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VW T25 Camper - A Good Buy For a Tight Budget
By Busy Door Guest Blogger | June 30, 2009
Buying a VW T25
The Vanagon is a good first camper if you’re on a tight budget, and they’re often restored to cutomised designs. They’re great for summer festivals and enjoying economical camping holidays.The VW Vanagon (known as the T25 or T3 in Europe) was made between 1980 and 1990 and has more space than the older VW campers, and good examples can be found for much less than the earlier models.
Look out for this model if you want to try out a camper or your budget is tight.But they are all nearly twenty years old - so check with care and be prepared to do more maintenance than you would with a more modern camper.
Do Your Research
They are quite straighforward to restore - both the mechanics and the interior. You do need to look at a number of VW 25 campers before buying. Do your research. It’s an opportunity to become more knowledgeable and you can walk away from a big mistake.
Ask the owners what they’ve used the camper for and find out about its background. Watch for vehicles that have been stored for long periods, or looks like an amateur van conversion.
Check the Bodywork
Take some time to really have a good look around. Look over the gutters and the roof and the pop-up mechanism. You’l want to see it working.
Bumps and waves along the sides can be a sign of damage and filler. Most rust will start between the Vanagon body panels, can be serious and needs to be checked thoroughly.
The front steps and the rear wheel arches and battery tray are other areas to check. Look at the dip on the top of the fuel tank for signs of rust!
Check the tyres. Are they the same model? What condition is the spare in? Make sure the tires are proper van tires not ordinary car tires. Low profile tyres are a problem as they will be for a car not a van.
Engine Checks
Listen to the engine and check how it starts. You don’t want smoke from the exhaust and oil over the engine. Sniff for any evidence of fuel smells, which may mean the tank is rusting? Check what engine it has, when it was fitted, where it came from and the mileage (which can be difficult to prove). It’s also worth trying to find out how well it’s been maintained - ask about oil changes and servicing.
Does the starter motor struggle or does it turn the engine over easily? They can pack up without warning. The Vanagon had a range of engines. Air-cooled engines were fitted in the first two years. The smaller engines lack power, but are easy to work on. Later engines (1982 onwards) are water-cooled diesel and petrol.
OK - now it’s decision time. Is this a great budget bus, a good Vanagon, VW t25 camper - or will you be letting yourself in for a lot of hard work and heartache?
Topics: Automotive |
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