First time buyer advice

[danclarke]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy my first VW Campervan and for some advice to start my research. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've already spotted it would be easy to get lost down a rabbit hole of research.

I'm focusing first on the overall base van spec, budget, and what to expect at different price points. I'm considering either a T6 or T6.1, aiming for a van is less than 10 years old and will last ideally for at least another 10. I want a comfortable van for camping and driving that I can trust not to break down too often. I'm not concerned about flashy features; rather reliability, ease to drive and comfort are my priorities.

First question: For value for money, would you recommend a T6 vs T6.1, and what age is the sweet spot for price vs longevity (I'm aware that service history etc. will be more important than age alone but am asking more in general for what age do you consider you get the most for your money)? A T6 would obviously be older and cheaper, while a T6.1 will be newer and more expensive but considering depreciation, if I could buy a 2015 T6 or a 2020 T6.1 with the same spec, same average mileage per year and hold each for 10 years, would I notice a significant difference in depreciation per year on each over this kind of period?

Would you recommend buying a used T6 from a dealer (I've heard it's currently a buyers market for these) or sourcing a used T6.1 for a new conversion, considering it costs more but might hold more value when sold?

Are there any particular features I should look for in a base van to make it suitable for conversion and given my preferences for comfort and reliability?

Roughly what kind of budget should I expect for each example 2015 T6 vs 2020 T6.1 given my preferences?

Thanks
Dan

 

[half a job bob]

Hi mate,

First of all, look to budget for 15k-18k for a decent conversion that is future proof, ideally lithium batteries, decent solar and furniture. I would alway recommend buying the newest / service history/ mileage etc. Look for vans that are 5k over your budget and make an offer, you might get a bite. If you really like a van, get an rac inspection to confirm it's a good buy. Good luck, remember if it's too good to be true run away!

 

[ginkster]

Welcome. It’s a bit of a minefield and no simple, straightforward answer to your question I’m afraid. Plus everyone will have their own views and experiences. A newer, better spec van will generally be more attractive than a poverty spec or older one come resale time, but much will be dependent on the quality and practicality of your conversion. A crap conversion on a top spec van may well be harder to sell than a fab conversion on a basic van. So if the newer van leaves you skint for the conversion and other upgrades then I’d lean towards the older van.

Spec wise there is little that cannot be changed afterwards if you budget for it, so don’t worry too much about headlights, wheels, captains seats, paint job, radio etc. Do make sure you get the engine, gearbox, wheelbase correct though and aircon is mandatory for me.

As for reliability then just cross your fingers. Have a read through the forum and you will see people have major problems with vans of all ages. Others have no problems at all. Common themes are issues with EGR and DPF often (but certainly not exclusively) triggered by lots of short journeys), engine failures on bi-turbo models, DMF failures and adblue issues. So a complete history is good so you can see if the van has previously had any of these issues. Only luck seems to prevent them happening though!

You also need to allow headroom for the weight of the conversion and kit, people etc to avoid being overweight. The 2 digits after the T (e.g. T28, T30) tell you the max mass - 28 is 2800kg, 30 is 3000kg etc. A T28 is tight but can be upgraded to a T30 via a £265 paperwork exercise so don’t be put off by that. Mine is a T28 that now has a max mass of 3150kg with no mods. If you want comfort then budget for a suspension upgrade which will be approx £1500-2000 as standard or cheaply lowered suspension is generally rubbish, especially with the added weight of a conversion. You can do it much cheaper with just a rear spring upgrade after conversion if you are happy with the standard setup.

If I was to do it again I’d get a 150bhp, DSG, LWB, aircon, tailgate Trendline or Highline panel van as a starting point. Age and mileage would depend on overall budget including the conversion and other upgrades and including a solid emergency reserve for the inevitable issue. Good luck.

 

[Sasquatch]

My T28 with full conversion and big Swamper wheels and tyres is 2288kg. With everyone aboard with luggage and and full tank of water there's no realistic prospect of breaching 2800kg.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Resist getting a 204/199 and aim for the 150 with a 6 speed box assuming you're going diesel.
Like @Sasquatch I've got a Euro 6 102 T28 camper with 5 speed box and it's worth bearing in mind that if you drive these things gently all the Transporter diesels will reward you with an assortment of engine management lights, no easy fix but if you're thinking early Euro 5 T6 to avoid Adblu faults the EGR is still an issue.
I would go for the T6.1 purely on potential lower mileage.

 

[ginkster]

My T28 with full conversion and big Swamper wheels and tyres is 2288kg. With everyone aboard with luggage and and full tank of water there's no realistic prospect of breaching 2800kg.

Yeah, mine T28 is 2280kg (full conversion, pop top etc) empty except full fuel and adblue tanks and a few bits and bobs. Would have to pretty rammed to reach 2800kg but not impossible with 4 adults, dog, 4 MTBs, awning, camping kit, food, clothes…..etc. I decided it was easier to get it up plated and never need to worry regardless of how much kit (or duty free!) we load up with. Either way there’s no need to discount T28s as they will either be fine or can easily be up plated to give extra capacity if it’s really needed.

 

[danclarke]

Thank you all for the time you've taken to reply.

That's really helpful and gives me a good starting point and context for further research and great to have some of the key considerations and things to watch out for.

