How to know what's a good price when buying your first VW Campervan?

[parxuk]

Sorry if this is a ridiculous question but being new to all this I am really in need of some help and advice please:

Looking to purchase my first VW CamperVan and despite researching for weeks and checking Autotrader, Ebay and numerous other for sale websites, I feel quite overwhelmed by the choice and variation available.

What I would like to know is, how do you know what is a good price and what isn’t for a used campervan?

When buying a normal car (for instance an Audi A4) its comparatively easy. There are a few different engine choices and trim levels, but once you’ve decided which one of these you want and have an idea of budget, you then look for one with the appropriate miles, service, history and condition but for the most part they are all pretty similar.

Campervans on the other hand don’t seem to follow these rules in quite the same way, especially because of the variations in camper conversion specifics and quality.

Do some people also tend to have very over-inflated ideas of what their van is worth? Sometimes (roughly) the same base vehicle can be many thousands of £’s different when comparing, even if the conversions look reasonably similar.

I would really like a LWB with DSG and this seems to serious limit my options of vans available.

I am currently looking at a particular T6 which the wife and I both love the look of. I wonder if from these limited details you could give me an indication if you think the £40k asking price is reasonable? I have seen pictures of the van and it does look stunning. I am expecting to go and view it this Saturday. However I have also seen newer T6 and even T6.1 with less miles for the same or less money so wonder if the sellers asking price is reasonable based on the spec of the van and quality of the conversion?

Hope the question make sense and would appreciatye your guidance. Thanks

Volkswagen Transporter

2.0 TDI T6 Highline Spec T28 Diesel LWB DSG AUTO 140BHP

111,000 miles2016 (16 reg)

Automatic

2 owners

Stunning conversion VW Camper T6 Highline 2.0 LWB DSG Automatic.

Purchased from Spartan Campers

Immaculate condition inside and the van itself is in perfect working condition.

Pure black / sports look.

LWB AUTOMATIC with Reimo awning rail & Fiamma wind out awning.



Comfort & Sleeping (4berth)

-Pop top is not slept in. Comes with structural support frame

-Glass pop-top bed board

-Diesel night heater

-control panel

-Van shades blinds

-R&R bed has always had a mattress on top so never slept directly on bed.

-Double swivel base seat with sliding rail system. Seats have always been covered with Dryrobe covers so never sat directly on them



Kitchen & Appliances

-Domestic double ring gas hob - not used

-Integrated microwave- not used

-Sink

-Fresh water storage hub

Interior & Storage

-Carpet lining

-Hard wearing flooring

-Fitted wardrobe unit with clothing rail

-Purpose built gas locker

- Lots of cupboards

-Fiamma awning we only had fitted last year and this comes with one side and extra strength poles and storm straps.

-2x 230V plug sockets

-2x USB ports

-12V charge point

-External mains power hook up

-Leisure battery

-20" Wolfrace Alloys

-Sat Nav

-Air con

Driven only for short trips away.

Hardly used, only doing est 2/3k miles a year.

Have the service history from when we purchased it in 2022 and we have had it serviced since.

 

[T6ChrisO]

Personally I wouldn’t be paying £40k for a T6 on 111k miles. For that reason I’d say it’s overpriced

 

[kipperman]

That's a real tough question - mainly because there are so many variables as you point out. Conversions can vary enormously in quality and external bling can mask all sorts of internal poor quality.

I'd base my decision primarily on the van itself - and I agree that 111k miles is a lot.

I sold my 19plate Bilbo's T6 last year with 18k miles on the clock (neither LWB or DSG) for around the same money, and I would rate Bilbo's in terms of the quality of their product. Have a look at their website and see how prices compare with the above.

I am always wary of conversions done on non new vans, simply because you have no idea as to the original state of the van and the manner in which it has been driven.

Very very easy to get carried away with looks, and ignore the important ( and expensive stuff).

