The Volkswagen EuroVan Is the Ultimate Quirky Camper Van
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Volkswagen EuroVan review! The Volkswagen EuroVan is a weird and quirky camper van. Today I'm reviewing the Volkswagen EuroVan MV Weekender, and I'm going to show you all the quirks and features of this unusual van. I'll show you everything interesting in the EuroVan, and I'll get the EuroVan out on the road and drive it.
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As a European now living in the US (moved to US about 12 years ago), I am definitely liking Doug's new trend of reviewing Citroens and the Multipla and all the cars I've grown up seeing on the streets, but aren't in the US...
"European"
As an American living in Europe I'm liking it for about the same reason, learning about all the cars that are new to me but I see every day now.
Thats funny because I like them because I didn't see them growing up! Enjoy
@@christianb1707 nah citroen cars are kinda crap.
*new ones
For those wondering, the bed does fold completely flat but Doug just needed to flip up the rear facing seats for the extra room
And the shelf is removable ;)
thanks rocky garden dwarf 780, i was looking for this comment
Yea I'm here thinking that 'bed' looks extremely uncomfortable lol
i was about to ask, cause that kink's gonna be painful for anyone over 30
Don't even need to flip them up... I'm 6 5 and leave them down for extra room. Can still get the bed flat
8:46 “You can maybe see curtains for the side windows…but why would you need them in back?”
Oh Doug…we love your innocence and pure mind
He answered at 9:16😂
200 hp in german engines differs a lot from american vehicles. 200 is actually pretty powerful if the engine is efficient enough. It also triggers me that you didn't mention that VW actually never stopped making these, at least not in Europe.
Exactly, I wish I had a car with a VR6 engine. But the lack of power of this engine in vehicles exported to the USA was probably due to the automatic transmission. In Europe we get lucky if we get this T4 with the 2.4l diesel and not the 1.9.
It's the US, they can't go over 120k on public roads, but they still bitch about anything below 200hp.
200 european hp ≠ 200 us hp
I, too, was surprised to hear that 200 hp was "weak". Americans are just used to way overpowered vehicles. Sure, they are heavy, but still. You can do a lot with a lot less...
@@epatto Someone told me on a forum once that my 75hp Mk4 Golf was "dangerous" and "must struggle to reach 50kph".
Yeah it does about 180kph and is fine on the Autobahn, but you do you.
Shout-out to Doug and how he's still impressed that a van has a table after driving cars like the Bugatti EB110 lol
I think he's even more excited about the table than he is about a W16 engine.
Growing up in Europe as a kid, I traveled a lot in these. They were usually a diesel with a manual. Very practical and good travel companions.
And poor Balkan kids looking at you from their Yugos and Zastava 500s cooking their asses of with no ac while travelling to Adriatic 🤣
2.5 TDI 102bhp - best engine ever
It’s bugging me so much that he didn’t fold the bed all the way flat! Overall great review… I’ve always wanted one of these vans
I was hoping that was the case. It makes the rocky ground where I camp look pretty comfortable 🤨
Me too! Made me think it didn’t fully extend
I was wondering how anyone could possibly sleep on that "perfectly flat" bed he pulled out lol. It looked truly horrible to sleep on. Knowing Doug didn't do all the steps to make it actually flat has given me a great deal of relief lol. This has always been my dream camper and I thought for a minute that I wouldn't ever buy one even if I could afford it because of that!
He just needed to pull that rearmost cushion back an inch and the bed would have seated flat.
I'm so glad someone said this, I paused the video at that moment to search for this haha! Looks truly horrid to sleep on, even with a mattress
As a european who still has one of these, its amazing what you guys actually value them for. It makes me look at these in a completely different form than before. For me these vans have always ben a work horse, nothing special, I own a 95 with the 1.9D 57hp engine and to be honest, it doesn't even want to do highway speeds anymore, but she has been a good tool over the years, sadly rust is starting to get the best of her and the power steering has gone.
@@yt45204 at over 700.000kms, having broken 2 timing belts, and 3 head gaskets, and the engine magically surviving with just the new belt and some coolant, I think the lost hp isn't coming back 😂😂😂
@Paul S that could work yes
@@yt45204 T4's are the first FWD transporters . So no chance of a Wheely ;). (no chance in my RWD 78bhp T3 either btw but that is another story ;) )
i was thinking this when doug was talking about it not having much power, my dad has a '98 T4 with the 1.9 TD with 67bhp and anything above 70 is a struggle and very scary. When he said 'only 110hp' i laughed
No one wants to buy them bro lol belive me. Lololol
It’s so adorable how excited Doug is for a car that is the most common thing where I live. I’ve been riding in these quite often but didn’t really care and Doug on the other hand is completely freaking out about this car. Very nice to have this perspective of an American enthusiast.
Also I never thought about this as a van, for me and many other Germans/Europeans it’s always just been the VW Bus, the Bulli or T4
Because old cars like the EuroVan will be special vehicles in the future. You won't see these vehicles again, especially in nice shape.
the years 1986-1998 was the most memorable design for VW. just so cool and technical! cool emblems on jetta, etc they are rare , not super crazy rare though. im not that excited for the id buzz it looks generic instead i'll have a classic '77 myself someday!
@@phlippflop2881 I laughed when he tried to sell it as “great for storage” as i think EVERY single electrician in Denmark drives a T4/ the successor because of this, haha
@@bonzobonanza that might be true in America but in Europe they still sell that car… obviously a newer generation of it but still
I never knew this is called the EuroVan in the states, we just call it the T4 in Europe, it's basically the successor to the Hippie Van, dubbed the Volkswagen T1, so this one is the fourth generation. I'm always amazed at what cars you guys missed out in the States, in some way it's shocking, most of the Euro cars that Doug reviews that he claims to be special are the most common cars here in Europe. xD
Yes, the name EuroVan stood out to me as very American. I literally said to my TV: “that’s just a T4 but with ugly American bumpers, right?” lol
Especially because the real EuroVan was a project between Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat. Which resulted in the EuroVan 2 which were the Fiat Ulysse, the Peugeot 807, the Citroen C8 and the Lancia Phedra.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovans
This was the last real “transporter” we got in the states. Afterwards we got the Routan but that was a rebadged Chrysler town and country. It’s a shame I don’t see these as often but it’s fun when I do.
