UKC

Buying a VW Caddy Maxi to Convert to a small camper - From those in the know, which is my best option of the following two? -


1. 2013 Maxi with 72k on the clock. Ex rental van - Good condition - £8,500.00
Top of my budget, nothing left for any conversion costs - will need to save up again

2. 2010 Maxi with 65k on the clock. Ex-British Gas van - £6,500
Three years older. Still in OK condition, but the three years show - Two grand left from budget for self conversion costs


Which would you go for and why?

In reply to ogreville:
7k difference in mileage....would depend on service history for me and overall condition including things like tyres etc...
My instinct would be the cheaper one but depends if you plan to use it as your car also?

In reply to ogreville:

Difficult one. The newer once would make sense, but as you say, its at the top of your budget. The ex-Gas one also has its pluses though.....its cheaper, and I'm assuming its still got all the racking in the back....you could remove and sell this to help pay for having it painted into a nicer colour. They also have extra security locks etc. as well don't they ?.

Mileages aren't really a concern on either - they run like clockwork....I'm assuming they're TDi not SDi.

I'd go for the ex-Gas van personally. It'll have been properly maintained and will generally have had just the one driver. Vans and Ex-Rental aren't always the best combination. Sell the racking, paint it into a proper colour (this will get rid of wear and tear marks on the body as well) and throw the rest at a nice conversion.

In reply to ogreville:

An ex rental gear box will have had a challenging life.

In reply to ogreville:

The gas van, no brainer. Unless you have hard evidence on the dearer van of its mileage, you have no idea what it has done. I bought a new caddy, years ago and didn't look after it. 3 years and a 100k later, it looked like new.

In reply to ogreville:

I'm guessing the 2010 is the 1.9 TDi engine and the newer one is the 1.6 TDi? I'd go for the older one, those engines are bombproof. I bought a swb Caddy with the 1.6 engine but test drove a Maxi, it fel under powered with the smaller engine. I guess it depends which BHP model it is but with the same BHP the 1.9 felt better for the larger van.

Also as others say, as a British Gas van so it will have been serviced properly, might want to check the cambelt and water pump have been done, due at 4 years / 65k miles - can be expensive (c£500) so would wipe out some of your conversion budget if not. Rental van could have been thrashed - who knows who has been driving it!

In reply to ogreville:

I'd go for BG over rental anytime, driven by 1 probably mechanically minded engineer vs thrashed by all and sundry.