Choosing a budget or Premium van
Discussion
My wife and I have decided to sell our pop top van and get something bigger.
We started off looking at 6m high top vans but after visits to local dealers and the NEC show, have decided that a 6.4m van better meets our needs.
We have narrowed down the selection to 2 vans, both available from a local dealer with a similar layout.
The choice is between a “budget” model: this is well within our price range even with selecting all the options we want with some extra for any customisation we decide on.
The other is more of a “premium” model which comes with everything as standard but is a few thousand above our price range.
The main differences are that the premium van has framed windows (so reduced road noise), better bathroom, diesel as opposed to gas heating and better quality cabinets.
Other than that, the base van specs are the same and they are even the same colour.
Part of me thinks this is a big purchase, it will hopefully last many years, so get the best one I can. But then I think, will the differences really be that noticeable and the 10k saving can pay for a lot of travel.
What are people’s thoughts? I know this is a very personal choice but we flip flop between them. We still have a few weeks to make a decision
We started off looking at 6m high top vans but after visits to local dealers and the NEC show, have decided that a 6.4m van better meets our needs.
We have narrowed down the selection to 2 vans, both available from a local dealer with a similar layout.
The choice is between a “budget” model: this is well within our price range even with selecting all the options we want with some extra for any customisation we decide on.
The other is more of a “premium” model which comes with everything as standard but is a few thousand above our price range.
The main differences are that the premium van has framed windows (so reduced road noise), better bathroom, diesel as opposed to gas heating and better quality cabinets.
Other than that, the base van specs are the same and they are even the same colour.
Part of me thinks this is a big purchase, it will hopefully last many years, so get the best one I can. But then I think, will the differences really be that noticeable and the 10k saving can pay for a lot of travel.
What are people’s thoughts? I know this is a very personal choice but we flip flop between them. We still have a few weeks to make a decision
Personally, given as you say this is a big purchase which will be with you for many years (hopefully), I would always strive for the best I can afford/justify as the additional cost will be minimal when amortised over a long period.
We ve just done similar with our current van. It was a bit of a stretch financially but it has already paid off with the feel of it being different to anything we ve had before and once the initial hit has been forgotten we ll still be enjoying it.
But it s a very personal decision.
We ve just done similar with our current van. It was a bit of a stretch financially but it has already paid off with the feel of it being different to anything we ve had before and once the initial hit has been forgotten we ll still be enjoying it.
But it s a very personal decision.
I'd always go with the lower cost option.
Then, you'll have some slack to invest in some mods to make it what you really wanted.
In my case that would almost certainly be ripping out the probably wholly inadequate hab electric system and adding decent lithium battery, solar panel, and associated chargers.
And you'd still have lots of change to install a diesel heater if you want.
Edited for splegging errrr.
Then, you'll have some slack to invest in some mods to make it what you really wanted.
In my case that would almost certainly be ripping out the probably wholly inadequate hab electric system and adding decent lithium battery, solar panel, and associated chargers.
And you'd still have lots of change to install a diesel heater if you want.
Edited for splegging errrr.
Steve Kimberley said:
I'd always go with the lower cost option.
Then, you'll have some slack to invest in some mods to make it what you really wanted.
In my case that would almost certainly be ripping out the probably wholly inadequate hab electric system and adding decent lithium battery, solar panel, and associated chargers.
And you'd still have lots of change to install a diesel heater if you want.
Edited for splegging errrr.
So that's a fair point. On my last two vans, I've splurged heavily on Lithium, Inverters, Solar panels etc. to make them as capable offgrid as possible.Then, you'll have some slack to invest in some mods to make it what you really wanted.
In my case that would almost certainly be ripping out the probably wholly inadequate hab electric system and adding decent lithium battery, solar panel, and associated chargers.
And you'd still have lots of change to install a diesel heater if you want.
Edited for splegging errrr.
However, I personally couldn't do with the bulging caravan-style windows and any other obvious corner cutting to get to the budget version.
I do think that premium vans are more sought after on the second hand market so even if they don't retain that much more money, they will be easier to sell.
My new van is at the more premium end of the spectrum. It was the quality of the internal fixtures and fittings that initially attracted me, but I then found it came with lithium, solar and a few other items that were extra on the cheaper vans so the price difference was not as large as it first appeared.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts!
The premium van comes with a Lithium battery as standard but as seems typical with European vans, the solar panel would be a dealer fit option.
