Been looking at a local VW Transporter to buy. It's a 2001, 2.5TDi (blue i) with 110,000 miles on asking price of £3000 + VAT. No service history, 2 previous owners, 3 months or 3000 miles parts and labour warranty on engine and gearbox. It has faded red paint which should polish up okay and has been some kind of trade van in the past.

I'm a bit woried about the lack of service history, although on the plus side is the warranty but here's what's on the HPI check:

Source of Mileage: DVLA
Date of Mileage: 08/12/2011
Mileage: 118000
Source of Mileage: RMI MIL'GE
Date of Mileage: 05/05/2006
Mileage: 067897
Source of Mileage: RMI MIL'GE
Date of Mileage: 25/04/2006
Mileage: 067152
Source of Mileage: RMI MIL'GE
Date of Mileage: 14/02/2006
Mileage: 064335
Source of Mileage: BVRLA
Date of Mileage: 08/12/2005
Mileage: 061452
Source of Mileage: RMI MIL'GE
Date of Mileage: 04/11/2005
Mileage: 060001
Source of Mileage: BVRLA
Date of Mileage: 18/09/2005
Mileage: 057727
Source of Mileage: RMI MIL'GE
Date of Mileage: 16/09/2005
Mileage: 057727
Source of Mileage: RMI MIL'GE
Date of Mileage: 11/07/2005
Mileage: 055054
Source of Mileage: RMI MIL'GE
Date of Mileage: 17/05/2005
Mileage: 050636


Now, it appears to have had a lot of visits to somewhere in its early life which I don't know is a good thing and then in 2006 there's no more. It's shown last change of keeper 2006, will the trader count as one as those?

Is it a decent buy?
Any help or advice greatly appreciated

No the trader shouldnt show up.

It would worry me a lot the big gap in the service history...

I'm guessing that the gap then is where the van changed hands and the second owner either sorted it himself or went to a garage that didn't record it.
There is, however, a worn sticker on the slam panel saying that the cam belt was changed at ~ 70,000 miles.
The DVLA record is the MOT that the current trader has got too I think.

I bought mine with no service history at all with 138k on the clock, but it was ex AA so took it that it'd been kept right & then went through it myself.
It's pretty common once with 2nd or 3rd owner & going to independant garages that service history on many cars isn't kept up & a wonder as if the work is being done it's little work to fill the book in. I'd expect it will have seen some maintainance in that time but it's just something you'll have to judge for yourself, the warrenty shows the trader thinks it's ok at least, can't expect much on a 10 year old van.
If there's no evidence of a cambelt change since 70,000 then if it'd done 067152 in 2006 that belt will be about 5 years old now so & at 110,000 has done 40,000 I'd get it done soon & a tensioner kit while you're on (it's the pullies that fail often on VWs rather than the belts). But with 3 months warrenty on the motor & box you could run it most of that to make sure all is well before splashing more cash, if it did happen to fail the warrenty should cover it. Mabye get the water pump done while you're in there too, they aint a lot of money & it's all the work of a belt to do one.

As for value I'm no expert but it doesnt sound too bad, given a good polish, a set of nice wheels & the rear carpeted out would see it fetch much more at a VW show.

bought mine in October 187k on it for 7K gulp. It is a T% 2004 plate and a 1.9 with windows 5 seats etc I trust yours is a T4 if it has warranty give it some beans to iron out any problems request new belt and a service. The T4 /T5 forum is a good source of info

I bought mine from the AA disposal auction in 2006, 51 reg with 138k, short MOT, no service history, in its working clothes & a large dent in the silding door that made it hard to open. It cost me £4000 with the VAT on. Traders at the time were asking £6500-7000 for a similar van with out the damage.

If you can help it I would advise against getting an ex aa van. They have spent most of their lives with the engine idling or towing. Don't think they have been looked after either. They are maintained by bt fleet who do as little as possible to keep costs down and all the depots I have dealt with shouldn't be trusted with a shopping trolley. How come you say the van has 110000 on the clock and the hpi says 118000? Does it have to be a vw? There are alot of other good vans out there and the t4 is very dated now imo.

Sorry. Yes it has 118,000 my mistake. I'm settled on a VW now. I know it's a little dated but I quite like it plus the whole VW scene thing Is much the same as the kit car one but a lot bigger.

Description

Loving it all 104 bhp of it before I had a 200bhp Golf Turbo

Nice. I've got the Locost for speedy fun.

My sentiments too, I was getting concious that both my cars wger capable of losing me my licence. the Golf would do 140 the Kit maxed out at 131 all on a track somewhere in Europe of course

quote:

---

Originally posted by Davegtst
If you can help it I would advise against getting an ex aa van. They have spent most of their lives with the engine idling or towing. Don't think they have been looked after either. They are maintained by bt fleet who do as little as possible to keep costs down and all the depots I have dealt with shouldn't be trusted with a shopping trolley. How come you say the van has 110000 on the clock and the hpi says 118000? Does it have to be a vw? There are alot of other good vans out there and the t4 is very dated now imo.

---