Why Are VW Campers So Expensive? (THE TRUTH) 

You make some very good points, but most are relevant to all vans/conversions not just VWs. The real reason Vw campers are expensive, not only are the base vehicles overpriced to start with, people are happy to part with ridiculous amounts of cash to be part of the Vw camper scene. Conversion companies and vw themselves with the California just capitalise on that. Personally i think anyone who spends £60k on a camper its nuts and I'd bet the majority don't use them as a daily vehicle because they'll be too scared to put miles on it and effect its resale value!

With all the problems and poor quality I have on my California the price is ridiculously expensive. I feel scammed by VW.

Imported a Nissan Elgrand Van for £7300, with 37000 miles full service. Luxury leather interior with toys like 360 surround cameras, electric evening. It has a 250 bhp V6, it also has selectable 4 wheel drive and locking diff locks (4Motion) is a fantastic long distance cruiser. I then fully converted it myself with underslung water tanks, heating and hot water etc for about £7000. So total cost of about £14k, it has proven to be much more reliable that the x5 T5's and T6's I've had over the years. Volkswagen are simply taking the Mickel out of us, they are just ripping us off for an average spec and reliability vehicle.

Bought a brand new Transit Custom a couple of years ago and had it converted locally. Great camper and drives really nicely. Saved a shed load of cash and ended up with a nicer camper by not going down the VW route.

Very useful and appreciated thank you

I've got a 1.9 d t4 potop leasure drive, never let's me down and all vw campers have always been expensive

very good your videos. I'm building a camper and the information is very important.

Great video Sam, hard to see these spiralling costs steadying in the near future!

I have restored three 1982 VW Westfalia campers in the last ten years. The biggest reason these and are expensive is because of restoration parts prices and availability. It cost me roughly 20k in materials and my labor 100’s of hours are not calculated.

We bought a blackberry 2016 VW T6 swbase Tailgate panel van in mint condition with Aircon that had only 18k mileage. We then got it converted to a high spec, with solar panels, electric plug-ins, fridge, roof poptop, kitchenette facilty etc, by Steve @Dub Motion in Norfolk. Came in well under £50k in total, although we decided to wait before installing a heater. Be patient about buying the base van and look every day and be ready to strike straight away with the money. We paid cash and were able to haggle. We bought ours from a VW Commercial vehicle main dealer, which I would recommend doing because they tend to get high quality used vans in stock and can transfer between their outlets. VW T6 campers are expensive because they look stylish and sexy, drive like a dream, are solid and well built and will go on forever if looked after. They also hold their value. Getting a good quality conversion enables you to have the interior done to your own taste and with what you want and also not have what you don't want.

It's one of the greatest marketing campaigns ever

I paid £500 for my VW T4 which starts and drives but just needs cosmetic work doing and then the interior converting which I will do myself. With the small amount of work I've already done, it has probably doubled in value already. Some people have money to burn.

VW have always been expensive tell me they want £700 for the front spring and got one from Germany for £150 with shipping. I go back forty years and were expensive them. Germans don't pay what we pay we get ripped off.

I just bought a very late sub 10k mileage 21 highline DSG pretty high spec professional conversion for £48k, which seems a bonkers amount of money to be, but I did look at Transits and there was very little in it price wise for a Ford!

I get what you mean with the different variables, but it seems too make little difference to a lot of sellers. I have seen campers 9+ years, swb, pushing 150k miles being sold in the high £20k- early £30k mark. (This is the issue). I would never buy a car with 150k miles on it at that price, never mind a camper which may have been a rental, lease or work van in its former life. I have been watching the uk market and I can see a small decline in price for some campers. But overall the whole scene is ultimately overpriced now. And campsites will be filled with stiff upper class snobs than a surf dude and his dog or a small family hitting the road for a week. It’s cheaper too buy a sports car and cruise through Europe booking hotels and air bnb’s 😂

I had a Bongo camper and it was brilliant, shame Mazda stopped making them. Do you know why Audi, BMW, etc don’t make T5 equivalents? Surely there’s a massive market for them

4 transit custom look way cooler And the dash - is much better

To summarise - its all about Supply and Demand. I would add that the significant investment in a good conversion encourages the purchase of a base vehicle that will last as long as possible and retain its value - this exacerbates the Supply and Demand issue.

I've given up on VW Transporters (I've owned 4 over the years). This summer I purchased a 3 year old used low mileage (20k) factory converted from new ,Ford Transit Custom.. It has more space all round, & cheaper to run. For me I cannot justify the high purchase cost of a VW over my Ford given that I feel the VW feels more solid.. I have £15k in my pocket for travel costs. BTW the T4 was VWs best van - Well built , reliable without Money pit electronics .

Merc vito marco polo is head and shoulders above even the best options available to vw cultists. The flood of vw's that are about to hit the market after those who took out credit to buy into the hype will be eye watering. When everyone and their grandma seems to be driving a converted transporter, who will buy all of the vans that get reposessed when jobs start to be lost

Not to forget the difference between a auto/DSG) and a manual. Perhaps personal preference - But big differences in prices.

