how many miles can I expect

[enitharmon]

Hi all

This is my first post and I'm an absolute newbie. I'm looking to buy a starter motorhome on an extremely tight budget, so inevitably I will have to make trade-offs about what I can and can't get. I'm wondering how high up my priority list to put the mileage?

There are many vans going on ebay with mileage well over 100,000, some over 200,000! As a car driver up till now I would be very wary of buying something that was that high, but I'm wondering if 'in general' you can expect more miles out of a motorhome engine? There may be no such thing as in general, but I thought I would garner some opinions if possible.

Thanks in advance

Paul

 

[pappajohn]

2.5 turbo diesel.......expect 25 to 28mpg average.

Remember you are driving a slab front vehicle with the aerodynamics of a house brick.

 

[pappajohn]

Sorry, misunderstood your question...thought you meant MPG.

100,000 miles for a motorhome is unusual unless its rather old.

As long as they are properly and regularly serviced Modern diesels run for ever near enough.

 

[chaser]

2.5 turbo diesel.......expect 25 to 28mpg average.

Remember you are driving a slab front vehicle with the aerodynamics of a house brick.

Think he ment total mileage not mpg, which doesn't make a lot of difference, it's how it's been looked after

 

[enitharmon]

Ha! Sorry but I'm not asking about mpg, I'm asking about miles on the clock: at what point should I consider a motorhome to be too risky a purchase because of how many miles it's done?

Thanks

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[enitharmon]

Ah great, thank you that helps! At the moment I feel that the basics I need covered are MOT, service history, and the basic amenities I'm after (cooker / shower etc). Bearing in mind I may as well be a skint student (though I'm too old for that), would you agree that these are the crucial things?

 

[chaser]

An old merc or tranny will more or less go for ever, it's the bodies and damp that's the main killer.

 

[Johnnyb]

I'm guessing you're looking at the older end of the market? You need to go on the overall condition rather than get too hung up on mileage, lots of receipts for servicing is always a plus or receipts for parts if home serviced.

 

[chaser]

Even the ldv base vans with the tranny engine will run and run and you can get them for peanuts, our last one was an ldv , went all around Europe in it without fault but the floor fell out and we had to let it go but that was 3 grand when we bought it and sold it for the same 3 years later

 

[enitharmon]

Yes definitely the older end of the market to get me up and running; by 'bodies' are we talking rust / wear on the bodywork itself?

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[enitharmon]

Thanks Chaser! I may be looking for even less than 3 grand, more like 2, which might be asking the impossible.

 

[chaser]

Yes definitely the older end of the market to get me up and running; by 'bodies' are we talking rust / wear on the bodywork itself?

Rust on the base van damp on the living part

 

[DavidG58]

I would think that a mega mileage motorhome will have been a late conversion, most high mileage vans will 'generally' have been well maintained

that said I am with you, high mileage, especially silly high, would scare me off, unless of course the price reflects the possible work that might be needed

welcome by the way, good luck with your search

 

[chaser]

Thanks Chaser! I may be looking for even less than 3 grand, more like 2, which might be asking the impossible.

Yer talking my language

 

[jumar]

My last motorhome had loads of mileage when I sold it, I bought it new, I knew its history, it was serviced as it should be, it was used as it should be, its looked good after 10 years, the buyer was delighted with it.
Our previous vans also had high mileage when we sold them, no problem for our buyers, our latest van bought last year had only 26000 mile on clock, its our first second hand purchase, it is 8 years old, I was unsure that we should buy a van with an engine that had done so little in so many years, but it was a bargain, so it was bought, at the end of this year our van will have doubled its mileage. Diesel engines, designed to travel long distances as vans do. If your purchase is in good nick and the motor is good, then buy it, not many funsters will agree with this, but we buy to use, not to park up.

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[DBK]

Most MHs are based on commercial vehicles and 200,000 miles is well within the lifespan of a modern engine - if it has been looked after and regularly serviced.

Which is a big but, owners of older vehicles are probably reluctant to shell out hundreds for garage servicing so will either do it themselves, sometimes to a very high standard - or not do it at all.

The MH itself might be in a worse state than the engine, damp is your main worry although you should be safe with a PVC.

I can only suggest find a vehicle within your budget and then look at it very closely. You could use an independent engineer but that will cost.

 

[tjay]

I also have a VW T4 so I can go to them with my two brothers and our mates, mileages below,
my 2001 T4 135000 mls
Brother 1 his 2000 T4 189000 mls
Brother 2 his 2003 T4 178000 mls
Mates 1999 has 248000 on it !!
Also know of many with over 200 thousand on it too.
Our 2011 Vw Crafter had 138000 on it and it like my T4 drove brilliantly.
On our trip to Belgium to the "Camper Jam" all our 2.5 tdi's averaged 53 mpg.
Only thing to watch out is that whatever you do make sure that you do (1) a full HPI check and (2) make sure that the vehicle has full service history.
Modern vehicles when serviced properly can easily do in excess of 250000 miles so bear that in mind.

