Low cost van camper keeps its value - forever

[offroad]

Am proposing that a low cost camper van will always keep its value forever.&nbsp; You just need to fix the problem repairs, and keep it from rusting.&nbsp; All parts that wear out can be replaced as a repair.&nbsp; <br><br>say you buy a used van for less than $5000 would think that it should remain between $2000 and $4000 forever.&nbsp; <br><br>Discussion?

 

[caseyc]

It would certainly be worth more for me to keep it especially after sinking so much $$ for various upgrades and repairs.

 

[Ziggy Moon]

Well, I bought my 1993 in 2007(?) for $1,000 and I'm sure I could get that for it now (I think/hope). But yeah, I agree, offroad. <br><br>Yet, it would probably depend on how much you dump into it (if you need to convert/build it into a camper). I guess to most it would depend on the miles on the odometer..... ? ....... well heck, there could be many variables that would determine a camper vans resale value.

 

[Van-Tramp]

I 100% agree.<br><br>After 10 years a (good) vehicle has depreciated about all it is going to depreciate (as long as it is taken care of obviously). The value of a mid-90's van will roughly stay the same for many more years. It may depreciate more if you do not care for it, but it may even increase in value a tick if you add some things to it (much like a house).<br><br>Van conversions usually have more value than a straight passenger or cargo van. For instance, mine as a van conversion (not a true class-B) is worth more than a cargo van (but less than a class-B). While a cargo van the same age as mine can be had for $1000 or less, I bought my van in 2010 for just over $3000 and have invested another $800-1000 into the general upkeep over that time (including tires, brakes, tune-ups, and repairs). I know I'd have no problems selling it for $4000+ today since it is so unique (fiber-top, extended, etc... fairly rare) but it has a very small market (only us weirdo's want a big van conversion, not your average soccer mom). I did have it on the market last year for $7000 and had offers in that range, but decided not to sell (I was going to get a class-C, but chose not too).<br><br>Take the recent home-made one I sold just a few weeks ago: It was a simple mini-van that I self-built into a small camper van (<a rel="nofollow" href="/post/Cheap-mini-camper-van-6410582" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">you can see it here</span></a>). I bought the van itself for $600, did the repairs needed to make it run properly (including new tires) built up a minor camping van interior, and sold it to a woman in Boulder, CO who wanted a mini camper van for herself and her dog to do weekend camping trips. It's value as a "passenger van" was zero, but as a camper... it sold for $1200 in less than 24 hours on Craig's List. <br><br>On the same subject, I have a 1978 Datsun which I purchased for $1200 in 2002. I've had cash-in-hand offers for $3500 for it and it continues to increase in value. At some point, a vehicle gets old enough, that if it is well taken care of, it's value will begin to increase again. For instance, a well maintained mid-80's VW camper van goes for two or three times the cost of my big Dodge, even with half the floor space as mine.<br><br>A fun subject to ponder and discuss...

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">I agree, <BR>as the saying goes.....use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.<BR></SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">The only real bad thing is staying by the beach to long where your old vehicle starts to rust out badly like my old motorhome/box truck&nbsp;cab did.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">I had no regrets pulling her apart as the original box truck/motorhome didn't cost a fortune to build and saved me a lot of money in the long run over the 15 years in use.<BR>It was dearer to buy an old replacement cab (if I could find one) than to buy another cab chassis truck hence starting fresh with a newer truck.<BR>In saying that the alloy pantec (box bit) was recycled into my current cabin, so got recycled&nbsp;again.......&nbsp;</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><STRONG><EM><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">below the old girl just kept going but that rust......new owner still using it.<BR><BR>Yeh <BR>Van-Tramp agree on the old becomes collectable 76 K100 KW now increasing in collectabilty value. Might have to rename this forum to vintage RVing ?<IMG class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"></SPAN></EM></STRONG>

 

[bobbert]

<p>Value? -How about someone asking Brenda Curtis here on Cheaprvliving about how much insurance money she got for her Chevy Astrovan <strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">after</span> </em></strong>it got totaled out when she rolled it over &amp; over again on it's roof over the western highway, just after her transmission had a &nbsp;fresh rebuild...</p><p>...oh &amp; it had no rust, and had lot's of money sunk into it.</p>

 

[James AKA Lynx]

It really depends on how much rust it has. There is stress points that flex and create rust and holes.<br><br>James AKA Lynx

