Home › Forum topic › Buying or selling a camper van › Looking for advice on what kind of camper and depreciation costs please
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- April 5, 2012 at 12:29 pm #106383willParticipant
Hi folks, just after a bit of general advise- although you’re probably all biased!
Here’s my ‘logic’- I’m going to come into a bit of money in June- about 15 grand and was thinking of getting a T4 or similar lwb or high top and regarding it as a kind of investment.
It might well be that in a few years time I will need that money for a mortgage deposit or similar but for the time being I’m thinking… get a decent camper, get rid of the car which costs me loads in insurance and tax, enjoy having a camper for a few years and then, if I need the money, sell it on.
So here’s my questions:
1) Theoretically should 12-15 grand get me a mechanically reliable camper (preferably lwb or hi top)?
2) What would you expect the annual depreciation to be? I’d keep it well serviced and would only do about 6000 miles a year.
3) Am I right in thinking that t4’s keep their value better than other makes of camper van?
4) Would June be a particularly bad time to buy, i.e would prices be significantly more expensive than, say, autumn?
Thanks very much for taking the time to read this and any thoughts on the subject gratefully recieved, Will
April 5, 2012 at 4:48 pm #127656mgroadsterParticipantI really don’t know anything
I really don’t know anything about T4s as I’m a transit camper man.
However on the buying front….No camper is an “investment”, and will as you have said depreciate. I would buy in Late autumn/winter as now prices start to increase as everybody thinks about it this time of year.April 5, 2012 at 4:48 pm #127658mgroadsterParticipantI really don’t know anything
I really don’t know anything about T4s as I’m a transit camper man.
However on the buying front….No camper is an “investment”, and will as you have said depreciate. I would buy in Late autumn/winter as now prices start to increase as everybody thinks about it this time of year.April 5, 2012 at 4:48 pm #127660mgroadsterParticipantI really don’t know anything
I really don’t know anything about T4s as I’m a transit camper man.
However on the buying front….No camper is an “investment”, and will as you have said depreciate. I would buy in Late autumn/winter as now prices start to increase as everybody thinks about it this time of year.April 5, 2012 at 4:48 pm #127661mgroadsterParticipantI really don’t know anything
I really don’t know anything about T4s as I’m a transit camper man.
However on the buying front….No camper is an “investment”, and will as you have said depreciate. I would buy in Late autumn/winter as now prices start to increase as everybody thinks about it this time of year.April 5, 2012 at 4:48 pm #127663mgroadsterParticipantI really don’t know anything
I really don’t know anything about T4s as I’m a transit camper man.
However on the buying front….No camper is an “investment”, and will as you have said depreciate. I would buy in Late autumn/winter as now prices start to increase as everybody thinks about it this time of year.April 5, 2012 at 4:48 pm #127665mgroadsterParticipantI really don’t know anything
I really don’t know anything about T4s as I’m a transit camper man.
However on the buying front….No camper is an “investment”, and will as you have said depreciate. I would buy in Late autumn/winter as now prices start to increase as everybody thinks about it this time of year.April 5, 2012 at 8:59 pm #127667PoppydogskiParticipantHow reliable are older camper vans?
We are looking at getting our first van and are pretty surprised at secondhand prices. A ten year old car would be pretty worthless but a ten year old van seems to be pretty pricy as a percentage of new. Why do vans hold their price so well – even allowing for low mileage. And if we bought a five or ten year old van should we expect big bills to keep it roadworthy? ThanksApril 5, 2012 at 8:59 pm #127670PoppydogskiParticipantHow reliable are older camper vans?
We are looking at getting our first van and are pretty surprised at secondhand prices. A ten year old car would be pretty worthless but a ten year old van seems to be pretty pricy as a percentage of new. Why do vans hold their price so well – even allowing for low mileage. And if we bought a five or ten year old van should we expect big bills to keep it roadworthy? ThanksApril 5, 2012 at 8:59 pm #127671PoppydogskiParticipantHow reliable are older camper vans?
We are looking at getting our first van and are pretty surprised at secondhand prices. A ten year old car would be pretty worthless but a ten year old van seems to be pretty pricy as a percentage of new. Why do vans hold their price so well – even allowing for low mileage. And if we bought a five or ten year old van should we expect big bills to keep it roadworthy? ThanksApril 5, 2012 at 8:59 pm #127673PoppydogskiParticipantHow reliable are older camper vans?
We are looking at getting our first van and are pretty surprised at secondhand prices. A ten year old car would be pretty worthless but a ten year old van seems to be pretty pricy as a percentage of new. Why do vans hold their price so well – even allowing for low mileage. And if we bought a five or ten year old van should we expect big bills to keep it roadworthy? ThanksApril 5, 2012 at 8:59 pm #127676PoppydogskiParticipantHow reliable are older camper vans?
We are looking at getting our first van and are pretty surprised at secondhand prices. A ten year old car would be pretty worthless but a ten year old van seems to be pretty pricy as a percentage of new. Why do vans hold their price so well – even allowing for low mileage. And if we bought a five or ten year old van should we expect big bills to keep it roadworthy? ThanksApril 5, 2012 at 8:59 pm #127677PoppydogskiParticipantHow reliable are older camper vans?
We are looking at getting our first van and are pretty surprised at secondhand prices. A ten year old car would be pretty worthless but a ten year old van seems to be pretty pricy as a percentage of new. Why do vans hold their price so well – even allowing for low mileage. And if we bought a five or ten year old van should we expect big bills to keep it roadworthy? ThanksApril 6, 2012 at 7:27 am #127680mgroadsterParticipantThe reason decent sized panel
The reason decent sized panel vans hold their price to a degree is because “everybody” wants a van as you can earn a living from them. Whatever trade you are, most need a van.
I was a self employed long distance courier and when I packed it in, I had a surplus 06 Transit LWB high top.(got a car as well). I nearly sold it, till I decided to convert it.
A ten yr.old car is relatively useless, and most wouldn’t pass the very stringent “taxi test” which is really the only way you can earn a living from a car.
When I bought my Van it was 3 yrs old and done 60,000 as a utilities van. The service history was an extensive print out and no money was spared on servicing etc.
I have since put 100,000 extra miles on it, but I know how I have driven it,(not shafted it like those who use their company vans and don’t care about them) and I have serviced it very regularly. Fingers crossed, only routine servicing, brakes and bearings have needed attention.April 6, 2012 at 7:27 am #127681mgroadsterParticipantThe reason decent sized panel
The reason decent sized panel vans hold their price to a degree is because “everybody” wants a van as you can earn a living from them. Whatever trade you are, most need a van.
I was a self employed long distance courier and when I packed it in, I had a surplus 06 Transit LWB high top.(got a car as well). I nearly sold it, till I decided to convert it.
A ten yr.old car is relatively useless, and most wouldn’t pass the very stringent “taxi test” which is really the only way you can earn a living from a car.
When I bought my Van it was 3 yrs old and done 60,000 as a utilities van. The service history was an extensive print out and no money was spared on servicing etc.
I have since put 100,000 extra miles on it, but I know how I have driven it,(not shafted it like those who use their company vans and don’t care about them) and I have serviced it very regularly. Fingers crossed, only routine servicing, brakes and bearings have needed attention. - AuthorPosts
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