Looking for a van to convert (1 Viewer)

[Terry]

Hi all I cannot make my mind up on vans --As you all must know I convert the odd van now and again
Age and mileage does not really bother me so long as the running gear is in good order
I am in no rush to find and do a van but I am looking so I keep coming up with vans and people I know keep giving me reasons not to buy because All valid and they make sense
As I look I come across lots of vans that sway me from the first choices IE ambulance or Fiat Ducato family simply because they are Bargains (or appear in adds to be)We are talking the dreaded tranny and odd Master-I don't mind the idea of sprinter/crafter or Iveco
I want to keep this van for a yr or 2 (hence putting all my goody bits into it) but at the end of the day it will be sold on
Now arguments for and against
Ambulance =lot of work but good size etc mega miles 25 mpg ish
Ducato decent size 30plus MPG -- do I go for a 100,000/140k miler about 6 yrs old --Should sell easy for not too much or do I go for a newer van that will break the 15k easy selling price -once above this bracket things get hard to sell
I always say it cost the same to covert a old van as a new one and if I intended to keep it a few yrs rather than 1 or 2 I would deffo go for the almost new but I just know it will be sold after a while.
So do I go with a 5/6 yr old van that I stick unde 15k ish Newer and take a chance on selling for more OR the ambulance with unknown selling price -may make good money or not-would you even consider a van with 250k on the clock ?
Arguments for and against below Cannot promise I will go for any but I am open to persuasion
terry

 

[Barclaybasher]

Whatever the age the lower the mileage the better.............doesn't mean it's a better van but folks expect (or want) low mileage..........5-6 years under £15k to sell makes sense to me..............




ex council vans are ideal.........sit around most of the day

 

[Gromett]

5-6 years seem right to me as well. Bulk of depreciation done already but still life in them. I wouldn't do an ambulance these days lots and lots of work but that's just me.

Low mileage would also make selling easier.

If I were to do a self build again I would be looking at an Iveco XLWB. Give 4.5 meters in the load bay. Rear wheel drive and as such has quite a high floor for putting gas cylinders and secondary waste tanks underneath etc.

If it was for my own use I would go for a 65C17 or 60C15 etc. more than 3.5T but could fit large water tanks and waste tanks plus an absolutely humungous battery bank

This is my favourite at the moment if I had the cash Broken Link Removed

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[Gromett]

But this is probably closer to my budget.

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[wizzer59]

Low mileage for me Terry, lots of cheap motor homes on eBay with not that many miles so I recon high mileage vans are a waste of time, I personally wouldn't buy one anyway

 

[Al-Di]

works every time for me,
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[GJH]

You could always buy a Rapido if you want a real challenge of turning something into a motorhome

 

[JJ]

Fly over here Terry/Karl and rebuild the Wagon... excellent running gear... very, very, very, well priced.

What tales you will have to tell at the next meet!

JJ

 

[Puddleduck]

For me the age isn't that important, the mileage and service record would be.

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[Gromett]

Fly over here Terry/Karl and rebuild the Wagon... excellent running gear... very, very, very, well priced.

What tales you will have to tell at the next meet!

JJ

I would love to JJ. work won't allow at the moment though

 

[Gromett]

works every time for me,
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I would love to convert that. Nice box shape and big.

 

[Terry]

The library bus is simply well over priced by about 7/8k and the 2005 Iveco has 280k on the clock
I am thinking more of 2008 to 10 plate 5 to 6k ish -I have almost everything for it except a couple of windows a loo and fridge so I think it will come in below my target selling price of 15k -I may well blow the budget though by going a bit over the top seeing as I intend to keep it a while -I have a few feelers out looking for vans so at the moment I have my (think) preference of either Ambulance or the Fiat stable --Last yr Ivecos were or at least seemed to be a good bit cheaper than the Mercs and Crafter but now they are more or less on par or even more

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[DP+JAY]

More worried by the rust on the merc than a high mileage. but then I have a friend who thinks 40k miles is huge & is always looking for one with less than 10k. It takes all sorts.

 

[MitchandJenny]

Iveco 122 BHP "High cube" would make a great camper van..

 

[Terry]

JJ I could very easy jump in a van and bring the wagon back to life but I fear there would be no wages out of it The warmer weather appeals rather than the freezing cold --I have made good progress clearing out my garage today -I can now get inside the door and walk all the way to the front door The Harly is going for a dry build in a couple of weeks so that will free up even more space but will cost me in the long run
terry

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[Chockswahay]

I work with the Scottish Ambulance Service and they drive 'em like the stole 'em and often on a cold engine

Even the paramedics have said they would not buy one themselves.......

 

[Terry]

I work with the Scottish Ambulance Service and they drive 'em like the stole 'em and often on a cold engine

Even the paramedics have said they would not buy one themselves.......

