Year or mileage?

[Valal]

I have no intention of changing my next van .so , what’s more important an older van in good nick and low mileage or newer with higher mileage.

 

[Live Life Now]

Bl**dy good question.
I was facing the same dilemma and went for a 2017 Nuevo with 20k on the clock, this was about my limit for both time and mileage. (I wanted nothing over 6 years old and 20000 miles)
The previous owner who had all the boys' toys fitted and looked after the MH as I am doing now.
Be interesting to see what other Funsters think what with the cost of living and the

cost of preloved MHs.
Good luck with your search.

 

[Nigel Crompton]

Newer van, higher milage Rather have a 2 year old van with 15-20km rather than one 5+years with a 2k on the clock.
From memory currrent Hymer was 5 years old, 14k miles. But EXACTLY what we wanted it terms of size, layout, payload, price, service history - and the purchase was time-critical.

 

[Guigsy]

Neither tells you how hard the hab has been lived in.

 

[Live Life Now]

I think a detailed inspection and a few questions would go some way to alleviating that as a problem.
When I bought mine, I requested and got, new MOT, Full service, habitation cert, new front tyres new fan belt, with accessories, couple of other bits and have had no problems since.
Well worth reading Jim's article on buying and haggling

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[Roby2008]

For me it was always mileage, the lower the better, but now it has changed to age and the euro standard, the higher the standard the longer you can keep it...

 

[L' Hobo]

Older (fixable) van BUT average mileage, not very low as it probably means it has been standing for long periods over winter.
Just like your muscles, it needs exercise or it deteriorates.

 

[suavecarve]

Newer van with less mileage might have been lived in permanently on a site

Older van with more mileage might have been down to Morocco twice a year for 10 years.

I think its what the van tells you (wear and tear on seats etc will indicate usage of water pump. Most of the engines are good for 200,000 so does one at 40K overly matter against a 10K mileage motor ?

Rentals will be sold with 2,000 miles on the clock and 18 months old, looking like a bargain but in reality, they could have been driven 50 miles by 40 people, wondering what everything does, and lived in for 40 weeks. Versus a 4 year old van with 10K on the clock that has been used 4 times for 2 weeks to spain.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

For cars I always went with recent high specification high mileage because most of the depreciation had already taken place and probably most of the miles were motorway miles.
For MH, newish more important than high mileage.
I may be wrong, but I think a lot of the depreciation takes place in the first 4 years.

Failing that, a 10+ year well looked after specimen which will not depreciate much at all.

At the moment 2016+ with Euro 6 engine has ULEZ benefits.

 

[Elsie2010]

My personal thoughts are, older van with low mileage could bring issues with hab and cab with things seizing up etc and rust
Fine balance between it imo

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[David BW]

Newer (Euro 6) and higher mileage, the base vehicles can easily cope with ay more miles than we'll ever put on them. Most conversions/coachbuilts have been gradually improved over time, so better equipment on newer van.

 

[Just smiffy]

Anything in budget…

 

[Barryh]

We’ve been motorhoming for 20 years and just bought our 4th van, which I think will be our last. We’ve had 3 new ones, 2 Pilotes and an Autotrail, but this one is used. We’ve never really fancied used before but this one really fits what we do now. So we’ve gone for quality used over a budget new van. Its a Hymer with lots of extras, 6 years old and 30,000 on the clock. Just in the process of fettling it, but what a difference in quality to what we’ve had before. So to more or less answer the question an older van with “average” mileage.

 

[Fdhadi]

2016 Euro 5 and 2016 Euro 6 is around 10k difference in price. That’s a lot of ULEZ payments.
I uprated our 2016 Euro 5 from 3.5t to 3.7t and got the ULEZ payments to zero although I tend to keep away from the ULEZ zones anyway.

 

[L' Hobo]

2016 Euro 5 and 2016 Euro 6 is around 10k difference in price. That’s a lot of ULEZ payments.
I uprated our 2016 Euro 5 from 3.5t to 3.7t and got the ULEZ payments to zero although I tend to keep away from the ULEZ zones anyway.

How by just uprating it , did you get the ULEZ payments to zero?

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[Fdhadi]

How by just uprating it , did you get the ULEZ payments to zero?

Yes
I uprated 12 months ago. Doesn’t make sense I know. Also saved nearly £200 in road tax.

 

[VXman]

 How by just uprating it , did you get the ULEZ payments to zero?

Not sure but did find this....

If your vehicle doesn’t meet the ULEZ emissions standards and isn’t exempt, you need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone. This applies to:

Cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including 5 tonnes)

Lorries, vans or specialist heavy vehicles (all over 3.5 tonnes) and buses, minibuses and coaches (all over 5 tonnes) do not need to pay the ULEZ charge. They will need to pay the LEZ charge if they do not meet the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) emissions standard.

Ultra Low Emission Zone

Within the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London vehicles must meet exhaust emission standards or their drivers need to pay to drive within the zone

tfl.gov.uk

 

[Pausim]

2016 Euro 5 and 2016 Euro 6 is around 10k difference in price. That’s a lot of ULEZ payments.

It is a lot of ULEZ payments but that is the current rules and charges. The restrictions will get tougher and being non compliant is already inconvenient as well as costing money. I would put Euro 6 at the top of the list even if it means higher mileage.

