What second hand camper should I get?!?

[VANpelt]

Hi, I'm looking to buy my first van. I've saved up for a budget of 3-4k for the van. I'm happy to spend some more doing it up but generally want to buy something I'm only going to have to change the cosmetics on, I don't have the ability to add bedding/change layout etc.

I've been spending a lot of time on ebay looking at vans that seem to be going for around 2.5-3.5k - they generally seem to be late 1980s/1990s VWs or Talbot vans. I really don't know anything as I am completely new to this and know no one living the van life...

I guess my main question is which vans are the most worth it and will actually last? I want to travel a lot in it and potentially live in it in my final year at university! It's going to cost me most my savings from the last few years so its an all or nothing situation (if it is terrible I'm screwed).

Any help appreciated - thanks!!!

 

[Keith777]

Had a look on Gumtree and in Scotland there are a couple of vans in your price range but they all seem to need some sort of work.
Here is one for example.

Used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for Sale | Gumtree

Find amazing local prices on used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for sale ✅ Shop hassle-free with Gumtree, your local buying & selling community.

www.gumtree.com

That looks very tidy

 

[Tarn2]

What's your luck like? For reasons beyond me, older VW's seem to attract higher prices, but I know a number of people who have ended up spending a fortune on them. Older Talbot's can be rust magnets? I sold my self built Renault Master ex minibus in your price bracket earlier this year. Full MOT, no advisories, needed nothing doing to it, low mileage and totally reliable (old school slogger, but would go forever, with only 82k miles), so they are out there if you've got time to wait and prepared to do a bit of searching? Sadly, there are a few 'bodgers' about in self builds, so it's definitely buyer beware. For your budget, don't expect too many frills and I would go for reliability over the inside, which is easier to add to/customise.

 

[stevewagner]

Have a look on British Car Auctions website at Nottingham as they hold at least one auction for motorhome every month. You may find an older van that a dealer has taken in part exchange. If you do go take someone who knows what to look for and a damp meter - good luck!

 

[Anjistar]

At the very least you need the assistance of someone who knows about vehicles.
My advice for your budget would be to get a more modern small van (e.g. Citroen Berlingo, Renault Kangoo, etc.) and chuck a mattress, bucket and camping stove in the back.

This is the best advice if you are set on buying a home on wheels.

Apart from anything else, the insurance for someone as young as you (I'm making assumptions here, apologies if I'm wrong) would be through the roof. One other thing, if you passed your test after 1997, you may not have C1 on your licence, and so won't be able to drive anything 3,500t or over without taking the C1 test. A lot of campervans are 3500t.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[nicholsong]

Well lots of posts in 2 days and not a peep out of OP.

Maybe point to stop wasting time on this.

Geoff

 

[Langtoftlad]

Well lots of posts in 2 days and not a peep out of OP.

Maybe point to stop wasting time on this.

Geoff

The OP can't post - but is still a free 'read only' member

 

[Solwaybuggier]

I wonder whether she might be well advised to check out vanlife forums as well - but not with a view to getting help from someone who just happens to know where a good van is for sale cheap!

 

[RubyOptics]

VANpelt hopefully you are reading even though you can't post right now (I would say that if you are thinking of dropping 4k on a van, the 15 quid to become a member here would be a great idea though!!).

Can you get a van for your budget...yes, you probably can. But you will need to think carefully about how much of that budget is going to be available to fix things that either are wrong or will go wrong. By that I don't just mean things like taps or pumps. Think about the vehicle itself. For the money you are looking to spend the van is likely to be 30-40 years old. It's going to need a service, it will probably need new tyres etc. Those things cost money, how much is there going to be to pay for them?

In GENERAL, Hymer vans from that age are fairly highly regarded. You can check out the Hymer market (I think that's its name) on Facebook and they regularly have vans coming up that are in your price range. You are welcome to post any you are interested in on here and people will give you their feedback and opinions, but this still won't be as good as taking someone with experience with you if you go to look at it.

Now is, again in general, not a great time to buy. Prices are inflated right now due to the Covid situation and people are selling while the selling is good for much higher prices than their vans are strictly speaking worth. That's not to say that there aren't good vans at good prices, but its the exception rather than the norm right now.

Your post raises quite a few questions such as - where do you want to travel? For how long? At what time of year? Will you be living in the van full-time or just that last year of university? Hopefully you will be able to answer a few of these and others questions to get the best answers to help you in your search. Whatever happens, good luck!

 

[nicholsong]

The OP can't post - but is still a free 'read only' member

I thought one could enroll as a Member and have 5 posts free before one had to pay a subscription. How did she post the OP?

Geoff

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Spriddler]

I thought one could enroll as a Member and have 5 posts free before one had to pay a subscription. How did she post the OP?

Geoff

'She' started another and earlier thread with more details, e.g. about hoping to park on friends' drives etc. etc.

 

[PG’s trips]

Friend bought an 8k Renault, spent 8k on on it, could only sell it via auction for 4K one year later....looked ok, rot underneath. Be careful !

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Stop. Another newbie vanished after 5 posts.

 

[CamperJack]

Friend bought an 8k Renault, spent 8k on on it, could only sell it via auction for 4K one year later....looked ok, rot underneath. Be careful !

When I bought my Hyundai the dealer laughed out loud at me when I lay on the floor and crawled underneath the car with a torch! It was less than three years old but I was still going to check!

 

[St3v3]

For your intended use, get a caravan.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Conal]

If the OP is still reading Northernraider may be selling a van soon….

 

[Jamesh]

If the OP is still reading Northernraider may be selling a van soon….

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.....

Tam pick, me pick me.......!

Seriously it will be a good un...

He'll even throw in a free phone lead!

 

[Tonks]

Older Talbot's can be rust magnets?

Yep. Someone I know well, who has had several campervans, a couple of motorhomes and some caravans over the years and who has previously swapped an engine from one vehicle to another so not a mechanical numptie bought an elderly Talbot Autosleeper. It turned out to need £3000 worth of welding, to sort out a problem which had been very well disguised by the seller (or a previous seller). When they sold it on the next owner got a bargain, solid and well maintained van, but the chance of having a similar big bill after spending out on the initial purchase would make me very wary.

 

[EuroTrotters]

The problems with any vans at the moment are numerous.

*Demand for Home Delivery Couriers have increased, so has the demand for used vans.
*Self Builds are on up
*New Van Supply is slow (Electronics supply (Mercedes cannot keep up with demand of 7G/9G Automatic gearboxes etc))

Example:

One of the Vans I bought in 2018

*Mercedes Sprinter Window Van
*SWB,
*2014,
*4 ~Cylinder
*3 Series (3,500kg).
*7G-Tronic Automatic.
*Semi Automatic A/C,
*Cruise Control,
*Auto Headlamps,
*Auto Wipers.
*Auto Fire Suppression System
*Parktronic
*Rear Wipers
*Twin Rear Glazed Doors
*Alloy Wheels
*21,000 miles
*FSH
*Metalic Black Paint


I paid £11,500 for it as a repaired Cat D (Very minor damage)

It now has 48,000 miles and FSH
I have had three offers this month.

£15,000
£20,000
£24,000