General Should I buy one?

[Vannabe]

Hi, this is my first post.
I am in the unenviable position of being able to buy a fairly new van.
I want one that I can convert into a basic campervan. I'm drawn to the look of the Ducato /Boxer / Relay type vans and have been told that the Fiat is the better option as it has the best engine. Someone else has said that Fiats are notorious for their electrical problems so my question is, should I buy one of these vans?
Also, considering the price of second hand vans at the moment, should I wait a while and hope they drop in price or bite the bullet and order new?
Thanks.

 

[ChrisSim]

Hi Vannabe, if you believe everything you read then once the pandemic is over the price of vans , campers, and caravans will plummet. Fiat vans are ubiquitous, you see them everywhere. I bought a used Scudo and did a minor camper conversion . Except for some minor issues that I fixed myself, I have driven around Australia without any breakdown problems. Highly recommend the Fiat vans

 

[Anthony489]

Hi Vannabe.

I don't think Ducatos are any better or worse than other vans when it comes to reliability. The plus side is that there are many about, so if you do need a part you are likely to be able to get it.

On the electrical front, damp/water is the main enemy. This is more of a problem for vehicles which are parked up for long periods (e.g. motorhomes), and there is no regular engine heat and airflow to keep things dry. If you are aware of this risk, there are things you can to to head off potential problems.

 

[mikefitz406]

Consider a new van rather than a nearly new. ( if you can live with the wait)
When you order a new van there are a huge list of options available, such as, auto gear box, higher power engine, single passenger seat, passenger airbag, leather steering wheel, auto lights and wipers and so on. There is a discount on the new van list price and the same discount applies to all options. The discount will be in the range 40 to 50% on list price.

Apart from the engines, everything else except from trim and some furnishings the Boxer/Relay and the Ducato are the same, electrics. transmission, suspension.

There is not much to chose between the PSA engine and the Fiat engine, in general the PSA engine, due to use in the car range, has lower maintenance costs.

One option that Fiat offer is a full auto gearbox, not available on the Peugeot/Citroen.

The vans are available in 3 lengths and 2 heights.

With a new order you can select the Heavy or Maxi variant , this has stringer uprated suspension and larger more powerful brakes.
If possible order the more powerful engine options as this will have the stronger transmission.

Nearly all vans available on the second hand market will have double passenger seats and no passenger air bag. They will also have the base engine and thus the weak gearbox. Remember as a commercial vehicle its not expected to be near full load all the time. When converted this is not the case.

Mike