My chemistry teacher has one lol
@@shept.7736 First time hearing the name of this vehicle lol. Here Europe we have the Sharan, which is similar to the Routan, but a little smaller and a real Volkswagen. You guys in the states are really missing out on the new T7 and the Mercedes-Benz V-Class Marco Polo, which are amazing, but very expensive
Three time EuroVan owner here (all T4b Weekenders), a few points to make in this great overview of these oh-so-quirky vans. A few more points…
1. The owners manual states not to have the table up while the vehicle is in motion. Probably too much potential injury in case of a collision.
2. The fridge box can slide out for access without having to lift the seat base.
3. The rear climate control is only to add heat, not cool air. GLS and MV versions had rear A/C compressors.
4. MV “tintop” vans had snap-in curtains.
5. The bed will fold completely flat.
6. The rear compartment lighting, fridge box and rear power ports are all powered by the “house battery,” located under the passenger seat. It gets recharged via the alternator, and saves the starting battery.
7. The pop-top latch is a modified A1 Golf/Rabbit hood latch.
8. The smaller size is nice as it’ll fit in most garages. Find another vehicle that sleeps four and will match that feat.
9. No glove box due to crash requirements. Other markets had cubbies in place of the knee bolster on the passenger side. The owners manual fits well in the passenger door pocket.
10. VW only sold about 5k of these per year in the last three model years. All have seemingly migrated to the West Coast.
11. There is also a full camper van available, with a 10” longer wheelbase. Imported as cargo vans and converted by Winnebago. However, the quality was not up to the same level as the Westfalia components.
12. It’s peppy enough to keep up in modern traffic, but it is under-geared and sucks gas at a rather rapid rate. Figure upper-teens for most combined driving. MPGs drop precipitously at higher speeds.
13. VW has been making them since 2003, just not importing them to the US.
Oddly enough, the EuroVan GLS and MV both had tinted windows in the rear passenger area, but the MV Weekender, without adequate rear A/C and large windows, is like a rolling aquarium. It’s highly advisable to tint those windows.
man, best comment I've seen so far! kudos to you!
14. ONE MORE FEATURE:
When your camping or hanging out inside, half of the inside roof/bottom of the upper bed folds up & hangs from the tent ceiling providing headroom or openness inside
Finally someone who knows his stuff 👍
@@Turk380 Thanks! I am a bit of a nerd.
@@bryanclifford1065 Ah yeah, that was such a nice touch when I had my EuroVans.
Fun fact: in Europe this version is called "California" and it is still on sale, just look on the homepage of "Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge" for the "California 6.1". And it has competitors like the Ford Transit Custom "Nugget" and the Mercedes "Marco Polo" which is based on the Vito (utilitarian, "Metris" in the US) or V-Class (more luxurious).
Not the same car.
@@glurak888 the VW California is the direct modern replacement.
Now the T7 is out. But the T4 like in the video is just a older (better) model than the 5, 6, 6.1 and probably the 7
@@Simon_r2600 And the 7 is much smaller, and also (in my opinion) not really nice to look at.
@@Azureecosse I don't where you are from but in Europe the "California" nameplate is around since the 80s. Just look for "T3 California".
The T4 is used literally everywhere in europe from ambulances to construction haulers, not the V6 though, the 2.5 TDI is an indestructible engine.
yes, ours has almost 450k km on it
was used*
@@Its_Me_Romano No. they are still used today
Winnebago also used the T4 as the base for the Rialta motorhome. They came as siamese chassis cabs to save money by shipping two cabs as one vehicle and added the extra frame at the Winnebago factory.
@@akinaccord I have seen them in Prague as ambulance and police vans, both in great shape
Funfact: While Volkswagen sold these as “Eurovan“ in California and the whole US, they sold (and still sell them) as “California“ in Europe.
Nah. That's a multivan. California is the one with kitchenette and wardrobe-ish thingy
Yes, but the "California" has no rear-facing seats, instead it has a small kitchen unit and a portable toilet.
@@grisza77 Actually every VW T-Series since the T4 with a pop up roof is called “California“. The equivalent to the one Doug tested (without a kitchen) is the “California Beach“. There is also the “California Ocean“ and “California Coast“, both with a kitchen. But you're right the models without a pop up roof and the back to back seats are called “Multivan“ in Europe (as well as “Caravelle“ and “Transporter“ in different trims).
@@antons6298 checked, you're correct. Never knew they vere offered new with westphalia gear, thought they were aftermarket refits. Very rare in my parts.
Makes sense they would give it that name. If they called it the “Alabama”, VW would go out of business .
I had a 1995 water cooled Vanagon. I loved it. It was underpowered, but rode like a dream. We drove round trip from CA to NY with two children and had a blast! Loved them and I can’t wait for the electric version the ID Buzz.
These actually came with a regular glove box. Like in a lot of other cars of the 90s, the passenger airbag was added later in the production run in place of the glove box which led to making another compartment lockable.
they still came with a glove box in the rest of the world. it's just empty space behind that knee bolster. I have no idea we weren't deemed worthy for one in the US.
There were even versions with box on top of dashboard (no airbag). Very desirable kind of "glovebox" today.
@@Turk380 For having went through the process of homologating a euro-car model to the US on a previous job I can tell you it's the stupid US crash regulation. An unattached front passenger must exit alive and not go through the windshield of a frontal crash at 30mph (not sure for the speed). So if the car wasn't design for this purpose from the ground up you end up needing to put a big thing that will block the knees of the passenger in case of a crash to avoid him flying through the windshield, so the glovebox replaced by this ugly foam pad.
(no one said you should be able to walk after...)
