Is This Worth Considering? (1 Viewer)

Cilfan

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Hi all, newbie to the fun club and looking for anything (within reason) that will give me and the misses the biggest bang for our somewhat limited buck.
Our budget is 10 to (at a push) 15k and to be honest I'm somewhat disappointed with how poor - and old - the selection of euro vans is so I thought I'd cast the net wider and found this:



To be honest my knowledge of yank rv's - other than the cursory "watch out fors" found on here and your sister site - are zilch. So, at face value, is this worth further exploration (it's 300 miles away) or should I avoid it like the plague? Your opinions / advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dave
 

mjltigger

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I would suggest you can get a decent Euro van with similar age and mileage for the same money of less and that my experience of lpg conversions is that they are a Pita and an old derv of more efficient petrol lump will serve better at that price.

But it is absolutely your money and someone will be along in minute with an alternative view ;)
 

Jim

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It is definitely worth considering. Its a great coach. Big petrol engine that takes well to LPG conversion. Great size regard to length. The width will scare you at first but will soon shrink around you. A lot of van for the money. However, for me, when a seller describes a vehicle as a 'project' then be prepared to do a bit of work. But once done you could easily be using it beyond it's 30th birthday, (y)

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Popeye

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It would tick all your boxes, you will find some sites where the size is a drawback but every vehicle you look at will be a compromise in some way, what does the Mrs think?
 
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Cilfan

Cilfan

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I would suggest you can get a decent Euro van with similar age and mileage for the same money of less and that my experience of lpg conversions is that they are a Pita and an old derv of more efficient petrol lump will serve better at that price.

But it is absolutely your money and someone will be along in minute with an alternative view ;)

Points noted. Trouble is (IMO) and without wishing to offend anyone, Euros of that age look old, both in terms of design and construction. At least the yank still looks relatively modern not to mention the difference in spec. Plus it provides a rear fixed bed - which is an absolute must for me and the guvnor.

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Cilfan

Cilfan

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It is definitely worth considering. Its a great coach. Big petrol engine that takes well to LPG conversion. Great size regard to length. The width will scare you at first but will soon shrink around you. A lot of van for the money. However, for me, when a seller describes a vehicle as a 'project' then be prepared to do a bit of work. But once done you could easily be using it beyond it's 30th birthday, (y)
Thanks Jim. I've punted 7.5ters all over the UK and Europe and this appears to be a similar size so that shouldn't be a problem provided it comes in under that weight. As for the project bit - I'm a pretty adept and versatile diyer so provided there's nothing major I should be able to cover it. Think I'll drop the guy an email for more info, pics and what needs doing.
 
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Cilfan

Cilfan

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It would tick all your boxes, you will find some sites where the size is a drawback but every vehicle you look at will be a compromise in some way, what does the Mrs think?
If you've read my intro post you'll know that it definitely fits the bill and then some. Not too sure about the big, thirsty lump. But I don't anticipate doing massive mileage so not overly concerned. Just hope it weighs in under 7.5t - that could be a deal maker or breaker. Sadly senior management is unwell at the moment and has been asleep most of the day. But I have every confidence that she'll like it - she loves RV's
 
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Cilfan

Cilfan

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Well, as far as I can establish from an RV site on the other side of the pond the gross weight is 12500lbs (just under 5.7Te). Don't know if that's with full tanks and obviously it won't include the gas tank, but there's plenty of spare. So far so good. Just waiting for the additional pics and details of the gross plated weight plus what needs doing to it. Trying to avoid getting too excited / under cautious at the moment.

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scotjimland

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This would make a very good winter project for somebody...

That should tell you something..

I don't anticipate doing massive mileage so not overly concerned.

but it should still be a consideration.. .. even a modest 5k miles per year will cost a lot of fuel money .. saying it does the equivalent of 20 mpg is nonsense..

LPG is cheaper than petrol, but is less efficient.. about 80% , so about 8 mpg if lucky .. at todays LPG price.. aprox 33p per mile.. a Euro van doing a modest 25mpg (many do a lot more) costs aprox 20 p per mile.

The last thing you want to be doing is counting the pennies before you go on a trip.. also LPG is not always easy to find..

I owned a 1997 Georgiboy 36ft diesel pusher for 5 years, bought it to live in full time.. .. but as soon as we went into a house I sold it.. They are great for living in, but not great for touring, and as said.. expensive to run and maintain..

