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

JoshB_ said:
Won’t budge on £40k for that… that’s a £12k “van” and not a £28k conversion…

Can I just ask the obvious question, why do you want one? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve ended up joining the club and think it’s great, I’ve got 3 young kids (4,8,10) and we have loads of adventures.
But are you literally just wanting one because everyone else has them? Reason I ask is people completely fall for a Transporter camper thinking it’s their only choice, when in reality there’s loads of options. The fact you’re jumping between a T6 and a T5 makes me wonder if you’re “just wanting a VW camper because that’s what you do ain’t it?”
It’s a lot of money and I just want you to be sure it’s for you.

Plenty of other options out there, Peugeot Boxer (Fiat Ducato/Citroen Relay) conversions give you more space and are far cheaper for instance. Or if you are wanting to keep it small, dare I say it… Transit’s actually drive better…
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Hi JoshB_ and thanks for the input.

The campervan that we are looking to get needs to also be my daily driver, so I dont want anything too big such as the Fiat Ducato, Citroen Relay etc.

My kids are now 16 and 20 and wont come with us in the van, so its for short stays away in the UK, with a view to do some driving around Europe next year. Having spent 4 years with a Toyota Hiace campervan where parts and aftermarket accessories were non-existant, and with little to no online communities/support forums to ask questions, there is a lot to be said for being part of a group where a lot of like minded individuals can share experience and advice. This is something I feel we would get from VW ownership. We have friends with a California and they have nothing but praise for their van, so personal recommendation goes a long way.

I had done some research between VW Transporter and Transit, but my takeaway was that the VW is still the better overall option. Cost seemed a little less for a like for like Ford initially but a few years later and the residual value was considerably lower than the VW. Arguablly reliability isnt as good (my neighbour is an AA mechanic who drives a Transit so I know from his first hand experience) and the aftermarket for parts, accessories etc isnt the same level either.

I'm bouncing between T5 and T6 because (TBH) i'm a tight ass and would rather pay less money (T5) if I could. However I can push the budget for the right van. The T6 has the advantage of being CAZ compliant, but that is more of a nice to have than a deal breaker for me. I am also becoming swayed by reading too many forums where reliability for the T5 seems better than T6 (AdBlue and high pressure fuel pump horror stories are just 2 that worry me). I live in a small street and there are 6 T5s. I've spoken to all the owners and they love them and have had very few issues. 1 has 350k on the clock and never had any major problems or big money spent, and with a private plate would look almost new.
 
Late to the party here, been too busy out using my van mountain biking around Yorkshire and Wales lol.
Anyway, I'm glad you realise that van is way overpriced - you now have a start point for your expectations at the £40k price point.
1. Get the 'motor caravan' v 'van with windows' out of your decision making. It is totally irrelevant.
2. Spend maybe £35k to £37k and keep a contingency for repairs. Even small issues end up being pricey.
3. Consider your use/case and how quickly you want a completed van. You could get a nice van for £23k and spend £12k on a decent conversion.

Think what layout suits you. If there's only 2 of you and you never need to carry rear belted passengers then maybe a U-shaped layout will be better. Our friends jumped in and bought a standard layout and are currently having it removed and replaced with a U-shaped install after about 12 months ownership.

Read loads of posts on this forum and get your head around what are qualiity items in an install and which items cause problems and affect future upgradeability. eg Victron kit is great quality, reliable and not a cheap option. To me it's an indication that the owner has been willing to spend on quality. It also generally means you can swap to a lifepo4 leisure batery without having to upgrade all your charging systems.
Don't be put off by an enthusiast owned self conversion. There are some amazing conversions on this forum with a spec sheet that you'll never see on a 'shop bought' conversion.
I'm not a fan of those Sargent caravan systems being placed into campers. It's an indication of a lazy generic conversion approach. They seem to be nothing but trouble and prevent future upgrade possibilities.
Go for a van with ad blue. Low emissions zones are not going away especially if you travel to Europe (yes I know the UK is in Europe)
For me LWB is non-negotiable, but I wanted a DSG and ended up with a manual 6sp 204 Bitdi 4Mo. Manual hasn't been an issue for the 52k miles that I've put on it. Done some big trips; 6k to Norway, 5K Spain/Portugal more than once, plenty of trips to France and Scotland. Scotland is usually nearly 2k per visit. Manual has never been an issue. Would I rather have DSG? Yeah, but given the same circs again and a good van came up that was manual then I'd choose the quality of the van over how to change gear.
My van was 3 years old with 95k on when I bought it. It's now on 147k. My wallet is getting twitchy, but I live with it.
Just planning our 8 week trip to Italy and Croatia via Switzerland and back through Germany for Sept/Oct so the miles don't put me off using it for it's intended purpose.