@@Fe_lix thank you very much for the information! 😉😉
We have the 5 Zylinder Diesel. It has airbags and glove box. We also have the lockable compartent in the drivers door
Doug should go over to Europe and do a road trip doing reviews of cars we don’t get over here. I know he does old imported ones here, but current models would be cool too.
unfortunately, Doug mentioned in a vid several years back that he isn't really interested in going abroad to review cars like he used to in some instances, cause he explained in California there's at least one example of every car he wants to review...the last time he went away to review a car was that mercedes-maybach in Australia a few years back
I like when Doug does these European cars, it's such a fresh take on them because he hasn't been around them much. Others I'd like to see are the Renault Clio V6, Renault Avantime, Citroën BX GTi 16v, and Fiat Coupé and Barchetta, but l probably shouldn't hold my breath
He did record a Clio V6 review at the Lane Motor Museum but is yet to release it.
First gen twingo is a must too.
Seat the spanish brand too
@@LouisSubearth oh damn I'll be keeping an eye out for that one. Was it featured in one of those cars and bids promotions he does?
Believe it or not, he almost reviewed an Avantime in the Lane Motor Museum, but unfortunately Doug said that it wasn't working when he went there.
Funfact: Engine is not regular V6 but its VR6 and only VW made this type of engines. They sounds incredible.
was looking for this comment.... hard to believe doug didn't mention this
@@SnoqualmieShredder He did mention that it is a VR6 later in the video. The thing I found cool about this van, at the time (the wife and I test drove one in 2002) is that IIRC, this was the first North American instance of the 24V VR6 (one year prior to the 2003 Jetta GLI with the 24V VR6).
Great vans! My dad has had all kind of vw Transporters over the years for his construction company. He still owns a t4 double cab pick up that he bought before I was born in '92. It's in the blue color like the picture you showed.
Over the years it has become a family member. My siblings and I all learned how to drive in it, went camping with it, moved our stuff in to our first apartments etc.. A lot of memories are with that little van.
Now after 30 years and 400k km she is starting to get rough around the edges.. But we decided to never let her go and we're going to try to give her the restoration she deserves.
There were several more versions of T4 in Europe:
Transporter (usually panelvan but also available with seats and windows) is the cheapest version usually for builders and workers,
Caravelle, more comfy for passangers
Multivan - version with foldable third row
And then Westfalia with popup top.
Also there is 40 cm longer version of Transporter and Caravelle.
Most usual and reliable diesel engine is 75kw 2.5 TDI which most people prefer for good balance of performance and fuel consumption. The most powerful diedel is available in 111kw version. In Europe, there are not many gas engines with V6 because of high consumption.
Automatic transmission is also very rare here due to its unrealiability. That gearbox was not designed for such a heavy car so it can fail and the fix is very expensive. So most of T4s have manual.
I got T4 Caravelle and i love it. Using it for work, trips, camping, moving friends. Highly versatile.
Thanks for the video, Doug!
In the UK you see more T2s and T3s than T4s are mostly rusted away.. the one reviewed is luckily a California kept one, so has not lived the hard life of northern Europe..
In Europe it was called Miami, and the T5 was named California.
da kennt sich jemand aus ;)
@@panzerveps No. It has always been called the California since the T3
@@captainevenslower4400 Really? Then explain the T4 Miami camper we had at our dealership last year?
There was an even higher spec version available in Europe called the California. It had a full Westfalia kitted interior as well as the pop top roof.. It consisted of the rock'n'roll bed ... yes that's what they were called, a two burner cooker, a diesel heater, the fridge was usually 12V/240V (when you used the mains hook up) & gas.... It had lots of cupboard space and was pretty much the same as what was called the Vanagon in the US...
Once the T5 came out VW ceased it's collaboration with Westfalia and continued the California, but kitted out as factory by VW...
Interestingly Westfalia did a Mercedes Vito version, which had an identical interior to the California called the Marco Polo.
I have in the past owned both the T4 VW camper and the Mercedes Marco Polo... both great vehicles...
So the Califonia trim wasn't available in California XD
The current version is called the California here in Australia as well. There's also the Caddy California.
The ironic thing is that Volkswagen made a van called the 'California' that isn't even available in the USA
VW also worked with Winnebago on the same van. I still have my 2000 Eurovan Camper. Winnebago spec.
@@yungboicontigo9278 Yeah these names were used because California was, at the time at least, a symbol of freedom, adventure and luxury for europeans
As a Volkswagen Parts consultant I can say that in the US market VW is phasing out the EuroVan its damn near impossible to get OEM parts for them now. If you purchase one just keep in mind that most parts you need are going to be aftermarket... VW made so many different variants that the aftermarket part you bought probably wont fit so be aware of such things ! The VR6 engine is a gem though
Thanks for the info. I'm looking to buy a 2003 Eurovan MV. Is 200k miles too much?
@@DukeFame88 the transmission is going to be on the way out. The manuals from Germany were golden, but the automatics were horrible
would you not buy it because there are no parts?
@@StephenAldaco It's over 20 years old. Any car with that age is going to be hard to find good quality parts without paying up the nose. Plus with the recent craze with these vans, everyone is looking for parts. Windshield wiper motor, non rusted body parts, the list goes on. My dad imported a low mileage one from germany with a turbo diesel and a manual and it's been great. Van is a hoot when everything is working well, but a pain when you have to source parts to fix what will eventually break. I guess you could really say that about any old vehicle for that matter
Who would love to see a joint collaboration review of any car with Doug DeMuro and Sarah from Sarah-N-Tuned. I think that would make the best review video ever.
I love how excited Doug gets about a table. Can you imagine eating dinner with him? "WOW, IT'S A SALT SHAKER!! You could shake salt onto any food you like!""
People’s (YOU) ability, or lack thereof, to understand context these days astounds me.
@@ScottXC91 nobody asked.
@@ScottXC91 lol it was a joke sir. I love Doug with all my heart!