 

[Chippie1]

Couldn’t have put it better myself that’s a lot of money for that sort of age and milage.
The problem with the ready made camper market is a lot of conversion company’s have and still use very basic panel vans as base vans.
You see so many base models as T28 startlines with no real creature comforts.
You are after a rare beast in a lwb dsg camper it would have to be someone’s bought it and then had it converted I would have thought

 

[bash]

Hi, good luck with your search, firstly there are a hell of a lot of vans around (that aren’t being used often enough by their owners like they first expected) if your budget is £40k strong you certainly don’t need to be considering a van with 100k miles. Start with the important part which is the base van be it preference for colour, swb/lwb, barn door/tailgate, Dsg/manual, pop-top or not. Don’t be swayed by awnings, alloys or nice cabinetry, this can all be added by yourself if need be, you’ll find one that’s been loved, and spent lots on by an enthusiast. This sites for sale section is a great starter for ideas on pricing, and also for what isn’t selling due to pricing, it’s a tough market for sellers of vans at the moment..buyers with cash are king!

 

[parxuk]

Thank you all so much for your opinions which I think have reinforced what I was thinking.

We still love the van, and although it has 110k miles, I dont think that is a scary amount?

£40k is all of our budget and TBH doesnt leave us a lot for any issues we may have.

Can I ask (if you have an idea) what would be a fair price, and what you would offer the seller if looking to buy this van?

I was thinking circa £35k, but am so new to this I dont really know.

Many thanks once again for your input.

 

[Sasquatch]

Its not a scary amount, but for the spec and mileage it's definitely well above the norm.

 

[Bav]

My initial reaction was that's big money for a van of that age with that mileage.

I'd also be very wary of any van that has been "Driven only for short trips away" and "Hardly used, only doing est 2/3k miles a year." These vans don't like repeated short journeys, but they do like regular use rather than being parked-up for months on end.

A stellar off-grid power system - lithium power, solar panel, inverter, B2B charging, etc. - can command a hefty premium and could go some way to justify the price tag, but as the seller hasn't made a big thing about the power system, it's very doubtful it has a top-notch set-up.

 

[bash]

Thank you all so much for your opinions which I think have reinforced what I was thinking.

We still love the van, and although it has 110k miles, I dont think that is a scary amount?

£40k is all of our budget and TBH doesnt leave us a lot for any issues we may have.

Can I ask (if you have an idea) what would be a fair price, and what you would offer the seller if looking to buy this van?

I was thinking circa £35k, but am so new to this I dont really know.

Many thanks once again for your input.

Can I ask what makes you love the van? Is it the LWB base factor? I don’t see what else it has to make me consider parting with cash vs the great number of other vans listed for sale…red flag for me is the milage, what did it do in its prior life to becoming a camper!, T28, with all its added extras are you not close to capacity.

But I get that it looks ready to go and have fun in and I don’t want to be a buzz kill but one day you’ll perhaps want to sell it on, at £40k it’s a no, even at £35k I have to ask do I need the headache…move on and feel happier that the next one you look at will have all the right bits and at a price you can be comfortable and not question it

 

[Ali-G]

3 things would put me off that van.
1. Mileage.
2. It's a T28
3. The colour.

But hey, we're all different so it's quite a hard question to answer.

 

[cossie]

It’s what you value any vehicle at, id say it’s a lot for the mileage and t28, as above.
I’d do a list of what you need and would like? 40k is a great budget.
Maybe get a quote from a good convertor and price up a good base van that meets you requirements, so many folks buy a van done then start spending on making it their own!! With that budget you have a lot of options. Get out test driving/hire one? Don’t go rushing because the sun is out

 

[quattrodave]

I personally think that's a nice van, yes it's a 2016 model with those miles but if that's the spec you're after and the conversion is a good spec (with service records to match) then mid/high even £30k prices seem ok to me, yes nudging £40k is too steep I would say.
It's a LWB (not as common as SWB) and dsg (even less common as a LWB) !
If you really like the van and your gut feeling is good then talk £££'s with the owner I would say.
A lot of vans out there look good on paper (and photos !) but are total rubbish when you look at them.
Good luck with your choice of van !

 

[parxuk]

Thank you so much once again for your valued replies.

Its not a scary amount, but for the spec and mileage it's definitely well above the norm.

What I was thinking. As mentioned, we are budget limited and I would love not to spend the whole amaount and leave some in reserve. Question is, what would be a reasonable offer without getting punched in the face?

My initial reaction was that's big money for a van of that age with that mileage.