This is just my general waffling but some of it may help.

Don't rush in on such a big purchase. If you get the right van you'll love the life it gives you.
 
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And other things to consider.

DSG, 4motion, etc, are lovely.

The downsides are they add to servicing costs, and if they break they are liable to be spendy. I bought my van as a long term proposition (2 decades or even more, likely until I quit driving) and decided longevity and avoiding unwanted additional expense as the vehicle ages were major factors in my decision making.

Also bear in mind none of the diesel engines are quick, just different degrees of slow. Kids on BMXs will still run rings round a 204 and laugh at you. Even so, a 102 or 110 will easily manage the national limit and then some and will complete a long journey just as quickly as a BiTurd model, but are less likely to cause expensive problems.

And be wary of base van asking prices. All other thjngs being equal, Highline trim typically cost about £5k more than Startline trim when new, yet the difference on campers is mysteriously magnified to double or even triple that original difference with no justification. That price difference can work in your favour the other way - if you can live without colour coded bumpers and handles the Startline + Business Pack gives you pretty much all the toys of the Highline (AC, cruise, packing sensors or even cameras on the later 6.1s, Cat 1 alarm, etc) for 7 or 8 grand less, yet the price difference when new was only 3 grand.

Is your priority a sheet hot spec base van, a super quality camper conversion, or both?

Decide what is essential, then what's is merely desirable, the use to which the vehicle will be put, how long you intend to keep it, and how deep your pockets are if it should break. Only then can you make an informed decision and see if there is anything that fits those criteria within your budget. Setting a budget and seeing if theres anything you like for the money is the wrong direction from which to tackle the problem.

Best of luck.
 
This van has some big ticket items fitted. £8k poptop and genuine California seat/rails. Just an example within your budget.
 
Sasquatch said:
And other things to consider.

DSG, 4motion, etc, are lovely.

The downsides are they add to servicing costs, and if they break they are liable to be spendy. I bought my van as a long term proposition (2 decades or even more, likely until I quit driving) and decided longevity and avoiding unwanted additional expense as the vehicle ages were major factors in my decision making.

Also bear in mind none of the diesel engines are quick, just different degrees of slow. Kids on BMXs will still run rings round a 204 and laugh at you. Even so, a 102 or 110 will easily manage the national limit and then some and will complete a long journey just as quickly as a BiTurd model, but are less likely to cause expensive problems.

And be wary of base van asking prices. All other thjngs being equal, Highline trim typically cost about £5k more than Startline trim when new, yet the difference on campers is mysteriously magnified to double or even triple that original difference with no justification. That price difference can work in your favour the other way - if you can live without colour coded bumpers and handles the Startline + Business Pack gives you pretty much all the toys of the Highline (AC, cruise, packing sensors or even cameras on the later 6.1s, Cat 1 alarm, etc) for 7 or 8 grand less, yet the price difference when new was only 3 grand.

Is your priority a sheet hot spec base van, a super quality camper conversion, or both?

Decide what is essential, then what's is merely desirable, the use to which the vehicle will be put, how long you intend to keep it, and how deep your pockets are if it should break. Only then can you make an informed decision and see if there is anything that fits those criteria within your budget. Setting a budget and seeing if theres anything you like for the money is the wrong direction from which to tackle the problem.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...
Agree with some of your thoughts! But I’m not one to sit around worrying about what might or might not happen life’s to short👍
 
Much as I annoy myself in doing so I am one of life's worriers! I managed it by hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.
 
parxuk said:
Thanks, but is it missing the link?
Click to expand...
Of course. I do it regularly. It's old age.

