Discussion
Hi
Im thinking of buying a Camper for weekend trips away with my Mrs and 3 year old, I’ve got a budget of about £10k, all the vans at that price have high milage though, I’ve bought many cars with high milage and never really been fazed but they’ve been cheap £500 cars that I wasn’t that bothered about them breaking down, £10k is a lot of money to me so I was after any advice and asking if any others have bought high mile t5s and had no problems ?
I’m a mechanic so ideally I’d like one with lower milage that needs a bit of work like a gearbox or DMF
Im thinking of buying a Camper for weekend trips away with my Mrs and 3 year old, I’ve got a budget of about £10k, all the vans at that price have high milage though, I’ve bought many cars with high milage and never really been fazed but they’ve been cheap £500 cars that I wasn’t that bothered about them breaking down, £10k is a lot of money to me so I was after any advice and asking if any others have bought high mile t5s and had no problems ?
I’m a mechanic so ideally I’d like one with lower milage that needs a bit of work like a gearbox or DMF
I don't think it matters if anybody has had one with no issues as that good fortune is absolutely not universal! I bought a 14 plate 2.0D with the 6spd a year or so back. One owner, full history etc etc and it was sat with 175k.
It's now on 196k and thus far it's had an alternator, which is one of those "smart" ones along with the tensioner and belt. Then the tensioner shat itself within weeks so was replaced again. It's had a starter motor, rear calipers, all shocks, springs and top mounts and it's just back from getting a steering rack.
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That could be deemed a liability or, given the age and mileage is it to be expected and I've just been a bit unlucky. The upside it's of an age that it dodges the later EGR / turbo issues and it's manual so no DSG concerns. Though rest assured it'll need a flywheel now I say that... or a gearbox.
They also rust. Dear god do they rust and at £10k budget for a proper camper (be wary of dodgy conversions / registered as a van etc) then you'll be looking at an older one I think. My old man also had a proper conversion, had grand plans of weekends away for him plus us using it... he went twice then sold it.
I'd suggest hiring one to try first as the van life / camper / Insta dreamy life can be quite different in reality so least that way you could try before you buy. Other factor is how and where is your three year old travelling in it? Strapped to a Temu rock and roll bench seat or in the front, in the middle, in a car seat... in which case the passenger will need to be a skeleton.
It's now on 196k and thus far it's had an alternator, which is one of those "smart" ones along with the tensioner and belt. Then the tensioner shat itself within weeks so was replaced again. It's had a starter motor, rear calipers, all shocks, springs and top mounts and it's just back from getting a steering rack.
.
That could be deemed a liability or, given the age and mileage is it to be expected and I've just been a bit unlucky. The upside it's of an age that it dodges the later EGR / turbo issues and it's manual so no DSG concerns. Though rest assured it'll need a flywheel now I say that... or a gearbox.
They also rust. Dear god do they rust and at £10k budget for a proper camper (be wary of dodgy conversions / registered as a van etc) then you'll be looking at an older one I think. My old man also had a proper conversion, had grand plans of weekends away for him plus us using it... he went twice then sold it.
I'd suggest hiring one to try first as the van life / camper / Insta dreamy life can be quite different in reality so least that way you could try before you buy. Other factor is how and where is your three year old travelling in it? Strapped to a Temu rock and roll bench seat or in the front, in the middle, in a car seat... in which case the passenger will need to be a skeleton.
My 2007 T5 with the 1.9 pd engine is on 220k miles.
Had a clutch and dmf some years ago and gearbox bearings replaced and apart from that just regular servicing.
Like everything if looked after will go on for a long time.
Don't think I would be so confident though if I owned a later 2.0 Tdi common rail engine with more complex emissions gubbins.
Had a clutch and dmf some years ago and gearbox bearings replaced and apart from that just regular servicing.
Like everything if looked after will go on for a long time.
Don't think I would be so confident though if I owned a later 2.0 Tdi common rail engine with more complex emissions gubbins.
Does it have to be VW? You do get better value and reliability with other brands... That said, the VW's do hold their value like nothing else.
Also consider less popular VW options like a hard top and LWB. Folk often go for image of pop top and slammed suspension over practical and looked after.
I'm a t5.1 LWB high top owner. I started with a £15k budget and was dissatisfied with what that got us. I ended up dropping on a one owner from new, 20k miles(!) 9 year old van from a professional convertor (Bilbo's) that was camper from day 1. It's been brilliant, lots of use, and has held it's value scarily well.
Also consider less popular VW options like a hard top and LWB. Folk often go for image of pop top and slammed suspension over practical and looked after.
I'm a t5.1 LWB high top owner. I started with a £15k budget and was dissatisfied with what that got us. I ended up dropping on a one owner from new, 20k miles(!) 9 year old van from a professional convertor (Bilbo's) that was camper from day 1. It's been brilliant, lots of use, and has held it's value scarily well.
We have had our t5.1 camper for a number of years now and love it. I expect you might have to near double your budget to get a good one. But they hold their value very well. (Ours might be worth nearly the same as we bought for back in 2019). Being vans they take large miles better than cars but watch for rust.
Careful with the 2.5 tdi's, if the camshaft goes it is £2-3k to fix. I have seen some with massive bills. If you can get a pre March 2006 low tax, and no dpf. You can remove the emissions sticker under the bonnet to get emissions testing at a more lenient level, and the 1.9 can be mapped. The 1.9 engine in a Beetle is easily swapped into a Transporter if the engine goes in a 1.9. £10k isn't a lot for a camper. If it has a Webasto aux heater make sure it works and doesn't make the battery go flat. If you get a pop top it might not go under height barriers in car parks, Tesco etc. Avoid the bi turbo, but the 2.0 is a good engine mine had 300k on it.