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">bobbert,<BR>Its just as easy to total a new vehicle. It happens.<BR>I never buy any vehicle to sink some money into it, to make money out of it. You would be pretty nieve to think any RV based vehicle is going to make you money, (it's nice if it does) thats not what its about.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Buy old or new based on weather you are happy with it, not, am I going to make a return on this. The investment is how much am I going to save in accommodation (and sanity) &nbsp;in the long run.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">I also believe full insurance is a waste of money, (just third party)&nbsp;I would rather bank that money saved for the purchase of a replacement vehicle, engine, gearbox or whatever if a need it.<BR>James, yeh that rust was bad,&nbsp;roof was eaten out and the footwells weren't much better, the truck is a&nbsp;yard water truck now.&nbsp;</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM>

 

[bobbert]

<p>I figured that the point of my particular reply would've clearly demonstrated that <em>monetary</em> value means nothing to anybody!<br>-Including the insurance companies out there.&nbsp;</p><p>Out here in Ohio, if a person takes an old vehicle, maintains <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>all</em> </span>of it, including the motor, body &amp; etc. then tries to turn around &amp; sell it, then <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>almost </em></span><em>&nbsp;</em>any buyer would give the seller what it's worth in accordance to an authoritative source (such as Kelly Blue Book &amp; others). Buyers such as dealers, or non-dealer-buyers douchebags that try to convince the seller that the vehicle is only worth what Blue Book (&amp; others) value it at, GIVEN THE MILEAGE and <em>perhaps</em>, the age as well.&nbsp;</p><p>Also, an insurance company (in Ohio) will tell you what an older vehicle is worth, no matter what the condition is, because <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>the age</strong></em></span> is the primary determining factor of value (on an old vehicle).&nbsp;</p><p><br>The vehicle owner would have to insure it as a classic vehicle &amp; pay Collector-Car/Vehicle Insurance premiums in accordance to whatever the company determines.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.progressive.com/collector-car-insurance/collector-car/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.com/collector-car-insurance/collector-car/</a></p><p>Oh, and Collector Car Insurance doesn't insure daily-driven cars, as well as, r/v, or vehicle camping vehicles, <em>thus monetary value doesn't mean a thing</em>.</p><p>Now, <strong>sentimental value</strong>, well, that is a whole different thing, except "Offroad" never mentioned that in his question.</p><p>Matter of fact, "Offroad" never made reference to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>whom or what</em></span> the perceived "value" is in the first place, so there you go!&nbsp;</p>

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geeze mate,&nbsp;</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">a&nbsp;bit rough having a go at someones spelling.&nbsp;I thought this was a happy forum, where little things like that are forgiven.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">In Oz our insurance doesn't work like yours so I can not comment.&nbsp;I just merely commented on your reference to insurance on that roll over, itself a change off course on the subject, hey but thats cool.<IMG class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif"></SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">&nbsp;Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM>

 

[bobbert]

<p>I'm sorry.</p><p>I just found out I have to get surgery for carpal tunnel yesterday when I wrote that...</p><p>Sometimes I take anger out in my writing...</p><p>Again, I apologize....</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

 

[wagoneer]

After all the purchase price and repairs I am looking at 7500.00. The amount of enjoyment received is yet to be determined and has no monitory calculation. that's a lot of money for a 12 year old van and ask me if I care. I basically got what I wanted and was lucky enough to have the funds in line to pay.

 

[ice_maiden]

A couple years ago I bought a clean, low miles, 96 Mazda Pick-up for $1200. Six months later that truck was rear-ended hard enough that it bent the frame. Insurance totaled it and paid $3200 for the truck because they considered the miles, condition and year.

This past Halloween night my brother's 04 Land Rover, was side swiped outside his apartment building in Houston. They hit is so hard that it slid the vehicle over and broke the wheels on the curb side. He had to claim it on his uninsured motorist so he got to pay the 1K deductible. So he got 7500 for a car he paid 9K for 2 years ago.

So I guess, whether or not a car holds it value depends on how well you shop in the first place. And the value if it gets crashed depends on your insurance company and where you are located

 

[wagoneer]

What would you pay (if you have the dough) to keep the rain and snow from your body??

 

[Ballenxj]

I try and base all my vehicle purchases on the ease and availability for finding repair parts etc. That being said, I also use the criteria of how well I like the vehicle for it's ability to have fun with or usability. I have noticed that vehicles go down for about ten years, then stabilize, then if you're lucky become well kept antiques.

 

[Simran]

I say buy what you can afford and if you canvafford something you love . . .well . . .that's just grand B-)