Any advice?
How much is it likely to cost to get something reliable?
Anyone selling?
How much is it likely to cost to get something reliable?
Anyone selling?
Buying a camper / live-in van
- Thread starter fat hamster
- Start date
Occasional sprees. I love Hamster Mansions far too much to leave. 
Depends how much work you're prepared to do on it, and how good you are with engine stuff.
I bought a VW camper years ago to do up, which was a good runner engine-wise, but needed a lot of work inside (it was just a shell really), which cost 2000 pounds.
Unfortunately had to sell that one due to finances before I ever did it up.
The bus that I lived in for a year was an old ford - it had been a minibus, then a hot-dog van, and the engine wasn't great, but my boyf. at the time was a bit of a mechanic so that didn't matter too much. It was about 15 years old, and it only cost a couple of hundred quid. The inside needed completely redoing and insulating, but that wasn't too hard at all - we just used thin mdf and that spray foam insulation stuff for the walls, then painted it, it looked brilliant and stayed very warm once we'd got the paraffin heater going. It was also a lot bigger than the VW camper.
As far as buying one that's ready to go - I have no idea - quite a bit more than 2000 I should think.
Good luck!
I bought a VW camper years ago to do up, which was a good runner engine-wise, but needed a lot of work inside (it was just a shell really), which cost 2000 pounds.
Unfortunately had to sell that one due to finances before I ever did it up.
The bus that I lived in for a year was an old ford - it had been a minibus, then a hot-dog van, and the engine wasn't great, but my boyf. at the time was a bit of a mechanic so that didn't matter too much. It was about 15 years old, and it only cost a couple of hundred quid. The inside needed completely redoing and insulating, but that wasn't too hard at all - we just used thin mdf and that spray foam insulation stuff for the walls, then painted it, it looked brilliant and stayed very warm once we'd got the paraffin heater going. It was also a lot bigger than the VW camper.
As far as buying one that's ready to go - I have no idea - quite a bit more than 2000 I should think.
Good luck!
moose
like some cat from Japan
It's the upkeep that's the problem, especially with an older vehicle which stands outside your home a lot. We fight a constant battle against rust on our VW, and although it only cost 1800 quid to buy (in very good nick inside with barely-used sink and cooker), we spend hundreds every year keeping it on the road. It's also quite small - which has its great advantages when it comes to parking it outside the house, but can get a bit cramped unless you are very organised whilst you're actually camping.
Fuel costs can be huge - older vehicles often haven't been converted to unleaded, and the weight of the interior and all your stuff pushes down the MPG.
Having just moaned about the expense, I must say we have some brilliant holidays in our van which saves us loads of cash on flights, hotels, restaurants etc. and is loads of fun.
Go and lurk in your local newsagent, casually flicking through an Autotrader for an idea of prices, and if you decide to look at some, take someone with you who knows about vehicles, and is prepared to swarm over it with a fine toothcomb. Also look for one with a long MOT. There are a lot of duds out there. A lot of people decide to sell in late spring, as there are more buyers around looking for something for the festival season.
Fuel costs can be huge - older vehicles often haven't been converted to unleaded, and the weight of the interior and all your stuff pushes down the MPG.
Having just moaned about the expense, I must say we have some brilliant holidays in our van which saves us loads of cash on flights, hotels, restaurants etc. and is loads of fun.
Go and lurk in your local newsagent, casually flicking through an Autotrader for an idea of prices, and if you decide to look at some, take someone with you who knows about vehicles, and is prepared to swarm over it with a fine toothcomb. Also look for one with a long MOT. There are a lot of duds out there. A lot of people decide to sell in late spring, as there are more buyers around looking for something for the festival season.
Space Girl
twp
Word of advice, don't have anything to do with a Dodge Comma.
If you are up for converting a van yourself then ambulances are good (mainly as they have been regually serviced during their working lives)
If you are up for converting a van yourself then ambulances are good (mainly as they have been regually serviced during their working lives)
BernardBoggins
New Member
im selling
Mercedes 410D , Prof conversion, J reg, PM me for details etc
Mercedes 410D , Prof conversion, J reg, PM me for details etc
Ground Elder
Well-Known Member
Now is a good time for buying a camper - when it's wet and cold folk don't want to know, as soon as the spring kicks in prices go up. My advice is to buy something you can stand up in - you'll thank me for it in the end. Buy the biggest van you can sensibly drive and park if you intend to spend any time it.
We live in our 1979 Transit motorome as much as we can between Easter and October and then spend the rest of the winter chasing the rust around and working wonders with gaffa tape to keep it on the road. We love it dearly (as in £'s and pence
), but are loath to send it to the camper van graveyard just yet as it has a dual life as a playbus for Gypsy and Traveller children when we are not playing hippies at festivals Expect to part with at least £1500 if you want something off the shelf.
