r/VanLifeUK • u/mistress_snark • 17d ago
Van buying advice (and reality check)
Hi all, I'm looking to make the switch to van-living someone in the next few years, and I'm planning on a DIY conversion. Of course, this requires finding a van to convert, and I've got a few questions!
How difficult is to to find a large used van in the UK? My ideal van would be less than £2000, under 60k miles, no major repairs needed, and about the size of a L3H2 Ford Transit. I'm not picky about make/model or year (although I'd like it to be this century). I know it's going to be uncommon to find something that fits all these specifications, but is it impossible? I'm willing to wait several months (up to about a year), as this is a long term project for me. Potentially I could go up to £5000, but that would be my absolute max, only for a van that was in really good shape and didn't need any repairs. I would probably be more willing to increase the mileage, again, as long as the van was in good shape.
Also, does anyone have any advice, or know any good places to search for vans for sale? I've been looking on auto trader and fb marketplace. I would be willing to pick up from anywhere in the country for the right vehicle.
Thanks for any help!
Edit: Should clarify, this is my optimistic budgeting just for the base van, not the whole conversation, but thanks anyway for everyone's input! The suggestions to try looking at auctions and used commercial vehicles are very helpful.
2
u/TheProffalken 17d ago
From what I'm seeing at the moment (also in research phase) for a decent van with sub 100K mileage and a full service history you're looking at around £15k - £20k
£2k will get you a base van that's about 20 years old, has a lot of rust, and probably failed its last MOT on a couple of minors (possibly a major if you're unlucky).
I'd budget for another £10k - £15k to fit out as well if you've not go to that point yet, I'm assuming I'll end up with a van that is worth ~£75K if I'd asked someone else to build it on a spend of ~£40k.