Buying a t4 camper remotely
Discussion
Morning fellow PH'ers
I've found myself being drawn to a camper and as much as I'm not generally a fan of VW products (55 cars to date, none of them with a VW badge!) I seem to have settled on a t4, mainly for aftermarket product availability & community.
The issue I have is it's near Dundee and I'm in Southampton. I have bought remotely before (ur quattro so cheap that it didn't matter if it was a snotter) and sold about five remotely all going well. However unlike cars I've no real knowledge of vans and moreso those that have been converted I've no real way of knowing if it's a goodun or not as it'll depend on who did the conversion, water, electrics etc.
The reason I've settled on one so far away is it's high top, looks good, comms with seller have been very positive and it's relatively cheap, most likely due to its location and cheap is important to me on this purchase as we've never camped before and not sure how much we'll end up using it as we usually holiday in Mexico, so I'd like to know i can recoup most of my money if we don't like the experience.
I could fly up, view and if I like it drive it back but as a family man I value my free time a lot more than I once did so I'm considering getting it collected on a low loader but it's looking like £7-800 for delivery.
What's peoples thoughts on buying vans/campers remotely vs cars?
Would you spend the money on delivery and the potential consequences of buying without seeing for £800 or would you spend the best part of a day and a half flying up and driving back for about £300 all in!
Thoughts/opinions welcome.
I've found myself being drawn to a camper and as much as I'm not generally a fan of VW products (55 cars to date, none of them with a VW badge!) I seem to have settled on a t4, mainly for aftermarket product availability & community.
The issue I have is it's near Dundee and I'm in Southampton. I have bought remotely before (ur quattro so cheap that it didn't matter if it was a snotter) and sold about five remotely all going well. However unlike cars I've no real knowledge of vans and moreso those that have been converted I've no real way of knowing if it's a goodun or not as it'll depend on who did the conversion, water, electrics etc.
The reason I've settled on one so far away is it's high top, looks good, comms with seller have been very positive and it's relatively cheap, most likely due to its location and cheap is important to me on this purchase as we've never camped before and not sure how much we'll end up using it as we usually holiday in Mexico, so I'd like to know i can recoup most of my money if we don't like the experience.
I could fly up, view and if I like it drive it back but as a family man I value my free time a lot more than I once did so I'm considering getting it collected on a low loader but it's looking like £7-800 for delivery.
What's peoples thoughts on buying vans/campers remotely vs cars?
Would you spend the money on delivery and the potential consequences of buying without seeing for £800 or would you spend the best part of a day and a half flying up and driving back for about £300 all in!
Thoughts/opinions welcome.
Shuff4 said:
I’d personally be opting for the fly and drive option,
So long as the campers in good running order.
Why would you opt to pay £500 more, with the added risk of it not being ‘right’.
Value of my time! Daughters turning 10 in a week or so and my work is keeping me at my desk until 10pm some nights so free time is at a premium! But yes I agree with you as an accountant=tight I'm inclined to fly, view, hope it's not a lemon (although it looks like one) and drive it back. But it's been a long time since I've driven >500 miles and not once in a van!So long as the campers in good running order.
Why would you opt to pay £500 more, with the added risk of it not being ‘right’.
QuattroDave said:
Value of my time! Daughters turning 10 in a week or so and my work is keeping me at my desk until 10pm some nights so free time is at a premium! But yes I agree with you as an accountant=tight I'm inclined to fly, view, hope it's not a lemon (although it looks like one) and drive it back. But it's been a long time since I've driven >500 miles and not once in a van!
There's a lot of fraud going on at the moment with Campers being sold on facebook etc , deposits taken, cars aren't really theirs. Be extra vigilantPersonally I would take a day and go get it, fly up early morning as possible and you'll be home for bedtime give or take
Make sure you've got recovery to home in place that you can actually use i.e. some you cant in the first 24/48hrs of purchase, your insurance, taxed etc and you'll be home on a tank or two of diesel
Make sure you've got recovery to home in place that you can actually use i.e. some you cant in the first 24/48hrs of purchase, your insurance, taxed etc and you'll be home on a tank or two of diesel
Edited by Captain Answer on Thursday 15th July 11:13
T4's are old vans now. There are plenty of posts documenting common faults with them, might be worth asking the seller about those.
Check for corrosion obviously, it almost certainly will be rusty, but almost every old van rusts (don't ask how I know....)
Mechanically they are normally pretty strong, so I wouldn't be too concerned about driving it back, just the fear of the unknown I suppose.
The more info you can get about the van, the better, to make sure it is worth your time.
Personally, I'd never buy an old van without seeing it. Rust repairs can be REALLY badly bodged to tart it up a bit. I've seen some scary repairs done that should never have happened. Obviously just my view, but i'd be very wary of any old van that you haven't physically seen.
Check for corrosion obviously, it almost certainly will be rusty, but almost every old van rusts (don't ask how I know....)