On the budget van, a Lithium battery is a factory fit option we would choose; an additional battery is also available but we don’t go off grid for more than 2 or 3 days so not sure we need that. The solar panel is standard.
The budget van also has the bigger 90l fuel tank which the premium van doesn’t, but smaller water and waste tanks.
As a British designed van, I think the kitchen storage is better on the budget van as it better integrates the oven (the premium van comes with an oven as standard in the UK but it’s obvious that the kitchen wasn’t designed for it as you lose the drawers).
Both vans seem to be popular and are from well known brands so the second hand view might not be so different.
Of course I have now created a spreadsheet of the specs comparison and watched every review and owner videos I can find on both vans. As with cars, bikes, watches, hifi and other fun purchases, the decision process is a big part of the enjoyment 😀
The premium van comes with a Lithium battery as standard but as seems typical with European vans, the solar panel would be a dealer fit option.
On the budget van, a Lithium battery is a factory fit option we would choose; an additional battery is also available but we don’t go off grid for more than 2 or 3 days so not sure we need that. The solar panel is standard.
The budget van also has the bigger 90l fuel tank which the premium van doesn’t, but smaller water and waste tanks.
As a British designed van, I think the kitchen storage is better on the budget van as it better integrates the oven (the premium van comes with an oven as standard in the UK but it’s obvious that the kitchen wasn’t designed for it as you lose the drawers).
Both vans seem to be popular and are from well known brands so the second hand view might not be so different.
Of course I have now created a spreadsheet of the specs comparison and watched every review and owner videos I can find on both vans. As with cars, bikes, watches, hifi and other fun purchases, the decision process is a big part of the enjoyment 😀
It's all 'horses for courses, and subjective, anyway.
I've had three vans. The first was 6.7m, had 230ah of lithium and 400w on the roof, 100l ish of fresh water and 90 grey.
The second was 5m, had 100ah lithium, 150w solar, and 10 litres of fresh (and no grey receptacle).
The current one (which I'm currently building from a 5.4m Ducato ex BT panel van) will have 460ah, 450w, and 20 litres of fresh, and 20 litres grey.
You find out what's important to yourself (especially if, like us, you pretty much go off-grid all the time).
It's all a learning curve!
I've had three vans. The first was 6.7m, had 230ah of lithium and 400w on the roof, 100l ish of fresh water and 90 grey.
The second was 5m, had 100ah lithium, 150w solar, and 10 litres of fresh (and no grey receptacle).
The current one (which I'm currently building from a 5.4m Ducato ex BT panel van) will have 460ah, 450w, and 20 litres of fresh, and 20 litres grey.
You find out what's important to yourself (especially if, like us, you pretty much go off-grid all the time).
It's all a learning curve!
Edited by Steve Kimberley on Tuesday 10th March 23:30
The budget van is an Auto Trail Expedition 68 XL Flex. It’s a new variant of a model that’s been around a few years.
The premium van is an Adria Twin 60Y, which is a special edition based on the long running 640 model.
They are both Fiat Ducato vans with a. drop down double bed over a large garage which is the layout we think will suits us best.
The premium van is an Adria Twin 60Y, which is a special edition based on the long running 640 model.
They are both Fiat Ducato vans with a. drop down double bed over a large garage which is the layout we think will suits us best.
AnotherHamster said:
...The budget van also has the bigger 90l fuel tank which the premium van doesn't...
There is a fairly easy hack (on Ducato etc vans) to convert the tank to the long range version, it is just to access the fuel pump between the front seats and then remove the extra long breather pipe which is used to stop the fill-up thus making the tank appear smaller than it is (and giving the van extra payload - as van builders seem to think having an extra 40-50kg of payload is a better selling point than having a greater fuel range - or can charge extra for the bigger tank). Before we bought our Malibu we rented the Adria Twin for a week and was very impressed. Being a hire van and about two years old at the time, there was not one squeak or rattle, was nicely equipped and if the price was right, I'd have bought it.
They are pricey but in my mind they are worth the extra over some British stuff.
They are pricey but in my mind they are worth the extra over some British stuff.
I too have rented an Adria Twin, they are nice. For my usage the bed area was too big which compressed the other areas, but sounds like the OP is cross shopping with another van with a large bed/garage area.
(The raising bed is very good for getting access to the garage from inside the van rather than having to go in via the back doors).
(The raising bed is very good for getting access to the garage from inside the van rather than having to go in via the back doors).
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