Van buying advise (1 Viewer)

rogsmith

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Ok hello to all.

I posted in the introductions thread on Friday and got lots of welcomes and advise whcih is much appreciated.But now its time for my first proper post.

I have decided i want a van for sure.If people havnt seen my intro thread then im only on a small budget.I have been looking into storage but after reading some things im not opposed to parking it outside my garage which is next to my house and would just about be off road.
This would be ideal because im pretty sure with my budget (2-3k) im going to have some work to do on the van.If its mechanical i have some good friends that may well help,if its interior then thats something i can do.

So what to buy is really what this post is about.Any advise,i would be wanting one thats big enough for myself,mrs and our 8 year old daughter.Storage would be good and a shower and toilet would be needed in some form.

Any links of vans for sale,what i need to look for (as i have so far found out damp being the biggest enemy) etc etc etc.

Many thanks

Just as an extra,there seems to be plenty of Talbots on ebay for the sort of money i have.......steer clear or are these ok.
 
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dogman

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This would be ideal because im pretty sure with my budget (2-3k).
Not sure what you will get for this, motorhomes are quite an expensive bit of kit, even in this day and age a car costing 2-3K is going to be very errrm ordinary but motorhomes are in a different price bracket altogether. You might need to revise your budget however if you find one that you like in that price range it might be prudent to post on here before you commit to the purchase, get some opinions.
Cal



A closed mouth gathers no foot.
 
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jonandshell

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Hi
You are on a very tight budget, but you are not alone on this forum.
The only advice I could give aside from the usual on damp etc, would be to say that the continental manufacturers have been doing good family vans a lot longer than the Brits.
Try searching EBay for Hymer, Burstner, Chausson, Pilote, Dethleffs, Frankia, Euramobil, etc.
These brands are not as popular or well known as the British big names such as Swift, Elddis, Compass, Bessacar, Etc and the bidding won't be so hot on budget models.
The added bonus of the continental vans is that they are generally more suitable for all year round use and have bigger water tanks.
Bill the drill picked up a half decent Dethleffs for a song recently and threatens to come skiing this year!!:thumb:
The van was 'well travelled' and needed engine work but was as dry as a bone!

Good luck!:thumb:

Hope this helps!

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rogsmith

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Oct 25, 2013
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Thanks for the replies.I realise its probably a silly budget and i may have to reconsider.I want to do this sooner rather than later as my daughter is getting older and i think now and for a few years for sure she would love it.

Thanks jonandshell thats something to look at.Bill the Drill has already been in touch and been a great help so its good to hear him mentioned by others,he seems to know his stuff.

The budget situation is that amount i can pay outright without worrying.I coud certainly up the amount but i wouldnt want costs to get silly.All in all im after a way of having some fun holidays that arnt going to cost the earth in the long run.After the initial cost of the van then the general up keep costs are ok.Its just the initial outlay if you get me.
 
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Our last van was a converted ldv van bought for £3000,had it for three years and last year we did 3900 miles across France , down into Italy and round to Spain and back and it never missed a beat, loved it , it had proper toilet , shower and everything, anyway this spring , we thought it was time to have a newer one else we never would . Well I put it on eBay and it sold in one day for what I bought it for. Bet the one we have now doesn't do that.::bigsmile:
 
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Snowbird

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Admittedly your budget is very low, but its not impossible. What you will have to be aware of is that motorhome parts are very expensive compared to cars. Finding a motorhome with usable parts in a scrapyard is also neigh on impossible, so the only option is buy new parts when required. General running costs can spiral out of control on older vehicles unless you have a mate who is a mechanic and is prepared to do your servicing on the cheap. Try to steer clear of the older Fiats as parts are becoming difficult to find and the best place to look for a cheap older van is within the LEZ zone as they do tend to be a little cheaper. Older VW LTs are fairly good and sometimes can be had cheaply.
 
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rogsmith

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chaser i actually looked at that one last night.The rust put me off a bit and it said only sleeps two i believe.

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Rob and Val

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Would this be of interest?
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We already have a MH that we are very happy with now that we have sorted out all its problems. However, we recently bought this book to give us a greater insight into the workings of a camper van and we found it to be very informative and helpful. For anyone considering buying a 'van, we think that this book is essential reading.
 
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chaser i actually looked at that one last night.The rust put me off a bit and it said only sleeps two i believe.

Yes I saw that, didn't actually meen to buy that one, but the sort of thing to look for, as it is normal van based , spares are not a problem, and the insides you can put right, and being a van , it shouldn't have any damp problems, anyway keep looking there are plenty about and should get cheaper now winters coming::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
 
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rogsmith

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Thanks chaser,im with you mate.