 

[AlunandFelicie]

We went for high spec high mileage (18 plate 43,000) eighteen months ago ,already put 12k on top and off to France next week for another 2-4k. These engines are designed to be better the more they are used from my understanding and I’ve driven vans(builder) most of my working life !(God isn’t retirement great)

 

[Lenny HB]

I wary of low mileage van, often spent a lot of their life sitting around about the worse thing for the mechanics.

I've also seen vans with low mileage that have been driven down to Spain and been on a site for 6 months with the plastics inside yellowed where there have been sitting in one place in strong sun for long periods.

Far better to buy a van that's been used with average mileage on it. Our van is 2017 so 6 years old but only 41,000 a bit low due to Covid.
10,000 a year is quite normal on an A Class as they tend to be bought by people that use them rather than for a garden ornament.

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[tinkertaylor]

Mines a 16 plate euro 5+, I can use it, without a fee, in all the Ulez zones accept London. It had 160,000 miles on it, now has 170,000. Ford 2.3 engine.

I have replaced various parts on it, brakes, starter motor, gearbox oil and a few other parts. The van cost £6500, Boxer L3 H2 , conversion about £10k plus 1000 hours labour. SPEC 350 watt Solar, comp fridge, lithium 200ah, victron b 2 b, inverter, solar controller. EV hook up system, maxi fan, lpg underslung tank, rear air suspension, gas oven/hob. Lpg hot water system, 100ltr fresh water tank and 80ltr grey waste, separating toilet system, its a high spec fit out.

I would always by newer with miles, tech moves on and more importantly rust protection gets more affective. I can replace an engine and gearbox when/if it blows, likewise the suspension and brakes can all be replaced, spares easily available and rather cheap as well.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would bewary of low mileage vans, often spent a lot of their life sitting around about the worse thing for the mechanics.

I've also seen vans with low mileage that have been driven down to Spain and been on a site for 6 months with the plastics inside yellowed where there have been sitting in one place in strong sun for long periods.

Far better to buy a van that's been used with average mileage on it. Our van is 2017 so 6 years old but only 41,000 a bit low due to Covid.

10,000 a year is quite normal on an A Class as they tend to be bought by people that use them rather than for a garden ornament

 

[cyberyacht]

I'm struggling to do more than 4-5K pa. Perhaps I should drive round the site/aire for a few laps before pitching up.

 

[Fdhadi]

Not sure but did find this....

If your vehicle doesn’t meet the ULEZ emissions standards and isn’t exempt, you need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone. This applies to:

Cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including 5 tonnes)

Lorries, vans or specialist heavy vehicles (all over 3.5 tonnes) and buses, minibuses and coaches (all over 5 tonnes) do not need to pay the ULEZ charge. They will need to pay the LEZ charge if they do not meet the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) emissions standard.

Ultra Low Emission Zone

Within the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London vehicles must meet exhaust emission standards or their drivers need to pay to drive within the zone

tfl.gov.uk

Ours is 2016 Euro5+. Just put the reg in it says “you do not have to pay the ULEZ Charge”

 

[WESTY66]

I’d go as new as I could without having adblu on!! Mines 3.0L euro5 no ulez charge not that it matters I’m only skirting on the m25 to get to chunnel twice a year. Being still at work I’ve averaged just over 7k miles over the two years I’ve had it, can’t complain runs fine
Edit, I meant over 7k a YEAR I’ve done nearly 15k in it

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[Guigsy]

I’d go as new as I could without having adblu on!! Mines 3.0L euro5 no ulez charge not that it matters I’m only skirting on the m25 to get to chunnel twice a year. Being still at work I’ve averaged just over 7k miles over the two years I’ve had it, can’t complain runs fine
Edit, I meant over 7k a YEAR I’ve done nearly 15k in it

There are Euro 6 that don't have adblue.

 

[Pausim]

There are Euro 6 that don't have adblue.

Most Fiats pre September 2019 and a few after that date that were already in the system at the time.

 

[WESTY66]

There are Euro 6 that don't have adblue.

True, but I don’t think any 3.0L are euro6

 

[Oldrat]

Euro 6 is a deal breaker for me. I don’t use campsites and street park and move on each night.

ULEZ zones will only increase in number, perhaps even be the minimum standard! Countrywide at some point.


Then they’ll move the goalposts with Euro 7 & 8 etc.

It’s going to get expensive..

 

[Live Life Now]

Euro 6 is a deal breaker for me. I don’t use campsites and street park and move on each night.

ULEZ zones will only increase in number, perhaps even be the minimum standard! Countrywide at some point.


Then they’ll move the goalposts with Euro 7 & 8 etc.

It’s going to get expensive..

I like the comment, one has to agree with the content, all will get it one day.
The trouble with the politics of this is like all their decisions (politicians) they are proactive rather than pre active.