Day van, Transporter or Vellfire?

[NH-0]

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

Edited by NH-0 on Sunday 24th May 11:11

[Doesitdrive]

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.

[ZX10R NIN]

2.2 Transit is where I'd be looking;

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308050...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604241...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605152...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202601299...

[_Rodders_]

£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.

Edited by _Rodders_ on Sunday 24th May 16:47

[Ed Boon II]

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.

[_Rodders_]

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.

[plynchy]

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.

[Ed Boon II]

_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.

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.

[Ryan_T]

I’d go transporter EU6 and spend £50 getting the adblue mapped out. Best of both worlds.


Yeah they’re too expensive but the residuals are great so money in - money out. Avoid the biturbo.

[NH-0]

Thanks all.