Something even older perhaps?
I've owned VW T4 vans for 20+ years. Never lost a penny when selling. Plenty of used and new spares, panel, engines, boxes about. Easy to maintain. Will run on veg oil if diesel runs dry. Can be tuned easily and reliably so will never get stuck in inner lane traffic fully loaded. You'll pick a very decent 2.5tdi 5 cylinder up for 8k. Cheaper available but many have been badly molested by teenage and middle aged surfer types. Drives like a car (passat B5 chassis). Mrs loves ours to drive. Full electrics, aircon, sunroofs, partitions, security, heaters are easy to add if not originally installed or bought. Plethora of free online guidance, wiki pages, upgrade advice. DIY servicing very easy, as are VW Specialists to fit, service and maintain them. Post '96 got galvanized chassis', running costs are good with 35mpg. Fit a pop top and an awning rail for weekends away at the many scene shows. Travelling abroad (Cities), lez's may be a stumbling block due to emissions but thats just getting tighter every where. There's lots of unmolested examples out there, NI is a good source plus you get a meaningless plate for free.