Hi. So we have just been out for the day a predominantly VW camper orientated festival. Actually plenty there for everyone and lots of non VW campers, family friendly and so on might take our Ducato next year. This is a friendly forum and Fiat can't throw stones but there were a few VW campers for sale. Amongst them was a T5 black and shiny, a bit blinged up. What made me smile was that it advertised a complete gearbox and clutch RE build. It only had 90,000 on the clock. That was not a cheap purchase new either. Made me feel quite proud of my ex community mini bus with 145k at less than half the price both new and old.. .

The 244 fucato was muchore reliable the advantage of the vw is resale value and parts availability you'll still be able to get parts for a t5 from vw in 20 years and probably third parties for 40 years Fiat on the other hand consider obsolete parts at 10-15 years.

My brother is a specialist camper builder, mostly VWs because that's what people want, most of what he builds was probably at White noise.

He does get Ducato/boxer/relay vans to convert from time to time but they are very few and far between.

The down side of the Ducato is rust, compared to a VW t4 or T5 these don't have anything like the rust problems of fiat.

As long as the body work is intact and strong any mechanical parts can be changed over and over.

One of my brothers latest builds, 4wd and been remapped for much greater power, custom Porsche coloured.

You don't see many Fiats that look like this

Nice job. They are smart.
Would say that the x250 and younger Fiat's scrub up well too just fewer have had a cossetteted life. There are many bashed up looking T5 vans out there too, all vans are built to work. For me on a budget, looking for a camping conversion, would still choose the Ducato for it's size and comfort and honestly think it has some of the Fiat charm. Ours was worked hard and was not cosmetically looked after. I will treat some surface rust but there is no urgency.
The T5 is a brute with none of the charm of the old vdub, though a very sensible choice still for many Im sure.

as rec vehicles they are for hipsters with more money than seance, the vito groups are full of ex t5 disgruntled owners who had lost loads of work due to unreliable vans.
Are the later ducatos not better rust protected? i know the rust traps that was under the floor of ff bus 1 were not fitted on ff bus 2

like pre 2007 vitos rot like a 1970/80's fiat but after 2007 all galvanised. have fiat not done the same?

Can't give a definitive answer re. galvanising but since my unfortunate baptism into motorhoming via a 1989 Talbot (experiencing both metal & wood rot, never mind the manifold bolts & drive train issues ) I've never had a surface rust issue subsequently (spare wheel carriers excepted)

I *think* the cab panels were galvanised from the *new* cab in 1995 (230 model?) onwards.

Oddly enough, despite the Talbot cab disintegrating around me, the rear chassis (circa 15 years old at the time) was practically as good as the day it was made, a fact frequently commented on by MOT testers

dave said:

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as rec vehicles they are for hipsters with more money than seance, the vito groups are full of ex t5 disgruntled owners who had lost loads of work due to unreliable vans.

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For anyone looking for a van to convert as a hobby the transporter is very well catered for and you can easily buy beds cupboards awnings pop top roofs etc, this is why they are so popular because pieces can be mixed and matched and there are several magazines for builders and campers.

Yes you can buy bits got vitos and ducato/boxer/relay vans as well as the Nissan/Renault/Vauxhall van, and transits but non of these have anything like the following of the transporter. Hence why the transporter is more expensive, more demand.

All vans take abuse from workmen so it's no surprise they go wrong. I've seen transporters with 400,000 miles on the clock with nothing more than oil and cambelt changes, I've also see vans like the one pictured that are wrecked within the first year with very low mileage.

As a general rule thought the transporters are usually used for 100k - 150k miles by companies before they get shot.

All vans will have there problems, if people are looking for a van to convert for camping there are a huge number of reasons the transporters are so sought after.

AndyRKett said:

For anyone looking for a van to convert as a hobby the transporter is very well catered for and you can easily buy beds cupboards awnings pop top roofs etc, this is why they are so popular because pieces can be mixed and matched and there are several magazines for builders and campers.

Yes you can buy bits got vitos and ducato/boxer/relay vans as well as the Nissan/Renault/Vauxhall van, and transits but non of these have anything like the following of the transporter. Hence why the transporter is more expensive, more demand.

All vans take abuse from workmen so it's no surprise they go wrong. I've seen transporters with 400,000 miles on the clock with nothing more than oil and cambelt changes, I've also see vans like the one pictured that are wrecked within the first year with very low mileage.

As a general rule thought the transporters are usually used for 100k - 150k miles by companies before they get shot.

All vans will have there problems, if people are looking for a van to convert for camping there are a huge number of reasons the transporters are so sought after.

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Totally agree, a forum likes a good debate! The availability of pop tops for the T5 is also good with people competing to do it. Once you have invested that far they become worth repairing at most any cost. . . I would like a pop top on ours but not a reasonable proposal given the overall size anyway (my wife can stand, I have to stoop a little).
The van is not precious and as such am happy to try working on it myself. And it is galvanised.
As to the long term repair and parts availability the number of coach converted Fiats/Peugeot / Citroën chassis with the same cab and engine will keep that going for some time.
So one pays your money and takes your choice!