So true! Wise words.
I think.sometimes people get annoyed when you explain the truth but thats the obsession isnt it. Youre 100% on the money with that statement spuds!
How.... how do you afford a van?
- Thread starter Badjamin
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I think.sometimes people get annoyed when you explain the truth but thats the obsession isnt it. Youre 100% on the money with that statement spuds!
I spent redundancy money on my van. Which is a good and bad thing. Good in that I get a van and no interest. Bad in that I have no savings or buffer in the event of another redundancy which is a common thing in IT. I've been made redundant 4 times now.
My reasoning for getting a T6 with Euro 6 and not too old was I would use it as my main vehicle. But I've come to the conclusion that with all the DPF and other issues that it will now only get used for long trips or where I would get charged extra due to emissions. I'll keep my less complicated diesel 4x4 for shorter trips.
My reasoning for getting a T6 with Euro 6 and not too old was I would use it as my main vehicle. But I've come to the conclusion that with all the DPF and other issues that it will now only get used for long trips or where I would get charged extra due to emissions. I'll keep my less complicated diesel 4x4 for shorter trips.
I part exchanged my old car, then the rest on a (sizable) bank loan. It's more than I ideally want to pay but I look at it this way - I'll be saving money on trips I would be doing anyway. For instance:
Last year I stayed in Torridon for a few days, in one of the few places I could find with secure bike storage. Lovely place, and great views down loch Kishorn.
But... It's £135 a night. I think I paid £110 per night in April last year. £330 for 3 nights.
Now, not far away there's a few campsites. Just found one which is £21 a night, £6 more for hookup.
£63 for 3 nights.
So that's £267 saved just on one very short stay. Do that once a month and that's a big contribution to the purchase/running cost of the van.
This is probably a bit of man maths but for me it eased the decision to spend 45k on a Caravelle (plus the extra fitting the inside so I can camp and store bikes in it).
Last year I stayed in Torridon for a few days, in one of the few places I could find with secure bike storage. Lovely place, and great views down loch Kishorn.
But... It's £135 a night. I think I paid £110 per night in April last year. £330 for 3 nights.
Now, not far away there's a few campsites. Just found one which is £21 a night, £6 more for hookup.
£63 for 3 nights.
So that's £267 saved just on one very short stay. Do that once a month and that's a big contribution to the purchase/running cost of the van.
This is probably a bit of man maths but for me it eased the decision to spend 45k on a Caravelle (plus the extra fitting the inside so I can camp and store bikes in it).
Thanks everyone for your kind and maybe slightly brutal feedback - love it!
I agree with all everyone has said. I'm quite discilpined and have resisted so many opportunities to purchase a van in the past but am undisciplined when it comes to saving. A T4 was my focus for a good long while back in the day and it's now evolved into a T6. A family friend told me I should get a Mazda bongo or Friendee... it just felt absurd to even consider it! I almost felt offended ha! Going cheap and cheerful is the best course - I just feel like it's false economy almost.
i have an old now 14yr old Mondeo estate I bought outright about 8 years ago (yes I should have bought a T4!) and have attemped to sleep in it on the odd occasion and it did seem a pheasible option for me but it's not about me it's about us. I wouldn't be able to convince the wife to camp out in a car. I have a full array of camping stuff that we have used. She just hates public bogs. I don't like wet tents! Like, why should I make do with an airbed the deflates slightly in the night so the wife ends up unable to sleep without rolling into her fat husband constantly. Maybe we actually deserve more than the basics.
The in-laws bought a coachbuilt beige monstrosity a few years back with all the mod cons and we loved it - then they sold it after 12 months...
The van would be my daily driver. I have mothballed the mondeo about 6 months ago and need to sell it as I am cycling to work now come rain or shine (or snow) I'll maybe get £500 for it but then I'd be saving £50 a month ins and £20 a month tax and maybe £50 a month fuel and I wont need to MOT it again... so the mondeo has been almost a practice for having a van. I have spent a fortune on it so I guess I've already tempered myself partially to that element of VW costs and surprises.
