VW campervans and alternatives

Nice view postie, shame about the crappy old van spoiling it 🙂

1.9 td t4 is ok at best. its what i have. i get about 35mpg.

not heard about them being rust prone?? certainly not compared to teh competition (vito, etc) they do go on for ever mind which is one reason i bought one.

its functional but doesnt stir the loins like a nice t2.

I can see the appeal if you’re a hardcore racer and you need transport/accommodation all in one, and maybe the same for surfers. But seriously has no one ever heard of a bed and breakfast?

I can’t stand B&B/Hotels. Driving away from the site where I need to be, booking in advance, pissing about trying to get an early breakfast if you have to be out early etc. No thanks. I like camping, but I don’t like sleeping on the floor so much in the cold, so I have a campervan. My hotel room then has a view, is the same every night, the bed is comfy and can be where ever it needs to be….

I don’t like B&Bs either. Having to kip in some batty old lady’s house with her crap decor everywhere, a naff bed – you never really feel comfortable.

I agree with Blazin saddles apart from the campervan bit – caravans for me 🙂

Where are all the bikes?

another + for Bongo.

My wife and I wanted a campervan for years, but couldnt bring myself to pay £15k for a 15 year old T3/T4 with 100k miles + with a shabby interior. We went for a Bongo from Wellhouse Leisure[/url]. Ok, its R reg, but arrived with 35,000 miles, a BRAND NEW interior, fabulous kit aswell such as Weaco fridge for £14k.

Looks like now 2000 ones, fully converted are going for £15.5 on there web page.

Also, take a look at the other imports that are available such as Granvia, Regius etc.

If you do look seriously at Bongos drop me a PM and I can give you some pointers.

My Bongo

VW is so over, pimped Jap is the new scene, maaaaaaan.

I can beat those vans for comedy value
I was just taking a look at the website mentioned a couple of posts earlier & found this (sorry for any eye damage)

It’s a Toyota Hiace…..

😆

I’ve looked at buying a van, but for now decided against it for another 12 months. Need to get my money worth out of my rad £60 tent 😆

Regarding the Bongos mentioned above, doesn’t 15k get you a half decent T5 though? I also got the impression they are smaller inside? Feel free to put me right.

VW t25 (t3) 1.6td Holdsworth villa. 35 mpg round town,more on a run,can run happily on SVO @ 66p a liter.will sit at 65-75 on motorway.
Also got a t25 DOKA (twincab )pick up as runaround/bike transporter.had a few,love em,did a 4000 mile trip round Europe in my last one,4 weeks,11 countries,never missed a beat,came back full to the roof with duty free beer and wine.

yep,old VW’s sure are rubbish. 😉

converted an ex-aa t4,
great on fuel 33mpg town, 40+mpg mway
1.9td’s need thrashing.
petrols = regular fill ups.
2.4d = SLOW (better with a 1.9td)
2.5td both tunes v.good
watch for clutch / dmf on 2.5’s (£400 to fix)
cambelts at 60k for 2.5’s (£400 – £600)
avoid already converted vans on ebay (as prev poster, many unsafe & being sold at vastly inflated prices).
T5’s, avoid first few years (electrics & gbox issues)
T5’s (130bhp +) driveshaft & gearbox / DMF issues not uncommon.
T5 1.9td – camshaft failures.
Bongos – watch for expensive cooling issues.
If you can’t convert yourself – be very carefull what your buying..
Alloys on T4/T5’s many with car spec wheel’s and tyres that are not rated for the weight of the van, potential saftey & definite legal issue.
Best of luck.
PS theirs only room for 2 in a van..
Poptops = £3k tent stuck on your van.

Regarding the Bongos mentioned above, doesn’t 15k get you a half decent T5 though?

Nope… not even close for a converted van… Take a look on ebay at moment,
T4 1996 conversion – £12750
J reg Reimo T4 conversion – 150k miles – £9900
2004 T4 – 71,000miles – £13,750

I suppose the dream camper at present is a T5 California.. if you have £38k spare…

Poptops = very small £3k tent stuck on top of your van. Never appealed to me.

xc keith. i really want a double cab pickup. the missus just looks puzzled when i mention it. there is a super loverly early bay twin cab in brighton that is amazing.

practical and impractical in one package – whats there not to like?

this one a syncroo (4×4) *drool*

All campers are a compromise. To the OP how about hiring one first to see how you get on?I have hired a few in varying sizes over the years

I like big comfy ones myself. Small ones like the VW based ones you don’t get a khazi, you have to fold the bed away to drive it, its hard to for one person to sit while the other is in bed, no indoor storage for bikes, too compromised.

Of course the big ones have other compromise. a pain to drive on small roads / in towns. Its nice to have a full size fridge, decent cooker, hundreds of litres of water onboard, flush toilet etc etc

This was the best I have used. £70 000 worth of supercamper
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All of us [/url] by TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr

Mind you – my parents ( when I was small) drove a bedford ca from India back to teh Uk – and they are smaller than the vws. the one they had did not even have a poptop

I’m mid-(semi)conversion of a T5. No cupboards etc but with enough functionality for me to be comfy for weeks abroad or in the ‘Puffer.
SO far insulation and ply/carpeting, leisure battery, leds, second ipod compatable stereo. sleeping platform across between the re-inforced wheelarch boxes(at last being a shortarse pays off) which can act as a cooking platform when standing under the tailgate and storage underneath. Electrics will allow me to run a 12v fridge and a couple of other things. I can also get three bikes and all the kit needed in it. Always a two man tent there for use as well.

