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I'm just picturing you lifting your large dog up into the over head bunks, and persuading him to stay there all night - or have I misunderstood?

For the same money you could get a much more modern and practical van. OK, it won't be an investment, but they depreciate much more slowly than cars.

Mummylonglegs,

A lot of you question can unfortunately be only answered by yourself. But Kabbes last post is very good at giving you a starting point on how to approach this.

I'll give you our experience: a VW van had been a long time dream of my wife. Not being able able to afford one she bought a 1974 beetle as a "subsitute". Which is the only car we'll probably everr own (bar the van) that has appreciated with time. Bought £650, valued at £2500 after spending about £300 on recoverig the seats. Paul at Down Under, although a van specialist, was looking after the Beetle because I just don't have the time or incline to look after it myself. I have changed the odd part (like accelerator cable, fuel line, fuel sender, door window winder..) myself, but anything serious and service is done by Paul.

Then, we inherited some money as per you, and being campers we contemplated buying a van.. Just like you we are not mechanically minded and did not want something too shabby. Plus, being french, I wanted a decent engine so I could drive the van down to the south of France. 

So we went to see Paul, he offered several vans: some were cheap but too much of a project for us, some were very very good US imports but the wife did not want a LHD and Paul had warned us about RHD conversions. So in the end we bought a Oz import. Best of both worlds: RHD and very solid. A lot of money, but as per our Beetle experience, I knew there was little chance of us loosing money on it if we didn't like it or changed our mind. So I figured there was little risk in attempting that little adventure.

In two years we attended 1 vw show (straight after buying the van), went to the south of France twice and do a few fairly local camping WE every year. The next big trip is to Newquay in August from Essex. We also do regular trips to our local beach for picnics.. Apart from that the van stays at home, it's not a daily driver.

Cost: ours, a 1978 with 2L engine costed us £10500 with the few rusty areas (driver's door bottom, accelerator pedal anchor, A pillar where radio aerial is, and baterry tray) all repaired with new metal, rear seats/R&R bed recovered, new floor covering/curtains/headlining/pop top canvas to our specs and stereo+immobiliser.First MOT we had to spend about £250 incl labour on the brakes, this year about the same because the steering coupler and other bits and pieces failed. The windscreen wipers motor also failed, costing us about £150 all in as a replacement was hard to find. That's it.

However: early summer last year, we hit the big one and the engine blew up with no possibilities of repair. Ouch!! £2000 later and the van has a new engone and drives superbly...Before that though, the engine had not missed a beat so in effect was very reliable, starting pretty first time every time, even when unused for a while and in the winter. Also,I probably can add that £2k straight onto the van's value when I see current prices... so unlucky to have to layout the cash but probably no money "lost".

All this, including finances, said and done, our story was primarily about my wife's life long dream so we accept the costs and the lack of modern comfort (part of the charm for us).

Modern campers will not give you the same satisfaction when you drive them around, and will loose you money...

The choice is yours...

Wow, what an utter wealth of information you are, THANK YOU.

Lol at the stuffing the dog in the roof - he would have a heart attack! I just heard that if you didn't have a roof sleeping bit, you just had a big bed that covered most of the floor space and I really didn't fancy sharing it with him !

I laughed too about the size 22 carbon footprint - I know, I am being too ethical and have to get over myself... Spoke to someone else who has a split screen and she said the petrol wasn't nearly as bad as her people carrier. I was told VW oldies did about 20 mpg - I nearly died - but she said it does better than that. Is she right?

Kruisler - it is my dream to own one too, I love them. I had a 2CV for years and loved that too. My wobble is starting to calm down a bit, but no doubt will flare again. It is a lot of cash to part with! Have to keep telling myself 'it's an investment, it's an investment! - not just a nice ting to have".

If you go abroad in an old VW - can you get car insurance? And does it cost a fortune?

mummylonglegs,

We're insured via Adrian Flux (broker) for about, IIRC, £400 incl breakdown cover in Europe.

Propbably more next year as I caught another car's rear corner in a car park...

Damaged my rear arch/sill and side laoding door in the process... Gutted... Still, I'll pay more attention next time...

Quote: Originally posted by vwalan on 03/7/2009

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westfalia have been making campers on rhd t2 as long ago as the early 60,s .you could buy them all the way through the 70,s they are not rare or special or anything else

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if you want rare try n find a jourgan or one of the german/dutch coachbuilt vans. ticher . all i say is dont be put off with the new ones . i see lots on my travels n they seem to work very well in the rough tracks in morocco. i think the best way is buy a van n make your own convertion after wax oiling every where. shame they have got so expensive. lots cheaper in south america. personal imports still allowed so save a few quid . i used to market a conversion to put the larger golf passat engine in t2,s /t25 made a lovelly use able vehicle shame vw stopped putting the 1800golf in the t2 a few years ago before the 1400. i have taken t2.s all over africa n must say still like them. now take a mini artic away it still gets to many places others dont. will always have a soft spot for t2 in my heart .

We had our '78 2 litre bay converted to LPG.  It costs £1,000 and I think gas gives nearly twice as many miles per gallon as petrol (have I got that the right way round?)

Anyway, we're very pleased we did it.  It did mean that we have lost all the storage under the back seat (3/4 rock & roll bed), but as we have a high top we still have enough storage.

As I've already said I wouldn't contemplate owning one unless we (ie other half!) could do some of the maintenance ourselves.  But plenty of people have learnt and as the engines are relatively simple it's maybe not as hard as you may think.

Maybe a T4 would be better for you? 

Quote: Originally posted by rabbitboy on 03/7/2009

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We had our '78 2 litre bay converted to LPG.  It costs £1,000 and I think gas gives nearly twice as many miles per gallon as petrol (have I got that the right way round?)

Anyway, we're very pleased we did it.  It did mean that we have lost all the storage under the back seat (3/4 rock & roll bed), but as we have a high top we still have enough storage.

As I've already said I wouldn't contemplate owning one unless we (ie other half!) could do some of the maintenance ourselves.  But plenty of people have learnt and as the engines are relatively simple it's maybe not as hard as you may think.

Maybe a T4 would be better for you? 

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Hello Dee,

Remember when we sold you the van?  Steve didn't really know much at all about the mechanics, but thanks to your John, Richard and now Will, Steve can do so much he even keeps my MG on the road.  His next project is an outboard moter for out little boat.  Watch this space!

Back to topic, we were lucky and bought our VWT2 for only £500, but had to put an interior in.  We missed owning one after selling our previous camper to a very nice couple.   To see that camper now, well you wouldn't recognise it and we have spend a good couple of holidays together in France with them.

You may be lucky like us and find a bargain...so good luck.

Even though we are going tenting, we won't be selling our camper...but are looking forward to using it as a couple once the boys have flown the nest....or no longer want to be seen camping with their old foggies of parents.

Dear Mummylonglegs

We've had a very similat dilemna to you.  We were thinking of getting a new Danbury T2 conversion because they look cool but chickened out for various reasons (we are non-mechanics, scary rust stories, just too expensive and not practical).  We did want a new van (don't want a lot of maintenance) and have decided to get a new T5 Bilbo conversion.  The company seemed more on the ball. It's cheaper, same sort of layout and size, can be serviced at any VW van garage, easier to drive, safer etc etc and i think it looks quite cool too.  We haven't actually got it yet (!!) but I don't haver any of those cold feet feelings I got about the Danbury T2.  Also keeps its resale value. 

Anyway, thought you might be interested.