Time to buy, or not?

Discussion in 'Buying a VW Camper' started by docjohn, Mar 27, 2020.

  1. docjohn

    docjohn Supporter

    Wonder if anyone has any thoughts on where the market for top end bays is moving? I'm thinking of the £30k vans with dealers rather than private sellers; and disregarding any thought of them as investments, just something to use.

    Pals in the modern car trade say that sales have collapsed around here - South Yorkshire/Derbyshire. Is that the same with classics and, in particular, late bays?

    On the one hand, money is tight and investments have plummeted so there may not be much spare cash about. On the other hand, with interest rates currently at an all time low, but serious inflation a real possibility in the near future, a nice van is an attractive way of getting out and about and enjoying what time we've got left.

    All of this is notwithstanding the fact that we can't go out to look at them anyway!
     
  2. Don't neglect private sales, you can just as easily get ripped a new one by a dealer. 30k is top end, should get you a very nice example.

    First you need to decide what you want. Westy, Devon, modern restoration, which engine, which years, which pop top etc; there's as many variables as Buses.

    Many folk on here would, under normal circumstances, look at a Bus for you, for mileage money and some beer vouchers in return.
     
    docjohn likes this.
  3. docjohn

    docjohn Supporter

    Yes, you are quite right, I didn't mean to disregard private sales. I was mulling over the idea that the dealer prices set the expectations of the market and if they are dropping then I'd imagine private sellers would follow suit.

    That's a really good idea, I hadn't considered asking, thanks. Lots of vans we are interested in are a 500 mile round trip to look at and if they are not what they seem, as has happened, it's a big waste of time!
     
  4. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    You're too far ahead of the curve.

    I think £30k van owners could probably afford them and won't be panic selling.

    Sub £15k peeps may have regarded their vans as money in the bank for a rainy day reasonably eaay to convert back to cash if required by personal circumstances.

    Those peeps may come unstuck. It was a reasonable plan but didn't take into account everyone else thinking and doing the same all at the same time. It would have caught me out if I fitted that scenario.

    In 6 months or a year these things may be back to crappy old vans for hippies worth hundreds, not thousands.

    I deffo wouldn't be buying but I'd snap up any reasonable offer pronto if I were selling. I think we can be confident the price won't be going UP in the near future.
     
    thejamesm7, Kruger, cunny44 and 2 others like this.
  5. Who can call the market ... not me ... have we reached the bottom?
     
  6. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Yes please!
     
    Zed likes this.
  7. This in itself creates a problem, if they are worth nothing then more and more will let them rot on their drives until they call the scrap man to come and tow it away. consequently the parts suppliers won't bother and then even more will end up as scrap. Who will have the last van standing
     
  8. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Who cares, nobody will be permitted to use them in the electric future. There isn't a VW T2 shortage apart from for a few years when people were panic buying...
     
  9. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    Never sell in a recession, only buy from those that can’t weather the storm.

    With the government financial package not that many people are in trouble, it’s the massive recession in a couple of years time where the real carnage starts.
     
  10. I sold mine 5 weeks ago to a local guy who had looked at mine last October but I didn't except his silly offer, then out of the blue 5 weeks ago he phoned me to say he was fed up looking at rubbish and agreed to my asking price. I was waiting for a buyer from Sweden who was coming over at easter and was a bit miffed when I told him was sold. The local guy who bought mine also has a Karman Ghia and a beetle so nice garage mates. I now have a loads of good spares including rare injection parts that I will put up for sale when on this site first when we are all out of this horrible worry time of Covid-19 virus. Take care all.
     
    Mellow yellow, cunny44 and Zed like this.
  11. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    The T2 market? This is the calm before the storm (if there is going to be a storm). it's only been a few days and like any good housing crash, everyone follows the market down and looses big time. Bought my house like that, followed it down from £120K to £80K then pounced - I could only afford £80k, got lucky rather than planned. If he'd been sensible he'd have dumped it for £110 when that would have looked cheap to the market.

    I reckon if you are selling a camper either hang on and hope all this fizzles out, or price it cheap now.
     
    IZZYBAY and cunny44 like this.
  12. Sell it wilf sell it... keep your boat that will hold a fair price :D
     
  13. I agree to the hanging on bit - no one can buy anything except food and DIY stuff at the moment. So car and house market is at a dead stop for now. In 6 months time when everyone is allowed out again we will see who has money enough to buy - it is possible that car and house prices will fall - who knows. It looks like I am keeping our bus for another year or so.
     
    mgbman likes this.
  14. Would you miss me ... :hattip:
     
    Pedro del monkeybike likes this.
  15. What no more Banter Wilf ! I never thought of that :D
     
    Lasty likes this.
  16. Looks like we are going to be in lockdown for months. You can't go out viewing vehicles and even if you bought one you couldn't use it. Best idea is save your cash and look to buy next year when hopefully we would be back to some form of normality. Stay at home, save the NHS, save lives. Buying a camper is not a priority right now.
     
    Jack Tatty, docjohn, cunny44 and 5 others like this.
  17. This!!!!
    Well said!
     
  18. Razzyh

    Razzyh Supporter

    No harm in pondering and looking. I look at lots of cars. None I want to afford or buy but nice to look.
     
    Iain McAvoy likes this.
  19. Razzyh

    Razzyh Supporter

    The recession will be much sooner than a couple of years time... depression....
     
  20. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    You mean my crystal ball wasn’t working 100%


    Probably explains my lack of lottery win....I’ll bin it once the tips are open again.
     
    rustbucket and Valveandy like this.

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