Switch from campervan to car - recommendations?

[Time Waster]

Just a consideration right now but I'm curious what would suit us after ba few years of driving a converted van.

Just before Covid we bought a 2016 vauxhall vivaro and after covid got a conversion company to put in a pop top roof, line out and insulate, seat/ bed, diesel heater, leisure battery split unit to charge from driving van, led lights, USB charging points, external socket leading to rcd double 3 pin socket and extra windows on the sides, opening on both sides.

I've seen valuations for base van of 7k to 11k. No idea what it is worth with current conversion. We don't use it and we're considering selling to fund a more practical car in terms of lower running costs. We're looking for something that can carry family camping kits and take a towbar cycle carrier and possibly roof bars. Cost would fee funded by van sale and possibly not all of the money raised. We currently do 6500 miles a year.

Anyway, we have no idea what to get, anyone got a good suggestion? What type of car?

Past cars were seat altea xl mpv bought after vauxhall astra estate became a little bit top small for family camping kit. We do like the current astra estate possibly sportswagon though. We're not big car users. We use train for work commute which dropped our annual mileage from 13 / 15k down to 6.5k.

If anyone with a good knowledge of cars can recommend something.

 

[Specialeyes]

Not a total car expert, but I've just gone through a very similar process, offloading a Tourneo Custom which had been part of the family for 5 years and was just about to get a bit spendy, and replacing it with a used Volvo XC70. D5 Volvos go on forever if looked after (750k+ is not uncommon) and this one ticks all the same boxes you mention above: massive capacity, classless looks, roof bars, tow bar, super-comfortable motorway mile-eating, built-in dog guard and, so far, a perfect road-trip machine. I looked at Skoda estates and Yetis and they're all really good cars too, but just didn't quite have same capacity and capability that the Volvo has.

But then, of course I'm a fan - I just bought one!

 

[fossyant]

Estate car. Unless you want an inappropriately massive SUV. Petrol with so few miles.

Or how about keeping the van for leisure and for £2k-£4k get a small city car ?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I'll go with @Specialeyes
Volvo XC70, it has the ability to cope with muddy fields, at events/days-out, & any snow that may come this winter
As a Skoda fan/owner, I'd say an Octavia estate, or.... if you can find one, a 'Scout'

Sadly, when changing from the original Octavia, to the 'facelifted' 2nd generation, Skoda redesigned the back-end of the estate, doing away with the more upright rear, & reducing physical space
When I had my Octavia, a 2nd generation 'face-lift' (March 2012 - May 2021), I'd have loved it to have kept the original rear end

Octavia 1



Mine


This is gorgeous for the price
(the original 4x4 estate had the same engine as the vRS of the time)
https://www.usedsandwell.co.uk/ReportSelectUsedAdPhoto2?used_ad_id=25813584&position=6&hb=3

 

[Cycleops]

Or how about keeping the van for leisure and for £2k-£4k get a small city car ?

Call me controversial but you could buy a bike for that.

 

[Jameshow]

I'll go with @Specialeyes
Volvo XC70, it has the ability to cope with muddy fields, at events/days-out, & any snow that may come this winter
As a Skoda fan/owner, I'd say an Octavia estate, or.... if you can find one, a 'Scout'

Sadly, when changing from the original Octavia, to the 'facelifted' 2nd generation, Skoda redesigned the back-end of the estate, doing away with the more upright rear, & reducing physical space
When I had my Octavia, a 2nd generation 'face-lift' (March 2012 - May 2021), I'd have loved it to have kept the original rear end

Octavia 1

View attachment 698143

Mine
View attachment 698138

That's gorgeous!!
(the original 4x4 estate had the same engine as the vRS of the time)
https://www.usedsandwell.co.uk/ReportSelectUsedAdPhoto2?used_ad_id=25813584&position=6&hb=3

Or a Skoda superb more space and a plusher ride but more expensive esp in dsg form.

Used to regularly beat the v70 MK3 in reviews.