UKH

I'm currently looking at non converted vans and I'm wondering about the resale values of different makes/models. I'd be getting a professional conversion done and probably keep it for 3 years.

I know there's a "VW tax" which means I'd pay more for the van now but is it likely to make much difference 3 years down the line compared to getting say a Vivaro?

If it makes much difference I'd be getting a newish low mileage one rather than a beat up thing. 

One of the draws of a Vivaro (or similar) is that for a similar price to a transporter you can get manufacture fitted front and back windows (so all heating/wipers properly done) as well as air con, cruise control and sometimes sat nav. However if it becomes much harder to re-sell or is likely to depreciate much more then I'd be tempted to go VW.

Any opinions would be very welcome!

In my opinion they depreciate around the same. A 3 year old VW will be worse a lot more than a 3 year old vivaro but you paid a lot more for it in the first place. I'm not sure on new prices on transporters or vivaro but over Christmas I priced up Sprinters and Citron relays. Sprinter 28k, relay 15k. 5 years down the line the sprinter will be a 10k van but lost 18k, the relay will be a 5k van and lost 10k

 Cheers for the input. I suspected that might be the case. 

I guess the main thing might be that a VW camper has a larger target market than a Vivaro given the amount on driveways across the country. Therefore maybe a little easier to shift?

What's your budget? 

Edit: having back wipers is the least of your worries in a camper van. You can barely see out the back window anyway. That said having all the windows sorted will save a few hundred on a conversion. 

I ask about budget as professional conversions are stupid money once you add it all up. So buying a decent base van and a conversion will quickly look eye watering. 

I was thinking about £15k in total (though still need to price up additional insurance etc first and decide how much use it will actually get).

When I say professional, it would be done by a very professional friend. So likely to be much cheaper than a true professional company. 

I have sold VW, Ford, Merc over the last 20+ years.  I run a Merc Vito Campervan myself.

If I had £15k burning a whole in my pocket (Say 10k for the van and £5k for conversion) I would buy a Ford Custom.  I have my own personal opinions on them all which is why I run the Mercedes but, as with the VW you would be compromising age/mileage against cost.  I have never had a trade in Renault or Vauxhall which wasn't a load of trouble unfortunately.

Hijack!

any thoughts on the best box van to look at converting?

I've never owned a transporter as they are overpriced as a workhorse and usually low spec  - I've owned a VW polo and Scirroco both where just as reliable as any other brand car.

Had the use of vivario for about 6 months and found it a nice enough van. Slightly smaller than a SWB low roof transit.

My mercedes sprinter campervan has just died and finding anyone to look at it was the hard part. The recovery truck driver must have phoned about 30 garages, all busy when they heard it was a Mercedes Sprinter. Even my local mechanic once home pulled a funny face when I tried booking it in. But they are great vans when working.

Owned 3 transits and found the mk5's indestructible, the mk6 I owned spent just as much time in the garage as it did with me. In fact apart from the shell everything else had been replaced. I've been told the new Ford Adblue transits are terrible.

Currently driving a Renault Master but haven't had it long enough to draw any conclusions - seems ok despite the usual dont buy French recommendation.

Also owned an LDV Convoy & Maxus. The Convoy was old fashioned but bulletproof and the Maxus was probably the must reliable I've ever owned (apart from continuous clutch system faults). Think they have just started making the Maxus under a Chinese name but can see the depreciation being high.

I personally would try to test drive both and buy what you prefer to drive. There is more conversion fixtures tailored to VW transporters than other vans.

We've had a Renault Trafic for the last 6 years or so - a 9-seater as it happens but I'm sure mechanically they're all very similar. It's been a real workhorse, used for moving lots of people each summer, as a builders' van much of the rest of the time, while constantly serving as my own personal vehicle for getting around. We've had a few issues, most notably a gearbox failure, but given the over 100km it's done, the enormous space and utility it affords and the very few times it's caused us problems, I'd certainly be fine with getting another one.