Rob and Val,
That is top notch and could be exactly the thing im after order placed.Thanks you very much.On my budget that could make sense as mentioned a van could well be better for parts etc etc and im certainly not opposed to having to do lots of work in fact that way the end product could be even more rewarding.

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Thanks chaser,im with you mate.

Rob and Val,
That is top notch and could be exactly the thing im after order placed.Thanks you very much.On my budget that could make sense as mentioned a van could well be better for parts etc etc and im certainly not opposed to having to do lots of work in fact that way the end product could be even more rewarding.

Haven't seen that book, but it's got an ldv on the cover, maybe I am very biased but if you can find one that's not rotten I don't think they can be beat and always cheap, tranny running gear, go for ever, love em, I have now got an ldv 3andhalf ton pickup what I use for everyday, if I really try hard I can get 40 mpg out of it
 
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Terry

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Hi Rogs, there are quite a few older fiat group vans around your budget along with Renaults and quite a few self builds that have all the things you require for not much more than the price of a empty van.Yep they need working on but you get a newer van which you say you can do the inside :winky:
Next don't dicount 2 berth vans simply because chances are the front seats are not used as a bed so you can easy cut a board and throw a roll up matress on to make a bed for a young un :thumb:
Indeed I did this in our van when grandson decided he was coming with us ::bigsmile: I told him that I had made it for 2 :winky: even though it makes up from 2 single beds to a very big6 ft 6 ins sq bed::bigsmile: He simply went into garage and dragged a piece of ply out and basically told me that will do to make his bed ::bigsmile:
Terry
 
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older talbots in usable condition will fetch more than your budget and any needing work will be exspensive to repair as parts are scarce ive seen headlights change hands for over a hundred pounds each your best bet is a van and do a basic conversion if you realy need to keep within your budget, if your based in london within the lez its realy going to be difficult due to the lez

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Terry

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Terry

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They are all I found on BIN and AT but did not include all ebay classifieds or bidding simply because you never know what they end up at :Smile:Well worth watching what bidding goes up to :winky:
Terry
 
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Don't dismiss the Talbots completely. They are good value vans (mine's a Fiat Ducato 1991 and is identical to the Talbot engine) The spares are available if you know where to look and on a low budget, they are an option.

That said, they are also a money pit - I've spent lots trying to get my habitation sorted (damp mainly) but at least I can do it in my own time and when I have the money to do so.

Good luck in your search!

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rogsmith

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Thanks for all the replies.

One that interests me from the lists Terry put up and its the nearest to me is this one,a Talbot though.
.
 
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Terry

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You should not go far wrong with that one - looks like it's been well looked after and for 3k :winky: driven carefully you will get mid 20s mpg
Terry
 
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Rog I have sent you a personal message

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barearse

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Van advice

rogsmith,firstly let me welcome you aboard. This time last year I was where you are now. I was going to get an old local authority coach, you know the type. Van based with double doors at rear, fibre glass body and maybe a chair lift to assist my good lady. Missed a lovely VW 'bout 2002 for £2700! I was going to rely on my brother in law who is a lot more able than I to help to convert it.I am prattling on because I take you literally when you speak of "van". I finally plumped for a Mercedes 709D like the "Snap On" vans. Being a "van", she is the same width all the way down ,being a Mercedes of a certain vintage, she is very well built, with a bespoke interior. Her mileage would make many Funsters shudder,187500!.Just had her MOT ( class 5 ) two weeks ago. The bill was £180:roflmto:.She has a huge drop down bike rack ( for a Harley D ) and being a 7 ton truck, I feel I don't have to worry about overloading in spite of Madams best efforts:RollEyes:.Last week went to Dawlish Warren, another 600 miles!::bigsmile:.Three of us, all adults. Today, I had the diff and gear box oil changed,£50.I have a continuous improvement plan which hopefully reduces the nasty shocks. When I read on here what people are spending on their relatively new motorhomes for certain repairs it makes me blanche! "Habitation" checks and the like. With a one piece "tin" van, there is not much chance of a leaking roof:thumb: It is as much about the van as the camper element with me, this year so far I have had two requests to sell her and the ex Mercedes mechanic who has done some of the work ( new front discs and pads, oil and filters service ) wants first refusal, I didn't know him from Adam 3 months ago and in his words thinks She is "mint!".CamperVanLife website has a special section for Big Mercedes Campers. Good luck in your quest!:Cool:
 
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movan

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Catherine, I like the looks of that. Am looking for something for my daughter. Forgot about Preloved. :thumb:

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happypre65

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Hi,if you get the Trials and Motorcross news from the news agent you will find some cheap vans that have been converted,and motorhomes,just thought it might help you.regards H::bigsmile:
 
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