Build or Buy ?

RAW

Forum Member
What would you do and why ?
Budget Max is £6,000
Would you look at a Base Vehicle and Build or buy something that is built and modify if necessary ?
Could you even do a build in £6000
Thanks
 

Deleted member 4404

Build every time.
Once you have your base vehicle, you can build in the features you want, when you have time and can afford it. A scrap/cheap caravan can be a good source of parts. You will also end up with exactly what you want, not what a group of MoHo designers think you want.
Whatever you decide, good luck with it (y)
 
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wildebus

Forum Member
What is doable on a budget depends of what you want to do!

Are you looking at a full featured motorhome vehicle with Shower, Hot Water, Fridge, Heating, lots of ability to stay off-grid. Or are you looking for a Tin Tent in terms of features? or probably somewhere in between?

I would say £6k is pretty tight generally if you are including a base vehicle of reasonable quality. Just break down each area into logical sections and work out the costs...

e.g.
Fridge - New Compressor Fridge - £500
Electrics - Battery, chargers, Solar, cables, sockets, etc - £1,000
Hob & Sink, Tap, Pump, Water Containers, etc - £500
etc.


A scrap caravan can be useful for some parts I agree, but don't expect to just move it from Caravan to Van without a great deal of modification (caravans are a lot wider and their sides are a lot straighter!). I considered this option for a (very) short time.
 

RAW

Forum Member
Dear Wildebus

I am looking for something in-between really to test the waters. That being the case it's probably better as a start in many ways to buy something that is complete'ish as a van to use to see if I like the experience of life on the road. Answering my own question in part, and as you say I don't have a large budget so in that way it is quite a challenge.

Cheers
Robert
 

wildebus

Forum Member
I wouldn't discount a finished or semi-built conversion in that case as you say. Many people have this idea of building a camper and find they either loose interest, run out of money or it is beyond their ability. You can pick up usable basic campers within your price range and you will get a good idea of what you like and don't like, and what you need and don't need.
As an example, loads of people would not entertain a Camper/Motorhome without a Shower. But plenty of those folk with that Must-Have have NEVER used their shower as they stay at Campsites with Shower Facilities.

If it is a good base, you can strip out and redo as you want; if not, sell on like you bought it.

Ref Base Vehicles - expect to pay a hefty premium for a VW based conversion (and Sprinters as well) - the base vehicle if in a decent condition will take up a majority of your £6k budget. You are probably best looking at Transit bases at a guess for most bang-for-the-buck.
 

RAW

Forum Member
That's helpful thanks
Just noticed your links at the bottom of the post
Will take a look
 

n brown

Forum Member
6 grand is plenty for a self build ,assuming you either do what Chris says and buy a caravan, the best bet , or keep looking on gumtree or ebay to get what you need secondhand. i too consider using caravan furniture a no-no, but all the bits and pieces will save thousands. my sprinter cost me £1300 and £400 for materials , but i had all the appliances ,hatches ,windows etc from my last van
 

mistericeman

Forum Member
We spent about 3500 including buying the transit Jumbo....
Self sufficient power wise (solar/split charge inverter etc) and raised double bed at rear with storage under....

Worked for us as a very comfortouble tin tent....

Now changed to a Motorhome so transit will be up for grabs shortly....
IMG_20190302_205003.jpg
IMG_20190316_172004.jpg
IMG_20181023_100224.jpg
 

Millie Master

Forum Member
I would never ever consider buying either a professionally converted or privately converted van as you honestly don't know what you are buying!

My base van cost me £3,500 and I know I could have converted it within your budget @RAW, however as my plan was to build it to the highest standards I could achieve whilst still utilising my DIY skills I bought and fitted only brand new components such as the 12V fridge, hob, sink etc. and of course splashing out getting on for £500 on the spray foam insulation. The reason I went down this route was that we had decided to do the best we could on an old van, then if we liked it we would sell it and buy either a new or nearly new van and do it all over again......... and that's where we failed, as we love 'Millie' so much and wouldn't change a single thing about her, that we have saved the £30k that would have cost!!

