Buying my first VW Campervan

robster1964

Hi Guys,

I wonder if any one has any advice regarding buying my first split screen or Bay vw..... The prices vary wildly and from what I have read they can be total rust buckets and money pits...

Thanks for any Advice

Robster

Rolandtheroadie

Think you get what you pay for really.

If you could do a lot of work to it yourself, I'd say a project would be better.

If it's all going to have to be done by others (and not mates rates) a finished van may be more realistic.

Probably better bought from an enthusiast as well, who may have a fully documented and photographic history for the work done.

Inner_Zone

There was a series on Discovery Quest recently about just this. The owner was the chairman of the spit screen club. Might we worth investigating the club and watching the programmes when they are repeated.

Grammar_Natzee

I'd love to get one of these but the costs involved with the upkeep and reliability would bankrupt me. They're lovely things but I think it's easy to forget that these vehicles are getting on for fifty years old now.

djheath

Mechanically, they are very easy to work on and fix, should things go wrong. Body wise, get the best you can afford. Rust is a killer and it costs big bucks to repair if you cant do the work yourself.

For a decent bay window, I would look to spend around £8000. For a Split, £10,000 will get you one that drives, but will be ratty and need work. Remember though, these are old cars. They need constant maintenance. Oil checks every week, servicing every 6000 miles. Rust proofing each autumn ready for winter. They are uncomfortable to drive, worse to sleep in and no safety features. The aircooled engine means you dont get a great heater, so they can be very cold in the winter! I have a 1971 VW Beetle which used to be my daily driver. Scrapping ice off the inside of the windscreen is not fun!


Get over to https://www.Volkszone.com\VZi and check out the forums there. Loads of help, lots of vans for sale and any questions will be answered.

Be warned, you're getting yourself in to a lifestyle which will cost you a fortune, but you will enjoy loads! :j

Ghostrider

I know nothing about them I have to say, but they can look very cool!

I'd agree with djheath though, the specialist motor forums are by far the best place to seek advice.

Good luck with it!!

ventureuk

Become best friends with the hard shoulder and get on first name terms with the AA man.

My mate is a dyed in the wool split screen man and despite knowing them inside out his latest £20000 spend is only just working right after 12mnths and cash poured like water to get it to run right.

Buy a Bongo and have enough money to run it, have holidays and afford surf lessons.

mikey72

If you can afford a split screen, it's a good investment.
Bays are getting dear now as well.
It's the right time of year to buy a runner.

What's your welding like?

All the parts are still available, so even major rust isn't a problem.

If you want something you can just get into and drive, an already restored one is a better bet.
But dearer.

Engines are good if they're good, but otherwise can be extremely variable. They all leak oil.
Gearboxes aren't designed for high speed motorway driving, but again, you can get good reliability if you don't thrash them.
Interiors are all available, so wear isn't a problem.
Thye roofs tend to be a weak point, always raise it to check it hasn't rotted away, or just doesn't go up or doesn't stay up.

You can bolt a porsche engine straight in, near enough.

They drive like a 50 year old van as well.

I'm after one if I find one at the right price. (My daughter wants one to replace her classic mini, she drives my 1967 beetle based kit car, so she's used to the different driving style of VW's from that era)

colino

Have you driven one? They really have to owned and maintained by fans because they are slow, uncomfortable antiques. I think their time has long since passed.

mikey72

ventureuk wrote: »

Become best friends with the hard shoulder and get on first name terms with the AA man.

My mate is a dyed in the wool split screen man and despite knowing them inside out his latest £20000 spend is only just working right after 12mnths and cash poured like water to get it to run right.

Buy a Bongo and have enough money to run it, have holidays and afford surf lessons.

Lat year I put my VW based kit car back on the road after 20 years of standing.
New brakes, changed the oil, took off the supercharger and put the Nikki car back on from the back of the garage, new plugs, and it started.
The only thing I've had to change since then was the fuel pump, from the vw mechanical one to an electric one. (Lazyness - I broke the base putting the carb on, and can't get the end out of the block)
Just coming up to the next years mot, and no problems at all. (apart from that pump!)

mikey72

colino wrote: »

Have you driven one? They really have to owned and maintained by fans because they are slow, uncomfortable antiques. I think their time has long since passed.

They are certainly antiques.
Distributor, points, oil change every 5000 miles maximum, plugs you need to change or re gap, doors that drop, steering box with about 1/4 turn of free play......

If you like cars, and are prepared to put in the work that was needed on all cars up to the 80's, they're fun.
If you like modern cars that go 20k between services, but need to go to a dealer as they need to plug them in, they're not fun.