Type 2 or modern camper?
Discussion
GreatGranny said:
Modern for me.
I don't particular like pottering along at 50mph being hassled by HGVs just so I can look "cool".
I'm with you on this. If I am on holiday, I simply don't want to have to worry about whether the thing will start because there is moisture in the air, or whether it overheats in a traffic jam. I don't particular like pottering along at 50mph being hassled by HGVs just so I can look "cool".
I just want to sit in my air conditioned cabin, with the kayaks on top and get to the next river as soon as possible!
I think the modern ones look as cool as anything. A real mans toy (as long is it's loaded with man toys on top or being towed behind).
Vladimir said:
Who did yours? Looks tidy!
Loads of options for vans - semi converted, older vans, new, etc.
Got our 61 plate California 4Motion a couple of months ago - best purchase ever! It makes a very very handy family car with added benefits. Everything is very well made and thought out - love it! Most options ticked so the price was a little silly but they hardly depreciate, cost little to tax and insure and servicing costs are pretty low.
Mutual van appreciation! Mental money for the Cali's but I do admit they're nice. The beauty of small vans like this is that they CAN be used as an everyday vehicle: ours is used a few times a week for getting to MTBing rides, but equally it's small enough for Tesco runs. It even fits in multi-storey carparks if you're brave (underground carpark at the Porsche museum in Stuttgart was easy).Loads of options for vans - semi converted, older vans, new, etc.
Got our 61 plate California 4Motion a couple of months ago - best purchase ever! It makes a very very handy family car with added benefits. Everything is very well made and thought out - love it! Most options ticked so the price was a little silly but they hardly depreciate, cost little to tax and insure and servicing costs are pretty low.
Started off like this (Sept 2008):
I sorted out the interior with ply-lining, vinyl flooring and £50 IKEA futon:
Used it like that for 2 years, then in June 2010 sorted the exterior (front splitter, bumpers painted, sidebars, bigger steel wheels). Finally in Sept 2010 had the side windows fitted and Jerba Campervans in North Berwick had it for 5 weeks for the roof/interior conversion.
If you're interested, I've got a series of photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/a11y_m/sets/721576217...
Obligatory 'Ring sticker
this is my t5 camper which started life recently as a swb (not as much room as a lwb, but drives and parks like a car - very important if you want to use it everyday) 55-plate 1.9 t28 with a mere 50k miles.
it has a fully n-cap crash-tested seat/bed system (£2.5k's worth) in the back, complete with memory foam mattress, cooker, sink (with pressurised water supply), fold-down 15" TV/DVD in the headlining, 240v supply, side awning, bike-rack, swivelling passenger (bench) seat etc etc.
it also quite happily sits at 80mph and returns 35mpg at the same time (at 65-70mph, the economy is around 40mpg)... all from a basic 1.9 4-pot diesel which has had the pendle treatment (http://www.pendleperformance.com/) to give 135bhp and 315Nm of torque (up from 86hp and 210Nm).
(still looks like a plumbers van though... lol)
it has a fully n-cap crash-tested seat/bed system (£2.5k's worth) in the back, complete with memory foam mattress, cooker, sink (with pressurised water supply), fold-down 15" TV/DVD in the headlining, 240v supply, side awning, bike-rack, swivelling passenger (bench) seat etc etc.
it also quite happily sits at 80mph and returns 35mpg at the same time (at 65-70mph, the economy is around 40mpg)... all from a basic 1.9 4-pot diesel which has had the pendle treatment (http://www.pendleperformance.com/) to give 135bhp and 315Nm of torque (up from 86hp and 210Nm).
(still looks like a plumbers van though... lol)
Edited by village idiot on Thursday 5th April 10:00
Edited by village idiot on Thursday 5th April 10:01
doogz said:
20MPG was the norm, but i could fit the BBQ, quad bike and mountain bikes in the back. There was a double bed, and a couch, that weren't the same thing. A proper fridge, hob, oven, running water.
And it was great fun to drive. Dog slow, but the "pppsssshhht" from the air brakes, the dog leg gearbox layout, and massive steering wheel made it huge fun to drive, I loved it.
And (this might upset some) the diesel engine made a fantastic noise, 6.0 straight 6.
What was the base vehicle? I looked into buying a Daf 45 that my work was off loading but investigation revealed it needed a little too much before a conversion would even begin. I don't think I've ever managed 20mpg from a wee 7.5T!And it was great fun to drive. Dog slow, but the "pppsssshhht" from the air brakes, the dog leg gearbox layout, and massive steering wheel made it huge fun to drive, I loved it.
And (this might upset some) the diesel engine made a fantastic noise, 6.0 straight 6.
There's an interesting thread on the retro ride forum about a guy who built a house truck, slightly off topic but worth a read for those who are interested, I'll see if I can dig it out
Would be interested to see pictures, if you have any?
edit: found it http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=d...
