@@RichardVobes Some sound advice from Rob . We had a 1750cc (or was it 1725cc ?) Renault Traffic camper when our daughter was a toddler . We used it as you intend to, as general transport . It was a petrol engine , very reliable ,and reasonably economical . If you look at the mpg difference between petrol and diesel variants of your chosen model, as we did ,especially with vans as opposed to cars , and factor in the difference in price of the actual fuel there's not much in it , and this was 20 years ago when diesel was seen as the way forward . Unless you get a long wheelbase the van won't take up any more room on the road than a decent size car , Our neighbour's estate car was longer than our van , but a high top might cause problems entering certain car parks with height barriers . The interior conversion will usually have been done by a company who takes a basic van of whatever make , new or used & which specialises in camper or caravan interiors . Although VW are popular , the price seems to have always reflected that & there's nothing wrong with many other makes . personally I'd be quite fussy about the bodywork and chasis . If it's not sound it can be more of a problem than an engine to put right . Having also owned caravans , I'd not put too much faith in the 3 way fridges fitted . They seem to work fine until you need them most ,eg , hot weather when they seem to struggle to cool anything .
I had a motorhome, I wild camped for four years, as sites are expensive. A solar panel and you are good to go! With a motorhome, you can stand up, have a shower and fixed double bed....
I have an ‘84 Vanagon that now has a ‘98 Subaru Forester engine thanks to Rocky Mountain Westys in Colorado Springs. Great guys in a busy shop that have been all over the bus. At 76 I can’t work on my bus but I still want to get out camping here in Arkansas. A stock Vanagon takes a lot of work to keep it on the road. The engines are underpowered though his ‘86 will have a 2.1L versus the 1.9L mine had. They are fun to drive, huge window set. His high top is just a killer way to camp. Mine has a pop up tent made of canvas that is not as nice if the wind picks up or it’s raining. The price he is quoting wouldn’t be true in the USA. I paid $24k back in 2019 before it was rebuilt and painted. The four wheel drive models are double that with a new engine.
A good choice Richard. Tony Banks the keyboard player from Genesis had a similar VW Camper - even at the height of the band's success he and his wife went away on holiday in theirs.
Lots of pro's and con's with camper vans. Although with the way you would use it Richard, probably ideal. As long as you go on a site with washing and toilet facilities. For every day use, you are (obviously) going to need more space for parking. When you do travel, you can still use a mix of camping and B&B.
Splitties and bays are great visually but age takes it till. Really wanted a late T25, the one with the small rectangular headlights, something like a Westfalia Club joker. But SWMBO likes more space and comfort, so a motorhome it had to be this year, 2019 7.37 metre end washroom Bessacarr. Loved the latest Knaus motorhomes with a Man cab, but quite a price. Had some new tyres on my car recently, the local garage had a nice 1973 LWB twin rear wheel Transit campervan in at the same time, looked great .
My Mum has a T2 that I borrow quite regularly. As far as I can see it's virtually the same van as a T25 but slightly different styling. Parts are regularly available and it's fairly reliable. She's actually got it up for sale as she doesn't use it much
T25 are lovely Campers but very unreliable due to their age and Engine. As a Ford Custom conversation owner I will definitely go for the New Ford Nugget that can be used as a normal car. A must: Diesel heater! Good luck with your search👍🏻
My T25 is coming up for sale soon. An Autosleeper Trident High top. 1990. 1.9. 5 speed petrol. I bought it new and it has never been driven on salted roads so excellent condition underneath. New engine fitted 300 miles ago. Lots of pics available.
A very interesting video - as others have said, a Mazda bongo would be an excellent choice for you - it is car sized, reliable, drives like a car and you can get them non-converted. I have a friend who uses one daily as her car.