SamN

Sold Thread '2017 T32 LWB DSG 204 Highline Kombi Camper. £38k'

We’ve decided to sell our beloved van as we’re simply not getting the use out of it. Since buying it we’ve had another child and we’re considering replacing it with a caravan for ease of setup when we go away.

I’m very particular and spent a long time looking for the “right” van as I didn’t want to compromise on the spec at all. I bought this van at the end of 2022 and have loved owning it. Between the previous owner and I, we’ve spent about £25k modifying it to what it is today.



I’m looking for £40k £37,999 which I think is reasonable given the spec. No VAT.

Reg is a...
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Bigsidavies said:
Late to the party here, been too busy out using my van mountain biking around Yorkshire and Wales lol.
Anyway, I'm glad you realise that van is way overpriced - you now have a start point for your expectations at the £40k price point.
1. Get the 'motor caravan' v 'van with windows' out of your decision making. It is totally irrelevant.
2. Spend maybe £35k to £37k and keep a contingency for repairs. Even small issues end up being pricey.
3. Consider your use/case and how quickly you want a completed van. You could get a nice van for £23k and spend £12k on a decent conversion.

Think what layout suits you. If there's only 2 of you and you never need to carry rear belted passengers then maybe a U-shaped layout will be better. Our friends jumped in and bought a standard layout and are currently having it removed and replaced with a U-shaped install after about 12 months ownership.

Read loads of posts on this forum and get your head around what are qualiity items in an install and which items cause problems and affect future upgradeability. eg Victron kit is great quality, reliable and not a cheap option. To me it's an indication that the owner has been willing to spend on quality. It also generally means you can swap to a lifepo4 leisure batery without having to upgrade all your charging systems.
Don't be put off by an enthusiast owned self conversion. There are some amazing conversions on this forum with a spec sheet that you'll never see on a 'shop bought' conversion.
I'm not a fan of those Sargent caravan systems being placed into campers. It's an indication of a lazy generic conversion approach. They seem to be nothing but trouble and prevent future upgrade possibilities.
Go for a van with ad blue. Low emissions zones are not going away especially if you travel to Europe (yes I know the UK is in Europe)
For me LWB is non-negotiable, but I wanted a DSG and ended up with a manual 6sp 204 Bitdi 4Mo. Manual hasn't been an issue for the 52k miles that I've put on it. Done some big trips; 6k to Norway, 5K Spain/Portugal more than once, plenty of trips to France and Scotland. Scotland is usually nearly 2k per visit. Manual has never been an issue. Would I rather have DSG? Yeah, but given the same circs again and a good van came up that was manual then I'd choose the quality of the van over how to change gear.
My van was 3 years old with 95k on when I bought it. It's now on 147k. My wallet is getting twitchy, but I live with it.
Just planning our 8 week trip to Italy and Croatia via Switzerland and back through Germany for Sept/Oct so the miles don't put me off using it for it's intended purpose.

This is just my general waffling but some of it may help.

Don't rush in on such a big purchase. If you get the right van you'll love the life it gives you.
Click to expand...
Some great advice, many thanks.

Interesting that you mention U shape as my wife and I have seen a few examples online (none for sale) and think that this layout could really work for us and the dog. It looks much more sociable for day use, and offers a full double bed at night, which would mean I could also sleep on the bed downstairs with the wife (and dog) and not necessarily be banished to the pop top (he's a big dog and I dont think the 3 of us could sleep on the 3/4 bed most seem to be fitted with).

Appreciate what you say about euro 6. It is probably very short sighted of me to dismiss the need now, when CAZ etc is only going to become more prevalent.

LWB also non-negotiable. I do need to do some soul searching about DSG. I dont REALLY need it but would like it and worry if I dont have it I will regret it later.