I think i need to get a loan. Either a bank loan to fund a base vehicle and then once paid off I'll convert to camper. Or get a finance deal for 10 years on an actual camper. At least that way I won't spend most of my time making youtube videos about my conversion hehe
The only other option is to save for 5 years to get a base vehicle and then save for 5 years to get it converted... whereupon I'll be 55 and even more knackered (i work too many night shifts)
You're all awesome - thanks again
I agree with all everyone has said. I'm quite discilpined and have resisted so many opportunities to purchase a van in the past but am undisciplined when it comes to saving. A T4 was my focus for a good long while back in the day and it's now evolved into a T6. A family friend told me I should get a Mazda bongo or Friendee... it just felt absurd to even consider it! I almost felt offended ha! Going cheap and cheerful is the best course - I just feel like it's false economy almost.
i have an old now 14yr old Mondeo estate I bought outright about 8 years ago (yes I should have bought a T4!) and have attemped to sleep in it on the odd occasion and it did seem a pheasible option for me but it's not about me it's about us. I wouldn't be able to convince the wife to camp out in a car. I have a full array of camping stuff that we have used. She just hates public bogs. I don't like wet tents! Like, why should I make do with an airbed the deflates slightly in the night so the wife ends up unable to sleep without rolling into her fat husband constantly. Maybe we actually deserve more than the basics.
The in-laws bought a coachbuilt beige monstrosity a few years back with all the mod cons and we loved it - then they sold it after 12 months...
The van would be my daily driver. I have mothballed the mondeo about 6 months ago and need to sell it as I am cycling to work now come rain or shine (or snow) I'll maybe get £500 for it but then I'd be saving £50 a month ins and £20 a month tax and maybe £50 a month fuel and I wont need to MOT it again... so the mondeo has been almost a practice for having a van. I have spent a fortune on it so I guess I've already tempered myself partially to that element of VW costs and surprises.
I think i need to get a loan. Either a bank loan to fund a base vehicle and then once paid off I'll convert to camper. Or get a finance deal for 10 years on an actual camper. At least that way I won't spend most of my time making youtube videos about my conversion hehe
The only other option is to save for 5 years to get a base vehicle and then save for 5 years to get it converted... whereupon I'll be 55 and even more knackered (i work too many night shifts)
You're all awesome - thanks again
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Bongo's have numerous issues. You'll always be replacing coolant hoses for starters. I would go Toyota over Mazda any day of the week. An Alphard or Hiace will be more reliable than the Mazda. But again, imported, older designs etc.. You'd get better support and easier servicing with a VW.
Yeah camping is SO much cheaper isnt it
Wow... i might actually have a try atvthat hehe am not a fan of LWB's but that's quite apackage isn't it...Definitely think about what you want to use it for. To stretch the budget, have a look at the T5 - we had one for years. There are some great examples out there - I’d get this nice T5 with rare 4Motion:
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@Badjamin Sorry if I've missed your budget for how much you'd be looking to pay (should you figure out a way to fund it) but I bought my ex-AA van for £14k. Decent enough base van with AC, the 150bhp engine and 6 speed gearbox. My self build conversion has probably cost me no more than approx £10k and thats with a £2000 Clayton Power battery set up so I can be off grid. If you can figure out a way to buy just a van, do that and then do the conversion as and when you can. Remember the conversion doesnt have to be done all at once. Once you have it carpet lined you will think you're well on your way as it makes such a huge difference. Feel free to have a browse of my project (link in signature)
And if you can, try to buy an ex-AA and RAC van at an auction and at as low a price as possible. They seem to get bought up and prices inflated quite a bit. For example a local car dealer is selling ex-RAC vans for £21,000 which is ludicrous for what is a startline spec, with A/C and 150 6-speed.
Yeah I bought mine from a commercials business who I guess buy them at auction. Albeit the price seemed decent at £14k for the mileage etc
This is the covid tax. 12-14k ex AA vans are 20+ now arent they. I dont even bother with Mannheim anymore, too expensive
I got a highline with less miles, higher spec in general for less than the local dealer wanted for the ex-RAC van. These vans have been worked hard, are also T32 which means changing suspension etc. So it's not worth bothering with them IMHO unless the price is right.
These vans are expensive to buy - and to run. Tax & insurance alone for me at £800. Then servicing, tyres etc. Nothing like when I had a little fiesta to run! I’m putting away £200 a month into savings just for the van.
The constant fear of something going wrong as well. I feel like I can’t save enough for “just in case”. Especially when you see what can go wrong with them.
