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Asking for a relative. Any warning flags here from the knowledgeable? I know it'll be slow as a dog but not having a turbo must add a little reliability? 170k on clock.
It needs a cambelt/water pump (£500??), Cascade water heater needs work, circa £500. He's open to offers.
I've got a T4 turbo diesel older than that never been an issue however wax oiled underneath so hard to see condition if welding is due. Personally I'd say no, from my experience if it hasn't been replaced it's about due, clutch, exhaust anything that moves is 24 years old. If it's so great and reliable why sell it? Buy a newer van not a dream. Then again could go on for years but I'd say no.
Honestly gobsmacked at the price.
My pal sold a 2010-ish T5 with a nice conversion for about that last year IIRC, and I thought he'd done well.
They do good their price well. T4'/ T5's only a few years newer are around £30K. 😬
There's slow and then there's slow. A 2.4D T4 is the latter. We had one, and anywhere that had any sort of traffic was ridiculously stressful, as you couldn't keep up with it, or keep pace with it is maybe the better turn of phrase? At least in a tractor or an artic you've got size and mass on your side, and the expectation that you're going to be slower than everyone else in their cars. You don't have that in a 2.4D T4. It's also a van I never found a comfortable driving position in, which is saying something considering I've done thousands of miles in a T1...
You couldn't pay me to have another.
Over rated and over priced, IMO.
Besides that, I find them too small for anything more than a week away with two people.
I used to have a T5 that I had converted myself. Sold it on after the driveshaft went on the left side and the rust (around the door handles and along the bottom if the doors) started to come through.
A mate has a T4 of similar vintage to the OP and his is rusty as hell and should really be on a scrapped.
I'd rather poke my own eyes out, frankly.
That will be unbearably, insufferably slow, noisy and generally awful.
You wouldn't dream of spending so much on that if it were a van, never mind driving it long distance as a camper would.
Filling it with some rotting mdf and melamine, whether westfalia or not, does not make it worth it!
And if your going to get a slow crap camper, you may as well at least get a big one. Loads of old ducato/boxer based vans about for that money.
I wouldn't touch it.
Looks "nice" inside, in that it looks more like a living space than the typical converted camper rock and roll bed layout, but everything looks very dated - looks like a 1980s flat. Unusual in that it's got a shower setup, which would be attractive - but the listing says it doesn't work. Same with the fridge, and it's a 3-way fridge, which isn't really a great solution now. All the electrics will definitely be ancient, which might not be awful for a lot of people, but I'd find it frustrating.
It'll probably sell though, people are weird.
I bought a 9yr / 22k T5 high top LWB with a decent 2.0tdi 115bhp engine, two owners, SORN'd every winter so not a speck of rust, 4 new tyres, new as camper by Bilbo's for twice what that old tool is being advertised at...and it's way more than twice the machine and life left in it. I've done 18 months and 20k miles in it, from Hebrides to Hayling Island.
My in-laws bought a similar age Bongo for £12.5k on the height of the pandemic rush to campervan. Since then it's cost over £9-10k in rust/welding and breakdowns including multiple driveshafts, new suspension components which rusted through, new shocks and springs, new radiator, thermostat and hoses. It's broken down 3 times on them - twice with a baby on board on hard shoulder of M9. It's got leaks when the roof is up. No space in it at all. Struggles to see 30mpg. Noisy. Uncomfortable to drive. And the bodywork is now rusting as they declined the full treat and respray that was recommended - and they have been warned it won't pass MOT again in September....
Thier Bongo is basically worth scrap, my van I've been offered £5k more than I paid for it last month by a stranger on a campsite who was looking for a Bilbo's...
Buy (old and) cheap, buy twice IMO. And they are not cheap vehicles anyway....
That all said - we love our high top for the huge amount extra storage, the warmth and quiet when camping and lack of faff to use compared to a pop top SWB.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/matt_outandabout/r0bR7v9HSk
Also, that Auto sleeper has amazing MoT history. No mention of rust at all... But that doesn't mean it's still not slower than a tortoise, or old, small, thirsty and prone to rust...
This one has had one bit of welding after it's last MOT on the inner wing. I've looked at dozens of old MOT's on these old Autosleeper Boxers.... That single bit of welding qualifiers this as a practical unicorn. They are virtually patch work quilts on the underside usually.
If you ever intend to take it to France, it's probably worth being aware of what the crit air restrictions are.
More info in this advert on the minor chassis repair and more pics.
He doesn't know if it has a turbo and apparently a few of them didn't but I can't find that info out from a reg plate, can I?
We've recently sold our T4 based autosleeper. It was older as an M reg (1995?). Besides the rust our biggest issue was that the due to the age of the campervan bits (fridges, heaters and water heaters) you couldn't get spares. This meant if anything went wrong you had replace them with modern appliances.
Sounds like a money pit unless you're really into T4s.
Hells Bells, £12.5k for a 25 year old van with 171k miles....
I am not in the "what are campervans worth" loop
I am not in the "what are campervans worth" loop
I think it's generally silly money for ancient, custom bodywork vans like this one from Motorhone/caravan brands. Less silly and more reasonable money for conversions from panel vans by other companies, but still a lot more than the equivalent base van. The quality at level this can vary a lot. For DIY conversions, the value is the base van only unless it's been done really really well.
Campervans have always seemed to go for a way higher premium than seems reasonable. Even pre-pandemic. And coach built T4/5s have always been silly.
That said, I don't think it's really fair to value DIY conversions at base van only. I'd say base + the value of the gear in it, but no allowance for the amount of time/labour spent converting it.
Just in case the OP is still wondering, I was deep into T4 campers in a previous life. Do not buy a non-turbo T4. They're genuinely awful, not awful but fun like a defender. Life sappingly, scared on a motorway, awful.
Fair play to whomever put up with it for 171k miles. Absolute masochists.
Just in case the OP is still wondering, I was deep into T4 campers in a previous life. Do not buy a non-turbo T4. They're genuinely awful, not awful but fun like a defender. Life sappingly, scared on a motorway, awful.
Fair play to whomever put up with it for 171k miles. Absolute masochists.
Ha. yes i have a t4 petrol camper. had it for 14 years now. 25 years old. Bought it at 47k. has been amazing maintaince wise - engine is solid (same as golf gti engine but much slower) but yea it is very slow. Now on 150k and still going strong
I have seen ppl swapping the engine out for the 1.8Turbo from the audi TT.
Ok, heres another 2. These are both DIY conversations and they both have a lot of good points but both a few bad. Informed opinions appreciated as always.
Thoughts?
https://ebay.us/m/xlfU these both show some bitterness to me spent upon unforseen problems or modifications.
One has a troubled external, the other a troubled interior. Such is DIY, bit both have positives.