Recommend me a van. Time to sell the T4

[Raptor Mike]

So my R reg Transporter T4 could do with replacing. Its only done 108000 miles, which is nothing for one of those, and is well looked after (I'm a car valeter) but I would like a new/newer van. I'm quite keen on the Vivaro and am going to see Vauxhall tomorrow. I may go all out and do hp to get a pre reg or something.

I was surprised to see a Transporter around the same age as mine with similar miles on Autotrader for around £5,500. Does that sound about right? I know they have a good following.

So I was just wondering if anyone has recently purchase a new van of that size and what they got and is it any good.
Thanks.

 

[Cobra]

At previous company I drove a Citroen Berlingo and was doing just short of 30,000 miles a year.
It never missed a beat, and was comfortable enough, on some of my 300 + mile jaunts.
And with the side door option, its amazing how much stuff you can actually pack in one of those.

Some of the other guys had the Vivaro and I never heard any complaints,
but there seemed to be a lot a wasted space as they were carrying pretty much the same as I was.
I guess it depends on how much carry space you actually need.

 

[MWHCVT]

A friend of mine has had nothing but trouble with his Vaxhall Mini Bus/Disabled Taxi, having had to put thousands into repairs over the last few months and it's still not right...

 

[onomatopoeia]

I was surprised to see a Transporter around the same age as mine with similar miles on Autotrader for around £5,500. Does that sound about right? I know they have a good following.

Sounds high for a T4 unless it was a syncro or a camper conversion.

 

[Big Andy]

The obvious answer is a T5 if you have been happy with the T4. I'll be moving my T5 on in the next year and will replace with the same. One wheel bearing is the only part that failed in seven years and it's had quite a hard life as I use it off road when landscaping/fishing etc. being a 4X4 version. It's not had a high mileage though at around 100,000.

 

[onomatopoeia]

The obvious answer is a T5 if you have been happy with the T4. I'll be moving my T5 on in the next year and will replace with the same. One wheel bearing is the only part that failed in seven years and it's had quite a hard life as I use it off road when landscaping/fishing etc. being a 4X4 version. It's not had a high mileage though at around 100,000.

Kind of wish I'd bought a 4wd T5 rather than the Audi A6 I've got, but at the time there were vanishingly few about aside from imports.

I have a T25 syncro, but that's woefully underpowered for towing on the motorway.

 

[Big Andy]

Kind of wish I'd bought a 4wd T5 rather than the Audi A6 I've got, but at the time there were vanishingly few about aside from imports.
I have a T25 syncro, but that's woefully underpowered for towing on the motorway.

It is a great option but I had to order new to get that, there was nothing on the used market at the time. It's not a true off roader I know with the low ground clearance but I've had it take me all over the Brecon Beacons without problems and on the roads in snow with winter tyres it's just awesome.

 

[squintykid]

I've a new 08 style berlingo, it's a great car/ van and drives nice, but make sure you buy one that's well looked after

I had the turbo go on mine, fortunately while the car was still under warranty but your'e looking at about a £1500 quid bill to do the job properly. Apparently its due to a crummy 2p filter in the oil feed to the turbo, that gets clogged killing the turbo if the oils not changed on a very regular basis. Common fault on all 1.6 PSA Turbo Diesel's. The old style berlingo were mainly the 2.0 Hdi Engines, which were more reliable.

 

[Tirpitz]

Don't rush into selling it without checking prices in the various facebook groups etc.
T4's are going for strong money at the moment & as yours is low mileage it has a lot lore potential value to people who want to spend money on converting it.
if you wanted to add massive value to it fit a lowering kit (i paid £120 for a -70mm kit from T4rus) a second hand set of alloys (OZ splitrims in my case for £350) & mastic on a roof spoiler (£60 from ebay)
stick a few "Scene" related stickers in the back windows & as long as the bodywork isn't crumpled up like an old crisp packet you'll prob see £3,500 to £4,000 for it easily
if as a valeter the body is nice then more...
any money you spend on it will just add value, you don't get that with many other vehicles nowadays. spend a couple of quid on it, show season starts in 6 weeks, sell it on & get a fair chunk back as a deposit on your new one

 

[big soft moose]

I'm sorry but adding silly body kit and lowz devalues virtually any vehicle for general sale - particularly when you do it in a half arsed manner with mastic or for that matter moouse expansiff .

it may command slightly more from dubbers who like that kind of dross as a scene vehicle if you sell it on ebay, but inexpert bodgification will lower the price you'd get from a dealer or as a part ex

 

[Tirpitz]

deler PX on a van that old would be pennies, book value on an old van like that, again pennies..
the T4 forum is full of people laughing at the ridiculously low offers people like we buy any car.com offer as a std valuation when they know they can sell for thousands more!
as for using a Sikaflex type mastic to bond a spoiler on, what do you think professional bodyshops use to bond panelwork & trims?

by making it appeal to a VW enthusiast you will be able to take full advantage of whats widely known as "scene tax"..
i got a buddy in the west country who buys old builders vans, puts a set of audi alloys on, quick fill & spray the sides to make it look nice & that adds around 2grand to the £500 van

sell it as a std van or take advantage of the scene tax. your choice...
dealer px or std book value, no thanks.

