VW split screen camper vans- any owners or experience?
Discussion
5lab said:
they are not even remotely reliable. if you wanted something similar looking for your business, what about one of those watercooled imports from Brazil? They get sniffed at by the VW scene but 99% of the population wouldn't notice the difference
They don't look as nice imo- and they cost £30k +!!
ChrisRS said:
RSGulp said:
Belching steam?? You sure? 
From the kettle? Need to do something when your waiting for the AADepending on what you're going to use it for, and if you're going to tow it on a trailer and use it as a promotion tool, it might work. They're small though, they'll probably fit inside a big Transit.
I've restored a couple of them, they're very good for business! All I would say is buy the absolute best you can afford, dont try and buy a cheap one thinking you can do it up and have it owe you less than a good one, you will never get your money back. Even doing all the work yourself, you'd struggle to earn making a nice one out of a dog. Plenty have been bodged up, take someone with you who has already been burned by one before!
5lab said:
they are not even remotely reliable. if you wanted something similar looking for your business, what about one of those watercooled imports from Brazil? They get sniffed at by the VW scene but 99% of the population wouldn't notice the difference
Not true - as standard, they aren't too bad. It's all of the modifying that stresses them overly. It's an original spec beetle underneath with a shipping container welded to the top of it, so it's not going to be a supercar. Drove a later (non split screen) one that had been 'upgraded' with a liquid cooled motor. It was awful from start to finish. The brakes were next to useless, the pedals all stuck through holes in the floor through which you can see daylight, and your feet get wet when it rains. The steering column is solid and yet flexible, and the steering has a dead zone that is about 30 degrees wide. The dead zone has no input on the direction the vehicle travels, but when you're out of that dead zone you need muscles like Arnie to steer. The engine was asthmatic and only gave out about 60bhp. There is no crash protection to speak of, and had I had an accident I suspect I would have had to have a coffin specially made to accommodate the steering column which would have then been embedded somewhere in the area beneath my sternum.
The gear lever was about eleven feet long and quite flexible, and so finding any given ratio was also next to impossible.
It was so difficult to drive, I kept having the advertising slogan for Miliways go through my head whilst driving it. "Have you done three impossible things this morning? Round it off with breakfast at Miliways, the restaurant at the end of the universe!"
The whole thing rattled like hell and I thought I was going to die when driving across a bridge in high winds as it was nearly impossible to catch it wandering across lanes due to the massive dead zone. The vehicle is a total death trap. Not comfortable to sleep in, crap to drive, no heating in the front short of a scary petrol heater, and about as practical and as desirable as a dose of the clap.
Avoid at all costs. I've decided that if I ever win the lottery I'm going to buy up all of the campers I can find, and then blow them up top gear style and video it to post on the camper van forums. That is how awful they are.
If you're in any way a petrolhead and not some wannabe surfer poseur, you'll avoid it too.
{edit} The liquid cooled one I drove had a top speed of about 55mph. 60mph downhill.
The gear lever was about eleven feet long and quite flexible, and so finding any given ratio was also next to impossible.
It was so difficult to drive, I kept having the advertising slogan for Miliways go through my head whilst driving it. "Have you done three impossible things this morning? Round it off with breakfast at Miliways, the restaurant at the end of the universe!"
The whole thing rattled like hell and I thought I was going to die when driving across a bridge in high winds as it was nearly impossible to catch it wandering across lanes due to the massive dead zone. The vehicle is a total death trap. Not comfortable to sleep in, crap to drive, no heating in the front short of a scary petrol heater, and about as practical and as desirable as a dose of the clap.
Avoid at all costs. I've decided that if I ever win the lottery I'm going to buy up all of the campers I can find, and then blow them up top gear style and video it to post on the camper van forums. That is how awful they are.
If you're in any way a petrolhead and not some wannabe surfer poseur, you'll avoid it too.
{edit} The liquid cooled one I drove had a top speed of about 55mph. 60mph downhill.
Edited by MarJay on Tuesday 14th June 22:15
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff