Looking at the first camper - T5 SE - good choice?

[356DNA]

Hi All

We have been looking for our first camper recently. Previous experience has been renting a large motorhome for a couple of weeks but now the children are a little older 7 and 5 we are keen to see if a VW will fit the bill.

I would like to buy a camper to use over spring and summer this year, see if its the correct solution and then either keep hold of it or change to a different model that may be more suited. I had thought of a rental but I think you only really get to know vehicles when you own them and use them regularly.

I've directed myself to a California and the pros and cons of the SE / Ocean vs Beach... Friends have both so I'm familiar with the choices.

Currently, I'm looking at a T5 (pre facelift 2008/9) SE 2.5TDI. Do you think this would be a good choice in order to fit the bill above - i.e. will it be relatively depreciation proof over the next 12 months compared to a more expensive t5.1 or t6? Is there a sweetspot in the current t5/6 lineup that is more resistant to short term depreciation?

And finally, if you don't mind, what is a reasonable price range for a pre f/l T5 assuming about 60k miles with appropriate history? There are only a few for sale ranging from 25-30k. Can anyone shed light on where within that range is most realistic?

Many thanks in advance,

David.

 

[Big Ted]

6 months after buying an 2008 Cali....

This week sees 6 months and 10k miles have passed since picking up Sinbad, so I thought I’d post my experience to date as I read many many posts ahead of our purchase so wanted to help share our journey. I now watch on and see many posts of new Cali’s ordered with excitement of the new purchases...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Does this help?
We love ours and I have no regrets owning an early Cali.
Whilst the newer ones are lovely, I personally can’t see enough difference In the whole package to tempt me to upgrade and part with my hard earned cash.

We paid 30k for a well spec’ed 174 T5 with 48k onit.

 

[356DNA]

Thanks - that's a great summary. Really helpful.

Where do we think prices are at currently. Do they pick up as the spring comes around or not?

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks - that's a great summary. Really helpful.

Where do we think prices are at currently. Do they pick up as the spring comes around or not?

Autumn a Buyers Market. Spring a Sellers Market.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Thanks - that's a great summary. Really helpful.

Where do we think prices are at currently. Do they pick up as the spring comes around or not?

If you see a nice one, buy it; they sell very quickly as we found out when we were buying our Beach last summer (in the end paid £27.5k, 16k miles, 2012 reg)

 

[steve_b]

Just paid 15k for a 2008 2.5l SE, 155k miles. Seems like a fair price, there's probably 1k in niggles to fix then you have to be optimistic re the mechanicals.

25-30k seems too high. Unless you are selling it

 

[2into1]

Just paid 15k for a 2008 2.5l SE, 155k miles. Seems like a fair price, there's probably 1k in niggles to fix then you have to be optimistic re the mechanicals.

25-30k seems too high. Unless you are selling it

That’s the cheapest Cali ever seen (t5). OP- don’t use that as a benchmark as you’ll never buy one.

 

[356DNA]

Thanks for everyone’s input. I’m off to see one this weekend.

 

[westfalia]

Just paid 15k for a 2008 2.5l SE, 155k miles. Seems like a fair price, there's probably 1k in niggles to fix then you have to be optimistic re the mechanicals.

25-30k seems too high. Unless you are selling it

That must be the cheapest Cali in the world.Ever.
Whats the catch
Have you posted up pics of it, would love to see it.

 

[steve_b]

no obvious catch as far as I can see. Was re-imported back to the UK last month and needed to be sold as the owner was on her way out again. I got an independent to check it, I have a list of 40 or so faults but a lot are just niggles and he said it's in good condition for the age. Mechanically it's been looked after, full VW stamped history but no receipts so I can't see what was done. A lot of the niggles are interior ones and may be the subject of many threads here if I can't find previous solutions

15k was the asking price, previous owner paid 25k for it 8 years ago so everyone is happy. Parkers guide it at between 12 and 17 which was all I really had to go on

Free valuation

Is there a wide discrepancy between book price and "real" value ?

 

[steve_b]

Prices vary massively but I believe vans you can’t pick fault with will be over £30k

Indeed. I picked one with these faults, none of which overly worry me apart from the sliding seat which is the subject of a separate thread, the corrosion needs to be kept in check because we live by the coast - and the noisy pop top motor, of which I don't have a comparison so not sure how much of an issue that is.

I need to live with it for a bit and then see which ones annoy me enough to need fixing but the majority of the habitation ones I should be able to DIY fix.

