Looking at 07’ VW Transporter T5

Hi all! I’m looking for a bit of advice. I’ve always wanted to buy a van because I love getting away to camp, and I’ve found one that seems like a great deal: a 2007 VW Transporter T5 (2.5 TDI, automatic) with around 250,000 km on it. They’re asking for $8k.

The only problem is… I don’t have a dad or boyfriend who knows cars well enough to help me figure out whether it’s actually a good buy! 😅 I’ve done a bunch of research but can only find comments online that relate to a 1.9 TDI, so wanting a bit more clarity on this specific one.

Does anyone have experience with this model? Are they generally reliable, and what are they like in terms of running/maintenance costs? A few of my friends have Toyota and Ford vans that seem to go forever with no issues, so I’m trying to understand how the VW compares.

I do know the seller – he’s a mechanic I trust – and he’s done a bunch of recent work on the van to make sure it’s running smoothly. Any advice or things I should consider would be really appreciated!