mistergrumpy
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:03 PM |
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Age Versus Mileage
I've been looking at campers for a long time now and have finally decided on a VW T4 Transporter against other vans.
I'm hoping to purchase a van in the next few months and I'd like the 888 special with a full tail lift and electric pack but there are a
lot of high milers out, which doesn't seem to bother the VW lot and looking there are quite a few 300,000 milers or there abouts going.
What with money not exactly bursting out of my ears, but I have been saving for ages and ages it got me thinking which people value more.
Is it vehicle age? Is it engine age?
I think wanting an 02 plate (or whatever) may just be a bit snobbish of me or am I being over cautious with the engine wanting a sub 100,000 mile
engine when in reality they have a proven long life and theres nothing to stop me doing an engine swap when or if it goes wrong?
Which one should i be concentrating on more?
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iank
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:09 PM |
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Voted vehicle age, but only because that means it's more likely to be in good condition. Value of specialist vehicles tends to follow condition
rather than age/mileage on their own.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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mistergrumpy
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:17 PM |
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But will it be in better condition if it's a 2010 van with 200,000 miles? To me it would seem that all the running gear and engine will be worn.
quote:
Value of specialist vehicles tends to follow condition rather than age/mileage on their own.
Really? I never knew that. Thanks.
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mark chandler
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:17 PM |
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Its a commercial vehical carrying a light load and unlightly to have been thrashed so mileage is not really an issue.
Just buy on age and condition, broken bits show the owner has not kept on top of things so avoid these ones.
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jacko
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:23 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mistergrumpy
I've been looking at campers for a long time now and have finally decided on a VW T4 Transporter against other vans.
I'm hoping to purchase a van in the next few months and I'd like the 888 special with a full tail lift and electric pack but there are a
lot of high milers out, which doesn't seem to bother the VW lot and looking there are quite a few 300,000 milers or there abouts going.
What with money not exactly bursting out of my ears, but I have been saving for ages and ages it got me thinking which people value more.
Is it vehicle age? Is it engine age?
I think wanting an 02 plate (or whatever) may just be a bit snobbish of me or am I being over cautious with the engine wanting a sub 100,000 mile
engine when in reality they have a proven long life and theres nothing to stop me doing an engine swap when or if it goes wrong?
Which one should i be concentrating on more?
Good luck in finding a VW i have been looking for ages but they all seem to be high mileage or a lot of money
my next door had to go down to Portsmouth to get one all the way from hull
Have you considered buying a van and converting it to a camper
Jacko
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jacko
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:26 PM |
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http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/
Join this forum if you haven't
Jacko ps I'm jacko55 on there
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mark chandler
Its a commercial vehical carrying a light load and unlightly to have been thrashed
I find that something of a contradiction.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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hillbillyracer
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:31 PM |
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I run a T4 & bought it straight out of the disposal auction for the AA, it had near 140,000 on then at 51 reg. I dont do massive miles so in the 4
years I've had it on the road it's only just gone over 160,000 now. There were X reg 200,000+ milers going through & selling no
bother, I think cheapest was still way over 2k on the hammer, mine was 3.4k even with the VAT on but I did have a major dent in the sliding door to
fix, but they all had a few dings here & there.
I'd go for a younger vehicle with more miles before an older low mileage one in most cases, more so with these T4s. So long as the servicing
etc has been decent (& in a vehicle doing more miles in less time that's more likely as somebody is using it with some purpose & needs
it to be reliable).
They do have issues but nothing to scare you really, the cambelt is the big thing on the 5 pot TDI motors but it's nothing more complicated than
most modern cars & access to do it is'nt bad. The tensioners on the belts let go & it can be a big bill if you are unlucky enough to
have it let go.
Apparently the heads are bad for cracking on the 5 cylinder ones too, but I've never heard of a 2.5 giving bother with that, only the older 2.4
used up to the mid 90s.
[Edited on 3/12/11 by hillbillyracer]
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mistergrumpy
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 07:42 PM |
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Cheers all so far.
Jacko, yes. It was actually a van I was meaning so me and the missus could convert it ourselves. Just joined VWT4 the other day.
hillbillyracer, thanks for that, really helpful actually. In your opinion 140,000 miles isn't/wasn't an issue and you've not added
much to it which I don't think I will either. I'm aware of the cambelt thing and ideally the first jobs will be cam belt and water pump
and then a decent alarm.
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morcus
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 08:34 PM |
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I voted mileage, a Vehicle isn't going to wear out when it's not doing anything (Unless it's Italian) so assuming in both cases
theres a decent service history I'd take the older machine with fewer miles.
In a White Room, With Black Curtains, By the Station.
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loggyboy
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 09:52 PM |
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Neither really, Id judge the car on its merits.