Mechanically they are normally pretty strong, so I wouldn't be too concerned about driving it back, just the fear of the unknown I suppose.
The more info you can get about the van, the better, to make sure it is worth your time.
Personally, I'd never buy an old van without seeing it. Rust repairs can be REALLY badly bodged to tart it up a bit. I've seen some scary repairs done that should never have happened. Obviously just my view, but i'd be very wary of any old van that you haven't physically seen.
I think I'd go for the fly'n'drive option myself - particularly as it's a private sale and if it's a non-factory conversion. Makes you wonder why, if it's not too much money.
I'd want to make sure everything actually worked - fridge, plumbing, gas appliances, heating, roof, no damp, etc.
If you just get it delivered you lose the option of negotiation for anything that's not right and you'll end up pissed off when it arrives and it's not quite what you expected.
However, if you accept that there may be a few things needing done, you're happy in your ability to fix everything, you trust the seller and the price is 'right', then maybe just get it delivered.
I'd want to make sure everything actually worked - fridge, plumbing, gas appliances, heating, roof, no damp, etc.
If you just get it delivered you lose the option of negotiation for anything that's not right and you'll end up pissed off when it arrives and it's not quite what you expected.
However, if you accept that there may be a few things needing done, you're happy in your ability to fix everything, you trust the seller and the price is 'right', then maybe just get it delivered.
Not in a million years.
A) Campers the the 'in' thing this year, prices have gone bananas, more so than many other products theres an extremely good chance that people are cashing on and flogging some right old s
te off the back of the price rises (this was also the situation when I bought my Elise this year, price rises means people flogging utter junk at inflated prices)
B) A camper is even MORE of a complex purchase than a car or van. You need to buy the van - how does it drive, is it serviced, reliable, well looked after tc etc... and then you also need to buy the camper aspect of it - what conversion is it, how is it built, is it in good nick, is it all safe (gas/elec/battery install), is it clean and tidy. Its a bit like buying a car and a caravan in one go.
C) Fraud, scams, ebay rip-offs, paypal charge backs, etc etc are all absolutely rife these days.
A) Campers the the 'in' thing this year, prices have gone bananas, more so than many other products theres an extremely good chance that people are cashing on and flogging some right old s
te off the back of the price rises (this was also the situation when I bought my Elise this year, price rises means people flogging utter junk at inflated prices)B) A camper is even MORE of a complex purchase than a car or van. You need to buy the van - how does it drive, is it serviced, reliable, well looked after tc etc... and then you also need to buy the camper aspect of it - what conversion is it, how is it built, is it in good nick, is it all safe (gas/elec/battery install), is it clean and tidy. Its a bit like buying a car and a caravan in one go.
C) Fraud, scams, ebay rip-offs, paypal charge backs, etc etc are all absolutely rife these days.
Captain Answer said:
Personally I would take a day and go get it, fly up early morning as possible and you'll be home for bedtime give or take
Make sure you've got recovery to home in place that you can actually use i.e. some you cant in the first 24/48hrs of purchase, your insurance, taxed etc and you'll be home on a tank or two of diesel
This 100%. I've never bought recovery for any of my cars but that's literally the first thing I thought about with this and absolutely will buy recovery if and when I do buy it.Make sure you've got recovery to home in place that you can actually use i.e. some you cant in the first 24/48hrs of purchase, your insurance, taxed etc and you'll be home on a tank or two of diesel
Edited by Captain Answer on Thursday 15th July 11:13
Thanks to other posters pointing out the frauds, I've been following the ebay thread on hacked accounts for a while now and often report them myself. This guy seems pretty genuine, 1200+ feedback on ebay, communication has been good and emotive (as in you can tell he's talking of experience with using the van which he's owned for 12 years).
I genuinely think it's cheap because it's in a fairly remote part of the country and it's bright yellow and has a quad exhaust for a 2.5 5 pot....
snotrag said:
Not in a million years.
A) Campers the the 'in' thing this year, prices have gone bananas, more so than many other products theres an extremely good chance that people are cashing on and flogging some right old ste off the back of the price rises (this was also the situation when I bought my Elise this year, price rises means people flogging utter junk at inflated prices)
B) A camper is even MORE of a complex purchase than a car or van. You need to buy the van - how does it drive, is it serviced, reliable, well looked after tc etc... and then you also need to buy the camper aspect of it - what conversion is it, how is it built, is it in good nick, is it all safe (gas/elec/battery install), is it clean and tidy. Its a bit like buying a car and a caravan in one go.
C) Fraud, scams, ebay rip-offs, paypal charge backs, etc etc are all absolutely rife these days.
