Do I buy a 1999 2.5 tdi Trident for my family

Hi,

New member here, first post go easy!

We’re about to buy a 1999 2.5tdi trident with 130k and fish (non dealer) on the clock for £13k.  I’ve been looking at.them for a long time, we had a bongo when we were a 3, I like the romance of a t4, we are a family of 4 (2 boys 8 & 6) now, we have a caravan we use throughout the year for school holidays in Devon (we live in Oxfordshire).  I’m getting cold feet tbh, is it big enough for long weekends away, is it reliable, is it expensive, will it sit on the drive gathering oil dust, will we love it, will it be hard to drive, will the roof be a pain in the ar@e parking, why don’t we just use premier inns  they are as cheap as campsites these days etc etc

So many silly questions, but wondered what you guys think of your trident or auto sleeper ?

Thank you so much for your time

The barnett family (maybe awaiting adventures)

Welcome to the Forum!

Your analysis covers well the risks / downside of the proposal. Normally, I'd point out the hard-headed (not "romantic") advantages of getting that Trident (including its ability to carry all sorts of things via that sliding door, and compact size enabling you to go where you wouldn't when towing a caravan.) 

But you already have a caravan, which I assume you'll keep. I therefore suspect that your family of 4 would always compare the lack of some basic facilities - which you have in the caravan (such as a WC / shower) and would regard the Trident as inferior. Would they resent using it?

I think you may be trying to ride two horses: caravan and MH, but I think that owning both might be a mistake. Personally, I'd sell the caravan and upgrade to a MH which has similar facilities to a caravan (e.g a Clubman or Nuevo). Perhaps you should banish "the romance of a T4" and base your decision on cold reasoning and evidence!

Good luck with that!
Cymro

PS: we had a VHT (= Trident) when our 2 kids were the ages of yours. Brilliant (but no caravan). Had it 10 years. Great general purpose vehicle (carried bed and mattress to London when daughter started in university, and son's possessions for a year in France.). But when we later upgraded to a Clubman, the delights of a separate bathroom, and a hot water system etc etc, were really appreciated. You already have them in the caravan.

I assumed the caravan is a permanently sited static. If so, a campervan for odd weekends when you can't get to Devon may well be a good idea.

There’s no doubt that a van of that age and mileage is going to need repairs in the not too distant future but, if you're happy with the layout and driving position and think you can all cope on wet days when you can’t get outside, then go for it.

You will not go wrong with the VW 2.5   I have had 2 now have the 2.4,  which I am happy with, I love the VW T4 `s reliable, car like to drive, economical I find,  Will fit into a ordinary parking place, I find mine very useful cars are too low for me which is why I have the Topaz, plus I have all facilities on board, as it is a small motor home, Trident `s are camper vans, depends what you want and how you camp. 

I cannot say on the Trident as I have never had one just 2 Topaz`s and a Clubman, used all 3 as my car.still do the Topaz.

VW`s  hold their price as well as being an Auto Sleeper worth every penny in by book. Would the boys have a tent to give you more room for when the beds are made up?

I love the aspects of MH`s you have the freedom or rather will do in time, to go where you want and when, a great feeling when on the road, was a tugger for decades , then saw the light, wish had changed decades ago, no faffing about, no fetching water as soon as get on site, cannot beat it in my book.

Best regards,
Margaret

Good luck and happy camping.

Why not consider a Clubman still a VW ? car like to drive, comfortable  / room and the all important loo and shower etc. I found that economical on fuel, if having an oil  / filter change every 3000 miles with good quality oil, and have premium diesel, keeps it clean runs quieter and smoother. Will still go in parking places.

Are you all planning to sleep in the van regularly or will you have an awning or tent too? Your children might be happy up in the top together but the bunk is not that big. If you away in inclement weather for any length of time you will probably want an awning. Even if the kids are okay with sharing the top bunk now they may not in a couple of years as they are quite compact. Our brother and sister in law have one and the Mum sleeps downstairs and the daughter in the roof. The dad and older son sleep in a tent outside. They are very happy with this arrangement.