VW California owner here.
Are you looking for something with a pop-up roof (i.e. a California) or a converted Transporter with a bed in the back? You and your wife sharing with a 3 year old is possible without the pop-top but it will be a short term solution as your kid will grow and you'll need the second bed.
I think you'll struggle to find a T5 with a pop-up roof, a T4 is possible but then buy on condition not mileage.
Are you looking for something with a pop-up roof (i.e. a California) or a converted Transporter with a bed in the back? You and your wife sharing with a 3 year old is possible without the pop-top but it will be a short term solution as your kid will grow and you'll need the second bed.
I think you'll struggle to find a T5 with a pop-up roof, a T4 is possible but then buy on condition not mileage.
8Valve OHC said:
Thanks guys for the reply s, I don t even know why I didn t think of other vans, you can different make vans for the same price for half the milage, I m just looking at a transit custom with 100k for £12k that s a 4 birth with pop top !
It's a topic done to death but that high price will be recouped on sale making the overall cost of ownership similar or better for the VW. People have their favourites but I personally wouldn't rule out a Transporter just because the purchase price is more.
My old builders van was sold for £8k with 255k on the clock, it was a base model that had seen a hard life. The equivalent Transit would probably have been scrapped.
Im not that fussed if its a converted van to be honest as long as its a decent job, its funny how you see things, ive just been out to do some shopping and theres loads of vivaro campers out there when your looking for them !
But yes I agree the VW would be the better option.
I’m not going to rush into it because £10k is a lot of money to me !
I’ve seen there’s a spares or repairs one on EBay that’s nearly finished and that’s at £4600 but it looks like it needs a full respray so that’s probably £5k plus’s,
I am a mechanic so one that needs some work would be ideal. I just know nothing about the camper side
But yes I agree the VW would be the better option.
I’m not going to rush into it because £10k is a lot of money to me !
I’ve seen there’s a spares or repairs one on EBay that’s nearly finished and that’s at £4600 but it looks like it needs a full respray so that’s probably £5k plus’s,
I am a mechanic so one that needs some work would be ideal. I just know nothing about the camper side
POIDH said:
Does it have to be VW? You do get better value and reliability with other brands... That said, the VW's do hold their value like nothing else.
Also consider less popular VW options like a hard top and LWB. Folk often go for image of pop top and slammed suspension over practical and looked after.
I'm a t5.1 LWB high top owner. I started with a £15k budget and was dissatisfied with what that got us. I ended up dropping on a one owner from new, 20k miles(!) 9 year old van from a professional convertor (Bilbo's) that was camper from day 1. It's been brilliant, lots of use, and has held it's value scarily well.
Good advice this. I was in your shoes and ended up buying a hi-top Autosleepers conversion (this was a T4 - it was a few years back). That was about 12 years old and on 80k. Pro conversion from day 1 etc but good value as a bit uncool/OAP spec. Kept it for 14 years. It did everything from being a mobile changing/feeding room for days out with a baby through to a Euro road trip camper with 2x teenage girls. We outgrew it in the end, but it's probably the canniest buy I've ever made in my life. Also consider less popular VW options like a hard top and LWB. Folk often go for image of pop top and slammed suspension over practical and looked after.
I'm a t5.1 LWB high top owner. I started with a £15k budget and was dissatisfied with what that got us. I ended up dropping on a one owner from new, 20k miles(!) 9 year old van from a professional convertor (Bilbo's) that was camper from day 1. It's been brilliant, lots of use, and has held it's value scarily well.
Im not that fussed if its a converted van to be honest as long as its a decent job, its funny how you see things, ive just been out to do some shopping and theres loads of vivaro campers out there when your looking for them !
But yes I agree the VW would be the better option.
I m not going to rush into it because £10k is a lot of money to me !
I ve seen there s a spares or repairs one on EBay that s nearly finished and that s at £4600 but it looks like it needs a full respray so that s probably £5k plus -+
But yes I agree the VW would be the better option.
I m not going to rush into it because £10k is a lot of money to me !
I ve seen there s a spares or repairs one on EBay that s nearly finished and that s at £4600 but it looks like it needs a full respray so that s probably £5k plus -+
Also consider the Toyota Granvia/Regius conversions.
Many professional conversions by Wellhouse, based on Toyota vans so mechanically solid, however watch for rust as they are JDM and were not rust proofed from new.
Lots around for your budget, I’ve owned a couple and have had no issues.
Much better value than a VW at your budget.
Many professional conversions by Wellhouse, based on Toyota vans so mechanically solid, however watch for rust as they are JDM and were not rust proofed from new.
Lots around for your budget, I’ve owned a couple and have had no issues.
Much better value than a VW at your budget.
8Valve OHC said:
I ve seen there s a spares or repairs one on EBay that s nearly finished and that s at £4600 but it looks like it needs a full respray so that s probably £5k plus -+
As a mechanic you will know more than me. But my experience is that many cheap motorhome/campervan folk are particularly blind to the utterly s
te condition that their vehicle is in. Many run them close to the scrapyard. I have seen some proper howlers from a rust point of view - I am convinced a good few had fake MOT's.I have family members who made the mistake of a "cheap" Bongo - they have spent almost the same as I did on an 'expensive' VW with low miles if I add up the welding and maintenance costs they have sunk into it. And yet they have a SORN MOT fail rotting on the drive and I am out in my van this next weekend...
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