Day van, Transporter or Vellfire?
Discussion
Hey, looking to get a day van for regular weekend camping, currently using a tent but would prefer a van. Journeys are usually about 3/4 hours down to Devon / Cornwall. Would love a French road trip in 27.
What's the best option in 2026?
Transporter - now full of emissions crap and not as reliable?
Transporter - pre euro 6 any better, most seem pricey for the age/mileage?
Alphard/Vellfire - Bullet proof? still pricey due to import tax, cost of fuel due to being petrol would get annoying, poor resale?
Transit - wet belt, run!
Budget probably stretch up to £25k if chopped my car in, £15k if adding to the fleet!
Thanks
What's the best option in 2026?
Transporter - now full of emissions crap and not as reliable?
Transporter - pre euro 6 any better, most seem pricey for the age/mileage?
Alphard/Vellfire - Bullet proof? still pricey due to import tax, cost of fuel due to being petrol would get annoying, poor resale?
Transit - wet belt, run!
Budget probably stretch up to £25k if chopped my car in, £15k if adding to the fleet!
Thanks
Edited by NH-0 on Sunday 24th May 11:11
Transporter seems to be the leisure choice.
Transit is still the popular choice for medium vans, got 2 now, 2.2 lwb high top, that is 2.2 but ULEZ COMPLIANT.
A 2017 SWB 340, that has done 185k, has the quietest diesel engine I have heard for years, has belts done once in 2024. Drives superbly.
Maintenance and correct oil are the key to them, and wrong oil or running too long on it kills them.
Transit is still the popular choice for medium vans, got 2 now, 2.2 lwb high top, that is 2.2 but ULEZ COMPLIANT.
A 2017 SWB 340, that has done 185k, has the quietest diesel engine I have heard for years, has belts done once in 2024. Drives superbly.
Maintenance and correct oil are the key to them, and wrong oil or running too long on it kills them.
£25k would get you into a circa 2020 Vellfire/Alphard in a lower trim level. The bargains seem to be where people have imported them and then run them for 6 months to a year and realise it's either too big for them or they can't stomach the fuel bills.
A lot of car for the money IMO. Not going to be as roomy as a Transporter though.
A lot of car for the money IMO. Not going to be as roomy as a Transporter though.
Edited by _Rodders_ on Sunday 24th May 16:47
Ed Boon II said:
As a multiple Transporter owner, at £15k I d be looking at something other than a Transporter, you ll only get a shed for that money unfortunately.
My T5.1 140hp 6 Speed T30 was £6k and that was 7 years ago. Only spent a couple of grand getting it back up to a decent van. You've just got to accept a few miles on the clock and they can take 400k+ so it's not a huge issue.
T7 is based on a Transit as you probably know, so no VW bods want them, which has pushed up the prices of T5/T6, I’m currently looking for one and the price variations are insane, and in many cases ludicrous for a van.
I’ve ran my T5.1 for nearly 7 years, never let me down and been to Europe a few times. Sold this week as I’m after a LWB T6, and may well go down the Shuttle route.
I’ve ran my T5.1 for nearly 7 years, never let me down and been to Europe a few times. Sold this week as I’m after a LWB T6, and may well go down the Shuttle route.
_Rodders_ said:
My T5.1 140hp 6 Speed T30 was £6k and that was 7 years ago.
Only spent a couple of grand getting it back up to a decent van. You've just got to accept a few miles on the clock and they can take 400k+ so it's not a huge issue.
I had a quick look through Autotrader and couldn’t really see anything decent with less than 100k miles for £15k.Only spent a couple of grand getting it back up to a decent van. You've just got to accept a few miles on the clock and they can take 400k+ so it's not a huge issue.
You don’t want any modified tat and with dpf and egr you want to see regular oil/filter changes.
T6 Forum throws up the odd decent enthusiast owned van.
Miles off your budget but I paid £10k (ish) for a one owner 2014 Transporter / Shuttle a couple of years back with 170,000 miles. Took a bit finding as it's posh so sunroof, nav, alloys, parking sensors etc plus is the 2.0TDi 140 with 6 speed manual. Also being M1 class, no tedious van speed limits.
Fantastic tool... does everything the previous Volvo estate did plus acts as a rudimentary camper, bike mover, people carrier, mobile dining room, changing facilities and bathroom. To drive daily it's no big deal but I also have zero desire to be in ULEZ zones or multistorey car parks so they pose no dramas. Averages about 35 to 40mpg in normal use.
Downsides... it's a commercial vehicle so it's a bit of a noisy, rattly thing and handling prowess is non existent. It's broken a few times too... shat it's alternator, starter then it's steering rack so I'm into to that lot for £1500. I put Bilsteins on it, removed the horrible commercial rated tyres and put softer T28 springs on so it's better, but still kinda crap.
I keep debating getting rid and looking online, I reckon I'd get about £8000 minimum so not terrible depreciation given the use it's had, places we've been and hire van costs I've saved. I keep thinking about a quick German estate but I think I'd really struggle to lose the practicality.
Cool story.
Fantastic tool... does everything the previous Volvo estate did plus acts as a rudimentary camper, bike mover, people carrier, mobile dining room, changing facilities and bathroom. To drive daily it's no big deal but I also have zero desire to be in ULEZ zones or multistorey car parks so they pose no dramas. Averages about 35 to 40mpg in normal use.
Downsides... it's a commercial vehicle so it's a bit of a noisy, rattly thing and handling prowess is non existent. It's broken a few times too... shat it's alternator, starter then it's steering rack so I'm into to that lot for £1500. I put Bilsteins on it, removed the horrible commercial rated tyres and put softer T28 springs on so it's better, but still kinda crap.
I keep debating getting rid and looking online, I reckon I'd get about £8000 minimum so not terrible depreciation given the use it's had, places we've been and hire van costs I've saved. I keep thinking about a quick German estate but I think I'd really struggle to lose the practicality.
Cool story.
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