For me body/chassis is the most important as everything else can be replaced with relative ease myself, saving money. Its dents, rust and other body
repairs that I cant do on the drive and as such cost lots more.
[Edited on 3/12/11 by loggyboy]
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 10:05 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by morcus
I voted mileage, a Vehicle isn't going to wear out when it's not doing anything (Unless it's Italian) so assuming in both cases
theres a decent service history I'd take the older machine with fewer miles.
Ah but my first car was a bag o' s**te because the old man I bought it off only drove it 3 miles a week. I guess campers would be different
because it'd be a few hundred miles at a stretch
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beaver34
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 10:08 PM |
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i would look for one that has had some work done,
dmf + clutch, injectors and a fuel pump
they go on for moon mileage half a million is normal, how long will you be keeping it? and the mileage you will put on it
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gazza285
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 11:10 PM |
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Having owned and driven in both I'd go for a Transit over a T4, cheaper to buy, run and maintain. I prefer the way the Tranny drives as well,
and I find the seats better, important on a long run.
DO NOT PUT ON KNOB OR BOLLOCKS!
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hillbillyracer
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| posted on 3/12/11 at 11:37 PM |
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I wouldn't worry about the DMF, I think it's a solid flywheel. They dont have the one-way clutch on the alternator pulley that most DMF
equipped stuff has, & even if they do have one they're plainly very good or we'd hear about it!
The injection side of things is pretty good too, they're the last of the line of old school diesel injection, no common rail & as such very
reliable.
I do agree with the comment about the Transit, I could have bought one 3 years younger than my T4 with less miles on, most of the parts will be
cheaper & they do drive much more like a modern van where the T4 design dates back to 1990 & it does show.
But all the Transits in my price range had the early signs of rust on the edge of the arches, seams underneath etc & if you're buying an
older vehicle to keep for a few years that matters
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stevegough
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| posted on 4/12/11 at 07:57 AM |
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I have voted 'age'.
Three points to add.....
one- if there are heaps about with starship miles, it says a great deal about the build quality - so don't worry about the miles too much?
two- if you go for one that looks tempting due to low miles - it could have been 'clocked'?
three- if you get a vehicle that is very old, parts sourcing could prove difficult?
Also, in my limited experience using a hired camper (down under last year) I found the greatest drawback once you'd set up 'camp'
was the lack of mobility to get out and explore etc. It suddenly made sense why you see campers towing a runabout (eg Smart / yaris etc).
Luego Locost C20XE.
Build start: October 6th 2008.
IVA passed Jan 28th 2011.
First drive Feb 10th 2011.
First show: Stoneleigh 1st/2nd May 2011.
'Used up' first engine may 3rd 2011!
Back on the road with 2nd engine may 24th
First PASA mad drive 26/7/11
Sold to Mike in Methyr Tydvil 19/03/14
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 4/12/11 at 10:49 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by morcus
I voted mileage, a Vehicle isn't going to wear out when it's not doing anything (Unless it's Italian) so assuming in both cases
theres a decent service history I'd take the older machine with fewer miles.
Just the opposite IME. Sitting for lengthy periods, especially outside, is much worse for a vehicle then driving it. You don't get wear as
such but it promotes rust, corrosion and degradation of plastic and rubber components.
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alistairolsen
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| posted on 5/12/11 at 12:51 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by stevegough
Also, in my limited experience using a hired camper (down under last year) I found the greatest drawback once you'd set up 'camp'
was the lack of mobility to get out and explore etc. It suddenly made sense why you see campers towing a runabout (eg Smart / yaris etc).
Id say condition rather than either age or mileage, but have a look around and see what mileages the regularly see. High mileage on a VW commercial
wouldnt phase me, but Id want to see some service history etc.
Incidentally, with reference to the quote, this is illegal.
My Build Thread
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nick205
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| posted on 5/12/11 at 02:10 PM |
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Has to factor both age and mileage IMHO. You'll soon tell good from bad too.
There's 2 T4 mini cabs round here, both in excess of 400k miles, I couldn't tell you the age as they're both private plated to the
cab firm. Both run perfectly and even having been mini cabbed don't show any undue signs of wear and tear.
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jossey
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| posted on 5/12/11 at 02:51 PM |
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my BMW.
i have a 525d e60 bmw which is 2005 model.
i bought it in 2009 with 90,000 miles on it for 7k....
its now done 198,000 miles and is only 7 years old.
i have bought young hi mileage cars in the past and found that newer is better. age related wear is more expensive than the mileage related. thats my
thought.
Thanks
David Johnson
Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.
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mistergrumpy
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| posted on 5/12/11 at 05:49 PM |
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Thanks fellas. It does seem that the T4's get some very high mileage out of them, something I'm not used to having never owned a vehicle
over 60-70,000.
Very helpful thanks.
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