Valuations
Due to continued high demand, T5s always fetch good money. A neglected, high-mileage ex-builder’s panel van might start at £4000, but realistically a tidy example with a good service history and fewer miles will be double this. The Shuttle minibus is the cheapest way to obtain a T5 people carrier, and we’ve seen early ones of these with lots of miles advertised for as little as £4000. Chances are they’ve had a hard life as a taxi, transporting people to airports, but so long as they’ve been regularly serviced, that shouldn’t put you off. The Caravelle is dearer, with £8000 being a realistic starting price for an early model.
If you want a facelift T5.1, you’ll need to spend considerably more. Panel van versions start at £13,000, but if you want a nice Caravelle without too many miles then expect to spend between £18,000-£20,000. The same vehicle at a main dealer (there really aren’t many for sale, so it might be your only option) will be £30,000-£35,000. The arrival of the T6 in 2015 has made a small dent in nearly-new T5.1 prices, so if you are going the main dealer route, referring to the T5.1 as the ‘old model’ could prove financially beneficial. As you would expect, California campers hold on to their value. The minimum you’ll need to acquire one of these is £30,000.
The only solace you can take is that if you spend strong money on a good vehicle with a good spec, you should get most of it back when you come to sell it.