Still searching... Are my expectations unrealistic?

[bobber]

I have been searching for a T4 westy since christmas and so far, nothing really worth looking at.
I am still ideally after an exclusive but would also like a hightop coach or even a nice freestyle.
I have found one exclusive but with probably £1k to spend on bodywork and pretty high mileage, bits of damage to the interior etc, it just seems like a bad buy for alot of money.
I was hoping to find something real smart and tidy with around 100k miles for my budget but it seems, not a chance.
starting to regret the sale of our James cook and its also starting to look like i will be stuck buying a standard aftermarket camper conversion instead. I am fed up not having a van and we collectively sulk as a family every weekend, not being able to go away.
How long have others searched for the right van and has anyone else concluded that there are not good buys anymore, just very inflated prices, or is that just me?
cheers all...

 

[sidepod]

It took me a year to find my latest van, but then I was looking for something quite rare.

What is your budget?

Does it need to be mint?

Two on eBay at the moment.

 

[bobber]

Budget was £14-15k but also open to stretching it £2-3k for the right van.

Doesn't have to be mint but I've had a lot of vans and with a very young family now, we are after a sorted van to keep for a few years at least.

The two on eBay? Blue one and silver one?
Blue one is higher mileage than I'd like for that kind of money and the silver one, I have messaged them, at least, twice and no reply, so have given up on them.

 

[bxl_lad]

Have you ruled out importing one? Plenty to be found in Germany within that budget... A bit more hassle, but can be an adventure too... Enough out there to focus on a region and line a few up to spend a long weekend viewing...
Last year we saw about 10 in one weekend around the Stuttgart area and made a choice from that...

 

[bobber]

Nope, I'm open to importing one. As long as it came within budget including all the travel etc.
Prices seem pretty high in Germany at the moment though, certainly no better than U.K, just more choice.
Saw a lovely hightop coach, can't remember exactly where it was but it was ridiculously difficult to get to, put me off a bit to be honest
I have been looking on mobile.de and German eBay. Anywhere else I should be looking?

 

[bxl_lad]

Indeed, there is also Autoscout24 which is present in a lot of countries:
https://www.autoscout24.com/results...rtype=kw&atype=C&ustate=N,U&sort=price&desc=0

 

[bobber]

Ideal, thanks, I'll have a trawl through it

 

[SusiBus]

Last summer we went hunting for a T4 with our son, we saw some pretty dreadful examples, particularly worrying was the rust above the front windscreen. When in Cotswolds while on a tour round the UK trying to find a vehicle for him, there was a 2003 T4 advertised for 20K on Autotrader, yes 20K! which I thought was absolutely ridiculous price. Anyway we went and had a look, and ended up buying it, paying £17800.


It turned out to be a Freestyle with about 120,000k on the clock, virtually rust free, and the interior in remarkably good condition, just amazing, looks like it hardly had any use, obviously it is very durable.


Having now looked at Freestyles more closely that have been advertised, they often look pretty good, so it seems like that is a good model.

Having initially thought we had paid too much for it, now having seen the prices of the ones advertised in Europe, it seem quite a cheap price, well at least the price you need to pay.

Hope this might give you some guidance price wise.


I will add he is absolutely over the moon with it, and loves it too bits. None of his previous cars ever got cleaned, but T4 Freestyle is really cherished. He has driven down the coast of France and wild camping in remote areas of Spain, reliving the experiences that he had as a youngster with us in our 1986 VW Autosleeper.

 

[sidepod]

The blue one on eBay is mine. Obvs I can vouch for its condition.

We paid £23.5k for our 2003 Freestyle 150. It's a peach and a keeper.

Prices in Europe are strong and the exchange rate not favourable.

 

[bobber]

Your blue one does look like a beauty but I intend to keep it for a long time and will be putting some serious miles on it i expect, so the lower the start, the better.
Im starting to think that a Westy may not be an option really, i just cant stretch to the price most are going for.
Only problem is, once you've had a westy, everything else just seems crap!