But you only live once. We took out a loan to buy our base van and I sold my car to pay for mods. Push comes to shove I’ll sell it and then pay off the loan (hopefully!).
I’m turning 40 this year, I actually think when I’m at retirement age I might not want to sleep in a van so giving it a go now!
If you never try you’ll never know
The constant fear of something going wrong as well. I feel like I can’t save enough for “just in case”. Especially when you see what can go wrong with them.
But you only live once. We took out a loan to buy our base van and I sold my car to pay for mods. Push comes to shove I’ll sell it and then pay off the loan (hopefully!).
I’m turning 40 this year, I actually think when I’m at retirement age I might not want to sleep in a van so giving it a go now!
If you never try you’ll never know
It’s all about what you actually want??
Only buy what you can afford.
Many who have gone mad and are debt up to their eyeballs will never admit that it may actually not be ideal nor worth it….
What is the van going be used for?
Buying one won’t make you a camping lover!
When we started looking as we thought we wanted the “camper dream” We ended up changing the car for a A6 allroad and bought a 6 berth caravan with spare cash to pay for for first years fees and all the setup needed.
Honestly the caravan gave us posh camping and real space etc. no need pack up when we wanted go the shop/beach etc.
So look at the route aswell.
Also I’m now converting my 2012 t5.1 4mo
But I’m going really basic, as that’s all I need, tent with a solid roof that’s what it is ultimately.
The positives are the van/caravan etc will take you and make you go places you would not of thought to go which is amazing.
Whichever route you take, tent/trailer tent/caravan van/camper enjoy and do it now rather than later.
Just go for the camping setup you can afford.
Lots of second bundles on eBay etc and just get out there
Only buy what you can afford.
Many who have gone mad and are debt up to their eyeballs will never admit that it may actually not be ideal nor worth it….
What is the van going be used for?
Buying one won’t make you a camping lover!
When we started looking as we thought we wanted the “camper dream” We ended up changing the car for a A6 allroad and bought a 6 berth caravan with spare cash to pay for for first years fees and all the setup needed.
Honestly the caravan gave us posh camping and real space etc. no need pack up when we wanted go the shop/beach etc.
So look at the route aswell.
Also I’m now converting my 2012 t5.1 4mo
But I’m going really basic, as that’s all I need, tent with a solid roof that’s what it is ultimately.
The positives are the van/caravan etc will take you and make you go places you would not of thought to go which is amazing.
Whichever route you take, tent/trailer tent/caravan van/camper enjoy and do it now rather than later.
Just go for the camping setup you can afford.
Lots of second bundles on eBay etc and just get out there
I agree to a certain extent that it is an obsession and it has clouded my judgement partially but it's far from extreme - I am an estate car driver, a transporter of things and people very often. I need a utilitarian vehicle regardless of what I buy as my leisure background is DIY and odd jobs etc. I have looked with a great deal of seriousness at transits and vivaros, large estates and multivans and all the rest... at the very least I need something if just to keep a kettle and a chemical bog in for long trips. Obviousy dw isn't gonna be hapy if I set up a chemical toilet in a toilet tent at the side of the road hehe
Whatever I get will be my daily driver and my getaway vehicle combined - am seriously considering the T5 suggested earlier now hehe
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I agree with your man maths. If I was pondering a weekend away somewhere and it was £300+ it's likely I'd do it maybe once or twice a year tops and I'd be loathe to spend the cash each time cause of my yorkshireness...
what I struggle with is that I work a 5 week rotation of days and night shifts and I have a block of 10 days off where I feel me and the wife should go away somewhere but we can't afford the staycation air bnb prices and tbh I am getting sick of air beds in tents... what I'm thinkin is if we head off to formby beach for the day I don't really relax fully it's always at the back of my mind thinkin about when is best to set off back to avoid traffic come teatime where the nearest place is for toileting etc but havin a van is the potential to cook and or poo at the beach or find a site nearby and have a few pints and staying over in an approved carpark or whatever it's about switching off my hind brain that worries about logistics etc,,,
Wow I got all deep didn't I...
It seems a pretty good base!
It seems a good base. Check for rust ( a few items on the MOT ) undercarriage. Double check service history and if it is the twin turbo God be with you.
It seems a good base. Check for rust ( a few items on the MOT ) undercarriage. Double check service history and if it is the twin turbo God be with you.
If they'll remove that monstrosity of a nudge bar
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