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Fetch Camper Vans

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Angus Clydesdale Jan 2020 9:34am, 20 Jan 2020 16,517 posts	Quote Pin Angus Clydesdale Oh yes. My Mum’s neighbour, a young lad I used to paddle with a long time ago, bought a Californian import. It was lovely for a year and has cost him a fortune to keep on the road ever since. Rust-free when it arrived but it didn’t stay that way for long.
Mandymoo Jan 2020 10:34am, 20 Jan 2020 9,440 posts	Quote Pin Mandymoo We had the same dilemma when we brought our first camper. We decided to go down the VW route in the end and its common knowledge that the is always an added VW tax to items (in other words costing more). We sold out T4 coming up for 2 years ago and purchased a T6 (was just over a yer old at the time). We sold the car and I use this as my daily vehicle now. Hubby has converted the same, and we love it. The VW scene in fabulous, parts are really easy to get and some good prices out there for everything. Best decision we made. In process of planning our big adventurer for this year - Germany, Austria, Italy and France. Also North Devon. Love my Floyd
jacdaw Jan 2020 11:08am, 20 Jan 2020 2,702 posts	Quote Pin jacdaw Thanks everybody. It does feel like vw has to be top of the list.
Northern Exile Jan 2020 12:02pm, 20 Jan 2020 5,829 posts	Quote Pin Northern Exile I can only second the comments made here. Vans like Mazda Bongos are great little vehicles and have a solid fan base, a friend bought one recently and she is over the moon with it. All the same, I think VWs have the edge (unless you're in the market for a Mercedes Marco Polo) and T5 and T6s really hold their value. I'm biased of course, but as an example I bought our T5 California getting on for six years ago (April 2014) and we still have it, it's been lovingly cared for (by me) and has just 34k on the clock. It cost 42k at the time as an ex-demonstrator and I think I'd be unlucky not to get 32k for it today, the reason for that being that a) everyone wants one and b) VW keep putting their prices up. Conversions hold their value similarly well, particularly if the base vehicle was well-specced. If you do go down the VW route, be sure you know what you're looking for and what sort of engines fit the bill. The older T4 2.5 diesels are pretty bulletproof, but by Christ they're noisy. The 2.0 turbos are much nicer to drive, but be warned - the twin turbo 180 is not reliable and the 140 is more desirable as a consequence. FlyingFinn has a really nice T5 Birchover conversion and I'm sure would be happy to share with you how he went about getting his van built to his needs.
mascott514 Jan 2020 12:02pm, 20 Jan 2020 313 posts	Quote Pin mascott514 jacdaw..... Just to add to your earlier question I have had a Mazda Bongo for a couple of years and its great, ive driven in to South France twice, Austria, and The Orkneys. Its reliable, easy to drive and theres plenty of parts/ and people who will work on them. My mum has had one for about 6 years and hasn't lost anything in depreciation. I'm selling mine in the next few weeks, as I need to buy a small car for driving tuition - ill be gutted to see it go but I need the £
Mandymoo Jan 2020 1:11pm, 20 Jan 2020 9,444 posts	Quote Pin Mandymoo jacdaw - where did you stay in Austria out of interest please?
Mandymoo Jan 2020 1:12pm, 20 Jan 2020 9,445 posts	Quote Pin Mandymoo sorry Mascott514......
mascott514 Jan 2020 1:26pm, 20 Jan 2020 314 posts	Quote Pin mascott514 A great campsite, with a fantastic lakeside setting. And water water was very warm, which surprised us....! campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Mandymoo Jan 2020 9:17am, 21 Jan 2020 9,449 posts	Quote Pin Mandymoo Cheers for that will take a look
♪♫ Synge ♪♫ Mar 2020 11:02am, 18 Mar 2020 31,389 posts	Quote Pin ♪♫ Synge ♪♫ Hello - I'm new to this group. 👋 In what I hope will not turn out to be the worst-timed purchase decision of 2020, Dr S and I put down a deposit on a secondhand campervan (Camper King conversion of a T6) on Saturday. We are due to collect it at the start of April. Just wondering what the collected wisdom of campervanning Fetchies reckons the world out there is like for using a campervan? Are campsites (which I guess are businesses in need of customers) likely to be open, does touring in a campervan count as non-essential travel (even though it's a form of going on holiday), are you planning to use yours over the Easter holiday or will it sit depreciating on the drive?