A friend of mine had the transporter for work ,and it was changed out for a transit , he said transit was a better drive , he did a lot of miles .That was his opinion. I've had a T 2 and T4 I think you are paying extra ,but also buying into the V W family .

It’s called vw tax better off buying a transit or a sprinter cheaper and just as good

Van with a sink £ 60,000 complete joke

The prices are ridicoulos even other brands. A VW Ocean costs 100000 euro. A Ford Transit costs under 80000. A Fiat Ducato 5m40 is around 85000. The VW is compact but the Fiat has much more space including a shower and bathroom. I would choose for the Fiat .

I have one and found it really streesful when needing any servicing done. Tracking, well thats something no one seems able to do. The specialist VW lot, well they seem clueless. One company took 10 hours to replace one haedlight and wanted to charge me per hour. Be careful.

2nd hand Kombi prices going through the roof .

A California built by VW will always hold its value over and above the 3rd Party Company conversions.

That’s the world we live in people want now can’t wait six months to 9 months for a new one also, it’s a fashion thing with people have to have vw I do agree, costs are going up, but there’s some people out there who are taking advantage of this .,most people get finance from vw which is better option you keep it for three years you sell, the vehicle pay the finance and make some money yourself because they hold their money you get to enjoy it three years as well get your next new one

I’m looking at a 2014 Highline fully professional conversion, Chinese diesel heater, two tone, white above Indium grey lower, with 49000 miles on the clock. It’s just been fully serviced/cambelt/water pump. They want £35000. Does that seem reasonable??

VW supply there vans to hire companies on the understanding that the hire companies do not resell privately .They have to sell them back to VW ..it's xalled price fixing

I think the reason they are so expensive is because people believe the hype and are willing to pay thousands of pounds for a badge! 🤣🤣

So basically then if i go for a lwb with a tail gate and a few optioms like cc and a/c...... i'm going to get shafted?!!?

Because they're deemed "fashionable". I don't get the big fanfare about them 🤷‍♂️

VW loves tech but does not care about functionality/reliability. That sucks.

Like everything else in this day and age the brand name

So basically what your saying is that because VW are taking the piss on prices for base vehicles you have to too. You seem to forget that VW are dearer than most 6m Ducato/Citroen conversions and they will be more reliable than a VW.

Look for a Transit instead!

Hi Sam, have you found there is much call for DSG gearbox over manual?

I just wonder what you consider " not making a huge amount of profit " actually is. I would think £25k, at least, has been lumped onto the base model van. Yes materiels have all gone up, but there's not anywhere near , say £7k of material going into the van, that's max, the lion's share of the cost is labour. And how long does it take to fit out ??? Spare us the line, were not making huge money, that's why Dozens, yes Dozens of youse have sprung up in the past few years, because you aren't making doe, my Arse.

And p.s, i don't have a problem with anybody making good doe, i make good doe myself, it's the BS that irks .

With respect you have not even answered your own question, all you have discussed are variables such as demand, styles, models and options which would similarly effect the price of any other van.

👍👍🙂

I’ve never understood why people will spend that money on a cramped VW van. It’s insane. Either a proper motorhome and e-bikes or a car and a caravan. It’s seems the worst of both worlds. Expensive, no inside space if it’s raining. Still a pain to park in town.

And a year on there even higher 😂

VW transporters have always been overpriced, particularly when you compare their specification and build quality against other brands, they are lower spec and low build quality than ford yet cost a lot more.

Vw campervans, are expensive mainly because of people's ego's (look at me I've a vw campervan)

VW's generally are over rated. It's a brand thing.

Anyone who spends 50k on one of those needs to be sent to hospital for a head examination....infact I expect they are bought on finance..even more ridiculous

Utter crap. Theyre a rip off. I’ve had one and they’re effectively useless. Buy a MWB Sprinter. Cheaper and better.

Totally disagree with point 1, come on man vw transporters have been expensive way before the new van shortage!!! So the real truth is you build vans at that high price because people will pay. Badge buyers!!

Nope too small and way overpriced,

This is bull****. so the high price isnt a high price he says, its just age and mileage related. As with every car so thats no excuse. And new vws? Blah blah blah no comment!

The real reason why so expensive is RIP OFF ENGLAND. For what they charge you can go to a hotel every day for 3 years. Yes, not nessrsarily off the beaten track, but also ............I just can't be bothered to finish this.

Its called corporate greed,thats why ive never bought one,nice as they are,theres no way they are worth the money,i ended up buying a two person motorhome instead,more facilities and dare i say better quality,for half the price,its just a van thats kitted out ,like a transit or renault trafic,the bottom will fall out of them eventually,ive looked at lots,(when i wanted to buy one) and come to the conclusion that they are not worth the money,add to it that they are the most stolen camper van in the uk,put me right off,shame really