Advice on a potential Exclusive purchase

[bobber]

Hi
I have been offered an exclusive for £14500 which seems fair but I have seen better go for similar or only a little more.
It is a 1997 with 145k miles. Looks tidy from the pics apart from the usual T4 rust around the windscreen and some corrosion to the arches (strongly blistering on the outside/top, which i have not seen before, which gives me concern that it has had pattern replacements in the past)
Inside looks good, only issues are small damage to toilet door and a worn out drivers seat (starting to collapse a bit and wearing thin)

What do you all think, price wise? Im tempted as I have been looking for so long and really missing having a van but i would also love to find a 1999+ one with lower miles, i intend to keep whatever i get, for a long time

many thanks

 

[Alibee]

I would worry less about the mileage and more about rust.

I can't comment on value as I don't track Westy prices any more, but we had rust on the wheel arches when we sold ours and the cost of fixing it was going to be significant.

The year before we bought ours it had also had large sections under the wheel arches cut out and replaced (c.£1.5k).

 

[bobber]

I agree on bodywork over mileage, although it would be nice to have a lower miler, so resale in 5 years or so is still realistic.
I have had T4s with slight rust on arches and its been cheapish to sort but never seen it on top like this...£1.5 for repair would be a killer.
Thanks for the info

 

[Seaview]

If you have seen this Exclusive and it doesn't feel right I would suggest you walk away till the right one comes along.

We very nearly bought an Exclusive that was in great condition with FSH etc but it was £21,000 so quite a price difference, in the end we bought a 2014 Cali.

Have you test driven an Exclusive with a passenger?

 

[bobber]

not test driven one with a passenger, why is that?
We did have a james cook, so the same but bigger and i have had several T4s in different guises.
Problem with this one is, all i have seen is pics, as it is 5-6 hrs away on the train and a 5.5 hour drive home if i bought it. Thats fine but i don't fancy going up unless i fully intend to drive it home. Non ever turn up locally...

 

[Alibee]

I picked up a Landy from Ireland once having only booked a one-way ticket.... it was dog, one I dragged around 12 countries, and it fell apart around me. Regretted that decision many, many times!

I now buy returns and accept that the cost of the return is really just part of the purchase price of the vehicle. Once bitten, twice shy and all that....

Probably worth adding that the costs of repairs on our T4 was particularly high as labour rates over here are c. 2x what we paid on the mainland.

 

[2into1]

It's in the ball park price wise. Perhaps a little heavy for the condition and mileage. I've not seen the ad, so don't know the colour (which for me makes a huge difference).
The rust of the top of the arch is probably from untreated stone chips. I had one bit if damage their just starting to grow from the lip to the seen surface.
Paint/body work can be done....and will be worth it for the right van. I'm not familiar with what changed between 97 and the newer ones. It is the 'long nose' for example?
Check the miles you are being told is actually more miles not simply the Km's the clocks will show.

 

[2into1]

Have you test driven an Exclusive with a passenger?

I'm puzzled too by this question. Is it just because Westys are LHD? (a valid point, but one common to all Westys, not just exclusives).

 

[bobber]

yep its the long nose (a priority for me) but its white, which will do, as i haven't seen any other colours come up since looking. Its a manual, again a priority and yes, it is the miles as it reads 235k km
its been well looked after as the cap selling it knows what he is talking about and has done whats needed when its needed.
ideal world, i would find a 199+ with around 100k miles, in anything but white but it seems beggars cant be choosers...

 

[Seaview]

Ah! If you have driven a James Cook then you will be familiar with the LHD. I just found it a bit disconcerting in the passenger seat in the Exclusive on narrower roads but was fine driving. In saying that I think it's a lovely van as is the James Cook.

I understand the distance situation. Perhaps someone here on the forum may be kind enough to take a look at it for you and offer an opinion in the first instance. We once had someone look at an Eriba for us and we bought it in the basis of their opinion and it all worked out fine. Why are the ideal vans not 20 mins or so down the road ........

 

[Seaview]

Just curious regarding the LHD issue as I was fine as a driver but a bit jumpy as a passenger in the Exclusive even though I've driven LHD cars here in the UK. I'm sure in time I would have got used to it.

 

[bobber]

haha, i see what you were getting at. Im rarely a passenger as I'm worse than our toddler for getting bored, sat doing nothing. My wife spends most of the time in the passenger seat and she clearly hard as nails as she has never seemed bothered by it.
I have bought vehicles from far away before, particularly old motorbikes but I'm not really feeling it this time, maybe thats telling me something.
Im just worried if i don't find one soon ill buy a carpeted velour fest of a trident, I'm tempted by one locally, they are just so naff inside, despite the quality

 

[Seaview]

It's a significant amount of money and if your not feeling right about it then sleep on it for a while (wish I listened to my own advice LOL). When we viewed the Exclusive it involved a 2 hr drive, night in hotel, hour or so flight the next day for four of us but like you we found they are few and far between and just had to bite the bullet.