Avoiding short trips (due to ULEZ) = Longer vehicle life?

[R Mutt]

I'm looking for a diesel van which will be used perhaps once a month on a 50 mile run.

If it were ULEZ compliant I'd probably use it an additional few times totalling about 10 miles a month, where these short trips take 3 times as long on public transport and inevitably there will be cases where I just need to get places in a hurry after after working late.

Could I look to get a significantly higher mileage vehicle in the first non-compliant scenario?

I'm looking at vans already into a 6 figure mileage.

All else equal apart from a Euro5 v Euro6 could I go to the high hundreds in the former example with it only doing longer runs? (Although all would not be equal as if I were looking at Euro6 I'd have to get a Renault rather than VW for my budget!)

[Lo-Fi]

I've read and re-read and still can't quite see what you're asking. However, if (as it seems) you only need a van once a month for a 50 mile trip why don't you just hire one when needed? Surely that'll be cheaper and easier than buying, taxing, insuring, storing and maintaining a moonshot-mileage van of your own?

[Bill]

Lo-Fi said:

I've read and re-read and still can't quite see what you're asking. However, if (as it seems) you only need a van once a month for a 50 mile trip why don't you just hire one when needed? Surely that'll be cheaper and easier than buying, taxing, insuring, storing and maintaining a moonshot-mileage van of your own?

[R Mutt]

Lo-Fi said:

I've read and re-read and still can't quite see what you're asking. However, if (as it seems) you only need a van once a month for a 50 mile trip why don't you just hire one when needed? Surely that'll be cheaper and easier than buying, taxing, insuring, storing and maintaining a moonshot-mileage van of your own?

Sorry I mean as a camper van.

Can I expect as many years use from an older higher mileage one, compared as newer one if for example one will be low 100k miles on the clock and the other high nearer 200k for example, based on the fact that an older one would be non ULEZ compliant therefore would not be used in town?

[shtu]

R Mutt said:

Sorry I mean as a camper van.

Can I expect as many years use from an older higher mileage one, compared as newer one if for example one will be low 100k miles on the clock and the other high nearer 200k for example, based on the fact that an older one would be non ULEZ compliant therefore would not be used in town?

Nope, me neither.

Try breaking that down into 3-4 sentences, it's really hard to work out the question.

[jasonrobertson86]

R Mutt said:

Sorry I mean as a camper van.

Can I expect as many years use from an older higher mileage one, compared as newer one if for example one will be low 100k miles on the clock and the other high nearer 200k for example, based on the fact that an older one would be non ULEZ compliant therefore would not be used in town?

How long is a piece of string

[Lo-Fi]

R Mutt said:

Lo-Fi said:

I've read and re-read and still can't quite see what you're asking. However, if (as it seems) you only need a van once a month for a 50 mile trip why don't you just hire one when needed? Surely that'll be cheaper and easier than buying, taxing, insuring, storing and maintaining a moonshot-mileage van of your own?

Sorry I mean as a camper van.

Can I expect as many years use from an older higher mileage one, compared as newer one if for example one will be low 100k miles on the clock and the other high nearer 200k for example, based on the fact that an older one would be non ULEZ compliant therefore would not be used in town?

That older, higher mileage van will have accrued those miles in town pre-ULEZ.
Camper vans generally aren't used in town. Not too many campsites in central London..

[R Mutt]

Lo-Fi said:

That older, higher mileage van will have accrued those miles in town pre-ULEZ.
Camper vans generally aren't used in town. Not too many campsites in central London..

I am talking about future usage and the wear I am going to subject it to but let's assume for arguments sake it has had a significant number of parts replaced or was never a work van.

While the additional town miles I might add to a newer ULEZ compliant model will never get it to the milage of an older example, am closing the gap in remaining lifespan by saving it for runs?

Although you seem to me missing the point of a campervan.

Edited by R Mutt on Sunday 14th April 12:35

[CG2020UK]

Honestly if you are only doing 60 miles a month I’d just buy the best condition van you possibly can.

Realistically 99.9% of the time this means the lower mileage van especially when it’s 100k vs 200k.