“Wow a fork! What a convenient way to eat your food!”
@@BannedfromCommentingKEK nobody asked you either.
Doug, I have this exact van. Also, vw have never stopped making different versions of this van. You reviewed the 4th gen face-lift model. There is a 5, a 5.1, a 6 and a 6.1. They come with a host of diesel engines and drive trains producing between 84 and 204hp from factory.
Are you thinking about selling yours?
Yes here in germany you can buy many different versions and sizes new from VW. So they are there but just not in the US, which is probably a weired business decision.
@@manuelg8050 Our "Min van" market is just flooded. There's too many options already, and it seems like people upgrade to Transit Vans if mini vans aren't cutting it. I always thought these were the perfect middle ground for size, and kinda sharp looking.
We just don't see these in the states. Toyota and Chrysler seem to be king of the "Mini Van" market over here.
I put mini van in quotes, because I believe you guys refer to them as "People movers"?
84 hp, JFC. How does it even get up a hill?
@@AdamG1983 they are Diesels so they do pull quite well...
I grew up with one of these as my childhood car (non-camper version) loved this thing. Super spacious! fit myself and my four siblings in the back for many roadtrips
I had a '92 five-cylinder 2.5 with a five-speed manual. It was actually fine on long trips. It was slow off the line, but once it got rolling it had good torque to keep it going.
I've now got a one-owner (me) 2002 MV with 136,000 miles which is still running great. Mileage is still the same at 16 in town and 19 to 20 on the highway. Transmission was replaced once under warranty (50k miles) but it's still going well at this mileage.
From 2001, it's the only van on the market that had four wheel independent suspension (front with torsion bars), four-wheel disc brakes, ABS, dynamic stability control, and brake proportioning. From 2002, Climatronic was standard.
There really isn't anything on the market that compares in terms of overall utility. It's great on long trips, of which we've done several. It has more cargo space than a Suburban. The visibility out the front is fantastic, and it's surprising Doug didn't comment on that.
We test drove a Mercedes Metris, which has almost the identical exterior dimensions, but the ride and handling are inferior. The VW has a solid, German car feel.
I replaced the front ball joints, sway bar links and bushings, and motor mounts. The ride is still smooth and the tracking precise.
The reason VW isn't selling the current Transporter (now up to T7) here is because of the "Chicken Tax", a 25% tax on light trucks.
The Transporter is still very common in Europe. In fact, it was the most common VW we saw in Norway.
We need you to get your hands on the vw grand California!
I'd love to get one of those and mod the hell out of it.
Or just a regular California
I grew up with one of these vans. My parents bought it new in 2003. So many great road trips in this thing!
Those must have been some great childhood memories for you…
Exact same thing. This thing was so much better than a mini van as a child. So many fast food meals were consumed on that table. And fun fact, that space below the seats is big enough for a child. If you close the trunk they are totally trapped. Ask me how I know
Same. My folks also purchased one brand new in 2003. We still have it at 181,xxx. It got some external fire damage. It is not structural. We are debating repairing it because we have so many memories in this van and just love it too much. It was a mechanical nightmare its whole life, but we can overlook that...
Same! Too bad we got rid of it. But I learned to drive with a blue one. Still smile every time I see one which isn’t tooo rare in Seattle.
Even in Europe the T4 is the more loved version as its successor,the T5, gained a bad reputation for various quality issues and drivetrain problems. A good T4 still sells for more money than a T5.
Best review Doug has ever done. Love it.
Sad that the new VW Californias is not for sale in the US, would be fun to see you review one of those. They have even more quirks with a full out kitchen and more! Great video as always though!
Agreed :) maybe he should do a camper van special the next time he comes to Europe :) I have the Mercedes Marco Polo, I’d love to see that featured on the channel :)
Honestly with some minor changes and a beefier diesel they would sell all day long in the NA market.
maybe someone in California didnt like it to be named on a camper van .
Just to correct Doug, you can still buy this van new from VW in rest of the world. The weekender is called the California Beach, and the full out camper is called the California Ocean (has kitchen). They also offer a larger version based on the Crafter that's called the Grand California with a bathroom. In addition Mercedes sells the Metris as Vito or V Klasse in EU in a factory camper as well, Marco Polo. For someone who is limited on budget and size, there is a factory camper in the VW Caddy as well! You can get a camper from Ford as the Transit Nugget also factory and not extremely expensive!
Wow looks like they're actually available in Canada as a 2021 model year! Americans could potentially import them from there.
Also Doug did not really mention the fact that full blown camper version was available. It came in the longer wheelbase (which was available in EU) that wasn't available for the passenger version. It offered lots of items such as sink, fridge, cooktop, and usually only came in white. These are super desirable even in the EU. T4 2.5 TDI is actually regarded as the best of all Transporters. T5 has some odd issues here n there, T6 with the 2.0 TDI is a complete disaster due to the horrible EGR cooler design that blows up the motor. T7? Well that should just be called the Multivan, not a T7. It has nothing in common with the T6.1 that is still used by everyone from post office workers, farmers, families etc. It comes in so many varieties and flavors that opening up the order book to build one is a pretty crazy affair.
Marco Polo and the shitty "Nugget" is factory? WTF ARE THESE NAMES
@@glurak888 naming convention has been around for years. It's kind of like Starcraft or Gladiator back in the USA when conversion vans used to be cool. Naming doesn't bother us Euros, this is why you can't have nice things
Watch Doug for quirks and features, not for actual auto market advice. There is a good reason VW doesn't sell this in the US, and simply put they know they can never make a profit at it. A few "van life" people buying crappy old Eurovans at inflated prices doesn't mean VW can move 20,000 Californias a year if they brought it back. Hell Mercedes ALREADY sells the Metris van in the US, but they don't sell the Marco Polo camper. The bean counters and marketers at Benz aren't idiots. They know they can sell enough cheapo Metris camper vans per year to justify the cost of federalizing and marketing that model in the US, but they also know they will never sell enough Marco Polos which would retail at something like 60k USD to be able to make a business case for selling them here.