If it's going to be you everyday driver Richard I would recommend something allot newer for reliability alone if you're not the mechanic type. Diesel is not dead any time soon either, so don't let that put you off as the whole countries logistics relies on it! As for park ups, don't restrict yourself to campsites only either...Everyone is different! Be free and fearless! Not everyone likes a cooker stinking up the van and a sink, both taking up valuable space so look around at custom van builds! slide out tail end kitchens with multipurpose functionality. If you have the dosh get a 2-3yr old (Euro6)T6 T6.1 base van and cherry pick your mods.
3k will buy you a basket case T25 / T3 needing full resto with a v5. 8-10k is where decent serviceable ones start. Minters around 12k. Good T4’s in original condition starting to go up in price too. If planning self conversion go for a Kombo / crew van variant as they have higher levels of equipment and the windows already in place 👍
Camper vans are great I do love the T2s they look great but are unreliable. I think it would be a good idea to get a newer version, of a campervan. my dad's got 2003 Transporter, it does run on diesel, you need a petrol one realy nowadays, but I think they're quite easy to come by. the new ones don't break down as much, my dad's never been in a cloud of smoke on the side of the road before! very reliable. Well done great video 👍
T2s are even more desirable and depreciation-proof. Don't worry about the older tech. As someone who drives a 1986 Capri and 1985 Granada limousine as daily cars, VWs have better parts support both manufacturer and aftermarket. Maintaining shouldn't be a problem on that front. It's the biggest issue I've found running 30-year old cars for almost 20 years. "Resto-modded" (Modernised classic vehicles) are a popular: Modern running gear on original chassis, but a T2 Resto-mod can go from £50,000-£100,000+. All-original vehicles are more desirable if you want to sell on. And any pre-1978 PLG tax class vehicles are free tax and MOT-exempt. As an only vehicle - do your homework and buy the best you can afford. Nothing cheap with problems to fix unless you know how to do it.
@@sim6699 I think you're talking to wrong guy. The youngset car I've ever owned was 15 at the time purchase and is 32 now. And one of only 2 under 20 years old I've ever had as a daily driver. Driven daily, you get to know them and they become reliable. Especially when you do your daily checks and minor maintainence (water / oil etc) and recognise problems occuring before they become issues. All cars can be viewed as unreliable if they are old, rarely used and/or have poor maintainence.
@@sim6699 Oil and water levels, underneath for any leaks. Also in engine bay for leaks. If there are any, see if anything unusual happens such as idling fast or running hot. Tyre pressures, brake fluid levels weekly. T2s are air cooled so no water check for these. If fitted: power steering and ATF (auto transmission) fluid. Small leaks are to be expected, even when they were quite new. Just nature of the design at the time for pretty much all cars.
Bodywork is key. According to this you might pay £3K but that's parting out value. If you paid £3k you'll probably be scrapping it next MoT. These are really 'classic' vehicles now so you'll either get one that has okay to good bodywork or a scrapper.
HI Richard I would stay away from a diesel vehicle as they are going through a tuff time at the moment and i can see diesel vehicle being banned from citys and towns in the near future.. I myself have a small dodge grand caraven camper that sleeps me and my wife plus two children and we use all the time but we are moving back to the uk soon and will have to let it go.. Have you seen the Nissan NV200 based campers? this will be my next camper in the UK for the family...
Any one know of good rock and roll beds with seatbelts for these vans ,I am in Ireland nothing available here, there is jac in Scotland after that not a lot ,rusty lee don't have seat belts , I might be wrong with the name of the Scottish company
I had a caravan for 10 years, just recently bought a van conversion and absolutely love it.It has everything for travelling around even a small bathroom, going on a road trip in England next week and now planning a trip up to Scotland next year.I paid a lot more than what you’re talking about but wanted something reliable and to last me a few years.Cheers nice review 👍
Not true , they are as reliable as the care the owner takes . All 40 year old vans rust so just get it welded . Frail ? No clue what you mean by that . Reliable? Mine never lets me down. Great vans. I’ve had many bay window vans and love them but they were a money pit and the type 25 just feels a better drive . I’ve got after market power steering which makes a big improvement . All vans are what you make them.
