Buying a Camper Van

MX5huggy

Looking at Camper Vans, its more for day trips than weeks touring Europe.
Just looking at a 2005 Traffic that has been converted, has a toilet on board which is an wanted but unusual feature. 
How do you value a campervan? is £9k for the above way out? I would like to to do a conversion myself but the Mrs wants a usable van before the kids move out of the home.  

Grumpy_chap

I don't know enough to comment on values, beyond knowing that values have increased heavily during the COVID-era as demand has soared with overseas vacations being restricted and people seeing the Camper as their own space.

Stubod

..camper vans go for silly money, more so than motorhomes for some reason? We have been looking and seen some right rubbish that the seller still wanted north of £10k for. (Without the "conversion", the base van would be practically worthless).

You can always check comparative prices on Autotrader...

MX5huggy

Autotrader, of course thanks. Getting sucked in by the COVID era hype, probably, but what can you do? we live in a tourist area so just want our own dry space for days away.

justworriedabit

A couple of years ago a friend of Mr J built his first camper van in his spare time and used professionals for the eltrics. He made a few thousand . He built it around a used Ford van and then he did one around one of those big mercedes van/people carriers and made I'm told a clear 9k sold late last year. 

I said to Mr J why don't you try it but as he said, looks easier than it is.

AdrianC

Is £9k ridiculous? Depends.

Depends on the conversion - pro is going to be a lot more valuable than homebrew.
Depends on the condition of the van...

It's certainly not immediately tooth-suckingly mental, assuming it's a decent pro conversion and the MOT history isn't as terrifying as it could easily be on a 16yo van...

In a Trafic, a floorplan with a bog compartment is going to be... compact and bijou. For two. With kids...?!? hahahahahahaha

Herzlos

How often are you planning on using it? £9k will get you a lot of weeks rental of a good one.

AdrianC

Not as much rental as you'd think, especially at peak holiday times...

B&Bs are cheaper for occasional use, especially when you include the campsite fees.

MX5huggy

Herzlos said:

How often are you planning on using it? £9k will get you a lot of weeks rental of a good one.

Weekday evenings down the beach have a brew on somewhere to watch the sunset, cook some dinner. 

AdrianC

MX5huggy said:

Herzlos said:
How often are you planning on using it? £9k will get you a lot of weeks rental of a good one.

Weekday evenings down the beach have a brew on somewhere to watch the sunset, cook some dinner. 

So you just want a dayvan, not a camper?

MX5huggy

I think so, being a comfortable size to sleep 4 and the kids won’t want to share a double means it would have to be big and then it stops being practical to nip out in it.