Thank you all for your thoughts, I like the idea of something versatile I can put some bikes on the back, carry things to the tip (if there is no barrier), drive off somewhere where the weather takes us, get to the beach etc our caravan is a tourer stored on a big farm site in north Devon, so they tow it onto site and we spend a week or so down there in school holidays. Our intention is to go away to places like York, Chester, Norfolk, Kent on a Friday evening and come back 2 night later.  I’ll take a look at the clubman, I just like the idea of being able to get bulky stuff into a van for transporting. It sounds like I can trust the quality of build given its a 22 year old van I’m looking at

Thanks again

Mylesbarn

Ps yes we would look to get a drive away awning

Where will you keep it...at home? If so, why not keep your caravan there and then you can do all the same things with far more room for four (growing) folk.
Tiny vans with many people require good discipline and patience...
With the caravan, you'll already have the car to get everyone about in..and what's the position re seat belts, etc in the Trident?
Perhaps think 'practical' now and 'romantic' once the kids have let you know whether touring is for them...it won't be long!

I’ve towed for a few years and to be frank I don’t enjoy the journey, I’m nervous all the time the vans on the back. We’d keep the camper van on the drive.

Good luck with the choice.

Thanks guys, I think whatever we do should we not like it they seem to hold their value

Cheers,

Mylesbarn

As already said, there are lots of pros and cons. With kids at the age yours are, being crammed together in a small van may be Ok, but if you have a long spell of wet weather it can by testing, to say the least. And you will definitely need something like an awning or tent as they get older.

I would also say that a Trident would not be fantastic for general load carrying and taking stuff to the tip. The problem with pretty much any rock and roll layout is that you end up with a reasonable size space in the middle, but with finished wood or fabric furnishing all around it. If you have a big object to take to the tip - how do you stop that gouging the wood finish when you go round corners?

We have access to two vans and one small MPV - we never use either camper van to cart stuff around - not least because the small MPV is worth almost nothing compared to the value of each of the vans.

I've run a Trident (1994 2.0 petrol) since my youngest was a newborn and the oldest was 3 - that's 11 years.

Even when they were small we wouldn't want more than a single night without an awning if all 4 of us were on board. 

Top bunk theoretically sleeps 2 kids, but only if they're little - and tolerant. One of mine refused to go up there because you can't sit up in bed. 

You can make a bed across the front seats for a small-ish young un, but of course that puts the captain's chair out of use as a seat.

Also some adults think the double bed isn't wide enough. It's fine for us, but you see a fair bit of grumbling on the forums. Full-width beds are popular in home-brewed conversions.

It's not just the sleeping arrangements that can be cramped. Tridents feel roomy when 2 adults are sitting quietly, reading and drinking wine, but add a couple of kids...

BUT BUT BUT she is a much-loved, well-used member of the family and has been used for 2-week summer holidays every year, all over the UK plus Spain and Germany.

We also do several weekends away plus a couple of festivals. Can't recommend the latter enough. There are so many family-friendly ones now.

Have tried different awnings over the years - a medium-sized one with a decent living area plus a double bedroom works best for us these days. 

Tip trips etc are fine - you can put the bed out to fit in sofas, wardrobes etc. Just be sensible to avoid damaging woodwork etc. At my tip there's a ramp to avoid the height barrier. They don't treat you as a van if they can see the curtains, back seats etc.

The high-top has caused no significant problems. Have had to find alternative parking a handful of times, but that's it. 

In my experience the ability to stand up in the back at all times is a far greater benefit than ducking beneath the occasional car park barrier.

These are easy to drive and park with no overhangs and the tight turning circle of a delivery van.

It will hold its money if you buy carefully.

Good luck :-)

Mylesbarn: " I’ll take a look at the clubman, I just like the idea of being able to get bulky stuff into a van for transporting".


The Clubman - although larger than a Trident - isn't as good as a bulk carrier because there is no side sliding door. It has a narrower habitation side door, although I could get bikes, 8 x 4 boards etc in it and, via the rear window, a ladder and long stuff.


Cymro

Thanks guys, I think we’ll be okay but I’ll let you know how we get on, festivals sound like an awesome idea, can you recommend any? I know of the one that rob the bank hosts I think? Maybe car fest might be a good one. The main idea of the van is just to be spontaneous and * Inappropriate Word * off when we like, I’m fed up of lockdown now lol!

Cheers

Mylesbarn

Opps didn’t know the bu@@er word inappropriate apologies!

We had an Autohomes Komet on a 2.4 T4 when our children were a similar age basically the same conversion with the added bonus of a Carver water heater. Lots of adventures all over the UK and France. As the previous post said an awning a must for longer stays but did used to all 4 sleep in the van on the odd occasion, usually when in transit, a bit cramped but doable. Having had a couple of caravans over the years I also used to find the towing quite stressful compared to normal driving and much prefer having a campervan. My advice for what it is worth is go for it and try it out, if it doesn’t work for you then sell the van on there is always a ready market and I have never lost much on a camper and have actually made a profit a couple of times.