Nah. Go for a Winnebago! Seriously, finding a camper van that fits your stringent brief of being characterfull, economical, practical, cargo carrier, affordable and usable as an everyday vehicle will be somewhat of a challenge. I can't wait to see what you end up with. Hopefully not a T25. Regular battery charging when not connected to external power could be a challenge. It would be interesting to learn how Jim Hawkins, the coastal walker, does this.
Avoid diesel - the diesel MOT includes a visual check of the exhaust, so if the inspector sees anything come out the exhaust when they start the engine you fail. It happened to my friend twice this year! For camper tips check out TH-camrs The Indie Projects - they've done loads of van tours of others as well as having their own van builds. I've spent far too many hours watching their videos! th-cam.com/channels/Wq4rBWfctWP0duZwofs61w.htmlplaylists
@@RichardVobes have you ever seen the YT channel Tread The Globe (w/Marianne & Chris) ? They have about the same amount of following as you do, but do it in a campervan. I've only seen a couple of their vids but they seem to be a real nice couple. They are from Shropshire & their goal is to actually drive around the whole world in 2020. Perhaps you should reach out to them as I am sure they can give you all kinds of valuable info on this subject. www.treadtheglobe.com chris@readtheglobe.com marianne@treadtheglobe.com
A friend spent years driving vintage campers and almost as long at the side of the road broken down! He bit the bullet and bought a new one last year, fantastic bit of kit, reliable as hell, but £60,000!
I cannot wait to see your new camper van next year. Always best to take your time about these things and ask lots of questions. :)
I certainly am not rushing to get one and it is more than likely going to be a van conversion.
@@RichardVobes Some sound advice from Rob . We had a 1750cc (or was it 1725cc ?) Renault Traffic camper when our daughter was a toddler . We used it as you intend to, as general transport . It was a petrol engine , very reliable ,and reasonably economical . If you look at the mpg difference between petrol and diesel variants of your chosen model, as we did ,especially with vans as opposed to cars , and factor in the difference in price of the actual fuel there's not much in it , and this was 20 years ago when diesel was seen as the way forward .
Unless you get a long wheelbase the van won't take up any more room on the road than a decent size car , Our neighbour's estate car was longer than our van , but a high top might cause problems entering certain car parks with height barriers .
The interior conversion will usually have been done by a company who takes a basic van of whatever make , new or used & which specialises in camper or caravan interiors . Although VW are popular , the price seems to have always reflected that & there's nothing wrong with many other makes . personally I'd be quite fussy about the bodywork and chasis . If it's not sound it can be more of a problem than an engine to put right .
Having also owned caravans , I'd not put too much faith in the 3 way fridges fitted . They seem to work fine until you need them most ,eg , hot weather when they seem to struggle to cool anything .
you might consider solar panels to help with the power.
thank you for the tour, Rob!
Yes that seems to be a good idea.
Love the vintage van!!
I had a motorhome, I wild camped for four years, as sites are expensive. A solar panel and you are good to go! With a motorhome, you can stand up, have a shower and fixed double bed....
Sadly a motor home is too expensive for me and too large - I would use the campervan as my daily vehicle as well.
@@RichardVobes If I were you, I would go for a small motorhome, and keep the car. Best of both worlds.
Diesel insint dead. I'll be buying a t25 diesel soon.
I have an ‘84 Vanagon that now has a ‘98 Subaru Forester engine thanks to Rocky Mountain Westys in Colorado Springs. Great guys in a busy shop that have been all over the bus. At 76 I can’t work on my bus but I still want to get out camping here in Arkansas.
A stock Vanagon takes a lot of work to keep it on the road. The engines are underpowered though his ‘86 will have a 2.1L versus the 1.9L mine had. They are fun to drive, huge window set. His high top is just a killer way to camp. Mine has a pop up tent made of canvas that is not as nice if the wind picks up or it’s raining.