Cost so far of conversion is still sub £1k but it is taking a lot of inventions of new swear words.

Get 45mpg on a good steady drive.

So .. what are these Brazilian VW campers then? Seems ideal if I couldnt find a decent original, the styling of the original but built recently…

Whole family is well signed up to the VW camper plan so I reckon some in depth research needed to work out the best plan.

Postierich does your local guy do specifically work on VWs as am reasonably close to Cannock being in Moseley in Birmingham.

I’m also a semi conversion. Have a t4 with

leisure battery
LED lights
Rock and roll bed
Full insulated, ply lined
2 Swivel front seats (best thing ever)

Getting big kitchen cube fitted soon (didn’t really want the wardrobe)

I like TJ’s van the best 🙂

I’ve had 2 vans, a converted vito and a brand new T5 hi-top lwb & try as i might i just couldn’t get into it, confined damp uncomfortable misery is the best description of campervans i can muster. Tried very hard but just couldn’t find the fun in it.

If you want me, i’ll be in the hotel bar next to the fire in future.

I’m not a materialistic bloke but the one thing I am afflicted with is serious van envy. I’d love to convert a LWB T5 but hateful lack of resources at the minute prevents this from happening.

van envy

😀

better then peni envy i guess.

I would also love to convert a nice big van. Not really got time for a good job tho.

I get afflicted with van envy everytime i see a van nicer than mine (which is alot) i ought to pull my finger out and sort mine out. only it means riding less.

loving the doors on disco`s conversion above!

Disco – is that bottom photo from when you forgot to lock the doors down on a windy journey?

Er.. that’s the pic from the company that are installing it. Push button catches i’m told

Actually this guy has just got an install in VW camper and Commercial

there was me thinking it was a DIY job. not so impressive now. still it looks nice but i bet it is costing you.

Van Halen,
rest assured my DOKA isn’t gonna be in better nick than your bus,unless you like ‘rat’look !
it’s an ’87 1.6dt 5spd rhd,black leather seats,chequer plated bed,lowered 60mm on black empi 5’s
very rusty on the body,but underneath is very good.

fast it aint !

How about a Mitsubishi Delica – 7 or 8 seater, both configs fold down for bed space. Could probably run a rear quarter kitchen set up if you wanted but I just rig up a drive away awning, put everything in that and kip in the van.

Bit thirsty on the motion lotion due to a 2.8 derv engine but they are 4wd

I saw a Deli 400 with a poptop a while back, fab… I love those thing Got absolutely no use for one mind but that’s by the by.

You will need space, get what the French drive a lot.

Medium Wheelbase Sprinter is where its at. Small enough to be nippy and go where a car is. Large enough to have room to move around in. Y reg, 26k miles, £11k

Kitchen you can walk around in (and make a mess 😀 )

Comfy Saloon (no dissing my fleecy seat covers please – a fiver from TKmax 😆 )

Medium Wheelbase Sprinter is where its at. Small enough to be nippy and go where a car is. Large enough to have room to move around in.

Rust like an old boat, can’t get into carparks, with the HGV’s on Eurotunnel….

You will need space, get what the French drive a lot.

They bloody wouldn’t if they lived in the UK! I’d have a motorhome if I lived in Europe too, driving them is a damn site easier there IMO.

@Andy

I’m liking that Sprinter and it’s price. Any places that specialise in that type of van?

BG

Mine was done by AVA leisure on a new Van. I believe they have moved onto Bongos. I think I was lucky with the price. I bought it just after christmas which is when the prices are most depressed. Wanted a T5, but they are silly expensive. It was going to cost me the same for the pre converted van.

If I was to do it again I would get a Vivarro/Traffic and get someone to do a simple conversion.

EDIT: I had a bongo before. Great little van with so much character, but realy quite cramped. I do still yell “BONGO” whenever I see one which does get strange looks from passers by and friends.

I actually meant to put a 😉 at the end of my post, that Sprinter is a lot of van for the money if it was ready converted.

I’d agree with earlier comments about older vans – they look nice but are a hobby rather than viable daily transport, particularly if you are doing lots of mileage.

Poptops = very small £3k tent stuck on top of your van. Never appealed to me.

Each to his own but I would consider Increased headroom when camping whilst still being able to get into any car park to be a big advantage.

When you are struggling out of a wetsuit / wet riding gear in a bitter northerly gale in an exposed carpark, the ability to stand up in the van is also very welcome.

Also provides bedroom for our son and storage for bags etc when camping.

Wouldn’t be without ours personally.

I know of very few rust issues with T4s which have been looked after – they are pretty bomb proof. Admittedly the T5 is a better drive, but I think the T4 is still pretty good too. Avoid the 2.4D and normally aspirated 1.9. Get a TDI if you can afford it, but the 1.9TD is fine if you’re not expecting a racing car.

We have a ’95 1.9TD Westy California. Fantastic van. We paid 11.5K for it 2 years ago, but I know I could get the same back if I sold at the right time.

Blazin-saddles – Member
I actually meant to put a at the end of my post

I know but I did think I might have offended, given the amount you have spent on yours! 😉

Tis lovely though… and thanks for the honest breakdown of cost. I’ve emailed that to my sister to give her food for thought.

And I’m watching for the inevitable rust like a hawk…