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What vehicle (T5 or conversion) for £15K

Californication69

Californication69

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T6.1 Ocean 204 4 motion
Someone I know is after a T5 or conversion.
He’d like pop roof and kitchen & fridge.
Max spend £15k
Any ideas of the best version for this money.
Thanks for suggestions.
 
Californication69 said:
Someone I know is after a T5 or conversion.
He’d like pop roof and kitchen & fridge.
Max spend £15k
Any ideas of the best version for this money.
Thanks for suggestions.
Click to expand...
I think a good T4 conversion would go for more than that, so it will be hard to find a good T5 one for that money.
 
Steve1 said:
I think a good T4 conversion would go for more than that, so it will be hard to find a good T5 one for that money.
Click to expand...
Thanks Steve.
I have told him, he will struggle this side of summer.
And to buy after the summer holidays are over…
 
Steve1 said:
I think a good T4 conversion would go for more than that, so it will be hard to find a good T5 one for that money.
Click to expand...
And the newest T4 will be twenty years old as the T5 came out in 2003!

I doubt the OPs friend will find anything worth purchasing unless he or she can at least double the budget.
 
It perhaps depends on what's out there & how particular they are. There's lots of T5 / T6 conversions out there with fridges & kitchens at around 10k (or there was last time i looked). Most probably need work & some of the DIY conversions are pretty crap, but there's a few decent ones out there. Some of the better DIY kits have been in production for 10 years or so now, so should be some in circulation. A budget pop roof was available for sub £2k last time I looked. Beds extra.

We sold our T5 LWB conversion a couple of years ago for £10k (lockdown prices). It was a decent van but as an 04 plate we didn't think it made sense to invest in a new roof, but it was an option. T4s look a little rust prone for my liking.
 
rod_vw said:
And the newest T4 will be twenty years old as the T5 came out in 2003!

I doubt the OPs friend will find anything worth purchasing unless he or she can at least double the budget.
Click to expand...
This is what I said.
There’s ex RAC T6 for £15k
But then needs converting.
Which I’m guessing at £5k for pop top (fitted), and £5k insulation, carpet, bed, kitchen, fridge and doing all this ourselves. (Which would take a years worth of Sundays !)
So up to £25k already…
And there are options out there for £30k…
All I can do is present the details and like a horse to water, up to him to take a drink …
 
The Blue Merle said:
If they only have £15k I wouldn’t buy T5 tell them to look at a bongo.
Pretty much on par with VW cool.
Click to expand...
There’s a converted T5, going for £20k he’s going to look at it.
But the kitchen is under the back seat, and the back seat is the whole width.
Any issues with a T5 to watch out for ?
 
Had a head gasket go on my t5 cali but my two t5 work vans I had no issues.
I’m not mechanically minded so did tend to buy vehicles that were only 2-4yrs old with low ish miles.
I’m sure there’s lots of forum members that can help/advise.
 
For £15k, would rather go for a T4 which has been converted by a well established conversion company. Many companies have been converting vans far longer than VW, so have stood the test of time and will not suffer from roof corrosion.

Engines are far simplier, less to go wrong and far easier to fix (versus wet behind the ears certified ‘expert’ mechanic plugging into a diagnostic machine, and just replacing parts until the issue is resolved)
 
Ch1pbutty said:
For £15k, would rather go for a T4 which has been converted by a well established conversion company. Many companies have been converting vans far longer than VW, so have stood the test of time and will not suffer from roof corrosion.

Engines are far simplier, less to go wrong and far easier to fix (versus wet behind the ears certified ‘expert’ mechanic plugging into a diagnostic machine, and just replacing parts until the issue is resolved)
Click to expand...
Most T4s are fully diagnostically equipped, it's probably only the unusual petrol versions and the early 2.4litre versions that are not. I've had three T4s and it was only the first, that wasn't 'plug & diagnose'.
 