The price he is quoting wouldn’t be true in the USA. I paid $24k back in 2019 before it was rebuilt and painted. The four wheel drive models are double that with a new engine.
That was very interesting.
It was fascinating to have a look at this type of campervan. Rob was such a nice bloke.
Lovely camper van
It's a cute thing.
A good choice Richard. Tony Banks the keyboard player from Genesis had a similar VW Camper - even at the height of the band's success he and his wife went away on holiday in theirs.
How amazing! :)
Lots of pro's and con's with camper vans. Although with the way you would use it Richard,
probably ideal. As long as you go on a site with washing and toilet facilities. For every day
use, you are (obviously) going to need more space for parking. When you do travel, you
can still use a mix of camping and B&B.
Very true. Lots to consider.
Awsome camper what a beauty. 😁
He he - I thought you might like it.
Splitties and bays are great visually but age takes it till.
Really wanted a late T25, the one with the small rectangular headlights, something like a Westfalia Club joker.
But SWMBO likes more space and comfort, so a motorhome it had to be this year, 2019 7.37 metre end washroom Bessacarr.
Loved the latest Knaus motorhomes with a Man cab, but quite a price.
Had some new tyres on my car recently, the local garage had a nice 1973 LWB twin rear wheel Transit campervan in at the same time, looked great .
Ok. Good luck with your Campervan if you decide.
Thanks very much.
@@RichardVobes ok
You're making me want one!
Hahaha - Am I? We shall all have one! :)
My Mum has a T2 that I borrow quite regularly. As far as I can see it's virtually the same van as a T25 but slightly different styling. Parts are regularly available and it's fairly reliable. She's actually got it up for sale as she doesn't use it much
I am sure it must have kept it's value and will be snapped up!
T25 are lovely Campers but very unreliable due to their age and Engine.
As a Ford Custom conversation owner I will definitely go for the New Ford Nugget that can be used as a normal car.
A must: Diesel heater!
Good luck with your search👍🏻
Great idea Richard👍
Thanks very much! :)
Someone has just posted Jacques Tati 4L camping car on U tube! We would all like one like that! And I can’t even drive!!
Now that is what i would like for sure!
My T25 is coming up for sale soon. An Autosleeper Trident High top. 1990. 1.9. 5 speed petrol. I bought it new and it has never been driven on salted roads so excellent condition underneath. New engine fitted 300 miles ago. Lots of pics available.
The question then is how much? :)
@@RichardVobes Enough to make your hair curl😬😬
A very interesting video - as others have said, a Mazda bongo would be an excellent choice for you - it is car sized, reliable, drives like a car and you can get them non-converted. I have a friend who uses one daily as her car.
I will have to check them out.
If it's going to be you everyday driver Richard I would recommend something allot newer for reliability alone if you're not the mechanic type. Diesel is not dead any time soon either, so don't let that put you off as the whole countries logistics relies on it! As for park ups, don't restrict yourself to campsites only either...Everyone is different! Be free and fearless! Not everyone likes a cooker stinking up the van and a sink, both taking up valuable space so look around at custom van builds! slide out tail end kitchens with multipurpose functionality. If you have the dosh get a 2-3yr old (Euro6)T6 T6.1 base van and cherry pick your mods.
A stationary road?
Get one that fits under height restrictions!
Yes, that makes sense!
3k will buy you a basket case T25 / T3 needing full resto with a v5. 8-10k is where decent serviceable ones start. Minters around 12k. Good T4’s in original condition starting to go up in price too. If planning self conversion go for a Kombo / crew van variant as they have higher levels of equipment and the windows already in place 👍
I have a Transit now and very happy! Thanks for watching.
Bald explorer... please consider a Mazda Bongo.. much better and more reliable
Thanks very much - I will check them out. Thank you.
