How to know what's a good price when buying your first VW Campervan?
- Thread starter parxuk
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From my own experience three relatively short journeys per week shouldn't be an issue but you would want to give it a longer run at least once per week and most of your mileage should be longer journeys to enable the engine to function correctly. I have always used Shell V Power fuel where possible as it contains more cleaning additives. I was also recommended using Liquid Moly diesel cleaner every six months (you just add it to the tank when it's about a third full) Depending on how much of a rush you are in for a camper buying a base van and having it converted yourself is probably the less expensive way of owning the van you want, built to your requirements. Visit some local converters and get a flavour of what you can get for your budget once you have factored in the cost of the base van.
Not sure (others will know more than me) - mine is a similar journey pattern and so far no issues.
TSI do pop up every now and then, If your in no rush keep on the lookout
TSI do pop up every now and then, If your in no rush keep on the lookout
The mileage would definitely put me off spending £40k on it. Personally I'd be looking for the best base van you can with the spec you want and getting it converted to exactly how you want. Others will know more than me but 25k will get you a better van and £15k will get you a decent conversion. Spending 40k that way feels more of an investment and makes more sense long term. If I had to buy that van I wouldn't be spending more than 30k. Each to their own though. Good luck
That's a very good point, thanks.
Thank you, and I appreciate your opinion very much. It's good to be able to gauge the kind of price it may be worth.The mileage would definitely put me off spending £40k on it. Personally I'd be looking for the best base van you can with the spec you want and getting it converted to exactly how you want. Others will know more than me but 25k will get you a better van and £15k will get you a decent conversion. Spending 40k that way feels more of an investment and makes more sense long term. If I had to buy that van I wouldn't be spending more than 30k. Each to their own though. Good luck
Just done 2,000 miles around France for the last 4 weeks in our T28 manual, 102hp, 5 speed chestnut brown SWB Redline converted camper.
Obviously I'm making this up as everyone knows you can't do trips like that on a budget setup... maybe people spend too much time trying to get everything perfect and miss the bigger picture?
That was day one and our first pee break, we're on 62,000 miles now on a 67 plate smouldering wreck.
Obviously I'm making this up as everyone knows you can't do trips like that on a budget setup... maybe people spend too much time trying to get everything perfect and miss the bigger picture?
That was day one and our first pee break, we're on 62,000 miles now on a 67 plate smouldering wreck.
I bought the base van I wanted and am slowly chipping away at it. It’s the Mrs’ daily drive so wasn’t fussed about having a camper, right here, right now. I’m now in for £29k with a 70 plate T30 on 91k (tailgate 6spd man) so things do quickly add up. I’m the same though as I think these things in general are ridiculously overpriced, and some private owners want exactly what they’ve spent on the van back when it comes to sale time.
Whilst that van you’ve looked at ticks a lot of boxes, it’s a lot of money for what is essentially an old van.
I think someone above mentioned it, but hire one first and see what you do and don’t like.
Whilst that van you’ve looked at ticks a lot of boxes, it’s a lot of money for what is essentially an old van.
I think someone above mentioned it, but hire one first and see what you do and don’t like.
It is a van at the end of the day, you can do a lot with a van, I like the utility of mine, I can work out of it, be my daily and still grab min 10-15trips away in it a year “posh camping”. Before me and the missus separated, we were looking for a camper for along time, but decided the better option with a little un, was a caravan and a A6 allroad and we still had change from our camper budget. I will be going back to a caravan one day, as I like the idea it’s pitched up and you can leave everything.
So it’s all down to what you want out of one, do that pro and cons list and of must haves etc, then get out looking at vans, hire one.
So it’s all down to what you want out of one, do that pro and cons list and of must haves etc, then get out looking at vans, hire one.
There are certain converters that operate like puppy farms churning out base level ex builders van conversions. Comes with dubious pop tops, defective electrics and no insulation but have the all important 20” wheels and two tone paint jobs to catch the eye.
They tend to get regular mentions on this Forum.
Not saying your van is one of them but be aware.
Nice wheels
SMHinthewild
New Member
Back in 2016 we had the same question. Went around all the big converters CamperKing, Hillside, Bilbo and our 35K budget kept creeping toward 40K. We found some very good DIY conversions but its a chunk of cash to spend without a warranty. In the end we bought a brand new VW Cali for 52K almost bog standard just a tow bar and better media. We recently looked at changing and were offered between 30K and 40K by the dealers on part-X which after 10 years is not bad. - Prices seem to be all over the place at the dealers who seem to be struggling to move stock. With hindsight a LWB (so room for a more private loo experience) and 4Motion would have been higher on my list. At the end of the day VALUE is what you are willing to pay for and PRICE is what someone else thinks its worth - If you can sort that mental juggling out it sort of makes sense
I would think, not knowing how the van was driven over the previous 110k would be.my worry, even if you take it for long runs, the dpf could be getting blocked up way beforehand.
I’d say
32k tops, no more offers take it or leave it, lots of other vans on the market not selling quickly, if you’re not desperate for a van now, have a day visit to the vw BUSFEST festival in September, it’s down your way, you will find thousands of vw campers to look at, it’s a great day out, come over to the T6 forum camp area for a chat
Good luck
I’d say
32k tops, no more offers take it or leave it, lots of other vans on the market not selling quickly, if you’re not desperate for a van now, have a day visit to the vw BUSFEST festival in September, it’s down your way, you will find thousands of vw campers to look at, it’s a great day out, come over to the T6 forum camp area for a chat
Good luck
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I agree with the California holding it's price the best compared to even a Westfalia badged conversion but I have to say that of the ones we met on our trip around France the owners come across as borderline smug accountants and had bought their highly "individual" camper after reading a lovely article in the Observer/Guardian... it was that or a €1 village in Umbria that needed renovating.
Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, certainly for VW it's a good thing and the California driver is out there actually using the thing but there's just that little edge where, ahem they think they're just that little bit better as they haven't actually had to do anything to their van, it came perfect. 
Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, certainly for VW it's a good thing and the California driver is out there actually using the thing but there's just that little edge where, ahem
they think they're just that little bit better as they haven't actually had to do anything to their van, it came perfect. I don’t think so, personally never heard of Spartan at all.
Thanks for the help, advice and words of wisdom.
Going to see the van tomorrow (it's only 30 minutes away) and then can take it from there.
Scare stories of Adblue system issues and high pressure fuel pumps are still scaring me, so on Sunday we are going to look at this van as a comparison. It's a T5.1 (sorry, probably shouldnt be posting about it on a T6 forum). But is also a DSG, LWB and circa £15k less than the other one for the same miles.
Any thoughts on the T5.1 and hints, tips and tricks of things to check and look out for on both would be gratefully received.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorh...tion=at_cars&sort=relevance&postcode=bs30 8yz
Going to see the van tomorrow (it's only 30 minutes away) and then can take it from there.
Scare stories of Adblue system issues and high pressure fuel pumps are still scaring me, so on Sunday we are going to look at this van as a comparison. It's a T5.1 (sorry, probably shouldnt be posting about it on a T6 forum). But is also a DSG, LWB and circa £15k less than the other one for the same miles.
Any thoughts on the T5.1 and hints, tips and tricks of things to check and look out for on both would be gratefully received.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorh...tion=at_cars&sort=relevance&postcode=bs30 8yz
