Day van for under £6k?. where do I start ..lol

smallzoo2

Hi

We have been looking for a used SWB van or maybe mpv to use as a day van. Ideally we want one with sliding doors. Probably only about 5k miles a year.

We dont intend to sleep in it just use it for day trips with our 3 dogs with some seats at the front, some seats right at the back and the space in the middle for our dogs ( securely fastened of course ) and maybe a mini fridge and portable gas stove so we can make a coffee and some lunch while admiring the view !!

After a bit of research it seems the only ones within our budget and have enough room are

Vans:-

Vivaro

Traffic

Vito/Viano

i800

Peugeot Partner

MPV's

VW Sharan

Toyota Alphard ( and similar imports )

Anybody done anything similar with the above

The attached picture is just am example of what we were thinking but the main thing is seats at the back and a space in between the back seats and front seats for our 3 dogs.

cheers

QrizB

You probably know this already, but:

• Up until 2019, the Renault Trafic and the Vauxhall Vivaro were the same van.
• The Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert, Fiat Scudo, Toyota Proace and (from 2019) Vauxhall Vivaro are the same van. These vans are also available in MPV versions as the Spacetourer, Traveller, Proace Verso and Vivaro Life.
• The Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, (from 2019) Vauxhall Combo and Toyota Proace City are all the same van. Some of these came in MPV versions too.

If you want a "factory" van with seats look for the MPV version. If you want a space in the middle for dogs, you'll probably want the larger Dispatch etc. van not the smaller Berlingo.

Mildly_Miffed

Van prices went mental in the pandemic.
Camper prices went mental-plus in the pandemic.
Neither has returned to sanity.

So… buy carefully. If it's cheap, it's likely knackered.

If it's DIY converted, be VERY careful of bodgery.

For that kind of budget, with that kind of intended use… I'd be looking for a sprogbus or 4x4, not a "day van".

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A few years ago the roads were awash with JDM import people carriers. I can't think of the model name, except they normally had Toyota badges.

They had power opening side doors and the seats reconfigured on rails so they would do exactly what you want, remove the middle ones and push the rear ones right to the back.

Being JDM, they would all be automatics too.

Possibly worth looking at them? A lot were used as airport taxis so would have starship mileages, but with 5000 miles a year it won't hurt.

ididgetwhereiamtoday

The Berlingo seems like the budget way to go. There are some great camper conversions available too at budget prices.
Unfortunately 6k is not a lot of money these days.

Mildly_Miffed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81865867#Comment_81865867

Toyota Alphard or Nissan ElGrand

Baldytyke88

Insurance for an adapted van can also be expensive, consider that too.

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The JDM vehicle I was thinking of was a Toyota Estima.

A colleague had a mk1 Estima Lucida, which had curtains, and the centre seats moved and swivelled 90 degrees. (Like everything, the mk1 is the best version before the cheapening down sets in.) He used to go "camping" in it with his wife.

You could remove the middle row of seats and just use the rear 3.

Plenty of mk2s about for under £6k, and they won't be subject to van speed limits, the mk1 is a bit long in the tooth, and good ones especially the 4wd variant fetch strong money.

I believe they were imported officially as the previa.

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https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81865962#Comment_81865962

The one I was thinking of was the Estima. An Alphard looks like it would suit the OP's requirements, more van like, with room behind the rear seats for one of those cooker/cupboard units that lifts out and stores in the garage.

Quite a few on autotrader in budget, I like this one https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202601119064412

Herzlos

Citroen Berlingo or Vauxhall Combo Life 7 seater, and take the 2nd row out, job done. It's still a car, and you can put the seats back in if you need them.

Or even nicer, if you can get a Vivaro Life (or equivalents) with the 2nd row captains chairs, they rotate to give you the space you need, and may even come with folding trays.

smallzoo2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81865708#Comment_81865708

What sort of sprogbus or 4x4 though would give me the layout I wanted ?