I'm a little surprised that Doug didn't mention the 90's Toyota Hi-Ace and the Mitsubishi Delica. These JDM vans had about 80-90% of the features in this EuroVan. Except for the bed/tent above the roof. I think these can be now legally imported to the US and they are selling for cheap.
Most of these vans have Diesel engines which is economical and more than enough to pull the weight of the van. Some of them even have 4x4/4-wheel drive configurations which means you can take it off road and sleep inside it. Hopefully Doug finds one to review as well.
Look up the Nissan Prairie, from the 80's. I've got one and its got an even bigger flat seat/bed setup!
There is in fact a pop top version of the Toyota hi ace
I can't remember seeing Doug smile and laugh so much during his review. I have a eurovan and I find the same joy with my van. So happy to see this review.
Here in Germany they keep their value nearly as well as a Porsche. Tough times for families looking for one.
They're expensive to maintain in good nick. If I was to sell mine I would rather not get much over the investment made.
Selbst verrostete Krücken gehen für enormes Geld weg.Echt unfassbar
I had one once, amazingly useful vehicle! Unfortunately I didn't know any better and bought one with a VR6 engine and automatic gearbox which are both not very fitting for these imo.
The PPMs guy watches doug, that was unexpected
Manual TDI is always the way to go!
my dad had the t5 model with 2,5L inline 5 Zylinder diesel with a VTG Turbo, 170hp with 400nm torque(6 speed manual), that thing could do serious work with also sucking less then 9Liters/100km
This one is equipped like that haha
Tut tut should of had the 5 pot instead
17:36 this part is so cute/wholesome! Our man Doug really out there fulfilling younger Doug’s dreams and desires. Dreams do come true, maybe later but they sure do. Go Little Rockstar!
this is my first day on vacation and saw one of these for sale in a parking lot with the tent up. immediately reminded me of this video
Have this van and LOVE it!
Also, the shelf in the back is actually really easy to remove. Just two buttons, which makes it a great hauler. I use mine like a pickup truck 80% of the time.
are your rockers also completely ate out? Nothing I do seems to keep the rust off this thing lmao
@Little Wolf Blue with the shelf out, can you fit 4’x8’ sheets of Plywood?
@@jska413 Yes, but barely. I've scuffed up the plastic on the tailgate sliding it in, but it definitely fits.
had a '99 MV and it was the all-time best "scooter rally" vehicle ever! take the seats out, and you could RIDE 2 Vespas into it, mirrors and all, and then anchor them down to the jumpseat mounting points like it was made for it. Plenty of room leftover for all your helmets and riding gear & luggage etc.
I’m not into the whole “van life” thing, but I genuinely want one of these. Never even heard of it but that just looks so cool and fun!!!
The newer ones are much better too. Westfalia has a van that size with a high top that has four sleeping spots, stand up shower, toilet and kitchen.
Yeah me too, I'm not into van life but one of those would be cool to have lol
as a lifelong VW enthusiast, I will tell you.. no. you really don't. lol unless you have gobs and gobs of disposable income, or are willing to adopt the entire "lifestyle" to do the work yourself...
@@yungboicontigo9278 it is. Unfortunately it's mated to one of the worst automatic transmissions of all time.
@@yungboicontigo9278 not sure if you're asking about the van overall, or just my comment about the trans.. but either way.. parts are rapidly diminishing for the t4's in the US, mostly only a few specialty mail order shops carry the bulk of them, many are completely NLA. Owners will have a VERY hard time finding a shop willing to work on them at all.. and even harder finding a *competent* repair shop. Remember, the newest T4 in the US is almost 20 years old now, and it was a modern car (well, modern by VW enthusuiast standards lol) with lots of plastic crap that's now brittle and turning to dust.
as for the automatic trans we got... from what I understand it's the same unit that came in the Golf just with a longer diff housing. and the same cooling... a heat exchanger that engine coolant circulates through! maybe you can get away with that on a Golf, but not so much a 1-ton truck. especially with the heavy camper models and the Winnebago Rialta & Vista Class C RV's built on a T4. at the beginning VW also told owners they were "unserviceable" and had a "lifetime lube" LLOOOLLL!!!! yeah, so there's a lot out there with 100k+ miles and have NEVER had the cooked oil changed.
as a european that's the first time i've heard someone call the T4 "rare" and "low production" 😂
My dad had an identical one with all the Drivers Gear accessories like wheels and full body kit. I absolutely loved that thing and camped out in the driveway with my friends as a kid.
Being British, I've only ever seen these VW vans with a 1.9 and 2.5 TDI. It feels wierd seeing one with a VR6
2,2 tdi you mean?? :P
Same here in germany..... every old car like this has a Manual TDI
@@jonasgeisner7336 no, 1.9 td or 2.5 tdi
Tdi is king tho
@@jonasgeisner7336 I'm pretty sure they never made a 2.2 TDI
I just bought my 2nd T4. It's a 2,5 5 cylinder Caravelle Syncro (I will swap the Multivan interior from my old one the 1,9 4 cylinder). They are absolute awesome cars ! The syncro's (4x4) are a blast. They did make them with rear lock diff. A blast to ride & camp with. I now have a 1994 & 2002 one & I absolutely adore them. So proud to see this car on Dough's channel. The Eurovan (with automatic gearbox) is practicaly non existing here in Europe.
Dough?
Be careful with the syncro ones, do not use 5th gear under 80km/h. Bearings are undersized and are poorly lubricated under 80km/h which results in gearbox failure.
The Vanagon was actually very safe for its day in a crash. Vw really engineered the framework behind the sheet metal. Even the 73-up bus passed safety standards for passenger cars, well before trucks were required to.
3 month ago I was able to buy my self one of my dream car's. A VW T5 (2007) California
All with curtains, little gas cooker, refrigerator, bed and pop up roof, headed seats and alot of space for 2-4 people and I love this little bus.