Camper vans are great I do love the T2s they look great but are unreliable. I think it would be a good idea to get a newer version, of a campervan. my dad's got 2003 Transporter, it does run on diesel, you need a petrol one realy nowadays, but I think they're quite easy to come by. the new ones don't break down as much, my dad's never been in a cloud of smoke on the side of the road before! very reliable. Well done great video 👍
Thanks George for the comments and advice. Yes a newer Transporter would be ideal for me.
T2s are even more desirable and depreciation-proof. Don't worry about the older tech. As someone who drives a 1986 Capri and 1985 Granada limousine as daily cars, VWs have better parts support both manufacturer and aftermarket. Maintaining shouldn't be a problem on that front. It's the biggest issue I've found running 30-year old cars for almost 20 years. "Resto-modded" (Modernised classic vehicles) are a popular: Modern running gear on original chassis, but a T2 Resto-mod can go from £50,000-£100,000+. All-original vehicles are more desirable if you want to sell on. And any pre-1978 PLG tax class vehicles are free tax and MOT-exempt. As an only vehicle - do your homework and buy the best you can afford. Nothing cheap with problems to fix unless you know how to do it.
Thanks for that - lost of common sense there. Cheers.
I've heard people say online about T2s being unreliable and fitting a diesel engine sits too low
@@sim6699 I think you're talking to wrong guy. The youngset car I've ever owned was 15 at the time purchase and is 32 now. And one of only 2 under 20 years old I've ever had as a daily driver. Driven daily, you get to know them and they become reliable. Especially when you do your daily checks and minor maintainence (water / oil etc) and recognise problems occuring before they become issues. All cars can be viewed as unreliable if they are old, rarely used and/or have poor maintainence.
@@dcarbs2979 what daily checks should you do?
@@sim6699 Oil and water levels, underneath for any leaks. Also in engine bay for leaks. If there are any, see if anything unusual happens such as idling fast or running hot. Tyre pressures, brake fluid levels weekly. T2s are air cooled so no water check for these. If fitted: power steering and ATF (auto transmission) fluid.
Small leaks are to be expected, even when they were quite new. Just nature of the design at the time for pretty much all cars.
This is the most informative overview of a t25 I have seen on TH-cam. Great interview, thanks!
I'm so glad to see your a convert matey. 😉
I am but I have to get the right thing for me. :)
Type 2's aren't that bad just in my opinion a little overpriced and got to look out for the dreaded metal worm even the T25 you have to keep an eye on
Hola amig aca visitando tu canal..excelente video..gracias por compartir..te dejo like 19 for you..saludos desde Perú.
Bodywork is key. According to this you might pay £3K but that's parting out value. If you paid £3k you'll probably be scrapping it next MoT. These are really 'classic' vehicles now so you'll either get one that has okay to good bodywork or a scrapper.
I have since bought a transit van, and I love it.
Do the conversion. Much better value, even paying someone to do.
That's what I am thinking!
HI Richard
I would stay away from a diesel vehicle as they are going through a tuff time at the moment and i can see diesel vehicle being banned from citys and towns in the near future..
I myself have a small dodge grand caraven camper that sleeps me and my wife plus two children and we use all the time but we are moving back to the uk soon and will have to let it go..
Have you seen the Nissan NV200 based campers? this will be my next camper in the UK for the family...
Yes, I agree. I don't think a diesel would be a wise move at the moment.
If you are getting shut of your car and only having a camper, I advise you don’t get a vw unless it’s t4 upwards.
I now have a delightful transit :)
Any one know of good rock and roll beds with seatbelts for these vans ,I am in Ireland nothing available here, there is jac in Scotland after that not a lot ,rusty lee don't have seat belts , I might be wrong with the name of the Scottish company
Not sure if you have one now or not, but don't even think about a van for 3 grand. You will soon hate it.
