Owing to have just sold my caravan I tipped my toes into looking at camper vans. The description of ones looked at seemed quite good until I went into their MOT history .Rust buckets seemed prominent along with suspension and steering. One in particular looked and said quite good until reading the MOT ,17 MOT of which 15 were fails. My range I looked at was from £13000 max.
Camper vans and MOT
- Thread starter Robert_374373903
- Start date
Camper vans re almost exclusively built on commercial vans. Being a commercial vehicle, their working life is limited by the high milage and often being driven harder compared to domestic cars.
Couple that to the fact that most businesses who buy or lease a new van are not concerned about longevity as their commercial interest will be typically only 3 to 5 years, They're more interested in minimising costs, so expensive long term rust prevention is usually not carried out.
As a result many will rust more extensively and reach end of life much sooner than cars.
Couple that to the fact that most businesses who buy or lease a new van are not concerned about longevity as their commercial interest will be typically only 3 to 5 years, They're more interested in minimising costs, so expensive long term rust prevention is usually not carried out.
As a result many will rust more extensively and reach end of life much sooner than cars.
Have you looked at campervans that were built on new chassis vehicles. They are more likely to have been looked after by their respective owners. There’s an Autosleeper near us, a 2003 registered vehicle and it is immaculate. Here's a link to a similar camper within your budget.
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The commercial vans are built for a short hard life and the components sourced accordingly. In practice the motor home builders have to use these, but they are not really right for the job.
There is a big difference between a Campervan and a Motor home. Many Campervans are generally "domestic" and probably are not based on commercial vehicles.
By definition camper VAN is based on a van and is thus derived from a a commercial vehicle or chassis.
Every campervan I’ve seen has been based on a commercial vehicle, even the little Citroen Romahomes.
Okay never thought of the VW Camper as a being a commercial vehicle. However campervans do not have the habitation compartment added like motor homes.
The VW Camper has always been a conversion of the Transporter commercial van - some small commercial vans have spawned passenger vehicles like the Berlingo in recent years.
The difference between a coach built motorhome or a campers converted van body is not the issue. Which ever you have they both rely on commercial van product. The van manufacturer is not going to make special provisions to add any additional anti corrosion protection, as in most cases they will have no idea which cab is going to end up as a motorhome, or camper van conversion.
Perhaps the coach builder or converter should get the underlying cab and chassis protected?
Perhaps the coach builder or converter should get the underlying cab and chassis protected?
The VW Kombi was not originally based on a commercial chassis. It was a bus like vehicle for domestic use. In later years it became the Transporter in various configurations like pick up, vans etc.
What the source of the vehicle is not really the point of this thread regardless of the source, there is a general trend for motorhome and campervans built on commercial chassis to have poorer resistance to life limiting corrosion. Even within that general group some will be better than others and of course if you want to find exceptions to the group you will find some. What difference does it make? It won't change the experience of the OP and the reason for it.
It started as a commercial van.
Courtesy of Wikipedia "The Volkswagen Type 2 is a forward control light commercial vehicle introduced in 1950 by the German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model. Known officially (depending on body type) as the Transporter, Kombi or Microbus"
Okay but at least with my 1975 Yellow Peril Kombi was not a commercial vehicle and could accommodate people, surf boards and fishing tackle with ease and still have room for a crate or three of beer!
No sign of rust despite heavy useand high mileage in a very hot and humid climate. I guess our definitions of a campervan and a motorhome will always differ!
In my view there is an overlap where both "campervan" and "motorhome" are used to describe the same vehicle, regardless of whether it's a conversion of a commercial panel van or a specialist body fitted to a commercial van chassis cab - and I suspect that people who aren't caravanners or motorhomers will use either term to describe anything that can be slept in, from a US-market RV right down.
Thank you for info , [ think I would be out of order to comment on vehicleHave you looked at campervans that were built on new chassis vehicles. They are more likely to have been looked after by their respective owners. There’s an Autosleeper near us, a 2003 registered vehicle and it is immaculate. Here's a link to a similar camper within your budget.
Auto Trader Motorhomes - New and Used Motorhomes For Sale
Find your next motorhome with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used motorhomes. Over 7,000 motorhomes online. Simple, easy, quick!
I only offered it as something to consider. They have a few more comforts cf many campervans.
Well ,it has been a revelation looking for campervans. What looked and was said by seller until going on to the Gov web site for MOT was amazing, to me that is, Some times comical. My caravan was 23 years old and the buyer was over the moon so much they paid up front before picking it up.
Glad everything worked out for you so well and you can start looking for the right campervan to meet your needs. Good Luck
At a £13000 level or below you are unfortunately in the lower sector of the market. They will be older, have higher mileages and or may looked travel worn. So not surprising that there are more MOT pick ups than most of us would like to see. Some I looked at circa 2000 had 6-8 previous owners. I would be reluctant to buy a car with that many owners , stand fast a nice classic.
At moment putting my thoughts on campervans aside now booked the old Lochs and Glens for the train journey one .Plus a week fishing from a veranda up north,
My father used L&G and my wife has had two holidays with them, and our daughter, granddaughter (then17) and her friend all thoroughly enjoyed them. They did the Tattoo, and the train one. Hope you enjoy it.
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That was my conclusion when I looked at motorhomes last year (before buying a caravan). Granted I was looking for something with a shower and toilet, but £20k wouldn't get me anything under 15 years old with sensible mileage. I'd be reluctant to buy a car that old.
Around 1974 I bought a new Cortina GXL vynal roof and as the brochure that Ford printed for that model. Before picking it up we had it Ziebart undersealed which was all the latest thing , or so I thought. after three years wife took it over as I had another car. At ten years old the Cortina failed for first time with rust where the suspension legs are, so much for undersealing. She had new wings fitted and never had them resealed.
I hope you have a lovely time seeing the Lochs and Glens and the fishing is fab
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