Which Vehicle Is Best?! too many to choose! (1 Viewer)

[charlotte2013]

Hi

My boyfriend and I are going to start our travels around europe this april and am looking for a van to take us on our adventure.
I want something smallish...transit, transporter, vw autosleeper etc however just need some advice on whats good and whats not.
i will be going for 6-12months and want to spend £2000-£3000. Ive browsed ebay/auto trader alot and looked at all of them but what i really need is a little help from the people who know best.

Thank you!

Charlotte

 

[jonandshell]

Welcome to MHF Charlotte!:welcomefunster:

You're on a bit of a tight budget there. It might well be worth dismissing anything with a VW badge on for that very reason.
There are quite a few campers on the market at that price point but be prepared for lots of work.
Although not as cool as a campervan, might I suggest you take some of your campsite budget and put it towards a more expensive coachbuilt motorhome.
The extra facilites onboard a coachbuilt van will allow you to use the excellent network of stopovers in europe, saving a fortune on campsites.
Hope this helps.:thumb:

-Jon

 

[Hayleylulu]

I think wildman as a ford escort for sale

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[gromit]

I think wildman as a ford escort for sale

what about an old p100 pick up you could put a tent on the back and may be have change for fish n chips

 

[DM14742]

Autosleeper & Holdsworth built some cracking Campers on the Talbot Express Van, & think you could pick up a decent example from the mid to late 80's on Ebay.
One word of caution though, your budget definately puts your search into this age of vehicle & I would take someone along who knows what to look for. It needs to have a good service history & MOT with any advisory notices shown to you. Bodywork panels can be repaired but structural corrosion is another matter & can easily be covered over for sale. Your atitude should be buyer beware!!!
An alternative would be to spend the bulk of your budget on an unconverted newer Van & have a go at a more basic conversion yourself & hopefully you are or know of a DIYer.
Good luck with your search :thumb:

 

[jonandshell]

We started off with a £2000 VW T25 high top camper about 7 yrs ago.
It was a LHD German conversion, double-glazed, diesel heated and with good size water tanks. It even came with a set of winter tyres!
We sold it to a bloke down the road, it's still going strong!
It took us to the Alps mountain biking although the mountain passes made the 1.6 non-turbo engine puff a bit!
It can be done Charlotte, there are lots of Japanese-based campers around. The Jap vans will give better reliability for a given price. In fact anything without that VW badge will give you a newer more reliable van for a given price!
VWs are generally expensive for what you get nowadays. There's too many gents out there having a mid-life crisis and snapping them up to go with their surfboards and wetsuits!
Ignore the banter on here about pickups and tents, nobody is taking the mick, it just goes with the territory on MHF!

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[gromit]

We started off with a £2000 VW T25 high top camper about 7 yrs ago.
It was a LHD German conversion, double-glazed, diesel heated and with good size water tanks. It even came with a set of winter tyres!
We sold it to a bloke down the road, it's still going strong!
It took us to the Alps mountain biking although the mountain passes made the 1.6 non-turbo engine puff a bit!
It can be done Charlotte, there are lots of Japanese-based campers around. The Jap vans will give better reliability for a given price. In fact anything without that VW badge will give you a newer more reliable van for a given price!
VWs are generally expensive for what you get nowadays. There's too many gents out there having a mid-life crisis and snapping them up to go with their surfboards and wetsuits!
Ignore the banter on here about pickups and tents, nobody is taking the mick, it just goes with the territory on MHF!

sorry only joking

 

[tonka]

If your buying an older van just check on possible limits for breakdown cover, some companies wont cover vehicles over 20 years old...
I am currently in Morocco and there are many older vans still making it and chugging along like good en's.... My only other limited advise if dont buy something that just been sat about for a long time, unused and "low mileage"... If it was me I would be more trusting of a van that someone had used often and done good trips in...

