First Time (potential owner) help please

[bananaman]

Hi all/whoever.
We have decided that a Camper is needed but where to start. I dont want to 'spanner' every weekend or be doing running repairs but start and go. There are only the 2 of us. I will use the van for a daily 30 mile commute and expect to put around 8k on a year.
Looking at prices they seem to range from 1800 (basket case) to 8k for the best; am I close?
Have also just visited Danbury's to look at new Brazilian imports but can find NO information on resale values, infact can find no information at all having perused 10's of VW sites an the merits of a new, old van.
Any information would be helpful and appreciated.
Will be in Brighton on 02 Oct for the run.

[Busby]

Bananaman, we are in much the same situation!
Having spent the summer visiting shows, dealers & private sellers, and watching the market, we hope to make a purchase in the next few weeks. We rejected the Brazilian imports because they were a little out of our price range, and have certainly had more sucess dealing with Camper owners selling their projects once completed or just moving onto a new van. Overall people have been very friendly & helpful, but we are aware that we are entering a potential minefield. Any help would be grately recieved!

Cheers

[super_v500]

Just entered the ownership of a camper van myself. I looked around at different models and read up on them to get a feel. I then decided on the type of van i wanted (I choose a van between 1969-1972 because of the style) and set myself a price limit (£2500).

I then sat and waited until one came along, it popped up on ebay and I went and viewed instantly. It needed work, but at the price range I was looking at it was the perfect match for what I needed. A new recon engine, which means i'm not under it every weekend, a dated inside, which can be done over the winter months when you really don't want to be away in a van, and with a fair bit of bodywork to be tidyed up, with no welding required, and a solid underneath is a must.

Be aware that campervans need love, and that they are not great commuting vehicles (i have to drive mine through london every now and then) Set yourself a budget, stick to it, and try looking at a newer, more reliable van.

hope this helps

Tony

[autopaul]

I got my first camper in 1992 £1000 from an aussi mate in london, she was a bay 74 devon slow and rusty and hand painted but got me hooked drove it round france for three months with no AA or any thing [mad] when I brought i knew nothing about vw's and didnt know why people flashed and waved at us. i thought the van was on fire! i geuss we spent about £500 per year on restoration but that may be low the first lot of welding don at archies in london cost £1000! he asked me if i wanted it done properly and i said yes, the bloke hit the van with a hammer and most of the body fell off! we drove that van every where [france,spain,scotland,cornwall,wales,ireland,east anglia et al] it was the daily drive for years. BUT i had to become a mechanic or face backrupcy every week!

The 74 was stolen in brighton in 2001 [we were all heart broken, i actually cried] i found her again but thats another story. I then spent a year looking for a solid van. found an automatic westi with 60k on the clock no real rust and original paint it was coverd in ****e and in a scrapy in small dole. £1200 i paid [lol] but a lhd 1800 auto bus is a serious undertaking and as rare as a hens tooth pick to boot. have spent as much as i paid for her and still no new paint. -_-

points to consider BEFORE buyin a bus:

1. find a good club and join it.
2. find a good mechanic and buy him her a beer.
3. you must not be afraid to get your hands dirty and skin some knuckles.
4. all that glitters is NOT gold.
5. look for original paint always.
6. fall in love with your van.
7. decide exactly why you want a camper [dont say to go camping in, because its much much more than that]

Good luck

Autopaul

[Bugman]

Totally agree with the last comment.

Know what you are buying into. But on a brighter note there are good ones out there!

I did a quick comparison with my girlfriend's Beetle and her sisters Fiesta. The beetle being 25 years old and the fiesta 5 years old at the start of the comparison.

We had a new engine, floorpan, beam axle, an engine fire (on the old engine!), new carpet set and various odds and ends for MOTs over the first three years. and we still hadn't spent the anywhere near the amount as what her sister had on her fiesta to get it through MOTs and engine problems.

This probably only tells you to never buy a Fiesta but I thought it was amazing how much we spent compared to her sister in a normal (plain, boring) car! And remember you haven't got the coolness/way of life of it being a VW when you buy a Fiesta.

Good luck in your search for a decent van. Take your time and check it is what you want or what you need!

[Hannover Heritage]

HI Guys,

As some of you have found out, buying a bus can be a nerve racking experience. A good bus aint gonna be cheap!!!! unless you have the the good fortune to buy one due to the well known three D's, DEATH, DIVORCE or DES***UTION!!!

As the guy mentioned earlier, you gotta know your budget. I've been restoring and selling buses for a few years now and have heard a few harrowing tales of buyers parting with a lot of cash for something thats undergone a NASTY makeover.

With prices of buses getting ever higher and higher its all to easy for a lot out there to make a quick buck on something they really know little about. I'm not professing to know it all by any means, far from it but I'd just saying to you VW virgins take your time. " YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SEE THE RIGHT ONE!!!"
Call for T2 Westfalia's 07967 377884