been looking for a campervan
vw t whatever seem very popular......but how ****ing expensive are these things.
and how quick do they sell.
my bikes last longer........ 😉
are they that good??
Not found what you want searching the forum ? - there's mebbe a dozen vaguely related threads (some very recent), including some useful links.
Not to mention google is your friend 😉 - there's more specific info/forums elsewhere.
JustKampers is a good forum to read up on.
Yes they cost a frickin fortune these days, and they still cost loads to keep on the road.
its late on a sat night after a laithwaites delivery so let me give you an edited response to the usual T4 thread...
I have a T4 blah blah, added seats and windows balh blah, its ace, blah blah 500miles on a tank blah blah slow though blah blah.
Hope this helps 🙂
I looked a while ago and there's so much information on the net it's impossible to work out what is best. The sheer volume of chatter about them makes it all worthless. But we're looking at T4's and transit conversions most likely.
Nah you need a proper van (hic, to continue the theme...)
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been looking for a week, and i am starting to think another make could be a easier option to buy, find, fix................. 😀
Ton PM me if you want my thoughts/experiences etc
ton- I've owned, fettled and run Vdub campers for the last 20 years. love them all. my current van is a water cooled T25 1.9ltr petrol, and definitely the best one I've owned. previously I've stuck to air cooled Tyre 2 (bay window) vans and they are querky, fun and take allot of TLC, so if you have time but not much cash and like to fettle then they are great. if you don't have time, and want to rely on a local garage to do the fettling then get a water cooled van (most garages won't touch air cooled vdubs, so you'd need to find a specialist air cooled garage if you don't want to do it yourself)
I picked my current van up on eBay for about £6k.. and love her to bits.
the big issue with any of these vans is rust. look for it, and see how advanced it is. if it's been restored then get a friendly Vdub geek to take a proper look and make sure it'd not a rusty bucket filled with filler.
I got my van restored by a local specialist, shod her with a nice set of old porsche wheels and lowered her a little (not much). and use her for hols, races, day2day, days out with the kids, moving stuff....
couldn't live without one... but (thankfully) they are not everyone's idea of a great vehicle.
Bongo.......
I was thinking about how nice these T4's look, and how much even nicer the T5s look - and then I saw the cost. Oh Dear....
And then I read about Bongos, on here. Now I'm buying one.
I cant help thinking you could have an awful lot of nights in B&Bs just for the annual running costs of a camper and none of the liabilities.
[i]I cant help thinking you could have an awful lot of nights in B&Bs just for the annual running costs of a camper [/i]
But who'd want to stay in a B+B and give up the freedom a van offers?
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Cost isn't everything you know.
Spot on Dave. I try not to apply cost benefit analysis to my freetime. I have to do enough of that in their time.
I understand the appeal, but you can equally camp in even more exciting locations away from roads. This is not an attempt at a Troll.
For what it costs to buy and run a vw size camper you can hire a big one when you actually need one
Saw a modern mini one yesterday. Odd.
Bought a 1965 Split Screen Crew Cab Pickup the other week. A proper winter restoration.
Will be awesome for driving to races (if i make the start line!!)
Any VW will make an excellent camper, regardless of age.
J
Just booked the ferry, we're off to Slovenia for a euro roadtrip. You can't do that in a B+B.
[i]For what it costs to buy and run a vw size camper you can hire a big one when you actually need one [/i]
Who wants a big one though?
it's a lifestyle thing (owning and running a campervan)... for instance yesterday on route to cinema we pull up for a spot of lunch in the van, then after the delights of ice age 3, drove home via Lymm Park and pulled up next to the grass, let the kids out to run + play, put the kettle on, got the paper out and chilled for a bit. girls ran back in when it started drizzling, played inside for a bit, and then we all went out for a walk when the sun came back out.
and when I take the lads to a trail centre, it's priceless having a mobile changing room, especially when it's cold wet and windy.
not to mention the 24hr race team bus..
oh yeah, and we go camping with it as well....
Dave - nope - but you can hire one with the steering wheel on the correct side over there and save on the ferry fare 🙂
This is the one we hired in Zebrugge
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Cycle to rosythe, ferry to zebrugge, two weeks touring France. Fixed double bed, full size cooker and fridge, "garage" big enough to put the tandem in.
Major advatages over a small one if you are not using it as an everyday vehicle as well. Far more comfy to sleep in. All mod cons
I really wouldn't want to stay in anything like that, too much inside for our needs, full size double bed in ours too. The drive to Slovenia would take forever.
Im looking at getting one over the winter, to do up, it is a bit of a minefield at times, ideally i would like to end up with one that resembles what Dave A has, looks nice, sometimes i think they can look to flash.
i couldnt use that"big one" as an everyday vehicle either, which possibly i would do with a van.
You up and running again then Dave?
Next for sure I'm getting one either already done or do one myself.
Dave - it drove surprisingly well. Cruise at 75 on the motorway and had cruise control. Fiat Ducato base.
Nice to be able to stand up in it and had flush toilet and shower as well as a solar panel to keep the battery topped up and 150l water tank
'tis a different game but I hate compromises. Want a camper - have a really deluxe one
gotta be said, small ones are more useful IMO. no problems driving down narrow lanes, easy parking etc.
and cant think of anything worse than driving around with poo filled container in the back. mod cons are simply Cons! - keep it small and simple. I have a gas burner and fridge in mine.. those are all the mod cons I'd recommend.
but I guess it takes all sorts, and everyone has their own views on what consitutes a campervan.
Lee -[url= http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43974 ]All the van you need[/url]
New fuel pump belt on ours, all sorted. Just needs cruise control fitting next week :o)
Just booked the ferry, we're off to Slovenia for a euro roadtrip. You can't do that in a B+B.
Why not? It's not hard to find accommodation even when not pre-booked. Have done many a 'road trip' finding accommodation on the hoof so to speak, all over Europe.
Having said that, I've always fancied a campervan myself; just never taken the plunge! Watching TdF and seeing them all parked up along the route gives me the bug every year!
Sweet that is perfect Dave but at this moment in time not after one and think Louise may notice that much going out the bank. But that is a great little van and along the lines of what I'd like.
Ive posted our T4 on here enough.
It really is a great bit of kit, proven by our ability to live comfortably in it for 2+ months at a time (including 2yr old).
As for the money side, there is no way that the depreciation and running costs for us will ever be more than the cost of hiring or B&B over the years of extended road trips we will get out of it. I reckon it will cost between £1,500 and £2,000 a year to run (excl diesel) and depreciate over the 5-8 years I plan on owning it. At our current use rate that's averaging £20-25 a night.
Obviously others may not quite get that utilisation out of it.
But there is also a premium that should be expected to be paid for the extraordinary flexibility having your own camper van brings (motor homes less so because of their size)
Just been to Switzerland in our T4 would never go back to a bay 80mph all the way cruise control on and the air con blowing (although i did have one of the quickest air coolers in the country)500 to a tank good times
T4's are always more expensive than bongos and transits but they always seem to hold much stronger values.
go for it
🙂
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My mate has a new VW California and I'm so envious everytime I see it 👿
Nice Icecream van there ;oP
Does it play green sleeves really loud and clunky?
why on earth have you blocked the number plate?
We have a 1970 T2 and love it to bits.
It is however quirky, slow and uneconomical...
why on earth have you blocked the number plate?
because its a cherished plate:
MRW4 IPY
Ice cream and beer available from the cold cold fridge 😆
Hijack - please buy my Iveco van to fund my upgrade to a bigger & better one.
Only £6.5 k and suitable for people under 5'10"