Newbie, advice on buying please - budget and size?

Most professionally converted campers vans sleep 2 people. Some VW's have extra beds in the pop-top roofs, but they can be chilly.
DIY campervan conversions, which can be very good, often sleep more people, and are bigger vans.
Professional conversions are always more expensive.
You will be able to find a reliable van for £3,000 but you have to look around. I suggest you start looking around ASAP to get a feel for what is around. And keep looking. They are all different.
VW's are the smallest and are for 2 people only. Transits, Mercedes, etc are bigger. The really big ones can sleep more than 2 people.
Mercedes are perhaps the most reliable, but they will cost you more. Don't be put off by other makes though.
If you friends are staying occasionally it might be best for them to stay in the tent.
Prices are lowest now (winter) and you'll be able to make a profit if you sell in summer. It's rare to make a big loss.

£1,000 a month is OK for 2 people, if you cook for yourselves most of the time.

You're welcome.
In terms of economy there is not a big difference between a smaller VW van and a bigger van. The smaller van will go quicker, but their overal MPG will be similar.
Obviously the smaller vans are easier to drive and park. But on my tour of Europe parking was never really an issue. I met people with really big vans, and parking was rarely an issue for them either.
Ferries accomodate massive vehicles, so I wouldn't worry about that too much either.
Most campsites are also geard up for big vehicles.
To be honest the only time a smaller van is of benefit is when parking in cities and towns, but you can always find somewhere else to park with a bigger van.

If you are going for a 2 - 4 month trip you should be fine with a smaller or bigger van. You shouldn't get tired of the small space of a smaller van in a few months.
If going for a longer period of time I would recommend a larger van, as the extra spaces outweighs the small inconvenience of parking, and the slightly higher running costs.

as a vw t25 owner i can fill in a few blanks for you.
i lived in mine for 9 months while working further away from home than i wanted to commute so there shouldn't be a problem there. depending on the van you get, they are fully usable. mine has fridge/ cooker/ 12&240 electric/ heating/ sink etc. have a look at the high top ones too. there are a couple of versions (reimo and timbertech) which will sleep 2 adults in the roof space as well as another 2 on the bed below. the hightops are also very usefull for stowing all your stuff while on the move without losing your floorspace.
£3k is at the lower end of what you might expect to pay for one, but its highly unlikely that you will lose a penny on resale if you buy a good van. just keep in mind that these vans are all at least 20 years old now so a mint version is not going to be within your budget even by a country mile.
also check out drivaway awnings. these very easily fit to the van creating an extra room/ bedroom and you dont have to take them down to move the van. they simply unclip.
if you decide to go down this route i am happy to help with any questions or concearns you might have. if at all possible, take somone who is very familiar with these vans to any viewings. but as a camper/ investment they are just about unbeatable in my opinion.

Thanks again Darren, and Rick.
Have started looking at vans (just ordered ‘go motorhoming’) but have more questions...
Definitely keen on a driveaway awning.
Rick, were you referring to VWs specifically when you say I wouldn’t lose money on a resale? Any advice on resale of other types (having looked around, you’re right and a VW is pretty well out of our price range). We could stretch to about £4500 but don’t want to have too much money tied up in the van...
On a £3-£4k van, how much is the price likely to vary between summer and winter? (i.e. is there a big incentive to hold onto it and sell in summer? Also we have to pay for parking so is the price difference likely to be worth a 6 month London parking permit?!
Are pop tops (i.e. in a 10-20year old van) likely to have issues with rust or leaking? Anything I should look out for?
We’re quite keen on having a toilet / porta potty (number ones / emergencies only!). If we were to buy a van with a decent cupboard, would it be ok to use this as a toilet cupboard, or would it end up smelling bad?
Lastly we’d want to get a proper mechanical check before we buy (neither of us have much mechanical knowledge) – have seen that they cost upwards of £150 for older campervans! Can anyone offer advice on this? Is there a cheaper option?
Thanks again in advance and compliments on the site, it’s fantastic.

Prices between summer and winter vary a little, but not too much. It is generally not worth basing your purchase and trip around these price fluctuations. Vehicles sell all year round.

Pop-tops need maintenance because of the fabrics and mechanisms. Some will be serviced, some wont be. You need to inspect it thoroughly and look for tears and gaps in the fabric and ensure that the mechanism works smoothy and that none of the arms are bent.

I used a toilet cupboard on my last trip and had no problems at all. It didn't smell. I emptied it whenever at a campsite, and used the blue chemical as instructed. The toilet has to be secured in the vehicle when driving. You don't want it moving around! Mine was brand new and I suggest you get similar, as older ones might smell a bit.

A typical vehicle service is £150. You could find a cheaper independent mechanic, but that's a bit risky. For peace of mind you do really need to spend that. Or find one that has just had a service, but they tend to sell for more.

Glad you like the site :)

Hi again,
We are thinking of buying now ...... a 1988 Talbot Autosleeper, with around 80,000 on the clock. It is quite old however we know and trust the owner and there is a reasonable service history for the van. My question is about rust – there is some visible surface rust around the bottom of the van, and one of the wheel arches has been welded in the past. Is this something we should be worried about? Can anyone advise whether these vehicles have rust problems, or how difficult / expensive it might be to get rust treated? Also how easy will it be to find parts for this van in Europe (Spain, Portugal, France)?
Thanks!

We would like to have a seatbelt fitted to a forward-facing rear seat in the Talbot Autosleeper mentioned above. It is one of the box seats that then converts into park of the bed. Would this be possible / how much is this likely to cost?

Hi, we are stuck between buying a 10 yr old Hymer or a VW T4 or 5 around a similar age. Does anyone have experience of both? Obviously totally different but I am really wondering what the diff in insurance and running costs, repairs etc would be?
Many thanks for any advice...
Heidi