Since the T5 model this camping van has gotten so much better, the T4 was just the beginning
I grew up with my father having multiple VW Vanagons and then the longest lasting was a ‘93 White Eurovan with the full Westphalia package just like this one. We used it exactly as Doug talked about in the back with the table. Playing card games with the lights on long road trips. It was great for us for vacations and then my father used it for hauling cargo by taking out the rear seats to carry cabinets and furniture from place to place for his work. I really miss it! We drove it to just about 200k miles but had to send it to the junkyard when it finally was mechanically totaled back in the early 2010s. Always would get thumbs up driving it around. People loved it!
Doug this isn't a minivan, that's why you find it weird in so many ways, and how it can get so much cargo. It's a real VAN made for cargo and deliveries, it was originally designed to be a cargo van, and then adapted for passengers. it was never made to compete with a caravan
it's minivan to the US market
I sense a fellow Capybara & Doug Demuro addict
@Yule Calma ... *to the US market*
I remember one of the '90s TV ads for the Eurovan had the tagline: The Eurovan - there's nothing mini about it.
Many childhood memories with this van, very nostalgic. It was exactly like this one but bright red. A van like this with this interior and seats is quite expensive today
Hi Dour, I’ve loved the channel for a number of years now, even an early subscriber to the More Doug channel. The only problem I have with your reports is the dropping of the explanation for the Doug Score. Personally, I loved how much you seemed to care about explaining each score. Why something may deserve an 8, yet something else would only score a 5. It was more than a tool to compare cars/vehicles by. It gave us some insight into Doug and what you liked about something or disliked about something else. Please bring back the old way of doing the Doug Score, I know that I really enjoyed it and I’m sure others did too. I think dropping it, in a small way, hurts your brand.
Welp, that's it. Doug has convinced me to sell all my possessions, buy this van, and go rogue. Thank you Doug.
Doug, you’ve also missed the quirky part where the mirrors are not the same, passenger side is more vertical where the driver’s side is horizontal. And they do close, where lots of Eurovan owners don’t know about
I had a 2001 Weekender for 10 years. Had a real love/hate relationship with it. It was massively versatile, easy to drive, and absolutely huge inside. Like 60 more cubic feet than a Ford Expediotion xl. With the super low floor and the seats removed it was simple to load my big twin Harley or large furniture in the back. It was also great for weekend camping and/or road trips.
However, it went through 3 auto transmissions in 120k miles, and mine had an issue with the hardening of the cam chain gear, and it needed to be replaced a bit over 100k miles. If it was offered with the turbo diesel and manual transmission, I would still own it.
I did sell it for almost what I paid for it after 140k miles and 10 years, so there is that.
My new Ford Transit won't fit in the garage but has tons more room inside, it's significantly more reliable and gets about the same mpg.
I remember when I worked at a dealership years ago, everyone had their own dream cars, Pagani's, Koenigseggs, Enzo's, Carrera GT's, but one coworker of mine who I think works at Car And Driver now, his dream car was a EuroVan.
Doug is the type of guy to drive up prices on a van you've been looking for
We have one with the full kitchen and Westfalia package. Using it to tow our Porsche 944 to race events. With the 2.5 tdi 102hp 4 speed auto. Best van ever :)
all we ever got in the US was the VR6 and AWFUL automatic transmission :(
@@Turk380 Awful is an understatement. We rebuilt our EuroVan's automatic transmission twice.
Wow that sounds like it is full on Instagram vanlife worthy. Just hire a couple of young attractive influencer types to pretend it is their van and watch the likes roll in, lol.
@@Turk380 The auto is probably the same as yours. I've added an external radiator in the front with a fan connected to a thermo switch. I'm towing a lot, so keeping the temps down is important.
@@slasher9883 who cares about likes😅. We own it for practical reasons, mainly the low height and 2 beds👌
Exact same steering wheel, instrument cluster and radio as my 2001 VW Golf! After enjoying 20 years in that car I could get right into this and feel at home.
Such an amazing van... I have upgraded from this model to a VW Transporter that was built out by Karmann Mobil into a camper ( Gypsy version).. They are so amazing... always start at the first turn and they just keep on going!
Here in Europe, even 100hp in a Eurovan (T4) is MASSIVE! the lowest displacement engine fitted to a t4 is the 1.9L Diesel (non-turbo). Which makes a blistering 59hp. Now THATS slow!
That’s so wild to think about. In the US you’d typically see 160-200hp as common, but still low. I had a Dodge Ram pushing 400hp before.
@@artvandellay 'cuz 'Muuuuriiiicaaaaa
@@artvandellay wow, here in Europe the standard of cars is about 60-100hp. More than that and its either a “faster car” or its a massive suv and weighs a bomb and needs it to move. 400hp is difficult to use on euro roads, even on motorways! Traffic, corners, ect. Not to mention the price of fuel here lol
@@OlieWheeler And with these less than 100hp cars europeans still able to drive 80 to 100mph on the Autobahn while americans need 400 and more hp to cruise with approx 65mph on a Interstate :-)
@@DSP16569 its crazy when Americans say something with
Strangely, I saw a Eurovan here in the UK less than a week ago. Also, Volkswagen did have a normal "minivan" in the 1990s, the Sharan, which sold well in Europe alongside "badge-engineered" Seat Alhambra and Ford Galaxy versions. My dad had a 2002 Ford Galaxy until 2013 when he replaced it with a 2012 Volkswagen Caravelle, essentially a newer version of this Eurovan but without the pop-up top.
It wasn't bad-engineered, it was developed by VW and Ford together.
The second generation Sharan is still in production and popular with airport taxi operators as well as families. Fantastic haulers and very comfortable.