 

[ArcticMatt]

If you look further afield you can find something a bit different like these two (granted, one I was over-priced! and its not a california neither

https://m.finn.no/car/mobilehome/ad.html?finnkode=91714632&fks=91714632

https://m.finn.no/car/mobilehome/ad.html?finnkode=92124525&fks=92124525

 

[sidepod]

The 'wipe clean' plastic interior reminds me of the porno vid shops on the Reeperbahn......

 

[bobber]

cheers Matt
I just cant wrap my head around dehlers, i know many people think they are superior,
Im just not sure...quite like the second one though...
I just want a nice exclusive but think they have all been taken and nobody is selling haha!

 

[B J G]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T4-Wes...393603?hash=item3adbd6d883:g:5nIAAOSw5cNYWpXM

if still looking or

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T4-Wes...157448?hash=item33c9cf9848:g:B5YAAOSwImRYCyIG

 

[bobber]

Cheers
ideally after something newer although, the red one is very tidy, the white one is too high mileage for me though.
I have been offered a 1994 for £7500 but needs a bit of tidying up
I really want a nice low mile late 2.5tdi that i can keep for several years

thanks for the links though, really appreciated

 

[sidepod]

Prices look strong. I let mine go for less than those but it wasn't as clean judging by the pics.

 

[Velma's Dad]

If you look further afield you can find something a bit different like these two (granted, one I was over-priced! and its not a california neither

https://m.finn.no/car/mobilehome/ad.html?finnkode=91714632&fks=91714632

https://m.finn.no/car/mobilehome/ad.html?finnkode=92124525&fks=92124525

Wow those Dehlers look the dog's bits. I'd feel like I was overlanding the Danakil Depression even when I was on the M25. Wish they still made them, I'd certainly have a serious look at them if they did.

I'm quite taken by the idea of a layout where the rear space can be kept clear and accessible (for the neat portapotti+washbasin setup on the Dehler, and extra 'living space' generally for the dog etc), by having an external rear storage box and and roof box for your camping gear. I realise you can put a roof box on a pop-top but somehow that seems to me a less good solution than on a 'mid height' hi-top.

Because we don't use our Cali as a daily drive, getting under car park barriers isn;t such a huge issue.

 

[B J G]

Pricey?? mileage probably more than you want but warranted dealer sale.

http://www.vwcampersales.com/for-sale/134/

 

[bobber]

im kind of tempted by a cheap 1994 cali that i have been offered, just to tie me over until i can find a decent exclusive.
Problem is.... no heater fitted but all the controls are there (above the cooker) and the floor vents are there, behind the front seats.
My question is, how much is a replacement heater, to hook up to the controls. What am i looking for and how easy is it to fit (or am i better getting an auto sparky to do it)?
cheers
(oh and will i de value it by fitting a late model front bumper (i much prefer them but guess there is some geeky rule im breaking!!)

 

[bobber]

Pricey?? mileage probably more than you want but warranted dealer sale.

http://www.vwcampersales.com/for-sale/134/

it is lovely.... i think thats sidepods old one again. If it was £2k cheaper, or 30k less miles it would be a winner

 

[sidepod]

Replacement heater will set you back circa 700 Sterlings.

 

[bobber]

Bloody'ell... guessed it would be pricey. Worth spending on a van I really want but not a cheap temporary van then!

Not sure it's the tight move buying and old'n anyway, this might make up my mind, it could do with a new canvas too!

 

[sidepod]

Bloody'ell... guessed it would be pricey. Worth spending on a van I really want but not a cheap temporary van then!

Not sure it's the tight move buying and old'n anyway, this might make up my mind, it could do with a new canvas too!

Canvas is 350 Euro.

Dig deep and buy the van you want and will be happy with.

 

[bobber]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T4-califo...523521?hash=item4d5588ffc1:g:mQUAAOSw-RFYscuA

Any thoughts on this, from anyone who knows more about the older cali's than me?
Possibly a temp purchase until i can track down and find the perfect Exclusive (which just isnt happening at the moment)
Its done around 142k miles
no heater but controls all there
front arches need sorting
could probably do with a new canvas (bit mildewey and several pinhole repairs)
Its pretty local to me!
cheers

 

[2into1]

Any thoughts on this

Paint looks too fresh to indicate it's original. I'd be expecting to find odd bits of rust (wheel arches for starters), so if they are not showing, it has likely been painted up for resale.