Edited by v8will on Thursday 5th April 10:07
Edited by v8will on Thursday 5th April 10:11
Garlick said:
Is now a good time to mention that I am dragging this tomorrow?
I may as well own up too, we're dragging the Caravan around tooVladimir said:
VidalBaboon said:
I've lived here for 31 years and never once seen a camper stuck in the lanes. My Wife, yes, but that's only because she hasn't figure out how to reverse in a straight line yet.
If you are using the vehicle as you are, as a day van then they make sense, but not £50k+ sense IMHO. I expected to see a price of around £30-35k tops, an extra £15k is pure comedy. I honestly don't get it.
For that money, you're into something much more comfortable and can go further without the need to rely on campsite amenities. And most importantly have more room for continental beer runs
Where is "here?" Because in Cornwall I see regular issues with them.If you are using the vehicle as you are, as a day van then they make sense, but not £50k+ sense IMHO. I expected to see a price of around £30-35k tops, an extra £15k is pure comedy. I honestly don't get it.
For that money, you're into something much more comfortable and can go further without the need to rely on campsite amenities. And most importantly have more room for continental beer runs
I don't "get" spending over £30k on a car with a Corolla engine that's made of plastic (111R) or a wooden thing put together by the RNIB (Morgan) or other things but we do "get" the camper thing. Lifetime running costs will be low thanks to glacial depreciation, it shouldn't break down and running costs (apart from thirst) will be low. I suspect by the time we sell ours (over £50 list) it will have lost way less than some luxobarge, an M3, etc. You only have to look at 5 year old 50k mile Californias to see that buying one for under £30k is near impossible. So if you can "set aside" the money, it's a decent way to have some fun with the family. We've only had ours three months yet the grin factor has been enormous!
As for comfortable - it's one of the most comfortable vehicles we've owned. All the modern gimmicks, nice driving position. 350 mile back from Preston was a breeze and it's got enough (just) power to make MWay driving easy. It's very comfortable indeed. The BMW is still the mile muncher but the Cali is great for Continental trips.
My Wife always moans about the narrow lanes, I guess it's just what you're used to.
You've obviously got your reasons for buying the VW and I don't think you're wrong, but for myself, I can only just see reasoning behind buying one over a 'proper' van at that price. Again the depreciation is glacial on them too so that's not the issue. For me they (Camper/Bongo/Frieda van based things) are all flawed- it's a 5 seater van that has a tent on the roof, has no toilet, no proper fridge, no proper bedding, no storage, can't stand up & massively limited interior space.
But someone must like them if they're selling vans with tents on the roof for £54k
As said earlier, it depends on whether you want practicality or the lifestyle. If I want practicality I stay in a hotel, so opted for a T2 split BUT modified it mechanically. The original plan was to transplant a 911 drivetrain into it, but unless you're prepared to undertake a comprehensive re-engineering exercise, my advice would be don't. There's a good reason that sportscars are low and wide, not high and narrow. You can barrel into corners, but start praying once you're into the apex.. Cooling: the vents in the side only cool up to around 60mph, beyond that and you'll need additional cooling, usually an external oil cooler, placed underneath the van.
In my case I bought a van with decent bodywork and an original interior. It came complete with a 1600cc engine and spectacular unreliability, to the point where I almost threw in the towel. Decided to dig in though, and sent the engine to an engine builder in Chelmsford to go to 1864 and twin carb; put in anti roll bars and raised it (it was slammed, and jarred your teeth); CSP front discs means it stops (more than once) too and I've put in an oil cooler just to protect my investment in the engine..
The end result is that it cruises along at 60+, I've had it up to 85mph verified on a runway and touch wood has been completely reliable. The job I want to do next is put in a bigger fuel tank; the range is only 100 miles or so on the original tank.
The nice thing about these old VWs is that it's a great scene, EVERYBODY modifies their van and there's a whole industry to help you do it
In my case I bought a van with decent bodywork and an original interior. It came complete with a 1600cc engine and spectacular unreliability, to the point where I almost threw in the towel. Decided to dig in though, and sent the engine to an engine builder in Chelmsford to go to 1864 and twin carb; put in anti roll bars and raised it (it was slammed, and jarred your teeth); CSP front discs means it stops (more than once) too and I've put in an oil cooler just to protect my investment in the engine..
The end result is that it cruises along at 60+, I've had it up to 85mph verified on a runway and touch wood has been completely reliable. The job I want to do next is put in a bigger fuel tank; the range is only 100 miles or so on the original tank.
The nice thing about these old VWs is that it's a great scene, EVERYBODY modifies their van and there's a whole industry to help you do it
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/vw-t...
Check out this one. Pimp my ride! Grill is naff though
Check out this one. Pimp my ride! Grill is naff though
456mgt said:
The nice thing about these old VWs is that it's a great scene, EVERYBODY modifies their van and there's a whole industry to help you do it
tell me about it!it's addictive... i've never really gone for modifying, but with the VW it just seems so natural.
i really want a pop-top roof and a set of coil-overs (i'm currently running excellent H&R springs, but would like to get more controlled damping which can only be given with good coil-overs), but that little lot will set me back another £5k on top of the money i have already spent... where do you stop!