Rear A-arm bushes slight play
Starter motor +ive lead corroded
Exhaust and backbox delaminating
Handbrake cable outer sheath damaged and return spring broken
Front sub frame corroded
Exhaust heat shield resting on exhaust
Exhaust Cat missing bracket to block
Actuator arm on turbo small leak
EGR valve small leak (visible from beneath)
Front wishbone bush play
Front lower engine mount play
Lower ball joint boots split
Front shock top mount play


Corrosion on offside lower front door corner/sill interface
Corrosion on fixed front roof cap bodywork
Dent/scratch nearside rear elevating roof
Offside front fog light lens cracked
General paintwork chips, scratches expected with mileage
Pop top motor noisy


Sink slow to drain
Sun Canopy difficult to retract - slips on recoil mechanism
240v inlet on vehicle side missing rain cover
Rear overhead locker sticky on runners
Roof canvass - Tear near rear scissor mechanism
Drivers door wiring grommet into A-pillar unattached
Upper roof space light inoperative
Drivers seat material ripped, Outer arm inoperative and seat lower plastics missing
Floor seat rail aluminium cover missing
Heated seats inoperative
Heated mirrors inoperative
Rear sliding seat mechanism sticky - difficult to operate
Sliding door table release lever missing plastic and stiff to operate
Rear leisure battery flat and not charging on 12 or 240v
Sliding door outer handle cover loose
Cooker lid damper/stay inoperative
Centre rear light above cooker switch sticky
Rear seat seatbelt buckle plastics broken
Shelf above gas bottle missing support clip
missing fridge gas strut
missing bike rack end cap

 

[ThomasHJ]

We recently bought a T5 and were keen on buying a post-facelift model and not the 180hp, as that seemed the most safe bet. The early pre-facelift models (I believe up to 2006) had some problems and of the post-facelift models the 180hp are known to have some problems. However, that doesnt mean all of them have these problems. Just make sure that when you buy, you check if the known problems have occurred and have been fixed. You can read many threads about the known problems, here on the forums. I don't remember all details, but older threads and more knowledgable people on this forum can tell you more. I do remember though that the post-facelift 2.0L 140hp model seemed the safest bet. Also, the post-facelift is in a cleaner diesel-range and resembles the T6 a lot. Which might help with keeping the value. They are however, also pricier then pre-facelift models.

 

[JJ Blue]

Hi All

We have been looking for our first camper recently. Previous experience has been renting a large motorhome for a couple of weeks but now the children are a little older 7 and 5 we are keen to see if a VW will fit the bill.

I would like to buy a camper to use over spring and summer this year, see if its the correct solution and then either keep hold of it or change to a different model that may be more suited. I had thought of a rental but I think you only really get to know vehicles when you own them and use them regularly.

I've directed myself to a California and the pros and cons of the SE / Ocean vs Beach... Friends have both so I'm familiar with the choices.

Currently, I'm looking at a T5 (pre facelift 2008/9) SE 2.5TDI. Do you think this would be a good choice in order to fit the bill above - i.e. will it be relatively depreciation proof over the next 12 months compared to a more expensive t5.1 or t6? Is there a sweetspot in the current t5/6 lineup that is more resistant to short term depreciation?

And finally, if you don't mind, what is a reasonable price range for a pre f/l T5 assuming about 60k miles with appropriate history? There are only a few for sale ranging from 25-30k. Can anyone shed light on where within that range is most realistic?

Many thanks in advance,

David.

We have one. We bought it last May and are loving it. We're up in the highlands and there were very few coming onto the market at that time. Lots of people own them, but not many selling! We paid £24k and it had just over 100k mileage I think. '07 plate.

 

[Big Ted]

We have one. We bought it last May and are loving it. We're up in the highlands and there were very few coming onto the market at that time. Lots of people own them, but not many selling! We paid £24k and it had just over 100k mileage I think. '07 plate.

View attachment 54661

07 with a 5.1 front end? Did you do this yourself or was it done already?

 

[2into1]

07 with a 5.1 front end? Did you do this yourself or was it done already?

Looking that way... It has the T5 interior and wheels (painted). The face-lift is quite a popular upgrade apparently, although I personally don't see the point, and it just raises questions about front end damage.

 

[JJ Blue]

07 with a 5.1 front end? Did you do this yourself or was it done already?

That's how it was when we bought it.

 

[2into1]

It has the facelift mirrors too, so probably an enthusiast's project rather than a rebuilt crashed van.