Oooh- check your PMs, Mr Boggins!Originally posted by BernardBoggins
im selling
Anyone seen Mr Boggins? 
Good posts Moose, Space Girl and GE ( to fellow vanees everywhere )
Hammy, as SG says ambulances are usually in good nick. Ours is an ex social services minibus/ambulance which we converted ourselves. Get in touch with your local SS, and find out how they dispose of their fleet when they buy the next lot. It's possible you may be able to put in a tender for one, or you may find that they all find their way to the local commercial's motor auction.
The disadvantage of this of course is that you have to convert them yourself. Advantages over buying just a basic van include the facts that a minibus/ambulance will already have windows installed. Plus, being adapted for wheelchair access, they already have high-rooves, which as GE is a distinct advantage unless you want an aching back when it comes to driving anywhere. And they may also have an internal lighting system, which can be converted to run on a second battery.
The conversion you do can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. A mate of mine who is a carpenter (not spaceH - another one) built pine effect cupboards, bed with more storage space underneath etc, rigged up a sink with footpump action for water supply and various other things.
We needed sleeping space for 4, but I'm assuming you probably don't, so I won't bore with the details of how we achieved that. So we got a mattress which fitted perfectly between the wheel arches (4'6" I think) which acts as the bed. During the day this is folded in half, secured down one side of the van by one of those straps which you tension up by use of a ratchet. Chuck a throw over it and its a settee.
To house the cooker and have cupboard space and working surface, we took and old kitchen unit, adapted it to the right size, and secured it to the floor and wall in the back corner. The cooker is a double burner camping stove, with the gas bottle secured in the cupboard beneath. You will obviously need some coated asbestos between the bottom of the burner and the wood it is rested on, and probably a *splash* surround as well.
As regards a sink, we don't have one. We have several buckets, each of which exist for specific purposes (not loo obviously!!)
It stands to reason that we had to remove the seats in the bus in order to do the above stuff. We removed all the passenger seats, except for the second row of three, behind the driver. In this space we built a table, which we could all eat round/play board games around etc. The beauty of the table tho, is that it basically gave us two rooms.
Basically Hammy, beware!! There is a lot of shit about (always get someone to look underneath for signs of rusting etc - no point in paying £x'00 for a van to find you have to pay £2000 in welding costs to keep it on the road on it's first MOT).
After that, the cost depends on whether you want a ready set-up, or are prepared to do the conversion yourself.
Our van is a VW LT 31. Bigger than what most peeps think of as a VW camper,, but only 17' long - not huge. But it's quite happily ferried the 4 of us around comfortably for a couple of months each year for the past five
(Edited for speeling)
to fellow vanees everywhere )Hammy, as SG says ambulances are usually in good nick. Ours is an ex social services minibus/ambulance which we converted ourselves. Get in touch with your local SS, and find out how they dispose of their fleet when they buy the next lot. It's possible you may be able to put in a tender for one, or you may find that they all find their way to the local commercial's motor auction.
The disadvantage of this of course is that you have to convert them yourself. Advantages over buying just a basic van include the facts that a minibus/ambulance will already have windows installed. Plus, being adapted for wheelchair access, they already have high-rooves, which as GE is a distinct advantage unless you want an aching back when it comes to driving anywhere. And they may also have an internal lighting system, which can be converted to run on a second battery.
The conversion you do can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. A mate of mine who is a carpenter (not spaceH - another one) built pine effect cupboards, bed with more storage space underneath etc, rigged up a sink with footpump action for water supply and various other things.
We needed sleeping space for 4, but I'm assuming you probably don't, so I won't bore with the details of how we achieved that. So we got a mattress which fitted perfectly between the wheel arches (4'6" I think) which acts as the bed. During the day this is folded in half, secured down one side of the van by one of those straps which you tension up by use of a ratchet. Chuck a throw over it and its a settee.
To house the cooker and have cupboard space and working surface, we took and old kitchen unit, adapted it to the right size, and secured it to the floor and wall in the back corner. The cooker is a double burner camping stove, with the gas bottle secured in the cupboard beneath. You will obviously need some coated asbestos between the bottom of the burner and the wood it is rested on, and probably a *splash* surround as well.
As regards a sink, we don't have one. We have several buckets, each of which exist for specific purposes (not loo obviously!!)
It stands to reason that we had to remove the seats in the bus in order to do the above stuff. We removed all the passenger seats, except for the second row of three, behind the driver. In this space we built a table, which we could all eat round/play board games around etc. The beauty of the table tho, is that it basically gave us two rooms.
Basically Hammy, beware!! There is a lot of shit about (always get someone to look underneath for signs of rusting etc - no point in paying £x'00 for a van to find you have to pay £2000 in welding costs to keep it on the road on it's first MOT).