VidalBaboon said:
For me they (Camper/Bongo/Frieda van based things) are all flawed- it's a 5 seater van that has a tent on the roof, has no toilet, no proper fridge, no proper bedding, no storage, can't stand up & massively limited interior space.
Not all vans are equal: we've got a proper fridge/freezer, more than enough storage, we can stand up straight inside, and we go full luxury with fitted sheet and a duvet rather than sleeping bags. Add a diesel-fired heater and it's usable all year round. Lack of toilet isn't an issue as I'd rather sh*t in the woods than have to empty a chemical toilet - I HATED doing that on my parents caravan on holiday when I was younger (supposedly a "no number 2" rule but someone used to cheat...). When rough-camping you gain a great knowledge of supermarket/McD's customer toilets...doogz said:
a11y_m, I know, I was joking, but if I was to spend £50k on a camper, I think it might be a 'mog! I'd probably spend half that on a mog, the rest on a conversion.
Agree, I couldn't justify the £50k on a camper either hence converting a second-hand van for the total cost of around half that. Personally I prefer ours but can see why some favour the aesthetics of a California. That interior of your old one is quality: full-size cooker/oven/grill, proper domestic cabinets and is that ceramic tiling?! deltashad said:
£54k? Are you making these figures up as you go along?
Unfortunately £54k isn't far off: http://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/california-range/... - £48k before any options boxes are ticked...
doogz said:
Appears I have a couple of interior pics
I like that, over cab bunk is a nice touch.We did a home build Fiat Ducato conversion a few years back. The amount of work that was put in was bonkers but it was very satisfying touring in something that you'd built yourself. I don't have any pictures on file unfortunately.
I think my preference at the moment would still be a day van and a large family tent but these sort of threads do get me thinking.
Off to browse eBay and autotrader. Pity I'm skint!
VidalBaboon said:
'Here' is Devon & Cornwall. I have never once seen a Camper Van stuck in the lanes aside from Car & Caravan falling off the main roads. That comes from living near several campsites with narrow lanes to gain access.
My Wife always moans about the narrow lanes, I guess it's just what you're used to.
You've obviously got your reasons for buying the VW and I don't think you're wrong, but for myself, I can only just see reasoning behind buying one over a 'proper' van at that price. Again the depreciation is glacial on them too so that's not the issue. For me they (Camper/Bongo/Frieda van based things) are all flawed- it's a 5 seater van that has a tent on the roof, has no toilet, no proper fridge, no proper bedding, no storage, can't stand up & massively limited interior space.
But someone must like them if they're selling vans with tents on the roof for £54k
£52k list including options but we got £7k off. Very few pay full list.My Wife always moans about the narrow lanes, I guess it's just what you're used to.
You've obviously got your reasons for buying the VW and I don't think you're wrong, but for myself, I can only just see reasoning behind buying one over a 'proper' van at that price. Again the depreciation is glacial on them too so that's not the issue. For me they (Camper/Bongo/Frieda van based things) are all flawed- it's a 5 seater van that has a tent on the roof, has no toilet, no proper fridge, no proper bedding, no storage, can't stand up & massively limited interior space.
But someone must like them if they're selling vans with tents on the roof for £54k
The roof elevates electrically, the beds are comfortable mattresses, the top bed is in struts and easily lifts up - you'd need to be 7ft to not fit in, it has a diesel remote control heater (can switch it on from the house or from in bed inside), it does have a proper fridge that will freeze beer on the lowest setting, there's LOADS of storage in various cupboards, I can get an MTB in the back easily without taking any wheels off (and surfboards) thanks to a sliding rear bench seat (the rear space with the seat forward is vast), it's a strict four seater (not 5) and they depreciate a lot less than aftermarket conversions.
However the white one Ally has looks top notch as does the other one too and it's great to see some fellow Dub van owners, not just those that jump in, don't get it and bleat on and on.
Ours is AWD so you could call it a subtle SUV, a house (the other option was moving nearer the beach - we live a painful 20 minutes away), a very handy family car (footprint is the same as a large estate car), a load lugger and more.
They really are superb fun and only seem to attract any negative attention from the slightly sad weirdos on PH.
XitUp said:
You camp at the beach when your house is 20 mins away?
Really?
When you surf (and your wife does too) you want to be on the beach first thing in the morning. A wasted trip to check the waves is VERY annoying.Really?
We have use of a nice, secluded 5 acre field (wife's Grandad's) in Rock which is about a minute (walk) from the beach which we've stayed in many time and it was ideal. Will also use beach side campsites. It does sound a bit mad but it's important to us! And Garlick - you're right on the money there!
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