I've had a 2.5TDi 102 for two years now. Hardly any rust at all. The previous owner had loved it and looked after it, so they said. I believed them then and I still do. It had 150,000mls on it when I bought it. Immediately I had to replace rear springs (1 broken), 4 shocks (all knackered originals),
all front bushes. To be on the safe side I replaced the coolant, brake fluid, engine oil, gear box oil, all filters. I've also done pads and discs all round. It had been little used and I found that the tyres were flat spotted from just sitting too long so I put new rubber all round as well. Oh yeah, I had a leak around windscreen, so as it was chipped I got that replaced as well.
So my initial 7.8K became about 10K. Thing is, it's a well sorted van now with little more to do (prob need a new clutch and flywheel in the next 15,000mls, another 1K).
You have to buy the best you can afford, but at 5K with 150,000 to 200,000mls on it you have to expect to pay out more when you've got it.
You won't get a decent T5 for 5K, so my personal view is forget that. I think T4 prices seem to have stalled at the moment, so that may be the best way to go. Final thoughts:
- Buy the best you can afford, especially body wise. Mechanical stuff can be replaced, but body work can be expensive.
- Remember you need to buy the best vehicle, you can turn it into a camper yourself, if you have the skills.
- To achieve your criteria you don't have to buy a T4/T5, or even a VW (tin hat time!).
- I don't think that they are any more a money pit than anything else, but you will be buying an old vehicle so .........
- Don't buy the first one you see, you must see a few and crawl all over them.
Which is a lot of words just to say if you get a good one it'll be err...., a good one