 

[big soft moose]

sell it as a std van or take advantage of the scene tax. your choice...
dealer px or std book value, no thanks.

thats a bit like suggesting that the owner of an old passat should make it into a (p)rat look scene vehicle in order to sell it - great advice , reduce the value of your vehicle to anyone other than an incredibly small market in order to sell it to them :shake:

the story about your buddy just goes to show that some scene dubbers are thick - buying a derelict vehicle and buggering it up further doesnt actually make it worth 2k more at all , because anyone with half a brain who wants to drive arround in a scene vehicle (okay so thats an oxymoron but hey) will buy a derelict vehicle and b****r it up themselves

thinking that your knackered old van is worth 2.5k because its got phat loaz, alloyz (or worse multifitz) and half a tonne of fibre glass tat inexpertly glued on with mastic (by the way propper spoilers are generally bolted on - they have to be to withstand the airflow if they are acheiving any useful purpose rather than being pointless decorations) is barrynomics at its worst ... true lots of vans can be seen on ebay for that price, but they can also be seen not selling (shill bidding excepted)

 

[Raptor Mike]

Thanks all. For some reason I missed the alert for this so thought no one had replied.

I went to see Vauxhall yesterday and after 3 1/2 hour I am now waiting for my shiny new 15 reg Vivaro to be made. I'd have liked a T5 but £££££sss

Regarding the T4. Thats being sold privately. The guy at Vauxhall said his thing told him just shy of £1500, but we all know a T4 with just under 109k i really good condition is worth way more than that. (I'll post some pics soon so you can see what I mean). The general feel from people seems to be around the £4k mark so I recon it's gotta be worth a go for four and a half.

The biggest problem is that I have to use it until I sell it because of insurance, although they will let me have both for a fee.

Other than that it's just a case of removing the vinyls, mopping out the silhouettes and giving it a full valet.

And thanks for the suggestions but a berlingo is a bit small.

Regarding thing like alloys, you have to be so careful. I asked my old insurance company about adding alloys and they said no. They said that so many people may not be coverd because they've got alloys when the vehicle had steels as standard. Even undeclared blacked out windows can cause problems.

Thanks again all, I'm really excited now and havent been this excited about something I've bought since my bike... and maybe the house lol

 

[Tirpitz]

thats a bit like suggesting that the owner of an old passat should make it into a (p)rat look scene vehicle in order to sell it - great advice , reduce the value of your vehicle to anyone other than an incredibly small market in order to sell it to them :shake:

Who's talking about passats or even the rat scene? we're talking about a T4, an extremely popular vehicle as current prices more than clearly indicate. a few mods would indeed make it more appealing to those wanting to spend the money

the story about your buddy just goes to show that some scene dubbers are thick - buying a derelict vehicle and buggering it up further doesnt actually make it worth 2k more at all , because anyone with half a brain who wants to drive arround in a scene vehicle (okay so thats an oxymoron but hey) will buy a derelict vehicle and b****r it up themselves

Dubbers thick? maybe. he is based in the west country after all.... their money their choice. nobody is forcing them to buy them, half a brain or otherwise...
oh & tidying up the bodywork & bolting a set of alloys on is buggering it up? OK

thinking that your knackered old van is worth 2.5k because its got phat loaz, alloyz (or worse multifitz) and half a tonne of fibre glass tat inexpertly glued on with mastic (by the way propper spoilers are generally bolted on - they have to be to withstand the airflow if they are acheiving any useful purpose rather than being pointless decorations) is barrynomics at its worst ... true lots of vans can be seen on ebay for that price, but they can also be seen not selling (shill bidding excepted)

i'm pretty sure a spoiler on a van is more of a cosmetic addition than a truly functional aerodynamic aid AND a lot less than half a ton of fibreglass (although that would at least add half a ton downforce on the rear wheels lol)
i'll be sure to let everyone know that the addition of boltholes makes their spoilers "propper"
things are worth what people will pay for them, whether they are "worth" that in comparison to other similar vehicles from a different maker is neither here nor there. if people will pay for it then thats what its worth to them..
i'm suggesting that Raptor Mike takes advantage of the scene tax that people are more than willing to pay

i'd at least target it toward the right audience by any of the many facebook groups & sell it as a blank canvas ready for conversion or spend a little & get more back..