Would you sell your 2nd car to buy a campervan?

[Hellocatshome]

So DH and I cant agree so I thought I would see what the general consensus was.

The situation is we have come into a small amount of money which somes with the stipulation it should be spent on something fun such as a holiday etc. Which is a shame as we have debts I would rather pay off with it but there are family members who would like to know what the money has been spent on so I cant do that.

It wouldn't be enough money to buy a campervan outright and to be honest even if it was we then couldn't afford to insure, tax, MOT it alongside 2 cars.

So my theory was sell our 2nd car (a little Peugeot 107) that I only use for the 10 minute commute to work and to nip to the shops. Put that money as well as our little bit of money together and buy a campervan not a huge one, one the size of a Transit van at the biggest. Then I could use that to go to work etc (parking not an issue) and also for little weekends away etc.

DH thinks no because the campervan we can afford would be old and therfore probably have a cost to keep in terms of getting it through its MOT etc whereas the Peugeot 107 is about 5 years old and in great condition so hardly costs us anything and is free to tax.

So what would you do?

To be honest this has given me an idea! Cheers!

I'd do what's best for my immediate family and sod what everyone else thinks.

The person who left you the money might have said 'spend it on something fun' but that can come when you're in a better financial position.

Your DH is right in that an old camper van will cost more to run, tax will be more for a start. It will also use more fuel, but that's less important if you don't drive it far. I wouldn't get rid of the peugeot, which sounds like a perfect second car, something that costs hardly anything to run.

I would pay the debts off and save for a camper van, perhaps in a couple of years time. In the meantime, I'd maybe use a modest amount of money to have some sort of holiday this year, but that might be easier said than done as just about all holidays will be terrible value for money this year due to massive demand. I think your best bet is looking for a Premier Inn in a less popular holiday destination, but somewhere where you can still have a nice time.

What's your budget for a camper van?

My bil and sil have done this. They only have one vehicle which they have changes for a vw t6, which they are converting to a campervan with a pop top roof. Cost them £20k. Works well for them. Good luck!

@DorisLessingsCat only about £7000 which I think is where the plan falls down as campervans at this price are fairly rough and ready engine and body work wise.

You could trade in car for something like a Berlingo and then look at conversion kits (like boot jump) - best of both worlds

@Hellocatshome yeah, you're not going to get something great at that price. We bought a 2017 van and are converting now, I don't think we will have much change from £25k

I did this - campervan is my only vehicle. It's more tax and costs more to run but I love my van and wouldn't be without it. It cost me 11k and despite it being 20 years old it so far hasn't cost he anything to put it through it's MOT.

However, I'd still pay off my debts first.

Pay your debts off first and sod what your relatives think!

What about a towing caravan and a bigger car to pull it if car number one isn't sufficient?

@AyyMacarena both DH and I are total wimps after being in a car that rolled with a caravan on the back we do not like the idea of towing a caravan at all even though it was probably a one off freak accident.

@groundcontroltomontydon ooh I like the look of those, would probably have to invest in a roof box for 'stuff'

I wouldn’t buy a campervan this year- they are in unusually high demand because of covid limiting everyone’s holiday options.

The market for vans is sky-high this year. My van has actually increased in value over this last year.

What you could do is hire one through a company like Quirky Campers or Yescapa.

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel so maybe wait a few years until everyone is sick of camping and wants to go abroad again.

@Hellocatshome

So DH and I cant agree so I thought I would see what the general consensus was.

The situation is we have come into a small amount of money which somes with the stipulation it should be spent on something fun such as a holiday etc. Which is a shame as we have debts I would rather pay off with it but there are family members who would like to know what the money has been spent on so I cant do that.

It wouldn't be enough money to buy a campervan outright and to be honest even if it was we then couldn't afford to insure, tax, MOT it alongside 2 cars.

So my theory was sell our 2nd car (a little Peugeot 107) that I only use for the 10 minute commute to work and to nip to the shops. Put that money as well as our little bit of money together and buy a campervan not a huge one, one the size of a Transit van at the biggest. Then I could use that to go to work etc (parking not an issue) and also for little weekends away etc.

DH thinks no because the campervan we can afford would be old and therfore probably have a cost to keep in terms of getting it through its MOT etc whereas the Peugeot 107 is about 5 years old and in great condition so hardly costs us anything and is free to tax.

So what would you do?

As an experienced motorhomer I would say don't do this. Due to Covid, the second hand market for motorhomes is bonkers. You will lose money in the long run. Using it is a major undertaking from the planning in advance (the campsites are always busy), the extra cleaning and the planning of any time away. We love it but it is hard work if you have children as bd you are working

A cheap old van is going to be impractical and unreliable as an everyday vehicle, and will not provide wonderful holidays.

I'd pay off the debt and tell the relatives who ask that you're saving the money for when holidays are easier to take. Then save up and start having fun holidays with that money.

[quote Hellocatshome]@TheCountessofFitzdotterel so maybe wait a few years until everyone is sick of camping and wants to go abroad again.[/quote]
Yeah, that’s what I reckon!
Hopefully the market will plummet in a couple of years when everyone realises the thing that seemed like a good idea in lockdown has been sitting on their drive costing them money and they haven’t had it out for months.

I have a two berth camper that is my only vehicle. It's based on a small van so it's easier on fuel etc than a big camper.

My dcs sleep.in pup tents when we go away. (This world depend on your dcs age of course)

Its big enough for us to all eat in.

You might find a smaller berth camper in your price range if pup tents are suitable for the dc

The other factor is that they are all diesel & the older ones are problematic in low emissions zones. There are no practical electric vans just now...

I'm in various groups on FB & some of the stories about moneypits are so sad People love their vans & keep pumping money into them.

I would say try hiring a Campervan for a week first, to make sure the reality is everything that you Dreamed it would be. There are plenty of people who have gone out and bought a load of someone else’s Troubles in disguise in the Shape of a cheap Campervan or Caravan.

One of the reasons that Caravans have always been the more popular option is that the tow vehicle can be used to get around fairly easily once you reach your destination, With a Campervan/Motorhome, you will hit various parking problems and restrictions on seafronts and car parks, including the dreaded Height barriers, and spaces too small to fit into.

Site fees are not cheap either, the average Caravan and Motorhome Club site fee for one nights stay for two adults is around £30 in Low season, and around £55 in high season. Motor homes cannot use any Campsite in All Weather, their sheer weight and bulk prohibits them from using Grass pitches in bad weather, they often cannot get enough traction to get going again in the Mud, and require a Hardstanding pitch.

DH has been a Caravanner now for many years, and we do have a nice little van, we have Club friends who have been down the Campervan route , but most of them agree that unless they are able to tow a ‘Toad’ car behind it, the Caravan is the better more practical option.

@SavannahLands we have hired little 60s VW campers many times and we absolutely love it. We don't find the having to use it to drive around at the location an issue (I know a lot of people do) in fact I find it quite handy as you can.always just nip in the back and whip up the sandwiches for lunch.

We paid £5.5k for our Mercedes sprinter camper. It's been bodged inside and we added some solar panels and better lighting/plug sockets to it initially BUT it's the best thing ever.

Our kids are 4 and 5 and think it's the most amazing thing in the world. We're not stressing over Sandy shoes being in there or keeping it pristine. We bought an awning and it's brilliant!

Now we've used it for a couple of years, we plan on ripping out the interior and reconfiguring it a bit to work better for us at the end of this summer.

It's definitely our Best Buy.