Here in Brazil we only had the T1 and T2 models but we all call them Kombi(for some reason VW never wanted to bring the T3 here),with the T2 living until 2006 with the air boxer(because of emissions regulations) and 2013 because it couldn't be fitted with airbags and ABS that became mandatory the next year. Also the T4 in the base version came here only in the base passenger version from 1995 to 2001,but it failed miserably due to pricing,lack of cheap reliability(by that I mean the Kombi T2 was turning almost 40 years so it was very very cheap to maintain and it didn't broke down easily unlike the T4 which was very expensive to maintain,almost considered a luxury car by 90s Brazil standards),styling(which was a far cry from the easily recognizible rounded loafbread design the T2 had) and most importantly, 1997 Asian Crisis which made the government raise taxes by 40% to avoid capital flight(congratulations Thailand,couldn't you just payed your external debt before it became too big to do it?) and severely impacting import car sales,most notably Daewoo and VW imported vehicles such as the Passat and the T4 which was quietly discontinued with high inventories in 2001.
I love late 90s/early 2000s VWs/Audis. My dad's Passat used to have that exact interior. Very cozy and nice.
Saw Doug tease this in a recent vid and he didn't disapoint 👌
This was #1 on my bucket list of cars I wanted Doug to review! Thank you so much!
Before I became an American, I grew up in Europe and we always had one VW van. Starting from the old rear, air-cooled engined Bus to the T4 tdi, and Caravelle, Transporter etc..
The T4 diesel with manual (no turbo, it was before the tdi era) was an exceptionally - miserably slow vehicle. The tdi versions really changed the game for these vans- T4 and up.
Fact: This is the sole reason I subscribed to Doug.
We call it "VW Bus" in germany. I made a road trip in one of these from the north of germany to france and then down to spain and portugal back in the days. These were great holidays and we really liked our bus. It was a turbo-diesel with manual transmission. The Westfalia is the expensive and rare edition but the Multivan and the lower spec models are very successful and common until this day here, and this van it is a success story for VW at least in europe.
This is a proper van. TDI for life.
this one has the vr6 though.
@@TylerTheBassCreator once you go TDI you don't look back.
@@dragospahontu lol
Yes, the TDI engines are probably the most desirable engines, since they are very reliable and there are cheap parts available everywhere. But the 5 cylinder gasoline engines are underrated. Besides the different fuel technique, they are quite similar to the Diesel models and just as tough. Running on LPG, they are even cheaper to drive.
I like how he goes over different uses for a table. Because we aren't familiar with tables outside of this van.
Yes.I have a caravelle vw t42.5tdi.it was a taxi limousine with rear seats but was campervanned with full kitchen 240 v mains.uk.twin gas hob.12v usb and water pump.I bought it 2019 and use daily and added large roof box for twin stand up paddle board inflatable storage plus 230watts solar panels.mppt charge controller.twin agm leisure batteries,Renogy dc to dc 40amp charger .overhead touch led spotlights.I’m still a window cleaner so it’s my office during breaks and we tour uk to Cornwall,wales and more.it’s done over 300000mile now.still going strong 💪
I'm excited to see vw t4 on doug's video. My father used it for 14 years and I learnt how to drive in that van. Too many memories with it.
this type of VW camper vans are still a thing in Europe as the T5 California.
Super cool vans still today
14:55 the lack of a glovebox has probably more to do with its early 90s design before passenger airbags were mandated. Lots of cars in this era had to install the passenger airbag where the glovebox was originally designed to go.
Exactly. The Eurovan/T4 was produced from 1990 to 2003. Airbags were introduced in 1995.
Mine has a locking glove box in that space.
As stated in my comment, all Eurovans in the rest of the world had gloveboxes. Even the ones with an airbag. But due to special US safety regulations, the area where the glovebox should have been was labeled a knee impact zone and therefore had to be padded with some sort of soft surface to meet us crash standards. The area under the steering wheel was also padded where elsewhere it had more storage spaces.
I transported my friends quad in the back of my '99... LOVED that van!
Cool review. Here in Germany they were also sold with a kitchen version, including 2 flame camping stove, a sink with running tap water, also with a refrigerator, closets, cabinets etc. You can even attach a shower at the tap of the sink and use it out of the side window. These are - if you put a portable camping toilet in the trunk - basically fully equipped small driving homes. I own one which I found after a long search - a T4 California Freestyle of the last model year. More mileage but in a similar great shape than the one from the video. Especially the "Freestyle" model from the last model years are also pretty hard to find in good conditions in Germany since most of them are preeeetty run-down...
I'm thinking about selling mine in spring to switch to a current model (T6.1 California). It's a pitty that Volkswagen didn't sell all successor models (T5.1 California, T5.2 California, T6 California, T6.1 California) in America.
This van is so 2000's that even Doug's hair went back in time and adopted a 2000's style.
This is the best design they had. That top mattress under the tent looks like a comfy place to sleep.
I love that this is basically like someone reviewing a 95 Suburban in Europe. I still see this generation rolling around, usually very rusty but the 2.5 TDI keeps chugging along 🤘
18:58 interesting how different the European and US market of VW is, here in Europe they now even have two camper vans put apprently not in the US. Also, VW Transporters can be found basically EVERYWHERE in Europe in all sizes and forms (pickups, people carrier and even ambulances).
In Europe you can get the VW California but not here in California or North America
My dad has an earlier one of these with a manual and it's surprisingly fun to drive. Was funny to see Doug surprised by the table that seems like it's been in every VW camper in some form since forever.
these are still around in europe, i see them every day. most people use them as vans for carrying stuff and a lot of different companies use these for exactly that
Interestingly these serve exactly the same purpose as pick-up trucks do in the States - used by tradespeople to carry some materials and gear to work sites :)
@@ivankuzin8388 In America they use pick-up trucks because if someone tries to steal something from the bed you can just shoot them xD
@@sen_ex Also shows how much drier an US climate is on average.
What a beautiful vehicle! Thank you for reviewing it.
