[Closed] VW Van Advice

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/

and if you want info on conversions ask 'Vanbling' his are exceptional...

I can do you a Bay window panel van for 2.5K (seriously - mine is for sale!)

7 months MOT, taxed, foldout bed etc..

rtedge at hotmail.com

You could also try http://www.volkszone.com for info. Like the STW of VWs!

type 2 infor at justkampers.co.uk. look at the kamperchat forum. or volkszone

type 2 is very different to type 4

i have a t4 currently and its great and we use it alot.

the t2 i owned was the best vehicle i ever had. it took alot of time to keep it going (i do m own mechanicing bar brakes) but it was loverly and i used it all the time. i only sold it as i felt it needed a proper restoration that i couldnt afford at the time.

Do it! I thought about it for years and finally we bought a T25 last year. It has been awesome although it will take a bit longer to get anywhere. Get a bike rack asap (fiamma ones are c.£116 at JustKampers) if the van doesnt come with one. Then on your travels you can still get to the fridge / cooker

To be able to jump in it and drive, transporting bikes & camping gear I'd get a modern T5

To spend ages preparing for every trip away, look cool driving slowly, visiting VW shows, spending lots of money on parts and all your riding time working to on it to get the bloody thing through the MOT I'd get a T2 or T4
Where do they rust? Everywhere, teach yourself how to weld before buying or get VERY friendly with your local mechanic
Common problems? Lots

trb
Aircooled VW owner since 1992. I love 'em but I wouldn't buy one for weekend bike transport.

Only consider buying a type 2 (bay or splitty) if you can weld, are mechanically minded, are quite happy to spend many long hours mending and fiddling OR are wealthy enough to be able to afford to get someone to do it for you.

Also you need to be prepared to spend a certain amount of time on the hard shoulder / recovery trucks.

With a stock 1600 Air cooled engine you will also get overtaken by everything going up hills - this includes old people on mobility scooters. The best solution is either a 2.0l subaru legacy engine (for performance) or a Passat / A4 diesel conversion.

By the way im an '74 Bay Bus w/ 2.0l Subaru legacy engine conversion owner and for all ive said (and the 8k+ ive spent on it) i cant see me selling it.

Thanks for the info, we've been considering a camper since I was in college, getting on for 20 years ago and now seems the time to take the plunge!!
T4 would be the sensible option and there a nice example of a T25 on ebay and quite close.Although I would really prefer abay ( splitties are just crazy money)
Took the kids to the "Big Bang" at Sata Pod last weekend so still on an air cooled high

If you can, try and drive a few. I drove a few bays and then the T25 and ended up taking the less romantic but more comfortable, "sensible" option, although our T25 has still cost us a few grand to keep on the road in the last year (fingers crossed that the engine rebuild is the last of it now!)

and with the kids...look into awnings and back seat seat belts (esp if you are stuck on a bay, not all have them)

Tread very carefully there are some shitebags out there in the vw scene.
Owned one for three years and we have had the best holidays weekends away,so what if you get there 30 minutes after everybody else I enjoy the ride/chill when going away.
This comment to my experience is a bit of a fallacy
"Also you need to be prepared to spend a certain amount of time on the hard shoulder / recovery trucks. "
A few pics of our bus
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I've got a 73 Bay and wouldn't part with it but as the other have said they can be a bit of a money pit and the best and worst aspect is the time it takes to get anywhere.
Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than seeing the enormous queue of cars in my rear view mirror as I chug gently round twisty turny country roads looking over hedges at the beautiful countryside on the other hand it does also seriously restrict how far you can go for a weekend away without spending a ridiculous amount of time behind the wheel. Great fun though 😉
If I was to buy one now I would probably go for a 2litre T25, still quirky but with a little bit more space and speed.

t25 1.6td,35-40 mpg,cruises easily at 65mph.
owned 5 bays before going t25,sold my first one 4 years ago,regreted it for a year,bought current one,had it ever since.
was stored in garage for six months,started first time yesterday,went for MOT,passed no problem.I do all my own work on 'em,peice of p1ss to work on.stay away from aircooled t25's.Diesel rocks my world !!!.

may know to a 1.9d tintop 2 berth for sale,needs painting,but all prep done,mot'd.
mail in profile if interested.
Keith.

Why do I always click on these threads I know Rich will post pics of his and I'll start looking again.

Must. Resist. Camper. Van. Threads!

not to put you off Smartay but anyone have or know of a diesel T25 engine going spare...mechanics just gave us some bad news 🙁

too late....Already making mental space for a bus....

Anyone on here got a Mazda Bongo?

Thinking about getting one, as they seem cheaper / more adaptable than the VW ones around.

[stands by to be 'advised']

it depends if you feel comfortable turning up to a party with own brand beer 4 packs

I think the community around the vw is larger, plus resale plus parts availability....

dave_aber - Member
Anyone on here got a Mazda Bongo?

Thinking about getting one, as they seem cheaper / more adaptable than the VW ones around.

[stands by to be 'advised']

Have a look [url= http://www.bongofury.co.uk/ ]here...[/url]

Get a Vauxhall Vivaro, Nissan Primastar or Renault Traffic (newer version of course) - all the same I think just different names, get the crew cab one with side windows and self convert, modern vehicle, nice to drive, economical, perfect.

I've had my VW T2 for 15 years, restored and looked after and loathed to part with it now, but was cheap to buy back then, now there's a lot of expensive rot boxes around full of rust and filler and a lot of bodge rip-off restorers too. A good looked after one will be a reliable trouble free camper, but few and far between now, if I was looking to get something now I'd get a modern van and convert it myself.

I had a 67 Split that I sold in 2000 to Start my business. I loved that Van, original Westfalia with all the camping gear still in it, I added a gas stove and an electric fridge to make it more practical.

I picked up a Volksworld at the weekend and couldn't believe how much T1's are going for now!

Come to think of it I sold it to a guy that used to ride, he was going to use it for trips, I think he used to work for the BBC, anybody know him?

The Van was a White over Baby Blue RHD Westfalia, lowered and fitted with Empi 5'S.

In your darkest desires you will be after a T5 with 215bhp of torquey loveliness.....

[IMG] [/IMG]

....another vote here for the Vivaro/Primastar/Traffic...

Great to drive, super economical, quite nippy, relatively cheap to buy.....but, more importantly....loads of 'square space'....

We've got the SWB low top.....some very slick conversion chaps in Swansea did wonders with it...carries 3 bikes (wheels out)....plus has a bed, TV, 240V fridge, sink, cooker, playstation, silly sound system, leisure batteries, led lights blah blah......all in cost about £12k.....

A friend has a bongo....it's way smaller, crap on juice, noisy and has more body roll than John Prescot...!!

[i]To be able to jump in it and drive, transporting bikes & camping gear I'd get a modern T5

To spend ages preparing for every trip away, look cool driving slowly, visiting VW shows, spending lots of money on parts and all your riding time working to on it to get the bloody thing through the MOT I'd get a T2 or T4[/i]

To be able to jump in it and drive, transporting bikes & camping gear we got a T4, that description doesn't sound like our T4 at all.

Having bought A T4 camper in feb, after having had a few bays and a t25 crew cab pick up. Have to say that the T4 is superb, should have bought one years ago. Ours is a LWB high top, ecomomical if driven sensibly unlike a bay, with the benefit of loads of room, plenty now its just me and the mrs. Bays really are a labour of love, spent many nights welding past midnight for its MOT, they are also a money pit if you are not that mechanically minded....I still fancy another one though!
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Anyone recommend someone in the Poole/Bournemouth area to do work on a T4? (rear seats, side window, etc).
Cheers