Advice needed - Buying a Transco Sprinter 311cdi

[richied]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of picking up a Sprinter to convert into a camper/motorhome. I have come accross some ex Transco 2001 311cdi MWB Sprinters which seem very good value considering the mileage (around 60k miles). They have the body work of a 7 year old vehicle but have been serviced by BT Fleet (good?) and seem like a good buy for someone who can't afford a nearly new van.

They also come with aux battery and charging kit which powers the workshop, an inverter and a water heater which are all very usefull for a camper conversion... (As far as I know, they're not the model with the air compressor & generator that runs off the engine)

Is there anything I should know about these vehicles..? Are they genuinely good value or am I missing something..?

e.g. have they been sitting around all day every day of their life with the engine running to supply the workshop with volts?

Other than the 'Transco' question, is there anyting else I should bear in mind about the 311cdi?

Any advice is very gratefully received... especially as the vehicle we purchase will not only be our wheels but also our home this summer...

All the best, Rich & Kate

 

[rf065]

BT Fleet have only been servicing these vans in the last couple of years. Before that they were owned by The Leasing Group, part of National Grid Transco & serviced in local garages in each area.

If it does not have the PTO units, it was probably one of the governor teams who used it, explaining the low mileage. Most of these vans have upwards of 150,000 miles when sold, and it shows. If it is coming direct from Transco, it will not be clocked, but I would be wary of one which has been bought from them and resold quickly with a low mileage.

Russ

 

[richied]

Cheers Russ for such a speedy response...

So it would be very important to have good documentation to back up the low mileage? Maybe even contact Transco for confirmation of the mileage when sold on?

I take it the PTO is the compressor/generator?
What is the govenor team?

Cheers, Rich

 

[rf065]

Try BT Fleet or The Leasing Group, copies of the previous MOT's will confirm the mileage or not. It's unusual to find one with such low mileage, it can happen though. Maybe it has been used as a spare van or a pool van, but most earn their living and put on the miles.

PTO, Power Take Off.
If the van does not have this, it was either used by teams that did not have to excavate, or, they may have towed a compressor. Depending on who drives them, they can have a hard life, but they were all serviced every 9 months regardless of mileage.

Russ