You're right, prices have gone nuts for this and many many other items that are usually cheap (try finding cast iron weights at the tail end of last year!) but this seems there or thereabouts on price, about the same as a mates T4 he bought three months ago but this has high roof and the bigger engine.A) Campers the the 'in' thing this year, prices have gone bananas, more so than many other products theres an extremely good chance that people are cashing on and flogging some right old s
te off the back of the price rises (this was also the situation when I bought my Elise this year, price rises means people flogging utter junk at inflated prices)B) A camper is even MORE of a complex purchase than a car or van. You need to buy the van - how does it drive, is it serviced, reliable, well looked after tc etc... and then you also need to buy the camper aspect of it - what conversion is it, how is it built, is it in good nick, is it all safe (gas/elec/battery install), is it clean and tidy. Its a bit like buying a car and a caravan in one go.
C) Fraud, scams, ebay rip-offs, paypal charge backs, etc etc are all absolutely rife these days.
Your not in a million years comment, was that buying remotely or buying at all! lol
QuattroDave said:
I genuinely think it's cheap because it's in a fairly remote part of the country ...
FWIW I wouldn't regard Dundee as a remote part of the country - I live just outside Inverness and the price of any decent camper up here has literally gone through the roof.The wife has been fancying one for a while, but what with the availability of anything decent and the crazy prices, I've convinced her to wait a year or so to see if the prices settle down.
jhonn said:
QuattroDave said:
I genuinely think it's cheap because it's in a fairly remote part of the country ...
FWIW I wouldn't regard Dundee as a remote part of the country - I live just outside Inverness and the price of any decent camper up here has literally gone through the roof.The wife has been fancying one for a while, but what with the availability of anything decent and the crazy prices, I've convinced her to wait a year or so to see if the prices settle down.
Have you thought of the option of getting a third-party inspection before purchase? I haven't used them myself but there are companies out there that will do that on your behalf.
Also, have you checked the last few years MOT history - at least that'll highlight any significant rust/structural issues.
Also, have you checked the last few years MOT history - at least that'll highlight any significant rust/structural issues.
jhonn said:
Have you thought of the option of getting a third-party inspection before purchase? I haven't used them myself but there are companies out there that will do that on your behalf.
Also, have you checked the last few years MOT history - at least that'll highlight any significant rust/structural issues.
Good call on inspection as I'm out of my depth on these vehicles, cars I'm okay with.Also, have you checked the last few years MOT history - at least that'll highlight any significant rust/structural issues.
MOT history I was literally just looking at. 2010 was the last time it passed without any advisories.....!
It also failed its MOT on first go in January this year but passed a week later. Only mention of rust in the last 12 or so years MOT's relates to brake hoses which was the cause of the fail this year and have been replaced.
Remaining advisories from January are:
Items removed from driver's view prior to test ()
Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Brake cable damaged but not to excess (1.1.15 (a))
Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()
You'd definitely want to see it first, so I'd say travel up there and drive it back. Why not make it a family weekend away?
Do you know anyone who lives nearby who could check it out to avoid a wasted trip.
You could also pay for one of those AA inspections to get an independent report on its condition - it could be really rusty if its spent most of its life on the coast in North East Scotland.
One thing to note is that Dundee Airport is pretty useless, with almost no flights going there so flying would most likely be to Edinburgh or Aberdeen both of which are too far away to take a taxi to Dundee from unless you're very rich! The better option would be to take the sleeper train direct to Dundee or Montrose, and you'd be there first thing in the morning rather than halfway through the day.
Do you know anyone who lives nearby who could check it out to avoid a wasted trip.
You could also pay for one of those AA inspections to get an independent report on its condition - it could be really rusty if its spent most of its life on the coast in North East Scotland.
One thing to note is that Dundee Airport is pretty useless, with almost no flights going there so flying would most likely be to Edinburgh or Aberdeen both of which are too far away to take a taxi to Dundee from unless you're very rich! The better option would be to take the sleeper train direct to Dundee or Montrose, and you'd be there first thing in the morning rather than halfway through the day.
If time with your family is in short supply then why not take your 10-yr-old daughter with you? 'Plane ticket for her would be very cheap, you'd get to see the van before you buy it, you'd get her interested in the idea of camper vanning from the outset, it would be a simply superb adventure for the pair of you and she'd have something to talk about to her school mates for weeks to come. As a bonding experience I'd struggle to think of anything better.
2Btoo said:
If time with your family is in short supply then why not take your 10-yr-old daughter with you? 'Plane ticket for her would be very cheap, you'd get to see the van before you buy it, you'd get her interested in the idea of camper vanning from the outset, it would be a simply superb adventure for the pair of you and she'd have something to talk about to her school mates for weeks to come. As a bonding experience I'd struggle to think of anything better.
Good call sir. Our current together time is paddleboarding and I'm putting her through karting academy so they're already pretty high up there on the bonding scale but having her on the trip would be good (although last time I took her to a car purchase she made negotiating very hard "daddy I love it, can we buy it!" right in front of the seller!)Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff