Cheap vans for weekend use!

Runningfast

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on vans and using them as day/night vehicle?. Looking for advice on vans that are cheap to purchase, cheap to insure (as a second vehicle), cheap to run etc.

Just to give a bit of background.

My main hobbies involve kayaking/canoeing/mountain biking and climbing etc. In a normal month I spend atleast 2 weekends a month away from home camping and undertaking the above activities etc. I also several times each year drive to the Alps for climbing and skiing etc.

The issue is I am slowly destroying my car due to motorway mileage, wear and tear and have noticed lots of scratches from lifting the canoe (15ft) and Sea Kayaks on and off the vehicle (usually on my own), same for the bike plus throw in regular wet camping gear, and mountaineering kit and the car is having a rough time, winter time is often bleak having to leave wet clothes in the car sometimes for a week at a time etc.

Anyway, I am considering buying a cheap van not really bothered about age as long as it has been well maintained mechanically and is a good runner. My thinking is to use the van as the weekend vehicle, allowing greater flexibility as I can sleep in it (please note: I am not converting the van to a camper though I would put in a bed to sleep in, which will be removable and not connected to the vehicle structure in anyway).

So has anyone done the same? Anyone care to suggest a van that attracts cheap insurance and relatively low running costs. I am not looking to spend thousands so VW's are definitely out.

I was considering an old shape Transit Connect (seems about the right size for my needs).

Also, I need to keep the car for family use and work.

[Deleted User]

Running 2 vehicles would be expensive. However how about a Jap import or an old Nissan Serena with tinted windows will have seats that will fold flat(ish) to make a bed. These are generally reliable and decent ones can be had for around £1k to £2k.
I would just go with the one multi purpose vehicle and spend a bit more to get a newer one.

custardy

Plenty of old estates would fit the bill with fold flat (or removed) seats

wgl2014

I would suggest a search on the singletrack forum, a fair few folks on tver have debated the options. For my money I would look at an imported toyota hiace.

AdrianC

Runningfast wrote: »

Looking for advice on vans that are cheap to purchase, cheap to insure (as a second vehicle), cheap to run etc.

Vans, age-for-age, condition-for-condition, are MUCH more expensive used than cars. Insurance for personal use can be tricky and expensive.

(please note: I am not converting the van to a camper though I would put in a bed to sleep in, which will be removable and not connected to the vehicle structure in anyway).

That's a pity, because a camper-converted van not only benefits from higher speed limits, the same as a car, rather than the lower ones applicable to vans, but it's a good way to add value.

I was considering an old shape Transit Connect (seems about the right size for my needs).

Bit short internally for a kayak, I'd have thought?

I think I'd be looking at a big old estate car or sprogbus, tbh. Or putting a towbar on your car, and a trailer for the kayaks/bikes etc. There's no reason whatsoever why motorway miles would "destroy" a car.

prowla

Running two vehicles need not be hugely expensive.

The costs are annual road tax & insurance.

Since the mileage is shared across them, the running costs & consumables (brakes, tyres, fuel) should be similar.

The price an depreciation should balance out: if you have one car & do high mileage, as opposed to two of intermediate miles.

Me, I've got three cars: (i) a smart saloon day car, (ii) a sports car and (iii) a scruffy cheap junior MPV with some room in the back to run things about in.

Andy_L

For 2 weekends a month how does hiring a van compare to buying?

Nebulous2

Look on ebay for "day vans." They are often used by surfers / cyclists and outdoorsy people, without officially converting them. They often seem to use something called a rock n roll bed.

We converted an LDV Convoy to a camper, changed the category officially and insurance wasn't too bad. I used it on a several occasions in the way you're describing for cycling events and it was great for that.

The downside was maintenance. It was basically 1950s technology hidden behind a 2002 number plate. A wheel bearing going in France, where they couldn't get a spare for days, kind of finished us and we sold it soon after.

Some of the japanese imported vehicles could be a good shout. They drive more like a car and would have room to sleep. Again some people use them to go to cycling events. One of the good things about a van for cycling is you can get an expensive bike inside, rather than leaving it outside overnight or during the journey.

Fat_Walt

Having bought the van, your biggest outlay is likely to be insurance.

Unless that is you have a second insurance policy already and you can use the no claims bonus.

Nebulous2

Fat_Walt wrote: »

Having bought the van, your biggest outlay is likely to be insurance.

Unless that is you have a second insurance policy already and you can use the no claims bonus.

Not necessarily. Our converted camper was difficult to get quotes for, but using a specialist broker (Adrian Flux) solved that. We were less than £200 a year, fully comp, with unlimited European use, maximum of 90 days per trip.

The difficulty seems to be work use. Mine was strictly social, domestic and pleasure, I wasn't even allowed commute to work.

Fat_Walt

Nebulous2 wrote: »

Not necessarily. Our converted camper was difficult to get quotes for, but using a specialist broker (Adrian Flux) solved that. We were less than £200 a year, fully comp, with unlimited European use, maximum of 90 days per trip.

The difficulty seems to be work use. Mine was strictly social, domestic and pleasure, I wasn't even allowed commute to work.

And that was with zero no claims?