas getting a stick and was told I’d have to wait till next Christmas to get the hoop .

Old ? age is just a concept …
 
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I’m sure the benefits would be better brakes better suspension nicer steering more powerful engine lighter interior and very shiny ,should I change as well?

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Hugoman said:
Every 6 months or so when a shiny blingy Motorhome parks up next to me behind an abandoned abattoir/ French Aire I think to myself perhaps I should “upgrade”.

I have a 2004 Hymer B674 (picture enclosed) pretty much perfect layout for me…two lengthwise single beds over a huge garage, convertible to a huge Kingsize (should I get lucky) …the beds that is not the garage. Solar, Gaslo, 2.8 JTD engine, original pull out scooter rack so I can easily go over my payload.

But here’s the thing, to get an equivalent van say a B680 but 10 years newer…so 2014 I’d have to pay about £50,000 more ! Or something even newer and we’re talking an extra £100,000 more.

So what am I getting for my extra £50,000 to £100,000 ?

I suppose it would be lower mileage… mines just on 100,000 miles 😥

But is that it !

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That is a superb MH, I had a 2003 plate B644 and it was a total workhorse, you could take it to a motorcycle trials competition and it was not out of place, you could the following weekend take it to some beautiful aire on the Brittany coast and again it was not out of place.

I thought exactly the same as you regarding a newer MH, then I thought that for a fraction of the cost, I could spend a bit of money on some upgrades etc. I actually had to sell it in the end to finance a house restoration.

Recently I have got a N&B Arto and that drives slightly nicer than the B644 but it is on the following generation of FIAT chassis.

I have had loads of diesel powered vehicles but the 2.8 JTD and the 3 Litre Iveco are the best engines that I have had (others include Merc, Audi, GM) and I have covered in diesel vehicles around 400K Miles.

If you need more power then throw one of those tuning boxes at it, they work extremely well (I don't know why).

Stick with it.
 
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Not quite the same but when my wife passed away 14 months ago the motor we had was through the motobility scheme and had to be returned, I had to buy a car for the first time in 15 years, I was ready to spend £16,000 to £20,000, and my daughter said you only need something small for you and the dogs, two French bulldogs, I came home with a dodge 2.8 diesel 4x4 as it’s the type of vehicle I’ve always had, it only cost me £6000 so my feeling were if I have to spend a couple of thousand on it over the next couple of years I’m still better of then spending £20,000.
If I was you I’d stick with what I have if you like it, anything needed doing, interior refit for example, and you still wouldn’t spend £50,000 and you know it’s reliable, you could spend thousands and be much worse of.
 
We are just "upgrading", didn't have to I have to admit but had a look at the model up from my current one when it went in for it's first service.
Current is a bailey alliance se 7.6m fixed bed and perfect layout for us.
New one is a Bailey Autograph and is in fact only 6 months older and has pretty much exact same layout and only 30cm longer at 7.9m, BUT there's a lot more room in it! I think its because they have put the fridge freezer were the gas locker was on the alliance and vice versa. Plus the fridge freezer is bigger, better and raised off the floor so much better for our wilding and my back! Engine and spec of the cabs the exact same too. Bench seats are slightly wider so good for both me and the wife too.
 
PaulyP said:
Not quite the same but when my wife passed away 14 months ago the motor we had was through the motobility scheme and had to be returned, I had to buy a car for the first time in 15 years, I was ready to spend £16,000 to £20,000, and my daughter said you only need something small for you and the dogs, two French bulldogs, I came home with a dodge 2.8 diesel 4x4 as it’s the type of vehicle I’ve always had, it only cost me £6000 so my feeling were if I have to spend a couple of thousand on it over the next couple of years I’m still better of then spending £20,000.
If I was you I’d stick with what I have if you like it, anything needed doing, interior refit for example, and you still wouldn’t spend £50,000 and you know it’s reliable, you could spend thousands and be much worse of.
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A dodge 2.8 ! I lived in Sydney many years ago…had a Chrysler VH Valiant Ranger …think it had a 4.5 litre engine…which I’d brought it back ! This one’s not mine…mine was duck egg blue…

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We’ve loved our 2002 Rapido for 16 years and every time we consider upgrading we decide that it’s not worth it. We have “problems” with environment zones and have got away with navigation errors on the continent but the UK ANPR cameras would be less obliging. A good reason to get a newer one?

Something more efficient would be good, saving money and the planet. But how much better would it be? Imagine that we do 5000 pa: @25 mpg that’s 200gallons (£1400?). If we can get 33mpg then it’s 150 gallons (£1050?). Not a big difference considering the capital outlay.

A brand new van looks very appealing but how long before scuffs and scrapes remove the gleam? Would I refuse to go down narrow lanes “just in case”? Would I tell everybody to remove shoes and not jump on the furniture? Would I become paranoid?

