To maintain or get a different one

[andromeda]

Had some resealing done on van yesterday. Estimate of approx perhaps a thousand pounds a year to keep it usable (significant damp). It would cost a lot to gut and reseal. Van is 18 years old. If I was 60 getting a new to me van would be a definite viable attraction for many reasons but now not so much. My home also has issues and I'm not about to fulltime in van.
Thoughts please on financials of both options. I physically cannot do labour on van and don't have knowledge base to play with the technicals.
Thanks for reading

 

[marchie]

Had some resealing done on van yesterday. Estimate of approx perhaps a thousand pounds a year to keep it usable (significant damp). It would cost a lot to gut and reseal. Van is 18 years old. If I was 60 getting a new to me van would be a definite viable attraction for many reasons but now not so much. My home also has issues and I'm not about to fulltime in van.
Thoughts please on financials of both options. I physically cannot do labour on van and don't have knowledge base to play with the technicals.
Thanks for reading

Crunch question: Can you afford to put £20pw/£83pm to one side purely for the damp repairs, and are you inclined to do so? What would be the cost of buying a replacement Van, could you afford the payments with interest rate rises still working through to Loans/Dealer Finance, and would you be inclined to commit to a 5-10 year borrowing commitment?

Black Horse Finance will lend on M/Homes up to 17 years old, so yours is only just past the cut off point

Would it cost you more/less than £1000 plus insurance, VED, Servicing & Repairs to have the holidays/breaks away than paying for somethiing like holiday breaks with Warner Leisure Hotels or similar, and does that type of break appeal more/less to you?

Steve

 

[Norfolk NewBoy]

My van is now 21y old and I'm 72. When Dad died he left enough money for me to buy brand new (or get a good replacement second-hand). However, it was during Covid and MHs were a bit like hens teeth. I was very tempted to spend the money but logic said no.

My van has needed some repairs and getting bits is becoming more difficult. However, so far I've managed. Getting a leak where the hab joined the cab sorted cost me approx £200 two years ago (mates rates).
LEZs mean that I'm being more restricted in where I can travel but that will soon mean only zero-emission vehicles can go everywhere AND there aren't any leisure vehicles which fit that criterion.
Modern vehicles will get more mpg than mine. IF I do 6000 miles per year @ 25 mpg I burn 240 gals, approx £1440. IF I can get to 40mpg (unlikely) I burn 150 gals, approx £900. So I would only save £540 pa.
If I have to scrap my vehicle tomorrow, I lose £15k(?) having bought it for £32k 16y ago (=£2k pa). A more modern vehicle might not need to be scrapped if things go wrong but I'd have the hassle of selling it and would probably lose more money.
Is that worth spending £60k? I didn't think so BUT you have to make your own decisions.

Gordon

 

[andromeda]

Crunch question: Can you afford to put £20pw/£83pm to one side purely for the damp repairs, and are you inclined to do so? What would be the cost of buying a replacement Van, could you afford the payments with interest rate rises still working through to Loans/Dealer Finance, and would you be inclined to commit to a 5-10 year borrowing commitment?

Black Horse Finance will lend on M/Homes up to 17 years old, so yours is only just past the cut off point

Would it cost you more/less than £1000 plus insurance, VED, Servicing & Repairs to have the holidays/breaks away than paying for somethiing like holiday breaks with Warner Leisure Hotels or similar, and does that type of break appeal more/less to you?

Steve

Thanks Steve. Warner breaks; grief anything more than a weekend I'd run for the hills. Also wouldn't get many long breaks with them for a thousand squid I would think.
Trouble with loans and things I discovered credit rating changed at 70 even if income didn't.

 

[andromeda]

My van is now 21y old and I'm 72. When Dad died he left enough money for me to buy brand new (or get a good replacement second-hand). However, it was during Covid and MHs were a bit like hens teeth. I was very tempted to spend the money but logic said no.

My van has needed some repairs and getting bits is becoming more difficult. However, so far I've managed. Getting a leak where the hab joined the cab sorted cost me approx £200 two years ago (mates rates).
LEZs mean that I'm being more restricted in where I can travel but that will soon mean only zero-emission vehicles can go everywhere AND there aren't any leisure vehicles which fit that criterion.
Modern vehicles will get more mpg than mine. IF I do 6000 miles per year @ 25 mpg I burn 240 gals, approx £1440. IF I can get to 40mpg (unlikely) I burn 150 gals, approx £900. So I would only save £540 pa.
If I have to scrap my vehicle tomorrow, I lose £15k(?) having bought it for £32k 16y ago (=£2k pa). A more modern vehicle might not need to be scrapped if things go wrong but I'd have the hassle of selling it and would probably lose more money.
Is that worth spending £60k? I didn't think so BUT you have to make your own decisions.