The T4 is my favourite car. We have a blue Multivan, its a 5 cyl diesel and i think its a lot better than the westfalia in your video. We have a floor that is resistant to dirt or scratches, multiple cupholders in one place over the table, 2 extra lights over the 3rd row seats, back Air Conditioning with display, also the front air conditioning is automatic and digital, our storage cubbies have lid you can close, also the second row seats can be turned or removed or whatever you would like, we have a glove box since we have the 5 Zylinder Diesel version, also its a manual and except the 5-gear shifter there is nothing in the way between drivers side and passenger side (you could switch driver easily during driving) the cupholders are on the passenger seat (foldable) and the storage is in the glove box. Also our Multivan has a way better interior design like seats and colors. Also did you know that you can press the ignition key hole down, then the radio gets on without ignition or any key at all?
Also thanks for showing us all the awesome things, it was normal for me until now
My favorite car memories can be traced back to the family 1995 Eurovan. Learning to drive stick, desert camping, hauling plywood, putting an entire Naples Sabot (boat) inside to travel, and boy scout trips. Such a great machine.
juxt picked up a 95 manual full camper, it is amazing for family adventures with little kids! paid msrp from 95 lol
Same. My family's 2003 EuroVan (identical model to the one in this video) has loads of Boy Scout and various other trips under its belt.
Before this, VW had the Vanagon. Growing up, a guy in my neighborhood modded his Vanagon to install a Porsche engine, wheels, suspension, and exhaust. Finally he changed the badge on the engine cover to read, “Carreragon.” That thing was pretty sweet.
Well, it wasn't a big mod...we had the old rear engine Bus and Vanagon vans in Europe and the original engines were labeled and marked .....you guessed it: Porsche. A ton of components were exactly the same .
A lot of people do a Subaru boxer swap in the T3 too.. I'm thinking about doing that with mine too..
@@zalansz9450 ??? No... most T3's did not come with Porsche engines lol. They were usually installed with waterboxers or 1.6 diesels, with the odd variation for specific markets.
The waterboxer was essentially a warmed over Beetle engine converted to fuel injection and water cooling. But, there were a few versions with the 3.2 Carrera engine installed.. not a completely unreasonable thing to do considering how lacking in power those stock engines were.
What a wonderful vehicle. Thank you Doug for the video, I agree Volkswagen you reintroduce a modern version.
I do own t4 transporter. Absolutely love this van, even tho mine is like really basic. Quite nice that Doug did a review of this van.
I was like "Why is Doug reviewing some van from the 80's? and he was like "THIS is a 2003..." and I was like 😲
This model actually debuted in 1990.
They still make em lol.
@@yungboicontigo9278 A new GTR is also about twice as expensive today as they were in 2007. Even when considering all of the improvements they've made to the GTR over the years and factoring in inflation, doubling the price over the span of 13 years or so is pretty ridiculous.
Imagine Volkswagen made a fully electric version of this vehicle that had storage where the engine is and a little bit of storage in the back. Keep the same concept of the two beds in the same form factor and boom you got an amazing vehicle that a lot of people would have interest in.
And it would weigh like 4 tons.
They actually have that minus the frunk. It's supposed to go into sale sometime this year.
Dunno if it's going to be sold in the US tho.
They are making the T7 (this is the T4) in electric. Lots of T5/6 electric conversions already out there.
@@idrisddraig2 lots of electric t5 and t6 conversions out there? Where exactly? I haven't seen a single one.
@@idrisddraig2 I wasn't referring to the T7, which is offered as a hybrid, not an EV.
The model I was talking about is the ID Buzz.
As a Midwesterner I kept thinking that area looked so familiar. I vacation right next door at Marina Del Rey often. The Walgreens a block away on the corner of Lincoln and Washington is "our Walgreens" when we're in town. So cool.
German here.
These are such great vehicles for any purpose, Roadtrip with friends or family, Camping for a weekend without any further preparations, Moving out of a house with a friend who owns a T4, going to the hardware store and so on.
My inner family and we own 5 of them, Camper, long wheeled Caravelle, simple "Kombi" bought off a police auction, Standard Caravelle and a really nice Multivan.
Engine of choice in Europe is the 2,5l TDI Diesel with 102 HP, they are pulling real good, will last a very long time if you maintain them properly, and keep up with highway speeds at a reasonable fuel consumption.
Just stay away from the automatic transmissions here, if you put your T4 on duty or pull a boat or camper or so regularly, they usually will die at 60-100k kilometers.
I was driving T4 Transporter when I worked for alcohol distribution back in the day. It had 2.5 TDi 90HP. Slowest van I ever driven but it had more than million miles and was running fine
I love this van. I wish I owned one. I know Doug must be over the moon. He’s reviewing it, he’s selling it on C&Bs.
My parents bought a caravelle since i was on the way, and they needed a bigger car.
I now own the car 20 years later and i love it.
Fun fact: The long nosed T4's body panels are made of galvanised steel, exept for the B-pillar on the passanger side, roof and fuel fill door.
Finally, I miss the video's you do with older cars. I mean, that's what got me to subscribe to you.
Quirky campervan content. THIS is the type of stuff I like to see!
th-cam.com/video/Kg-y--D5WgI/w-d-xo.html
This is probably one of the best cars that Doug has ever reviewed at least for me
Yes, but for Doug many cars are quirky, only he is perfect
As a member of a family that has always seemed to have a VW Transporter around somewhere - we still have 3 about the extended family: A Transporter T2.5/T3 Van, which is quietly rusting away, I believe, in an older retired brother's back yard [VWs will still rust, which even Fiat stopped doing in the mid-90s]. Plus, he has a T4 Camper. Another older brother has a T2.5/T3 Camper 5 speed [1st gear position is set down, like a 2nd gear position - now that's quirky]. Both the Camper versions are the full deal, except for being raised fixed roof types. Beds and Curtains [all the comforts], Leisure Battery, Fridge, Sink, Cooker, Toilet, Larder, Cupboards, Clothing Wardrobe, etc, plus additional tents and awnings. Now road-test a VW Camper like that. Drive in it, Cook in it, Eat in it, Sleep in it, Poop in it, and then give it a Doug Score. 😊
Love the simplicity of this van.