After that, the cost depends on whether you want a ready set-up, or are prepared to do the conversion yourself.
Our van is a VW LT 31. Bigger than what most peeps think of as a VW camper,, but only 17' long - not huge. But it's quite happily ferried the 4 of us around comfortably for a couple of months each year for the past five
(Edited for speeling)
Thanks grassy, and everyone else who's taken the time to reply. Thanks too to rowan for forwarding me sambaqueen's article on the topic, which made good reading and is recommended to anyone else thinking of doing their own conversion ...
I have to say I've been working so hard for so long on putting Hamster Mansions to rights that I don't think I can take on another big project just yet, so I'm really looking to buy something already converted.
Finally got me benefits sorted and me arrears of DLA through, innit. It's not a fortune but it might just be enough to make this dream a reality if the right van is out there ...
Thanks too to rowan for forwarding me sambaqueen's article on the topic, which made good reading and is recommended to anyone else thinking of doing their own conversion ...I have to say I've been working so hard for so long on putting Hamster Mansions to rights that I don't think I can take on another big project just yet, so I'm really looking to buy something already converted.
Finally got me benefits sorted and me arrears of DLA through, innit.
It's not a fortune but it might just be enough to make this dream a reality if the right van is out there ... BernardBoggins
New Member
Check your PM's
I'll check my email later
I'll check my email later
Stobart Stopper
Well-Known Member
My brother had a VW camper and some bastard nicked it off his drive. He's thinks he seen it a few times in Blackburn. He was absolutely gutted when it was stolen.
moose
like some cat from Japan
You do have to be careful with campers - especially round June, the peak time for disappearances.
I would recommend getting something with a sliding side door, if poss. Means easy access if you're parked tightly, and also the side step makes a good sitting-and-thinking spot.
One thing to look out for, FH, is a neatly masked thick black line painted along the bottom of the sides - the "line of death". Means the bodywork's not long for this world.
I would recommend getting something with a sliding side door, if poss. Means easy access if you're parked tightly, and also the side step makes a good sitting-and-thinking spot.
One thing to look out for, FH, is a neatly masked thick black line painted along the bottom of the sides - the "line of death". Means the bodywork's not long for this world.
I've been worrying about this, moose - is this something that just appears, like a layer of hardpan in a poorly drained soil? Or is there some law that obliges garages to paint black lines on corroding camper vans?moose said:
BTW Mr Boggins isn't selling ATM after all, so I'm still looking if anyone knows of anyone who is ...
Ground Elder
Well-Known Member
If we forget where we park our van we simply wander until we find the trail of rust that will lead us back.
Should go with out saying, but if your not confident about mechanics etc. take someone along who is when you are buying your van.
If you do get one with a sliding door (which, incidentally will jump out its runner, never shut properly, leak and slowly drive you insane) you could buy an awning and double your space. I've very tasty one for sale as it happens
Should go with out saying, but if your not confident about mechanics etc. take someone along who is when you are buying your van.
If you do get one with a sliding door (which, incidentally will jump out its runner, never shut properly, leak and slowly drive you insane) you could buy an awning and double your space. I've very tasty one for sale as it happens
rowan
Well-Known Member
moose said:I would recommend getting something with a sliding side door, if poss. Means easy access if you're parked tightly, and also the side step makes a good sitting-and-thinking spot.
I'd agree with the side door because of parking problems. My van has double doors at the back - I was asleep in a carpark a while ago and someone came and parked right behind me. I'm lucky that I can climb over the bed and get into the drivers seat from inside the van, but if you've got a van with a seperate cab you could be trapped for hours!
But you can use the back step as a sitting place too, and I've got the side of some cupboards to lean against, very comfy
timebomb said:
I've heard the Iveco Daily vans have quite good reliability. Certainly they are popular with intercity courier fleet companies like Parcelforce.
Since I have just bought an ex-Parcelforce Iveco Daily van myself, and since there are no forums dedicated to them that I can find, I have started one myself. Please help get it off the ground!
It is at www.ivecodailyforum.co.ukGood luck to all of you who are buying/building campervans, motorhomes, etc. Hopefully I'll see some of you on the circuit when I get mine converted too! (Might be a while
)
Ground Elder
Well-Known Member
We've just bought a brand new Iveco Daily to use as a play bus - £21,000, including the basic conversion 
- and still the door sticks in very hot weather
Can't imagine that there's really such a thing as an Iveco Daily enthusiast
- and still the door sticks in very hot weather Can't imagine that there's really such a thing as an Iveco Daily enthusiast
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
We went orginally for an ambulance.. but their fuel consumption was awful! If you think about it, low fuel consumption is hardly among the top priorities for an ambulance. This was about 14 years ago now though (we went to some old ambulance sales place in Essex iirc)... so things may be different these days. In the end we bought a VW transporter which was already part converted and we completely redid it! It was bloody great. We lived in it for about 6 months at one point between houses/flats etc... travelled to tons of festies, did a tour of Europe... but... we bought it dirt cheap and it ended up costing us tons of money for ongoing repairs. If I do it again I will spend more money from the offset.
