Help with Campervan purchase

[jimi43]

My parents want to buy a campervan for travelling around in their old age and visiting all the places they love.

My mother used to be a driving instructor and so is quite capable of managing most vehicle types and that is not an issue but they want something that would be suitable for two people in this age of huge fuel prices...which would be economical, reliable and easily manoeverable.

Recommendations would be most helpful....the top budget would be in the region of £20k

Also dealers around either southern counties or north yorkshire areas or any good private sales recommendations.

Thanks guys and gals...

Jim

 

[gardenshed]

One of the most sought after vans is the VW transporter, very reliable, kit out well due to the int design space etc. Have a friend who has had a couple of them & rates them highly. Some good wesites out there about them. google is your friend.

 

[AndyT]

My in-laws were lucky enough to have both retired early, in their fifties. Now in their eighties, they have been happily swanning off in campervans for the last twenty years or so.

My impression from talking to them and hearing about their experiences is that the big dealers know their target market well, and fully expect people with time on their hands to spend a long time considering their purchase in detail, and come back in for a chat about any aspect at any time. So it's not a good market for fly-by-night dodgy dealers. (Theirs have all come from Don Amott in the midlands, who are said to be very good - but not for you!)

The internal furnishings matter a lot and are easy to judge. The mechanical bits are mostly based on commercial vans which were designed for very high mileage and lots of abuse/neglect, so quite elderly vehicles can still be attractive.

So they would say it's quite hard to get burned with a bad vehicle.

 

[RogerM]

I think campervans are all a bit heavy on fuel. The standard RV rentals in the US do about 10 mpg, and even here with the use of diesel I think they'll struggle to get something that does more than 20 mpg overall. I guess it depends on the sort of travelling they want to do, If they are going to tour and move on each day, a campervan is the ideal piece of kit. However, if they want to use it as a base for a stay of several nights then I think a caravan and tow car is a better option.

We have an Avondale Avocet 2 berth caravan which we bought 4 years old and looking good as new for £8,000 inc full awning, porch awning and all the extras (gas bottles, water containers etc) ready to go, and as it's fitted with "motor movers" it is easy to manoeuvre without any strain. We tow with a Skoda Octavia 2.0TDi which gives about 20 mpg whilst towing, and 55 mpg on it's own cruising at 70 mph. The advantage is that we don't have to store everything away when we want a day out, or to go 2 miles down the road for some shopping, and everything is set out as we left it when we return. Nor do we have to re-level it every time we come back. Also it means we have an economic run around whilst on holiday which is faster, cheaper to drive and easier to park. Plus we don't have to tax and insure an extra vehicle that only gets used a few weeks of the year.

So each to his own I guess. Having used both, for ownership in this country I would go with a caravan and sensible tow car every time.