Price difference

[Ridgewoodwoody]

As a relative newcomer to motorhome ownership I am genuinely puzzled as to how campervans such as those based on Ford Transits and the like some with pop-up roofs can cost as much and sometimes more than bigger, better equipped motorhome. Enlightenment sought, thank you.

 

[David and Sally]

Cos people buy them. They are popular and a cult thing.

 

[Lenny HB]

PVC's are much more labour intensive to build than CB's. All the furniture, wiring & plumbing has to be fitted inside the steel shell. In a CB furniture is fitted to the floor wiring and plumbing installed then the sides and roof fitted much easier to on a production line.

 

[Alfie159]

License limitations and having a cool runaround and a camper ... buying the cult badge thing too for a few

 

[glenn2926]

I do think the licence limitation makes a very big contribution to the more expensive smaller vans. The youngsters among us don’t have the 7.5t allowance on their licence. As these people become owners their choice is limited to smaller vans thereby pushing up the price of these smaller vans.
Also people over 70 either need a medical or lose their 7.5t allowance. This again puts more perspective buyers out there for the smaller vans.
Looking at it purely selfishly, it’s great, means I, and others will full HGV licences get loads of choice of larger, cheaper vans.

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[Ivory55]

Housing is smaller now and parking if it has it is limited, which makes a pvc appealing. But as said more labour intensive to build, labour costs push up the price.

 

[Ridgewoodwoody]

Ok. Many thanks for all the replies. I am enlightened.

 

[Edenside]

Van to make a PVC is more expensive for converter to buy than a chassis cab plus also more time consuming to convert. Most PVC are 3.5ton but can be uprated. Lots of standard Motorhomes are also 3.5ton some even less so cost not necessarily anything to do with driving licence.

 

[Guigsy]

Panel vans do cost more than coachbuilds. But it's not a huge price difference, normally a couple of £k more for something with very similar spec on the same Fiat Ducato chassis. As mentioned, this is just down to the extra work to cut holes and squeeze everything into a panel van compare to the easy access assembly of a coach build.

When the van says Volkswagen on the front though, the prices get silly. You really don't get much for your money.

 

[BusyBuilder]

Seen the price of a VW camper lately ?

The California STARTS at £55k

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[Garfields]

Looking at it purely selfishly, it’s great, means I, and others will full HGV licences get loads of choice of larger, cheaper vans.

That's only if you are fit and healthy and are able to keep your licence
Unfortunately it takes very little to put a spanner in the works

 

[old-mo]

Less likely to spring a leak....