I'd also be very wary of any van that has been "Driven only for short trips away" and "Hardly used, only doing est 2/3k miles a year." These vans don't like repeated short journeys, but they do like regular use rather than being parked-up for months on end.

A stellar off-grid power system - lithium power, solar panel, inverter, B2B charging, etc. - can command a hefty premium and could go some way to justify the price tag, but as the seller hasn't made a big thing about the power system, it's very doubtful it has a top-notch set-up.

I think it's the wifes van and she obviously doesnt do big miles. With regards to power unfortunately it doesnt have any solar (which is one of the few things I want on the van that it doesnt have already). It has a Sargent EC155 split charge power management system. I dont know yet what the leisure battery capacity is. Obviously it has electric hookup.

Can I ask what makes you love the van? Is it the LWB base factor? I don’t see what else it has to make me consider parting with cash vs the great number of other vans listed for sale…red flag for me is the milage, what did it do in its prior life to becoming a camper!, T28, with all its added extras are you not close to capacity.

But I get that it looks ready to go and have fun in and I don’t want to be a buzz kill but one day you’ll perhaps want to sell it on, at £40k it’s a no, even at £35k I have to ask do I need the headache…move on and feel happier that the next one you look at will have all the right bits and at a price you can be comfortable and not question it

I would like to get a LWB with DSG. I like the look of the van (dont have an issue with black, infact my car is black) and wife and I both like the aesthetic style of the conversion. It's lovely and light inside with windows all round (lots dont) and vanshade blinds which I would rather vs curtains. The front swivel passenger seat on rails is also a nice touch. Wish it had a scenic pop top, but after looking at many hundreds of vans over the last 8 weeks I have come to realise that i'm not going to get 100% of what I want. This is about as close as we have gotten and with a few exceptions I could have speced this van myself.

Dont know what you have, but if you try looking for LWB autos they are a fairly rare breed. For instance in my price range (£0 to £40k) Autotrader list a total of 4929 VW campervans/motorhomes. Of these 1500 are auto. If you then add the LWB filter there are only 297 vans (6%) and most of these look like pretty poor conversions, or arent anywhere near as good a spec.

If I was to go manual it would be considerably cheaper and there would be more choice, but I think the LWB/DSG combination commands a premium due to supply vs demand? That being said, the main point of my post was thinking that £40k for this van was a bit steep.

3 things would put me off that van.
1. Mileage.
2. It's a T28
3. The colour.

But hey, we're all different so it's quite a hard question to answer.

I did a bit of Googling previously and was under the (maybe wrong) impression that for use as a Camper the T28/30/32 thing wasnt really a big deal. Happy to be educated.

Mileage is high, but everybody gives the impression that these things will go on for ever, so assuming it has good service history and I can get it for the right price I thought 110k miles wasnt too bad. I am budget limited and have to make concessions somewhere. My 2018 Audi A4 has 185K so this van would be almost new (insert smiley face here).

Colour is subjective. Black is the best colour (when clean). It's better than some of the garish 2 tones i've seen that are trying too hard to be retro.

It’s what you value any vehicle at, id say it’s a lot for the mileage and t28, as above.
I’d do a list of what you need and would like? 40k is a great budget.
Maybe get a quote from a good convertor and price up a good base van that meets you requirements, so many folks buy a van done then start spending on making it their own!! With that budget you have a lot of options. Get out test driving/hire one? Don’t go rushing because the sun is out

Fear of the unknown. Wouldnt have a clue where to start and the van i've quoted has lots of things I would spec (except solar and scenic roof). Otherwise wifey and I both like it. Agree, not a good idea to rush. I stated £40k as a budget, but that really is max and doesnt leave much for any initial issues on getting the van. Happily buy one for less!

I personally think that's a nice van, yes it's a 2016 model with those miles but if that's the spec you're after and the conversion is a good spec (with service records to match) then mid/high even £30k prices seem ok to me, yes nudging £40k is too steep I would say.
It's a LWB (not as common as SWB) and dsg (even less common as a LWB) !
If you really like the van and your gut feeling is good then talk £££'s with the owner I would say.
A lot of vans out there look good on paper (and photos !) but are total rubbish when you look at them.
Good luck with your choice of van !

