RE: PH Blog: auf wiedersehen pet!

RE: PH Blog: auf wiedersehen pet!

Thursday 25th October 2012

PH Blog: auf wiedersehen pet!

News of the VW bus's demise prompts an interesting excursion into the classifieds...



It's the Sao Paulo Motor Show at the moment and VW has taken a load of UK hacks out there. And are probably not entirely delighted that the story most are reporting is the end of productionfor the 60-odd year-old camper van!

So it's finally the end of the road for the old bus as time, and the inevitable safety legislation, catches up with it. Well, a vehicle where your knees are the crumple zone probably has had its time.

Cheap to buy at least...
Cheap to buy at least...
Doesn't mean you can't still buy them of course and among the modern VW campers there are plenty of the old buses available in the PH classifieds. So I went off hunting to see what I could find.

Now, the world of VW buses is an entire automotive sub-culture of its own and one with complicated norms that outsiders have little chance of understanding. I'm one of those outsiders and, hands held high, split screen and bay window is about the extent of my knowledge. But that's why we have a forum!

Anyway, to get the conversation started the cheapest I could find in our ads was this one from 1980 for a smidge under five grand. It's MOT'd until April so if you had hopes of using it for your summer holiday you might want to tread carefully, the pictures revealing a degree of 'frilliness' anyone with previous experience of old campers might get the jitters over.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale...
Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale...
Mine extends to a long period stationary on the hard shoulder of the M6 in a friend's old camper, a vehicle whose ability to conk out was matched only by its voracious appetite for money probably better spent elsewhere. Indeed, stationary VW camper vans are a feature of many a motorway hard shoulder, my experience indicating it's probably not because the owners have pulled over to make a brew.

At the other end of the scale is this one for ... wait, does that say £120K? Yes it does. Now, my limited understanding of the market for proper classic vans does at least mean I'm aware of the 'grand per window' rule of thumb but, jeez, this thing doesn't have THAT much glazing.

A PH-worthy camper-based set-up
A PH-worthy camper-based set-up
Little doubt, it is a lovely looking thing though. But I think my £120K might go on a more modern one, a trailer and something interesting to tow behind it. The rig I took to the Alps earlier in year would do me fine and cost about half that!

Dan

 

 

Author
Discussion

PhantomPH

Original Poster:

4,043 posts

224 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
Having followed the VW scene since the 80's, I would imagine the £120k HAS to be a mis-print. Unless it still contains some original master tapes from an early Beetles studio session in the back, it's worth £50k max.



Edited by PhantomPH on Thursday 25th October 11:37

StuttgartJem

81 posts

179 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
Love the VW Bus, but £120 k !!! It is lovely but you could have a much better & reliable fully kitted out Danbury for £40k
Think PH Classifieds sums it up with the alternatives for similar money. Gallardo LP560-4, Conti GTC Mulliner & an Aston Volante.
It's like the classifieds have become self aware !

PhantomPH

Original Poster:

4,043 posts

224 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
Prices are going nuts for the multi-windowed buses, but here is one that looks even better and for half the price : http://www.pre67vw.com/classifieds/detail.aspx?id=...


mat777

10,360 posts

159 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds

V12 Migaloo

805 posts

145 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
I kinda never understood why would any one want to drive 500 miles at 55 mph and sleep on top of the engine is a tad beyond me... Have to say though I do like the look of the split screen though, especially the foose modifed one.. L8rzzz

HorneyMX5

5,308 posts

149 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
mat777 said:
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds
Yup, you don't.

MarJay

2,173 posts

174 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
Excellent. Worst vehicle I've ever driven. It will not be missed.

Dave^

7,324 posts

252 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
mat777 said:
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds
Or, you could just get one of these instead...

http://www.subarusambar.co.uk/

I'm doing it wrong, aren't I?

getmecoat

vdubbin

2,165 posts

196 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all


That Subaru is small, those Busses are far away…

richb77

887 posts

160 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
I am sure that ad is a misprint.

£120,000 is insane!

I cant imagine there is ANYONE in the world mental enough to pay that.

j_s14a

863 posts

177 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
mat777 said:
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds
As much as I love the character of the air cooled models (if any vehicle has 'soul', a camper's right up there), I would have to agree with you. I wouldn't like the thought of my family being stranded somewhere for ages waiting for a recovery truck - an all too often occurrence with these.

kilauea

71 posts

176 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
mat777 said:
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds
because they are made out of decent steel with good paint and the aircooled engine is a work of genius? I've got a '79 westfalia with the 2.0 powerplant shared with the porsche 914 (with differences aimed towards more torque than power).

As a vehicle it gives me just as much joy as my track prepped 205 gti or my souped up saab aero, just in a very different way.

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

189 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
VW have regularly showed this concept car off:



Looks good, but you can understand why it has never made production considering they have the perfectly good but less interesting-looking T5 that they can churn out much more cheaply.

Old campers are beautiful things, but they need commitment and cash if you ever want to own one.


BartSimpson

2,769 posts

183 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
mat777 said:
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds
Link?

kilauea

71 posts

176 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
btw - the new models are not front engined. they just have a hideous radiator where a shiny VW badge or spare wheel should be. Danbury sell them. They'll rust at 4x the rate of an old one.

Hellbound

2,500 posts

175 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
I wonder what's being said at the crisis meeting over at Danbury Caravans. They've got 14 months to stockpile as many T2 bodies as they can.

Or they could find a manufacturer in Brazil able to continue making these in small numbers for export.

http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/

mat777

10,360 posts

159 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
BartSimpson said:
mat777 said:
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds
Link?
http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/vwt2.html

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

189 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
mat777 said:
BartSimpson said:
mat777 said:
I dont get why anyone would still buy an "original" when you can now have the modern , front engined, watercooled variants rebodied to look like the classics - giving the best of both worlds
Link?
http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/vwt2.html
Not front engined.

dave stew

1,502 posts

166 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
MarJay said:
Excellent. Worst vehicle I've ever driven. It will not be missed.
I've not driven a camper, but remember back in the early 80's driving my brother in laws 1973 Beetle... the slowest and nastiest thing I've driven. And I once had an early Vectra company car!

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

189 months

Thursday 25th October 2012
quotequote all
dave stew said:
I've not driven a camper, but remember back in the early 80's driving my brother in laws 1973 Beetle... the slowest and nastiest thing I've driven. And I once had an early Vectra company car!
"Charm" is something a Beetle has that a Vectra doesn't, even if it is a technically superior vehicle.