Gordon

Yes I've just been quoted £200 to sort seals at front (not mates rate) and possibly £250 for taking out and resealing back window.
As I have damp in my home as well there's a bit of juggling to do financially.
I love my old van and am familiar with it; one of the problems with the decision.
Not bothered with latest tech as long as I can access the internet.

 

[marchie]

Thanks Steve. Warner breaks; grief anything more than a weekend I'd run for the hills. Also wouldn't get many long breaks with them for a thousand squid I would think.
Trouble with loans and things I discovered credit rating changed at 70 even if income didn't.

I had a quite acerbic exchange with a Hispanic [with all the faux Americanisms] Loan Assessor when I wanted to buy the Folding Caravan. The loan had been approved but the model I wanted had been sold, but the Dealer did have a neewer, better equipped, more expensive alternative model. Rang the Bank to amend the Loan, but was declined by the cheesy Loan Assessor who told me sarcastically that he had already been generous in his treatment of my income and the 'standard interpretation' would have been to approve a Loan of £1500 less than he had granted, NOT £1500 more ..

So I asked him if it were conceivable that his employer, the Bank, might ever make him redundant in the next round of cutbacks. When he confirmed that this was possible and indicated that he would need to find another job to pay his bills, mortgage etc, I retorted, 'Well, I only have to wake up in the morning. As long as one eye opens, my pension income is guaranteed and most of it has minimum increases built in each year ...

Got the loan via a Credit Union at a lower rate than the Bank so the sanctimonious Loan Assessor did me a favour [favor?] in a backhanded way!

Steve

 

[Molly 3]

I had a new large remis wind up skylight fitted £180 Including materials £250 for a rear window re fit £10 , for materials is a bit pricey, time to shop around Marquise quoted same price 2 hours labour for rooflight I used a local mobile repairer that did it at home ring Marquise they should give you a price over the phone ,

 

[wildebus]

I think it will be true to say if you get a new one, a new-to-you one, OR keep what you have, it will still cost you money to maintain. Maybe not in keeping damp at bay, but in other ways.
Better the devil you know? especially if apart from the damp issues the van suits you?

 

[andromeda]

I think it will be true to say if you get a new one, a new-to-you one, OR keep what you have, it will still cost you money to maintain. Maybe not in keeping damp at bay, but in other ways.
Better the devil you know? especially if apart from the damp issues the van suits you?

Yep I'm beginning to think that way having looked at prices on vans.

 

[Trigger]

My Chausson Lowline passed the MOT Monday with one advisory , brake pipe rubber hose ferule looked rusty, had that fixed the next day, so all clear , my van is 54 plate 80, 000 miles , I have had it 10 years now and been a great van 3.5 tonnes fixed French bed and another double from the dinette, never been used , I am going to sell my van as we are going to Downsize our home and am having difficulty finding a home with sufficient parking for it 6.7 metres in the areas we want to live, I will get another Van when we have moved and settled , I am going to market the van at £20, 000 and see what happens, Any suggestions on this Please .

 

[witzend]

I have been thinking of changing our van almost did at the start of covid. Since then I've been considering it but when looking what newer vans cost to keep them running I've decided to keep what I got

 

[Sharon the Cat]

Personally I think what suits you and you are well used to, especially if solo, counts for an awful lot. Better the devil you know?

 

[We Luv Freedom]

It sounds like u may need a bottom less pit of ££££ money to stay on the road,,,,
IMO its all about financies ££££
If the budget steps u towards your limit then a deffo no / no as never owed a penny to anyone & never had a credit card.
But if u can exchange without debt then grab the bull by the horns & go for it

 

[Caz]

I was trying to sell my van, gave it 3 months and gave up. I'll stick with it another year. It does cost a lot to keep it going - but then I guess a newer one would be losing more in depreciation anyway.
The market seems to be flooded at the minute with older vans and selfbuilds that were knocked together during Covid and with such a lousy summer they've all decided to get rid and go abroad again. Plus introduction of the ULEZ means everyone wants ULEZ compliant vans. I got sick of people wanting to buy it then changing their minds, or saying they'd let me know either way and not bothering to.
I missed out on most of spring and early summer camping this year, staying at home with an empty van on the drive for showing to potential buyers.

 

[Trigger]

I was trying to sell my van, gave it 3 months and gave up. I'll stick with it another year. It does cost a lot to keep it going - but then I guess a newer one would be losing more in depreciation anyway.
The market seems to be flooded at the minute with older vans and selfbuilds that were knocked together during Covid and with such a lousy summer they've all decided to get rid and go abroad again. Plus introduction of the ULEZ means everyone wants ULEZ compliant vans. I got sick of people wanting to buy it then changing their minds, or saying they'd let me know either way and not bothering to.
I missed out on most of spring and early summer camping this year, staying at home with an empty van on the drive for showing to potential buyers.

I listed mine on Market place today and have already had 3 Irish gents contact me could tell they were scammers so got shot of them, another gent called in to my home today as my van is on my drive with for sale sign on it, he was over the moon with it and said cash or bank transfer would be OK just had to speak with his wife and would get back to me straight away, NOT HEE HEE, Another market place contact wants the van calling in 2 morro he says, think he is Polish going by his name, he said he is paying up front and I should delete my add on Marketplace as my van is now sold NO I said it is not sold till I have the money in my hand never got a reply to that so not expecting him to turn up, all this in the first 4 hours of advertising the van hee hee,

 

[gasgas]

I tried facebook, but after about 30 seconds it just went round and round in circles, press this press that press the other. Back to the start: press this press that press the other. Repeat. I gave up but I wish I knew how because people do say it's a good place to sell stuff. Ebay is amazingly expensive, you only get about 80% and they take 20%.

 

[wildebus]

I tried facebook, but after about 30 seconds it just went round and round in circles, press this press that press the other. Back to the start: press this press that press the other. Repeat. I gave up but I wish I knew how because people do say it's a good place to sell stuff. Ebay is amazingly expensive, you only get about 80% and they take 20%.

charges on ebay depends on what you are selling.

If you are selling a vehicle - including a campervan - there is an initial listing fee of between £15-£20 and if it sells via eBay, there is a final value fee of upto £45. So a maximum of £65 charged which is reasonable enough for the market reach and the fees will be more than made up by the better price obtained.

As far as Campers go, I have bought via Forums and Autotrader, and sold via Forums and eBay. I don't think I would try and sell a Campervan on Facebook Marketplace. People go on there to find "bargains" and expect to haggle everything down or are just trying it on. For myself, I put things up for the price I think they are worth and if someone doesn't want to pay that price, so be it, they don't buy it. Don't do haggling. (though I did make a counter-offer for someone who offered silly money for my stripey camper... knocked off £0.01. Didn't hear back from them again )

 

[Trigger]

I tried facebook, but after about 30 seconds it just went round and round in circles, press this press that press the other. Back to the start: press this press that press the other. Repeat. I gave up but I wish I knew how because people do say it's a good place to sell stuff. Ebay is amazingly expensive, you only get about 80% and they take 20%.

FB MARKET Place selling is very easy to navigate, , easy to post pictures and good responses usually, I sell lots of bits on there with great success, always collection only , get some odd questions from some folks like how much's the item, where do you live , what are the measurements etc, all this info is in the add if they only read it first, but hey ho there is no accounting for folks as they say.
So I have hopes that my Van add will succeed , on there , time will tell, not bothered either way really as not forced to sell just a whim really but with a house move looming it would help if it were gone as I do not want to put the van in storage , but may have too ?

 

[Trigger]

Sold our van on FB MARKET PLACE in 5 days a few time wasters as expected and 3 Irish wanting it for nothing any way a couple came to see it paid bank transfer money snug in our account now turned into Premium bonds so Recomend Market place got £1000. Less than my asking price so well pleased with that as I guessed at its value or rather what I wanted for it so right on the mark I thought, also had an offer on our Bungalow sale also asking price so fingers crossed for a new home too.

 

[nabsim]

The problem these days with Facebook marketplace is the amount of scams on it. Used to be great but I would be wary now. You can see many really obvious scams but Facebook do nothing to remove them.