Campervans question.

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

I very nearly bought a van identical to this one about 12 months ago.

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Thanks but it's too big for us.

 

[twizzle]

Thanks.
Truth is I don't want a toilet or a shower as they wouldn't get used so I'd be paying for something surplus with the associated waste of space.
Nor do I want anything bigger than a VW size vehicle, though it doesn't have to be a VW.

Night time wee?

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Night time wee?

Comfort bottle, same as when I'm camping .

 

[glenn2926]

Am I the only one who thinks the prices of those types of vans is just fucking mental!
Sorry.

Nope, you’re not. The prices are utterly ridiculous for such a crap van. My lad’s T6 was a bag of shit, it rotted before our eyes, clutch went and cost a crazy amount to fix, various other problems cropped up almost weekly with it. It was the second worst vehicle our family has ever owned. The worst being a passat estate.
They are also a bit small. A van the size you’re currently converting would be a much better vehicle. In terms of cost, size and certainly in reliability.

 

[richardbd]

One word……


Toilet

And a second word. Shower

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Thanks.
Truth is I don't want a toilet or a shower as they wouldn't get used so I'd be paying for something surplus with the associated waste of space.
Nor do I want anything bigger than a VW size vehicle, though it doesn't have to be a VW.

And a second word. Shower

 

[OnHellas]

One thing to remember is the residual values. It’s not what you pay it’s what you loose…kind of…and it helps if you don’t have to pay interest on a finance agreement. So the ‘lots of hotel’ argument doesn’t fully stack up.

A porta potti for a night time wee is no bad thing. Especially if it’s chucking it down and you’re a long way from the facilities block.

The Jöbl that you posted a picture of looks very much like a Hillside Leisure Birchover. They have a Porta Potti under the rear seats nearly tucked away.

Keep looking, you’ll find one.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

You're right about residual value and I can also see the 'Lots of hotel rooms' argument but if I change the car I'm going to have to spend around £37k to get what my wife wants.
So on that basis if I spend £37k on a camper van I could persuade myself that every night away was far cheaper than it would have been had I just swapped the old car for a newer one, if that makes sense?

 

[twizzle]

You're right about residual value and I can also see the 'Lots of hotel rooms' argument but if I change the car I'm going to have to spend around £37k to get what my wife wants.
So on that basis if I spend £37k on a camper van I could persuade myself that every night away was far cheaper than it would have been had I just swapped the old car for a newer one, if that makes sense?

Until she is laying next to you whilst you pee in a bottle ….

Then have to get up and dressed to walk her to the toilet block

Twisting your ankle in a rabbit hole as you came back

 

[twizzle]

I’ve had three VW campers….

Toilet is always the issue…

 

[wessie]

One thing to remember is the residual values. It’s not what you pay it’s what you loose…kind of…and it helps if you don’t have to pay interest on a finance agreement. So the ‘lots of hotel’ argument doesn’t fully stack up.

So, I keep my £50k in the bank. It earns me a couple of grand a year in a cash ISA. That £2k covers my annual hotel costs. My other holiday costs like ferry, fuel, food, booze and insurances would be the same if I had a van and comes out of my pension.

My £50k reduces in value by inflation, probably lower than the depreciation on your van.

This is largely what I have been doing since retirement in 2023, with larger numbers ...

 

[Britain]

So, I keep my £50k in the bank. It earns me a couple of grand a year in a cash ISA. That £2k covers my annual hotel costs. My other holiday costs like ferry, fuel, food, booze and insurances would be the same if I had a van and comes out of my pension.

My £50k reduces in value by inflation, probably lower than the depreciation on your van.

This is largely what I have been doing since retirement in 2023, with larger numbers ...

What has this got to do with owning/buying a camper van?

 

[wessie]

What has this got to do with owning/buying a camper van?

perhaps if you read the sub thread I was responding to you might understand the context as relevant

 

[Britain]

perhaps if you read the sub thread I was responding to you might understand the context as relevant

Not read tbh. The guy was asking for advise on camper vans then someone comes along with 50k in the bank and what interest he can earn? Didn't seen relevant. My bad.

 

[ChasF]

Wifey always says that I only got a camper so I could stand up to put my trousers on. I think it was so she could have a wee in the night! We still enjoy the odd camping trip with our 2 man Vango. We can ‘live’ in our van if the weather is bad - we have everything we need inside but we travel a lot as it’s our thing. If you just plan to be away for the odd night then, unfortunately, a toilet is still an issue

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

So, I keep my £50k in the bank. It earns me a couple of grand a year in a cash ISA. That £2k covers my annual hotel costs. My other holiday costs like ferry, fuel, food, booze and insurances would be the same if I had a van and comes out of my pension.

My £50k reduces in value by inflation, probably lower than the depreciation on your van.

This is largely what I have been doing since retirement in 2023, with larger numbers ...

But I don't have £50k and I need a vehicle.

 

[wessie]

But I don't have £50k and I need a vehicle.

oh, I was assuming you are some sort of affluent retired person like many here as you were posting pictures of £50k vans

buying on finance makes the equation even less attractive. Get a Toyota Aygo.

 

[OnHellas]

So, I keep my £50k in the bank. It earns me a couple of grand a year in a cash ISA. That £2k covers my annual hotel costs. My other holiday costs like ferry, fuel, food, booze and insurances would be the same if I had a van and comes out of my pension.

My £50k reduces in value by inflation, probably lower than the depreciation on your van.

This is largely what I have been doing since retirement in 2023, with larger numbers ...

I suppose it all depends on how much you use the van and what you like doing. I wasn’t trying to say that you were wrong, it’s horses for courses and all that.
I like having a van. I like staying in hotels. I also camp a bit too.

We bought a Hillside Leisure VW pop top new in 2021 for £49,500.
It was our only 4 wheel vehicle. We owned it for three years and sold it for £45,000.
I doubt that we could have bought and sold a car to get us to the hotels for such a small depreciation.

By the way, a VW pop top was just about the last type of vehicle I ever wanted to own. But our parking situation at the time made a bigger van unsuitable.
My lack of initial enthusiasm may have helped my overall enjoyment of ownership….the small depreciation certainly did!

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

oh, I was assuming you are some sort of affluent retired person like many here as you were posting pictures of £50k vans

buying on finance makes the equation even less attractive. Get a Toyota Aygo.

You're right of course, I will have to buy whatever I buy on finance as I'm very far from wealthy and while I'm replacing vehicles on finance I guess that will likeness change.

 

[wessie]

You're right of course, I will have to buy whatever I buy on finance as I'm very far from wealthy and while I'm replacing vehicles on finance I guess that will likeness change.

the big factor I guess is as mentioned above, if you buy a camper, how often will you use it as a camper compared to using it as a daily runabout?

A £50k camper is going to cost you a grand a month over 5 years on finance. If you are using it as a camper a couple of times a month then that might be a viable outlay. Use it a couple of times a year for holidays, is it still viable as a daily driver compared to a suitable used car of the same age? Maybe a £20k Mazda CX30, leaving a lot left in the monthly budget to save for hiring a camper for your trips away.

Get your spreadsheet fired up!