Taking away that as you'd expect you ultimately get what you pay for and certainly if investing in a new conversion the newer/better condition van that you can afford to do it on the better. And that getting a good build quality of the conversion is obviously very important and not worth trying to cut any corners on. Plus other important factors around spec to research further into thanks.

I've plenty of research to do, currently I'm tempted to see if I can stretch to a new conversion T6.1 (likely 2019-21 newest I could possibly go), while still making sure I've enough in the budget for a decent conversion. I'm going to visit this local converters on Friday which looks decent at first glance and seems to be using good branded pop top, bed from what I've spotted so far VW Campervan Conversions & Sales Sussex

Think my next goal will then be to work out what an actual budget for a T6 from a used dealer Vs new T6.1 at these different ages would be and see if I can justify the price difference and what I'd be spending per year of use I'd get out of them assuming I kept for 10+ years or resold. I think I can stomach something like £3k per year for cost of van but if it's closer to £5-6k for van alone before factoring in maintaining, insuring and running costs that would be a lot harder sell, I could get a lot of holiday for that (or probably camp in a tent all year round ).

 

[jimc91]

You’re so close to Bognor Motors @BognorMotors I’d take a drive down and see them and pick their brains and see what they have coming in.

 

[ginkster]

Before going too far and basing decisions on keeping the van for 10 years have you tried one out? I’d strongly recommend hiring a van or two and making sure it actually works for you. They are small (even a LWB) and are not for everyone. Trying a few beforehand will help inform your research (base vehicle and conversion options) or potentially save you from a very expensive mistake.

Also, don’t base things on possible long term value as that could change wildly. The bottom may fall out of the campervan market, legislation may change or you may lose the vehicle and not get the full value from the insurance (an agreed value policy is essential for a conversion). It’s also wise to have a healthy pot to cover unexpected repairs without causing financial issues or ending up with the van unusable for months.

 

[Mixersmate]

Aim for an auto, if your planning on holidaying in it you'll need to enjoy driving it. My manual gearbox and I share a mutual hatred of each other.

 

[GUMY]

I was aiming for an auto when I started my research, having driven only autos for years, but quickly realised that this massively narrowed down my search and / or significantly impacted my intended budget. I decided to sacrifice the auto in favour of newer / lower mileage (actually ended up with brand new) and I have to say, I am very happy driving the manual. Comes down to personal preference / priorites of course.
It sounds like you are thinking of buying a base vehicle first and then having a professional conversion done to your personal spec, but are you also considering buying an already converted van? From my own research I found it would almost certainly end up costing more having a conversion done (allow at least 15k - 20k I would think), than buying one already done. Others may disagree, and of course the advantages of having your own conversion done is that you can choose the exact spec you want, and nobody else has used /abused it.
I would imagine most people start with at least an approximate idea of their maximum budget, and put that into Autotrader and go from there. But you can go at it from another angle, and use the filters to look at 2015 / up to 90k miles v 2020 up to 40k miles, for example, and see what comes up. Personally, I would always go for the newest / lowest mileage I can comfortably afford. And I tend to agree with @ginkster with regards to future values etc. I think you may be in danger of over-complicating your decision!

Again, as @ginkster said, everyone has their own views and experiences, but for what it's worth, my own search criteria were something like this:
Base vehicle: T6.1 Highline; less than 3 years old; less than 30k miles; preferably dealer rather than private, with some kind of warranty; automatic gearbox - ditched when together with previous criteria this narrowed my choice down to zero within my upper budget! Originally thought I preferred barn doors (imagined opening the tailgate in a tight space would be problematic) but was easily persuaded that tailgate is the preferred choice for campervans, and am now a full convert!
Conversion: RIB bed (for boot space & comfort); single passenger seat (can be changed from a double, but at a cost of around £1500); oven/grill or microwave - not essential as you can always buy a low wattage microwave and carry it loose, but have since realised totally unnecessary so glad we didn't insist on it! Awning rail - again, can be added later, but extras like this quickly add to conversion costs, so finding a converted van with one already was a bonus.

 

[BognorMotors]

You’re so close to Bognor Motors @BognorMotors I’d take a drive down and see them and pick their brains and see what they have coming in.

Thanks

Before going too far and basing decisions on keeping the van for 10 years have you tried one out? I’d strongly recommend hiring a van or two and making sure it actually works for you. They are small (even a LWB) and are not for everyone. Trying a few beforehand will help inform your research (base vehicle and conversion options) or potentially save you from a very expensive mistake.

Also, don’t base things on possible long term value as that could change wildly. The bottom may fall out of the campervan market, legislation may change or you may lose the vehicle and not get the full value from the insurance (an agreed value policy is essential for a conversion). It’s also wise to have a healthy pot to cover unexpected repairs without causing financial issues or ending up with the van unusable for months.

We hire them too so perfect for you to try before you buy

 

[danclarke]

Thanks again all for further advice and I think you're collectively right that trying to work out depreciation is probably overcomplicating matters and to be honest is likely largely an attempt to rationalize whether it's ok to push my budget.

We've camped in tents regularly and rented campervans of this size a couple of times before and are pretty sold on the campervan life. Now I think it's largely a case of working out what I can justify to myself adding to the mortgage.