Theoretically, a new van should be less likely to go wrong but we hear so many stories. I have enough faith in my old van to go to the south of Spain without any concern and know that the technology will not require a degree in electronics to sort out any difficulties.

Unfortunately, the Aclass bed is becoming a bit harder to access so the day might come when we need to change or pack in. We do have the option of sleeping “downstairs” by converting the dinette but that was something we hated in caravans. Fingers crossed that we can keep going with what we have: that new one can wait.

Gordon

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Riverbankannie said:
I started reading the post and assumed you were talking about the MH in your avatar photo, then I scrolled down and saw the photo of a shiny new MH that doesn’t look old !
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HaHa….it’s certainly not shiny new….although shinier than it was after spending a week cleaning it…foam, clay, compound, polish then wax 😥😥🥵…

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Mzracer said:
That is a superb MH, I had a 2003 plate B644 and it was a total workhorse, you could take it to a motorcycle trials competition and it was not out of place, you could the following weekend take it to some beautiful aire on the Brittany coast and again it was not out of place.

I thought exactly the same as you regarding a newer MH, then I thought that for a fraction of the cost, I could spend a bit of money on some upgrades etc. I actually had to sell it in the end to finance a house restoration.

Recently I have got a N&B Arto and that drives slightly nicer than the B644 but it is on the following generation of FIAT chassis.

I have had loads of diesel powered vehicles but the 2.8 JTD and the 3 Litre Iveco are the best engines that I have had (others include Merc, Audi, GM) and I have covered in diesel vehicles around 400K Miles.

If you need more power then throw one of those tuning boxes at it, they work extremely well (I don't know why).

Stick with it.
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I think an old N&B Arto, Flair , Clou would be the only things I’d swap it for….always a risk buying a 20 year old van though…devil you know…especially an N&B… it’s like buying a seventies Rolls Royce…you might be lucky..you might not….and if you’re not then a visit to the friendly bank manager for a remortgage might be on the cards.
 
Well having had a Hymer very similar to yours and a N&B that is a bit newer, I would say that in build quality there is not much to choose between them, although slightly in favour of the N&B.

The N&B is very solid and super dry, it also has a very competent spares back up, and even tiny little parts are available and shown in detail before purchase, albeit at a price as you suggest.

I think that the biggest difference is going to the X250 Fiat platform (post 2007 I think) that 3 litre engine and 6 speed gearbox is very good, if it was from Mercedes then everyone would say "it is what you expect from Mercedes" but it is Fiat!!
 
Hugoman said:
A dodge 2.8 ! I lived in Sydney many years ago…had a Chrysler VH Valiant Ranger …think it had a 4.5 litre engine…which I’d brought it back ! This one’s not mine…mine was duck egg blue…

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The dodge on the left and the xtrail which had to go back to motobility.
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U pose some interesting questions here on fun but unfortunately only you can answer this one. Value for money might be 150K on a new van or keeping it to spend on whatever else takes your fancy. Splashing that much on a new one would be against my ingrained sense of frugality and I think I would resent having spent that much every time I walked pass it on the drive.
However, if you have got it you might as well get what your heart desires, there's no pockets in shrouds.
 
I've had three since my 2002 Hymer and the quality has got progressively worse. I now have a fond longing for a van just like yours, or is that just nostalgia?
With a new van you would get the latest (motorhome) fashion, a smoother more powerful engine, better suspension, a few electro toys and £100k poorer. Your choice.

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The way I look at it is if you want it and can afford it go for it.

No good being the richest stiff in the cemetery, enjoy what you can.
My kids will have a lot more than I have had and I’m glad I can make their life a lot easier but I make sure me and Mrs CC enjoy what we have😁😁
 
There is nothing nicer than a newer fresher motorhome complete with all the modern bells and whistles.
The recent increase in prices of new and second vans means that this one I bought in 2019 is still worth more than I paid for it.
 
I also notice but could be wrong that similar newer A class vans don’t seem to have a large window next to the habitation door…sometimes no window at all…or maybe a small slit window in the actual door. That would drive me mad..think it would feel a bit claustrophobic and dark inside.

So I seem to find negatives for my extra £50,000 - £100,000 but no positives. Maybe reliability….although haven’t broken down yet….apart from a tyre blowout which could happen on any age van.

In fact I think not having a DPF is a positive as well…
 
Stealaway said:
There is nothing nicer than a newer fresher motorhome complete with all the modern bells and whistles.
The recent increase in prices of new and second vans means that this one I bought in 2019 is still worth more than I paid for it.
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Ah right ! What are all the new bells and whistles ? Would they cost £50,000 to add to mine ?

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