No point over complicating it.

If the van you really want is only in budget with 200k miles then unfortunately I’d advise saving a few more quid and get a better example.

[king arthur]

I think the answer is at the mileages you're talking about you're splitting hairs. If you're buying a van with a 6 figure mileage the important thing is not the mileage itself but how those miles were accrued. A van that was run between London and Scotland twice a week will be in a good deal better condition mechanically than one used to deliver 150 parcels a day around London. And, depending on the size of van you're talking, a Renault may be a better bet than a VW.

[OutInTheShed]

king arthur said:

I think the answer is at the mileages you're talking about you're splitting hairs. If you're buying a van with a 6 figure mileage the important thing is not the mileage itself but how those miles were accrued. A van that was run between London and Scotland twice a week will be in a good deal better condition mechanically than one used to deliver 150 parcels a day around London. And, depending on the size of van you're talking, a Renault may be a better bet than a VW.

Vans are not like cars.
They have poor aerodynamics so work harder at motorway speeds.
A van which has done 150k miles of distance work will have a lot more engine wear than a diesel repmobile of similar miles.
Most old vans are prone to rust.

[Lo-Fi]

R Mutt said:

Lo-Fi said:

That older, higher mileage van will have accrued those miles in town pre-ULEZ.
Camper vans generally aren't used in town. Not too many campsites in central London..

I am talking about future usage and the wear I am going to subject it to but let's assume for arguments sake it has had a significant number of parts replaced or was never a work van.

While the additional town miles I might add to a newer ULEZ compliant model will never get it to the milage of an older example, am closing the gap in remaining lifespan by saving it for runs?

Although you seem to me missing the point of a campervan.

Edited by R Mutt on Sunday 14th April 12:35

You aren't very good at this writing malarkey, are you?

[Pit Pony]

Lo-Fi said:

R Mutt said:

Lo-Fi said:

That older, higher mileage van will have accrued those miles in town pre-ULEZ.
Camper vans generally aren't used in town. Not too many campsites in central London..

I am talking about future usage and the wear I am going to subject it to but let's assume for arguments sake it has had a significant number of parts replaced or was never a work van.

While the additional town miles I might add to a newer ULEZ compliant model will never get it to the milage of an older example, am closing the gap in remaining lifespan by saving it for runs?

Although you seem to me missing the point of a campervan.

Edited by R Mutt on Sunday 14th April 12:35

You aren't very good at this writing malarkey, are you?

Harsh. But true.

To the OP

Just find a place to rent one to you. At least for the first year. Let's say you rent a camper can* for 6 weekends, this year. How much ?

What if you buy a van and insure it and tax it for a year ? How much.? Can you sell it if you don't get the use out of it?
What if it needs repairs and welding ? How much?

Or just buy a tent in the go-out doors sale.

[Giantt]

jasonrobertson86 said:

R Mutt said:

Sorry I mean as a camper van.

Can I expect as many years use from an older higher mileage one, compared as newer one if for example one will be low 100k miles on the clock and the other high nearer 200k for example, based on the fact that an older one would be non ULEZ compliant therefore would not be used in town?

How long is a piece of string

Fold it in half,and it's twice as long from the middle,hth

[VeeReihenmotor6]

50 miles a month in a camper van? Hire one and save yourself the running costs.

As for mileage on a van vs expected life time I would be of the opinion that a 3 year old van with 100k on it will have much more reliable, repair free life left in it than a 10 year old van with 100k on it.

[R Mutt]

VeeReihenmotor6 said:

50 miles a month in a camper van? Hire one and save yourself the running costs.

As for mileage on a van vs expected life time I would be of the opinion that a 3 year old van with 100k on it will have much more reliable, repair free life left in it than a 10 year old van with 100k on it.

I decent one is about £400 for a weekend and I would be replacing an existing van.

Sorry, 50 miles would be scheduled usage for drives to visit family, and a few more local trips if it were ULEZ compliant. In that case, in theory, I could go away to the outskirts of London every other week using it to 'work from home' away from home. Which directs me towards a post-2015 model then really.