I had a caravan for 10 years, just recently bought a van conversion and absolutely love it.It has everything for travelling around even a small bathroom, going on a road trip in England next week and now planning a trip up to Scotland next year.I paid a lot more than what you’re talking about but wanted something reliable and to last me a few years.Cheers nice review 👍
Thanks for watching and I am thrilled you enjoyed the video. Have fun in your van - sounds lovely!
So your going to Camp it up a bit Richard ?
When I eventually get a T25 I'm putting a Subaru boxter engine in it 👤🔧🔩🔨
Good luck with that!
Shame why not just get some of the tuning bits you can get from vw specialists
That guy is just swooning over his t25 but in reality they are frail, rusty and unreliable. Not the camper you want for touring the country!
Hahahaha - I am not too sure about it myself - I am keener on a modern van conversion.
I've had 2 T25 campers in my time,Moneypits are the only way I can describe them.
Not true , they are as reliable as the care the owner takes . All 40 year old vans rust so just get it welded . Frail ? No clue what you mean by that . Reliable? Mine never lets me down. Great vans. I’ve had many bay window vans and love them but they were a money pit and the type 25 just feels a better drive . I’ve got after market power steering which makes a big improvement . All vans are what you make them.
Nah. Go for a Winnebago!
Seriously, finding a camper van that fits your stringent brief of being characterfull, economical, practical, cargo carrier, affordable and usable as an everyday vehicle will be somewhat of a challenge. I can't wait to see what you end up with. Hopefully not a T25. Regular battery charging when not connected to external power could be a challenge. It would be interesting to learn how Jim Hawkins, the coastal walker, does this.
Don't be so negative dear boy! :)
Avoid diesel - the diesel MOT includes a visual check of the exhaust, so if the inspector sees anything come out the exhaust when they start the engine you fail. It happened to my friend twice this year!
For camper tips check out TH-camrs The Indie Projects - they've done loads of van tours of others as well as having their own van builds. I've spent far too many hours watching their videos! th-cam.com/channels/Wq4rBWfctWP0duZwofs61w.htmlplaylists
Thanks for the diesel advice! Will check out the link - cheers.
In reality you are looking at the £7-12 k price bracket for a usable, safe and presentable camper
Oh, regarding installing a wood-burner check out Van Life TV's guide: th-cam.com/video/Q_VOpyJHXjM/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for that. :)
Seems like a good idea for you. Many people wild camp without problems. Check out “Explorerbuddies channel” also check out “Britstops”.
Yes indeed.
Hi again Richard. Forgot to mention but Autosleepers do some great campers with very good facilities
I wish I was a multimillionaire so I could help you out!💲💰💵
Hahahaha - very kind of you!
@@RichardVobes have you ever seen the YT channel Tread The Globe (w/Marianne & Chris) ? They have about the same amount of following as you do, but do it in a campervan. I've only seen a couple of their vids but they seem to be a real nice couple. They are from Shropshire & their goal is to actually drive around the whole world in 2020. Perhaps you should reach out to them as I am sure they can give you all kinds of valuable info on this subject. www.treadtheglobe.com
chris@readtheglobe.com
marianne@treadtheglobe.com
Check out Britstops, there are lots of places you can stay overnight for free in camper vans.
Sounds perfect. Thanks very much.
🙂
Camper Banned?
Just kidding
Not Cheaper...just so you know ;) Stick to Hotels mate. I own 2!
Probably 25 mpg
The older VW campers are cool, but so so unreliable.
That is what I would be worried about.
A friend spent years driving vintage campers and almost as long at the side of the road broken down! He bit the bullet and bought a new one last year, fantastic bit of kit, reliable as hell, but £60,000!
Jeeeeez you ask the opinion of a man who doesn’t like Type 2s and coincidentally a good quality Hair dye , best carry on asking ....
Useless piece of information for anyone who's interested a vw type one is a beetle the type 2 is the van
Thanks for that Robert!
I miss when Richard used to do these types of videos. I unsubscribed when it went all political. Shame.