Ch1pbutty said:
Engines are far simplier, less to go wrong and far easier to fix (versus wet behind the ears certified ‘expert’ mechanic plugging into a diagnostic machine, and just replacing parts until the issue is resolved)
Click to expand...
All the air-cooled owners said exactly the same thing about the T4s when they came out.
 
rod_vw said:
Most T4s are fully diagnostically equipped, it's probably only the unusual petrol versions and the early 2.4litre versions that are not. I've had three T4s and it was only the first, that wasn't 'plug & diagnose'.
Click to expand...
Our 1993 T4 1.9TD ‘Special’ - Bilbo Conversion - didn’t have a OBD port. Think VW stole the Beach design from Bilbo!IMG_2496.jpeg

IMG_5798.jpegIMG_5787.jpegIMG_5790.jpegIMG_5781.jpegIMG_5776.jpegIMG_5799.jpeg
 
Ch1pbutty said:
Owned them all…air cooled ownership means that fighting rust will be a constant battle.
Click to expand...
Age creeps up ! T4s not too far behind, mine needed sections of front wheel arch where it met the door sills, a new front wing and big old plate in the front cross member where the bumper mounted when it reach 18 years old.
My T2 needed much more, rear wheel arches, front panel, door skins, plate in tailgate and some sections of floor but that was 35 years old.
I love the classics, and have had and restored and driven my fair share, but you are kidding yourself if you don't admit that for your everyday car, newer is definitely more reliable and less rust filled.
 
Ch1pbutty said:
Our 1993 T4 1.9TD ‘Special’ - Bilbo Conversion - didn’t have a OBD port. Think VW stole the Beach design from Bilbo!View attachment 111336

View attachment 111330View attachment 111331View attachment 111332View attachment 111333View attachment 111334View attachment 111335
Click to expand...
Very nice van !

I had a T4 Autosleeper Trooper with the folding solid roof, so warm and cosy, no worry about leaking canvas. Absolutely loved it. Was really sad when my kids out grew the roof bed. It was only 4ft3 long and max of 70kg total.

IMG_20180907_172535215.jpg
 
rod_vw said:
He could always dig deep into the bank and buy my T6 but it's not available until my LWB MAN TGE is completed and tried out.
Click to expand...
That’s a really nice conversion you have there.
Well thought out and love the website.
Really great.
I’ve sent it to him, but I’m guessing £25k over budget !
 
Californication69 said:
That’s a really nice conversion you have there.
Well thought out and love the website.
Really great.
I’ve sent it to him, but I’m guessing £25k over budget !
Click to expand...
The basic furniture layout followed the Type 25 Devon Moonraker design which we owned some years before the first T4 that I converted in 2004. After that subsequent conversions honed the design to fit our requirements always with the Reimo seat/bed and a Reimo high roof (except for one on a factory high roof kombi). Covid prevented me converting another in 2019-20 so we've owned this one since 2016 which is now to be replaced by a LWB TGE. That's not going to be my conversion as age and creaking joint are not compatible with that job!
 
Just crazy prices.
I remember buying my used T4 many moons ago. It was 3/4 years old and had 70k on the clock. Bought from Volkswagen for £5.5k.
They were the days…

DSC08523.jpeg
 
Californication69 said:
Someone I know is after a T5 or conversion.
He’d like pop roof and kitchen & fridge.
Max spend £15k
Any ideas of the best version for this money.
Thanks for suggestions.
Click to expand...
If your mate has any flexibility in looking at a T4 I expect @Fellrunner13 will be selling one soon (although no idea at what price point!)
 
RockinNRollin said:
If your mate has any flexibility in looking at a T4 I expect @Fellrunner13 will be selling one soon (although no idea at what price point!)
Click to expand...
I have as it goes! It’s a Westfalia California Generation (so factory camper as opposed to third party converter). They are rock solid vans and it’s never let me down. But at 22 years old and 185,000 miles, they do need increased maintenance and it helps if you can do a lot of it yourself. If you can, they are a really cost effective way to get into camping. And certainly within your mates budget.
 
Fellrunner13 said:
I have as it goes! It’s a Westfalia California Generation (so factory camper as opposed to third party converter). They are rock solid vans and it’s never let me down. But at 22 years old and 185,000 miles, they do need increased maintenance and it helps if you can do a lot of it yourself. If you can, they are a really cost effective way to get into camping. And certainly within your mates budget.
Click to expand...
Send me a PM with the details, and we can chat there, thank you !
 
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