Found a van...having doubts

[maccapacca]

So I've found a sexy looking van.

6.1
150 dsg
21 plate
30k miles
2 Year old conversion mint condition
In budget

I almost paid the deposit on the spot. It ticked all the boxes but decided to sleep on it.

It was converted by a fella who is no longer in business and cant seem to find much of a trace of the business.

A mate of mine who has a van kinda sucked his teeth and said "its basically a DIY build and will be a nightmare".

I did some digging and found out it was sold for 10k more than I negotiated 1 year ago with 29k on the clock. In the following year it only did 1000 miles.

Cant put my finger on it but my spider sense is tingling.

What do I need to look out for. Are there any dead givaways of a bad build? What might go wrong?

 

[VWDAZ71]

If it doesn’t feel right, then walk away.

 

[Bav]

What might go wrong

Assuming we're talking about a camper conversion, then the most obvious (and potentially most devastating) items are the electrical and gas systems, plus the rear seating/bed installation and maybe the heater installation.

As above, though, trust your instincts and walk if you're not entirely happy.

 

[airhoguk]

The 1000 miles could just be someone bought it and didn’t actually like using it to camp in or their partner didn’t, that can be quite restrictive for some. If you can look at the wiring and see if it’s neat and tidy. Is it a private sale or through a dealer?

 

[maccapacca]

Its through a local camper dealer.

Only 20 mins drive away and they seem to turn a lot of vans over. They had 5 when I viewed this one.

They offer a 6 month mechanical warranty so that gives me piece of mind. Need to clarify if they cover the conversion too.

The conversion itself looks brand new but Im new to this so don't even know what "good" looks like for electricity and gas.

 

[jimc91]

DIY builds can be a can of worms but then so can professional builds - loads of examples on the forum of professional builds where the electrical installation is poor. Conversely a DIY build could be excellent with lots of care and attention - not very helpful I know but if you’re not sure maybe post a link to the advert and see what everyone thinks.

 

[maccapacca]

DIY builds can be a can of worms but then so can professional builds - loads of examples on the forum of professional builds where the electrical installation is poor. Conversely a DIY build could be excellent with lots of care and attention - not very helpful I know but if you’re not sure maybe post a link to the advert and see what everyone thinks.

Great idea....here's the link

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202511288202634?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android-app

 

[airhoguk]

So was built by All Star Customs in Kent, he now trades as All Star Campers but still at same location. I met the owner a few years ago when I was looking at converting our T5.1, quality of the work at the time was good. Google reviews seem good and he also trades on EBay. Note none of this says it’s a great conversion but he has been around since 2016 (when I spoke with him). Name change I honestly don’t know. January 2024 it was up for £49,995 (it was listed on Instagram and original sale stuff still there). Should add I have nothing to do with either the dealer or original builder.

 

[Jimer]

The additional deadlocks on the sliding door and rear doors would put me off, it has an aura of builders van about it.

 

[maccapacca]

Wow...great info, thanks so much!

 

[maccapacca]

Interesting...that didn't even cross my mind.

Do you think that would be problematic on a van with this kind of mileage?

 

[Sasquatch]

The additional deadlocks on the sliding door and rear doors would put me off, it has an aura of builders van about it.

This for me too.

A pro conversion you would hope would be on a new or nearly new van.

A DIY conversion you do on whatever van suits your budget, which night not be huge hence choosing an older van in the first place. Some less reputable/diligent (take your pick) converters use vans that have seen some work as they can be had for less money and punted on for greater profit, and the real top drawer conversion-to-sales companies simply wont do that.

That little tell-tale indicates a van that might have lived a life before being converted. Not necessarily a problem per se, but theyre asking strong money for it and for that cash you'll easily find a conversion that was done on a new or near new van that hadn't had a working life before being converted.

There are no shortage of decent campers at that price point, so why choose one with even the slightest hint of something youre not happy with? You have the advantage over us of having viewed it and your spidey senses are tingling...just go find another.

For that money youre well into the realms of conversions from very reputable NCC and/or IVA certified companies. There are plenty of superb companies without either accreditation, but that opens up an unnecessary can of worms when your budget is that size.

 

[JumpShip]

I just think all the extra locks would put me off rather than looking like something I'd wanna add when building a posh new van .

 

[airhoguk]

Interestingly it looks like the additional locks have been added since the conversion

 

[Sasquatch]

Interestingly it looks like the additional locks have been added since the conversion

Unusual, most owners would go a different security route, but theres no law against it.

Certainly it'd be fun trying to sell it on with picky bastids like us in the market.

 

[maccapacca]

Thanks everyone....this has been very very helpful

 

[Srea064]

The van, in my opinion, looks quite good. Unlike a lot of conversions on brand new vans, it's been done on a Highline 150 DSG, which is a good base to start from.

The work carried out on the conversion looks fairly good quality and the tyres, unlike most conversions, are a descent make too.

I wouldn't be put off by the additional locks on the doors, as the way this Country is going, you need as much security as you can afford. I like it.

 

[bp_porcaro]

I think the best indicator on your yes/no decision would be the actual pay-out value from your insurance if ever it was stolen. For a lesser known or DIY conversion you would have more work to do with the insurer to get an agreed value, as they just have it on the database as a van, and you would be shocked how little they would pay you out on total loss. Vans from top named converters that are still in production are easier to prove real value on a claim.
Good luck making the decision, it is a minefield, but this forum can help allot.

 

[Voodoo_Pirate]

I wouldn’t necessarily rule out a DIY build but like others have already said you need to double check everything.

There is some extremely good DIY builds out there and probably some from people on this forum whose vans will be of a much better quality due the time and care taken, rather than a firm bashing them out for a profit. There’s plenty of poor reviews from various so called professional companies online that Iv seen, and how many people now own a professional conversion that was done by a company who are now no longer trading? When we were looking we found a couple of vans that looked brilliant and most probably were, but the company they were converted by dissolved 3/4 years ago.

Open cupboards, find the electrics as best you can and have a look for neat work. Check the units for rattles, how secure are they? Are the lights neatly fitted, is the general build of quality or are pieces loose?

To be fair to the converter, it looks good from the pictures and they have converted a highline with DSG which is far from the base standard model.

 

[DaveD]

We have threads on this Forum about how to improve your van's security then when somebody does exactly that it puts us off buying it second hand.
I don't get it!