Over the years I have watched in absolute gob smacked amazement what the guru of low cost conversions, i.e. the utterly amazing @n brown has achieved and now on here there is another perfect example in the excellent conversion that @Edina turned out and now we also have @GEOFF using his glassfibre moulding skills to convert a LDV Maxus to such an amazingly high standard and yet without throwing the ££££ boat out.

So as far as I am concerned RAW, go on grab a van by the balls and do it yourself, my only suggestion being to only consider doing it in a van that has a fully galvanised body that doesn't melt in front of your eyes into a pile of rust!

Phil
 

RAW

Forum Member
We spent about 3500 including buying the transit Jumbo....
Self sufficient power wise (solar/split charge inverter etc) and raised double bed at rear with storage under....

Worked for us as a very comfortouble tin tent....

Now changed to a Motorhome so transit will be up for grabs shortly.... View attachment 1195View attachment 1196View attachment 1197
How much are you wanting for the transit, could you PM me or send me some more details on it please ?
Thanks
Robert
 

RAW

Forum Member
I would never ever consider buying either a professionally converted or privately converted van as you honestly don't know what you are buying!

My base van cost me £3,500 and I know I could have converted it within your budget @RAW, however as my plan was to build it to the highest standards I could achieve whilst still utilising my DIY skills I bought and fitted only brand new components such as the 12V fridge, hob, sink etc. and of course splashing out getting on for £500 on the spray foam insulation. The reason I went down this route was that we had decided to do the best we could on an old van, then if we liked it we would sell it and buy either a new or nearly new van and do it all over again......... and that's where we failed, as we love 'Millie' so much and wouldn't change a single thing about her, that we have saved the £30k that would have cost!!

Over the years I have watched in absolute gob smacked amazement what the guru of low cost conversions, i.e. the utterly amazing @n brown has achieved and now on here there is another perfect example in the excellent conversion that @Edina turned out and now we also have @GEOFF using his glassfibre moulding skills to convert a LDV Maxus to such an amazingly high standard and yet without throwing the ££££ boat out.

So as far as I am concerned RAW, go on grab a van by the balls and do it yourself, my only suggestion being to only consider doing it in a van that has a fully galvanised body that doesn't melt in front of your eyes into a pile of rust!

Phil
Hey Phil

I appreciate the time, effort and information you have put into this thread with your reply.
I do understand where you are coming from and my own DIY skills are better than my motor mechanic skills and being an ex-builder I have some knowledge of woodworking, plumbing, insulation and the rest. My concern is though that I do not even know if I will like the motorcaravanning experience so I am reluctant to put lots of time, energy and money into a build project and think it best to buy something prebuilt first and if I enjoy the experience then to move on with some knowledge and self-build the next one.

Cheers
Robert
 

Millie Master

Forum Member
Hey Phil
My concern is though that I do not even know if I will like the motorcaravanning experience.
Cheers
Robert

Believe me Robert, when after 30 odd years of being a tugger (touring caravan owner and caravan site builder and owner), no one was more suspicious about the supposed pleasures of owning a motorhome/campervan which is exactly the reason why we decided to buy an old van in the first instance to convert as I explained previously.
But now some 4 + years later I/we honestly can't even begin to understand why we didn't do the amazing transformation many, many years ago as the owning of one of these honestly does give you so much freedom! BUT the design has to be absolutely correct for your own individual requirements, which is why I always suggest to anyone contemplating this exercise to spend forever and day undertaking this vita exercise.

Never forget that a bad experience with a poorly designed or built conversion can tarnish you viewpoint forever.

Phil
 
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RAW

Forum Member
Hey Phil
Do you have an image Gallery of Millie and the work you have done ?

Thanks
 

Millie Master

Forum Member
Hey Phil
Do you have an image Gallery of Millie and the work you have done ?

Thanks

Robert; I have just put an album together in my media section which is tilted The Design And Build Of 'Millie', I hope it works............. oh and when going through it I suggest you work backwards from the end to the start as doing it that way you will see it in the correct order.
Phil
 

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