 

[greyman1]

with a budget of 2k or less, milage will be the least of your concerns and if you do happen to come across something with low milage at that price chances are it will have been CLOCKED anyway !!

 

[DBK]

Have you thought of converting a van yourself? Anything called a MH will attract a premium unless it is totally clapped out, but you should be able to get an old van, sound in wind and limb, within your budget although cosmetically I suspect it may be pretty battered if it has been in the building trade, but nothing a bit of body filler can't cure. Then add the "guts" as time and your funds allow. A camp bed, Porta-Potti, plastic basin, Portable gas stove, large bottle for water, wooden box to put your stuff in while travelling, and you have the basis of a MH. Add a rooflight when you can - look on eBay for second hand ones and add kingspan type insulation, stuck in with some sort of foam gunk probably, to control condensation. Side windows are a luxury!

 

[Puddleduck]

What DBK said......

Only things you would have to watch is that the DVLA won't register it as a motorcaravan unless certain things have been done / seen to have been done and there is photographic proof of this and some camp sites are sniffy about vans that are not obviously campers. This may or may not concern you. Watch for the insurance as well as they might not want to insure a van that is used as a camper but not registered as a motorcaravan.

Our first van was a Toyota Hi-Ace minibus and was brilliant. We never did register it as a motorcaravan as the conversion bit wasn't permanently installed - the kitchen was a fold down thing that went into the tailgate behind the back seat and could be lifted in and out so could be used inside the tailgate or lifted out and used outside the van. The loo was a porta-potti in a separate tent

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[rosalan]

To be honest, the actual mileage may not indicate the vans condition, I previously owned a 1984 van with over 100,000 miles on the clock. What let it down were things like ageing electrics, clutch and rust. I also dealt with the dreaded damp. This is really the biggest evil and most expensive to get repaired, although obviously not impossible. If when you go inside a van, it does not smell of fresh wood or other pleasant odours.... walk away!
Your budget could allow, as someone said, to convert a van that is considerably newer and cheaper. I started out buying an RAF ambulance from an auction, it needed the head gasket replacing, which I did and then fitted it out myself for very little money, using new timber, plywood, a bed, toilet and washing facilities. We toured eastern Europe, western Europe and most countries in between, It was brilliant but basic. After it was written off (not involving me at all), we bought a high-top VW LT, did the same sort of conversion and sold it at a profit and finally invested in a 'proper' van. Looking back now that we have a modern van, we had as much, if not more fun with our two home made vans that were mechanically sound.
Good luck and have FUN!

Alan

 

[Puddleduck]

And remember if you do it yourself you know how things are fixed down, how they work and where to get spares / replacements.

And this is my 4,000th post!!!!

 

[Gandhi]

A diesel will, quite literally, live for ever if it's had a regular oil change. That's why 80% of all Land Rovers ever made are still on the road. The only implication of high mileage is the possible impact that that much travel has had on the habitation area of the MH.

 

[Bobby22]

Thanks Chaser! I may be looking for even less than 3 grand, more like 2, which might be asking the impossible.

Maybe a pv and convert as your budget allows.......pick up a van that already has a side window in and start from there.

 

[Dave K]

Personally I would buy a VW T4, providing they've had regular oil changes they will go on forever, I've got one at the moment and have had them in the past, my current 2002 model is far more reliable and solid than the 2011 Vauxhall Vivaro I use for work, it'll be easy to do a cheap conversion on a panel van although a lot of them will have had a camper conversion done on them anyway as that's what they are renowned for, if you can live with the fact they don't have much living space then that's definitely what I'd recommend
Good Luck

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[chaser]

To be honest, the actual mileage may not indicate the vans condition, I previously owned a 1984 van with over 100,000 miles on the clock. What let it down were things like ageing electrics, clutch and rust. I also dealt with the dreaded damp. This is really the biggest evil and most expensive to get repaired, although obviously not impossible. If when you go inside a van, it does not smell of fresh wood or other pleasant odours.... walk away!
Your budget could allow, as someone said, to convert a van that is considerably newer and cheaper. I started out buying an RAF ambulance from an auction, it needed the head gasket replacing, which I did and then fitted it out myself for very little money, using new timber, plywood, a bed, toilet and washing facilities. We toured eastern Europe, western Europe and most countries in between, It was brilliant but basic. After it was written off (not involving me at all), we bought a high-top VW LT, did the same sort of conversion and sold it at a profit and finally invested in a 'proper' van. Looking back now that we have a modern van, we had as much, if not more fun with our two home made vans that were mechanically sound.
Good luck and have FUN!

Alan

This is very true, also if it doesn't stand you at much money , you are not worried to much about scratching it or drilling holes for stuff, and just go out and use it , I have seen people with newer vans , afraid to cook in it or use the toilet in case it spoils it.