Out of interest on your van, I have only read about people saying to stay away from the BiTurbo. Guessing you werent worried and have had no issues? Have you done any preventative work to stop it from being a problem?
 
It is not all Bi Turbo that are the problem. The earlier T6 with CXEB Engine 150kw / 204bhp was problematic version but not necessarily all of them. The 20019 T6 CXEC 146kw / 199bhp does not have a problem. Same engine moved over to the T6.1 for a while then replaced
 
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parxuk said:
Some great advice, many thanks.

Interesting that you mention U shape as my wife and I have seen a few examples online (none for sale) and think that this layout could really work for us and the dog. It looks much more sociable for day use, and offers a full double bed at night, which would mean I could also sleep on the bed downstairs with the wife (and dog) and not necessarily be banished to the pop top (he's a big dog and I dont think the 3 of us could sleep on the 3/4 bed most seem to be fitted with).

Appreciate what you say about euro 6. It is probably very short sighted of me to dismiss the need now, when CAZ etc is only going to become more prevalent.

LWB also non-negotiable. I do need to do some soul searching about DSG. I dont REALLY need it but would like it and worry if I dont have it I will regret it later.

Out of interest on your van, I have only read about people saying to stay away from the BiTurbo. Guessing you werent worried and have had no issues? Have you done any preventative work to stop it from being a problem?
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When I bought mine I wasn't a member of this forum and just decided I fancied a van to convert as a little project for myself. This van popped up at VW Liverpool at the right price. I had no lnowledge of the biturbo issues. Maybe I've been lucky so far. I have had the egr coded out a few years ago as a best effort at preventing it digesting itself and destroying the engine.
We have a u-shape and it suits our use. It's great to drop the table in and sit around having lunch whilst taking in the views of wherever we are. We still have units and sink/hob/fridge etc, but it means the top half of your body has the full width of the van and it narrows where your legs are. Works for us. We've never slept in the pop top.
 
With a U Shape closing off the rear door, it only needs a liftout or lift up like a pub bar might have to gain access or to provide greater flexibility.

I wish that the term Bi Turbo was dropped especially in relation to engines to avoid or mass problems. Instead replaced by terms CXEB or Engine 150kw / 204bhp it though the last engine in the T6.1 had similar power output.

Dellmassive

Thread '- 204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB T6 Engine & Turbo problems -'

- 204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB T6 Engine & Turbo problems -

Looks like im the latest patient of the CEXB engine issues.

(possibly the 2016-2018 range as there is a mention that the CXEB Block etc was revised in 2019)

(the CXEC 199ps Bi-Turbo was released 2019> and revised )

in sort it looks like its either Turbo or Engine failure.

here is some background:

******************************************************************
204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB Engine & Turbo problems...
  • Like
  • Wow
 
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parxuk said:
What a lovely colour. I think I may have to put my big boy pants on and talk to some conversion companies.
Click to expand...
Personally I think it’s the best colour. Looks gorgeous when it catches the sun.

Looks like you’ve got your he’s screwed on, good luck!
 
Kind of Blue said:
With a U Shape closing off the rear door, it only needs a liftout or lift up like a pub bar might have to gain access or to provide greater flexibility.

I wish that the term Bi Turbo was dropped especially in relation to engines to avoid or mass problems. Instead replaced by terms CXEB or Engine 150kw / 204bhp it though the last engine in the T6.1 had similar power output.

Dellmassive

Thread '- 204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB T6 Engine & Turbo problems -'

- 204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB T6 Engine & Turbo problems -

Looks like im the latest patient of the CEXB engine issues.

(possibly the 2016-2018 range as there is a mention that the CXEB Block etc was revised in 2019)

(the CXEC 199ps Bi-Turbo was released 2019> and revised )

in sort it looks like its either Turbo or Engine failure.

here is some background:

******************************************************************
204ps Bi-Turbo CXEB Engine & Turbo problems...
  • Like
  • Wow
Click to expand...
Some have a removable centre section at the rear. Depends what you want to achieve. I prefer to be able to store longer items across the rear. I don't need to access the van via the tailgate.
 
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