If anyone was in the festival circuit about 12-14 years ago and remembers a red and black striped camper with a picture of Dennis the Menace and gnasher on the front wheel cover and a permanent hard top... that was us!!
If anyone was in the festival circuit about 12-14 years ago and remembers a red and black striped camper with a picture of Dennis the Menace and gnasher on the front wheel cover and a permanent hard top... that was us!!
han
love is the answer
Hi Hammy
Well, my only advice is to do plenty of research before deciding on what's the right van for you. Now is a good time to be doing research, and winter time is an excellent time to buy when the prices are lowest.
There's no right or wrong kind of campervan, only the right/wrong type for you. If you do plenty of research now, it will save any possible heartache later and you will be delighted with your first purchase!
Will it be your only/main vechicle? Do you want to be able to have more than 2 passengers safely seated with belts in the back? Do you want something the size of a camper or something the size of a truck/horsebox? Do you want a permanent fixed bed in the back or one you can fold up to make into seats? There are so many different types out there.
Personally, I would recommend going for a diesel engine as they tend to be more reliable than petrol ones. They can carry heavier weights up hills with more ease. Try to get a van with a mileage of under 70,000 if you want to keep the van for many years. If you can possibly afford one that's 15 years old or less then even better.
Good ones are:
Trusty old Mercedes 307 or 308d or indeed any diesel mercedes - they go on forever.
Ford Transit
Renault Trafic
Toyota Hiace (well I am biased cos we've got one, but they are great! They're all over the place in Africa/Oz and the Middle East so used to hardcore conditions and they're very reliable. Easy to drive as not too big either).
If you want to use it mainly for a festie wagon rather than a camper for going on camping holidays to campsites then I'd say go for something as BIG as you can! The bigger the better, you'll have a lovely living space to chill, you won't have to put the bed away to make space, etc.
Good luck!
Well, my only advice is to do plenty of research before deciding on what's the right van for you. Now is a good time to be doing research, and winter time is an excellent time to buy when the prices are lowest.
There's no right or wrong kind of campervan, only the right/wrong type for you. If you do plenty of research now, it will save any possible heartache later and you will be delighted with your first purchase!
Will it be your only/main vechicle? Do you want to be able to have more than 2 passengers safely seated with belts in the back? Do you want something the size of a camper or something the size of a truck/horsebox? Do you want a permanent fixed bed in the back or one you can fold up to make into seats? There are so many different types out there.
Personally, I would recommend going for a diesel engine as they tend to be more reliable than petrol ones. They can carry heavier weights up hills with more ease. Try to get a van with a mileage of under 70,000 if you want to keep the van for many years. If you can possibly afford one that's 15 years old or less then even better.
Good ones are:
Trusty old Mercedes 307 or 308d or indeed any diesel mercedes - they go on forever.
Ford Transit
Renault Trafic
Toyota Hiace (well I am biased cos we've got one, but they are great! They're all over the place in Africa/Oz and the Middle East so used to hardcore conditions and they're very reliable. Easy to drive as not too big either).
If you want to use it mainly for a festie wagon rather than a camper for going on camping holidays to campsites then I'd say go for something as BIG as you can! The bigger the better, you'll have a lovely living space to chill, you won't have to put the bed away to make space, etc.
Good luck!
han
love is the answer
gaijingirl said:If anyone was in the festival circuit about 12-14 years ago and remembers a red and black striped camper with a picture of Dennis the Menace and gnasher on the front wheel cover and a permanent hard top... that was us!!
hee heee!
That sounds fab.
Oh and Hammy, I've just thought of something - if you get a diesel then you can run your van on biodiesel/veg oil which is TOTALLY possible these days and so you can save the planet at the same time!
Well, few years ago now the old converted '74 ambulance I called home - the one thing I didn't have, but invested in quickly, was AA membership.
It's a "get out of vehicle failure free" card.
You need to get your hands dirty and be able to get yer hands on a few hundred quid fast from time to time for spares and repairs. If you run out of cash, you run out of van.
It's a "get out of vehicle failure free" card.
You need to get your hands dirty and be able to get yer hands on a few hundred quid fast from time to time for spares and repairs. If you run out of cash, you run out of van.
Ground Elder
Well-Known Member
Note that FH started this thread 4th January, 2004. Confusing this thread bumping thing isn't it? 
Did you get a van in the end?
Did you get a van in the end?
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