I now have 7mt Hymer with a fixed rear bed, does around 28 mpg, that can go just about anywhere, is welcome in all camp sites, can park at a supermarket, and fits in any aire.. I have no concerns about getting stuck in a narrow road..

Owning an RV requires deep pockets.. particularly an older one..

For these reasons I would advise against it..but it's your money and your decision.. don't let your heart rule your mind..
 
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ianandkath

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yes they are great big thirsty beasts. but saying that,just think what you get for your money.

very large living space, big bedroom and wardrobes,plenty of storage space.

large water tanks and no cassettes to wash out, large shower,proper toilet,large fridge/frezzer.

lots of pluses, but get lpg conversion and they are better for economy.

not room to swing a cat in some of the eurovans,lol
 

Jim

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Thanks Jim. I've punted 7.5ters all over the UK and Europe and this appears to be a similar size so that shouldn't be a problem provided it comes in under that weight. As for the project bit - I'm a pretty adept and versatile diyer so provided there's nothing major I should be able to cover it. Think I'll drop the guy an email for more info, pics and what needs doing.
Similar size yes, but that van will be a little wider than any 7.5t you've driven, but it won't pose any significant problems unless of course you fancy touring some of those quiet and very narrow, stone lined lanes of Cornwall in the school holidays (or at any time!) Looking at it, it should come in well under the weight, giving plenty of payload, but of course you'll need to know for certain. The LPG conversion will bring the running costs down to being very reasonable considering the size you are lugging. The rig is shorter than many modern tag-axle Europeans and shouldn't give you any problems. With all systems working, no damp or delamination then you should have a great van. The size and storage benefits are obvious, but you'll soon learn to laugh at the Fiats spinning on wet grass, and the queues of gents at the Elsan dump point every morning, while their wives are cross legged in the van wishing they'd hurry up :)

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hilldweller

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Big is not necessarily beautiful.

It costs you a lot more to get there and when you get there you might not fit in.
 

TheBig1

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a fixer upper yank tank can be a bottomless money pit. they are cheap to buy, but expensive to run and maintain. parts are easy to get but often with a delay for them to be shipped. you cant pop into a local motorfactors on a saturday morning and leave with the parts

consider this, if it is cheap and listed as a project, why is that? wouldnt it be better for the seller to do the multitude of jobs and ask a higher price? No because spending the money will not increase the value
 

scotjimland

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anything (within reason) that will give me and the misses the biggest bang for our somewhat limited buck.

this is the wrong way to chose a van.. ask yourself, why is this RV relatively cheap ?

They are easy to buy and as you say.. a 'big bang for your buck'.. until you try to sell... then you will get a very small bang.. they can take months to sell unless you are prepared to almost give it away..

For the same money £10 - £15k you can get a very well built RMB German motorhome.. quality is built in.. no MDF, all real wood, no cheap carpet, and zillions of staples holding it together.. proper constructed and built to last a lifetime.. it won't depreciate by a great amount, if any, and will be easy to sell..


example of what I mean ..Broken Link Removed

You can also find older Hymers for sale the UK, the very popular Hymer b544 within your budget.. just an example on eBay

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Cilfan

Cilfan

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Hi all and thanks for your further input which, to be honest, is much as I expected. Mention RV's and suddenly you're in Marmite territory - people either love em or hate em. I must be one of a few exceptions to that rule, because I'm squarely on the fence. I love the space, spec and sheer presence they offer. But I'd be a liar if I didn't admit that fuel consumption, maintenance and storage costs worry me. Resell value? If I were buying new, probably. But at £8k, not really a concern. And the prospect of driving one doesn't perturb in any way.

I've had a couple of email exchanges with the seller including additional pics and - apart from a small (T cutable graze on the front bumper) it appears to be a pretty straight coach body wise. It has a genny (not listed in the ad) and is plated @ 6.5T.

Now for the bad bit. The reason for his saying it would make a good winter project is because its had a couple of (small) roof leaks and he suggests it could do with a re-seal. When I asked if the roof is rubber or fibreglass he said rubber, but that that could have been an attempt at a repair by a previous owner. Obviously I have no idea what his definition of small is or (consequently) whether it's a repair that could be carried out by an adept DIYer like myself. I must say its soured the prospect somewhat as I'm not inclined to do a 600 mile round trip finding out the extent of the problem/damage.

Seems like it may be a case of common sense winning the day - I hate it when it does that!!!!! Look out for me back in the Euro vans threads. The search continues.

Sorry for the lengthy post.
 

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