Pretty much where I think we are. For a LWB/DSG and the quality of the conversion (Spartan appear to be well reviewed) I think £35k - £37k is pretty much the going rate. LWBs do command a hefty premium over SWB and add DSG and you are adding ££££s to the price tag.

We live in Bristol. Not that it should be a factor, but almost all of the vans of the spec we like are over the other side of the county and would be a day to go and view, what is you say on paper looks good but is potentially rubbish. This van i've quoted also happens to be in Bristol so has added to the appeal, but that's not to say I wouldnt put myslef out and travel for the right van.

Many thanks again to all.

 

[Paul Sussex]

Guessing it’s a private sale, so no warranty (so some risk) so would not spend that amount of money myself, but might miss out on a great van, that said could by a van from a garage and it’s a pup.

If it was me and buying private would get an independent inspection and see if could get an independent warranty.

Don’t know much about Spartan conversions, but did talk to them when I was looking but as they did not do p/x had to go else where. The guy at Spartan was really nice and gave loads of advice knowing I might not buy - I don’t know their quality (someone on here might) - think they replace cambelt and re-spay by default, then fit it out.

Sorry not much help.

I have a T6 SWB - if I wanted a LWB would not compromise and get SWB (bit of me wishes I had). Had DSG on other VAG vehicle loved it and maybe another regret.

Stick with what you want.

 

[parxuk]

Guessing it’s a private sale, so no warranty (so some risk) so would not spend that amount of money myself, but might miss out on a great van, that said could by a van from a garage and it’s a pup.

If it was me and buying private would get an independent inspection and see if could get an independent warranty.

Don’t know much about Spartan conversions, but did talk to them when I was looking but as they did not do p/x had to go else where. The guy at Spartan was really nice and gave loads of advice knowing I might not buy - I don’t know their quality (someone on here might) - think they replace cambelt and re-spay by default, then fit it out.

Sorry not much help.

I have a T6 SWB - if I wanted a LWB would not compromise and get SWB (bit of me wishes I had). Had DSG on other VAG vehicle loved it and maybe another regret.

Stick with what you want.

Yes, private sale and and this will be by far the most i've ever spent on anything other than a house, so i'm doing my best to be well informed.

Buying 2nd hand always a gamble, but no other option. Have bought privatley previously and been OK. Bought from garages and (sometimes) had issue (turbo blew litteraly 5 minutes up the road after collection on an Audi A2 - the garage did eventually fix it).

Luckily my next door neighbour is an exceptional car mechanic, so he will be coming with me (along with his trusty code reading gadgets) to inspect the van.

The current owner had Spartan source this van for them in 2022 and then had it converted to their specification (as you mentioned cambelt was changed at the same time, dont know about respray).

LWB is a firm requirement for us due to a large dog. Auto gearbox isnt 100% essential, but having driven autos for the last few years, I think I would hate going back to a manual. This is going to become my daily driver, so I want to know i'm going to enjoy driving it.

 

[Paul Sussex]

As Cossie says, don’t discount buying a good van then getting it converted.

I thought about that, but wanted one quickly as fed up with working so hard - and wanted to spend more time out with the youngest son, and grandkids - ticked all the boxes and fantastic last 18 months.

But guess same with most pre-builds, you sit enjoying life and think about all the things you would change.

Stick with what you want at a price ‘you’ think it is worth.

 

[Paul Sussex]

As a daily driver they really don’t like short drives

 

[Paul Sussex]

BTW - regretted going from DSG to manual

 

[CAB]

T28 isn't an issue, if you do approach the limit its an easy paper up-plate.

But £40k is way over.

 

[parxuk]

As a daily driver they really don’t like short drives

Unfortunately i'm likely to be doing some fairly short drives in it to my local train station (12 minutes each way, 3 times per week). Not a lot I can do about it. We want a camper and I cant afford to have a commuting car and leave the camper sat on the drive only be used for the occassional weekend break.

Is it becuase of the DPF they dont like it, and provided I can once a month or so take it for a blast so the DPF can regen, should I be OK?

Unsure what the alternative is. Dont think there is a petrol option that wouldnt suffer from short journeys?