Different to what I have always been told -I know a Ambulance service man and he says they are serviced regular and if anything is suspect they get changed even to a point of if the clutch needs changing it gets a new gearbox while it's off just in case -With the amount of miles they clock up I doubt if the engine ever stops long enough to get coldI have had 2 now and never had a problem -perhaps they work better after a good thrashing

 

[JJ]

The Wagon would be no good for a conversion intended for sale... for a conversion for one's own use it would be excellent...

If only I had some energy left...

JJ

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[Terry]

I am feeling the cold lots today so QMJ sounds good and messing around with the BB would pass the time
terry

 

[Chockswahay]

Different to what I have always been told -I know a Ambulance service man and he says they are serviced regular and if anything is suspect they get changed even to a point of if the clutch needs changing it gets a new gearbox while it's off just in case -With the amount of miles they clock up I doubt if the engine ever stops long enough to get coldI have had 2 now and never had a problem -perhaps they work better after a good thrashing

Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger

 

[tinkering]

Force vans

Page 2 or page 6

I'm far to old now so I only dream

Les

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[Terry]

Al

Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger

All info and opinions appreciated
Terry

 

[barearse]

works every time for me,
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Terry, we've spoken before re my old T2 ( similar to add ).She's now done 304000 km.Not fast but reliable and strong. Still don't know whether to do a complete re fit or go for another Merc and start again,e.g an older S class Hymer or some such.

 

[TheBig1]

my experience of ambulances and postoffice vans is that they get driven very hard but do get maintained pretty well. A friend at a commercial garage with the contract says ambulances over 3 or 4 years are fit for nothing more than scrap or a shed. they often have so many in for repair that its quicker to cannibalise one to get others sorted than wait on parts from the trade for them all. there is always pressure to get the vehicles back on the road quick rather than a more thorough repair

years ago NHS fleet vehicles were maintained regardless of cost, but not any more. they are cheap for good reasons. they may look tidy and drive ok, but everything underneath has been used very heavily. potentially a money pit if you're not extremely careful and fussy when buying.

social care and welfare buses are often the opposite though with faded bodywork and low mileage mechanicals.

personally I would also like an xlwb iveco with low miles and tidy bodywork to convert at some point

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[Terry]

my experience of ambulances and postoffice vans is that they get driven very hard but do get maintained pretty well. A friend at a commercial garage with the contract says ambulances over 3 or 4 years are fit for nothing more than scrap or a shed. they often have so many in for repair that its quicker to cannibalise one to get others sorted than wait on parts from the trade for them all. there is always pressure to get the vehicles back on the road quick rather than a more thorough repair

years ago NHS fleet vehicles were maintained regardless of cost, but not any more. they are cheap for good reasons. they may look tidy and drive ok, but everything underneath has been used very heavily. potentially a money pit if you're not extremely careful and fussy when buying.

social care and welfare buses are often the opposite though with faded bodywork and low mileage mechanicals.

personally I would also like an xlwb iveco with low miles and tidy bodywork to convert at some point

It could well be the case that things have changed re servicing/spares After all it's 8 yrs since I bought this one Will have to get in touch with my long lost mate to see if what's been said is true all over the place Having said that and thinking about it the Ambulances come from all over the place I don't think hard driving hurts them after all I give mine a good thrashing from time to time -Prob more than the drivers because they have to drive smoothly for the people in the back -
terry

 

[Chockswahay]

they have to drive smoothly for the people in the back -
terry

LOL......... except on their way to the emergency

I agree with @TheBig1 things ain't what they used to be

However at the end of the day Terry you have a lot of experience in these matters so I'm sure you'll get it right

 

[Terry]

I am very tempted with this one
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terry
EDIT thinking about it I don't think I would keep it long

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[Gromett]

I am very tempted with this one
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terry
EDIT thinking about it I don't think I would keep it long

Too many windows. I converted a bus once, never again.

 

[barearse]

I asked about converting this type of bus in another thread. Some advised against too many windows re heating & cooling. On the other hand there are lots of nice coach /bus conversions about. For me, it would have to be a Mercedes or failing that an Iveco.Imo, Transits or Sevels are too fragile.When I started off, I looked long and hard at a welfare bus with the wider, fibre glass body.Rooflights, aux heating and the chair lift may have been useful too.

 

[Terry]

Must admit I did a bus once. and yes the windows were a pain but since then I have found some sheet stuff that's ideal for blanking the windows off making it more like a van -Indeed you could blank them all and put Sitez type windows in -The only thing stopping me is thinking of selling it -I don't think I would be able to sell it for much and it would probably be close to 11k to do it, with poss 12.5 k selling price Who knows if I could get that price after using it for a yr or so
terry

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