 

[Terry]

Hi and welcome :thumb: 2 to 3 k is a tight budget but doable Going on the higher end of your buget I think you need to be looking at a early 90s PVC (panel van conversion) think older transit, Talbot type's these will come with all the basic requirements -loo shower fridge cooker heater water heater and water tanks.Stick to old mainstream conveters and after a yr or so you should not loose much
Terry

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[rainbow chasers]

Depends what you want from it. On that budget, you could pick up an older conversion such as a talbot - but travelling europe for a 20 or /30 year old van may end up having issues with getting parts and repairs etc. Something to think about when abroad as it is your home - so you would need somewhere to stay whilst in for repair.

You can pick up a decent van, and then throw a stealth conversion at it quite cheaply - rock -n-roll bed, cooker, fridge tv etc - or even find a 'surf bus' with this already done if you are happy with a little less refinement.

Or take a look at a self converted van. Be aware that sometimes the money is a little steep.

There are plenty of budget conversions around. I can tell you of two now, both older shape transit high tops - one has 'basic' spray job, but is fitted out inside with all your worldy desires to a very high standard with solar panels and the like. That is around 3k - another more basic, bed, cooker etc on an old high top van - but does have windows right around - that is around a grand.

 

[Hayleylulu]

Make JJ a offer for is wagon it must be coming to the end now he's found him self a lady but if you do buy in I would think you would have to get rent a kill in first be four you could ues it

 

[Terry]

Depends what you want from it. On that budget, you could pick up an older conversion such as a talbot - but travelling europe for a 20 or /30 year old van may end up having issues with getting parts and repairs etc. Something to think about when abroad as it is your home - so you would need somewhere to stay whilst in for repair.

You can pick up a decent van, and then throw a stealth conversion at it quite cheaply - rock -n-roll bed, cooker, fridge tv etc - or even find a 'surf bus' with this already done if you are happy with a little less refinement.

Or take a look at a self converted van. Be aware that sometimes the money is a little steep.

There are plenty of budget conversions around. I can tell you of two now, both older shape transit high tops - one has 'basic' spray job, but is fitted out inside with all your worldy desires to a very high standard with solar panels and the like. That is around 3k - another more basic, bed, cooker etc on an old high top van - but does have windows right around - that is around a grand.

Whilst I agree almost entirly with what you say these people are new to MHs and as such can very easy get a self build that could just as easy cost them a small fortune.A old auto sleeper,murvi ,holdsworth etc will have been well looked after and have most items as standard,plus have a resale value after a year.
The self build may well be based on a 200,000 miles abused builders van and as you know for every 1 good conversion out there,there are 20 sheds IF and I mean IF they do a lot of home work then yes there are some decent self builds out there but they will be newer vans in a more 5k plus market.Newer cheaper vans usualy come into the shed catagory.
I came across this one yesterday -a little over budget but worth a look and a lot more room for extened stay
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There are lots for aution on ebay and about 4 pages of sub 3k vans on Auto trader.Be aware of the scams because there is a nice Hymer on auto trader that has got to be a scam of the type that has been hitting ebay highlighted over the last couple of weeks on here
terry

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[Janine]

I can vouch for the old Holdsworths - mine is 18 years old, on a VW base and has just sailed through the MOT again with no advisories.

 

[charlotte2013]

Thank you!

WOW!

thank you so much for all your quick replies...so helpful! (-1)

I have found a 1988 VW T25 autosleeper with an MOT until feb 2014 and a smaller engine is cheaper to insure for someone like me. i think the insurance will be the only thing hindering our plans.

Thank you again!

Charlotte

 

[Terry]

WOW!

thank you so much for all your quick replies...so helpful! (-1)

I have found a 1988 VW T25 autosleeper with an MOT until feb 2014 and a smaller engine is cheaper to insure for someone like me. i think the insurance will be the only thing hindering our plans.

Thank you again!

Charlotte

Hi again not sure on your age but if you have a NCD then shop around :thumb: a lot of company's will mirror your car ins :thumb:SUB £500 INC rescue is easy achevable Engine size does not really come into it
You will be able to run the A/S FOR A YEAR and get what you paid for it back
terry

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