what do i look for when buying a t25?

Post by **ROGER8000** » 05 Jul 2008, 19:12

hi guys i wonder if anyone can help, i looking at buying a t25 and have 5 grand to spend i just wonder if anyone can tell me what i should be looking for when viewing one? iv been told to look for rust in foot wells and base of seat belts and the outsite of course but is there anything else i need to know?

Post by **GBHgpJON** » 05 Jul 2008, 19:32

Damp carpets at the front= leaky windscreen.......
Oh.....did I mention rust!!!!!

Plenty of info in the 'Wiki'

Post by **billyoneball** » 05 Jul 2008, 19:48

instead of looking for things you dont want,ie rusty seams,huge hi top,
look for stuff you do want, ie, lowered suspension,alloys, big bumpers,body kit,square headlights,good sized engine,power steering, etc etc, this stuff costs a lot more than fixin a bit of rust or welding the odd small hole. (wish somebody would have give me this advice when i was lookin for my bus)

Post by **kevtherev** » 05 Jul 2008, 22:50

billyoneball wrote:instead of looking for things you dont want,ie rusty seams,huge hi top,
look for stuff you do want, ie, lowered suspension,alloys, big bumpers,body kit,square headlights,good sized engine,power steering, etc etc, this stuff costs a lot more than fixin a bit of rust or welding the odd small hole. (wish somebody would have give me this advice when i was lookin for my bus)

Best advice anyone could have... positive and true.. nice one Billy

these vans are all about what you want... and how it fits in with your life.

Our van changed our families life, completely, and forever.
oh there's plenty of advice as to buying in the wiki... but... none for what you want

Post by **billyoneball** » 05 Jul 2008, 23:12

cheers kev.

Post by **Westy.Club.Joker** » 06 Jul 2008, 15:11

Nuts and bolts stuff is easy to fit if you`re handy with the spanners (just expensive to buy) but fixing corrosion is a skilled and time-consuming job that will cost you thousands to get done, that`s if you can find someone decent to work on it

Proper people who have a reputation will be booked solid for months. Normal bodyshop people don`t want to know, or don`t have the knowledge to do the job. And if it`s serious corrosion the `van will end up in the scrapyard

Not everyone wants 18" alloys an an 80mm drop

But if they do, it`s just nuts and bolts

Post by **ROGER8000** » 06 Jul 2008, 18:10

i agree , i just want a nice camper to camp in and potter about at weekends,iv had a mazda bongo which i try to block out my mind, iv had a bedford which wasnt bad, now i want the real deal a t25

Post by **Krisis** » 06 Jul 2008, 18:57

Hi
Check all of the usual..........
BODYWORK
Take a cloth to lay on and a sharp bradawl aqnd have a good poke around.
Footwells, side steps,
sills,
jacking points,
inside wheel arches, double prodding the front and rear firmly, rear wheelarchs where they go p to the seam and the rear wing.
Jack it up and check the wheel bearings,
brake pipes
and generally have a real close look,

ENGINE
Check all levels,
Smoke and rattles,
how the engine revs, smooth? lumpy? how the revs decrease

I am sure others will add to this and failing all of the above take a friendly mechanic mate

Kris
(I wish I had done this

)

Post by **billyoneball** » 06 Jul 2008, 19:13

Westy.Club.Joker wrote: Not everyone wants 18" alloys an an 80mm drop But if they do, it`s just nuts and bolts

yeah, plus about £ 1200,

Post by **Mr Bean** » 06 Jul 2008, 19:16

ROGER8000 wrote:i agree , i just want a nice camper to camp in and potter about at weekends,iv had a mazda bongo which i try to block out my mind, iv had a bedford which wasnt bad, now i want the real deal a t25

Yes I had two bedfords and they weren't the best and when I stumbled on my 1988 T25 waterboxer I was chuffed to pieces. Not much rust and well engineered (In fact built like a brick poo house) with most parts available from VW, Justkampers and GSF. Just now thoughI have big trouble with it dying on me and must get a degree in digijet technology or finish up replacing the whole sparks and fuel injection system. It could just be a poor connection but which one? I look back towards the old carbs and points with some level of nostalgea....
Cheers
Ken
(We have a repeat trip and tour planned towing our ski boat through France close to the Swiss border and at the moment the best we have managed after six tow homes is 57miles)

Post by **Westy.Club.Joker** » 09 Jul 2008, 20:44

billyoneball wrote:
Westy.Club.Joker wrote: Not everyone wants 18" alloys an an 80mm drop But if they do, it`s just nuts and bolts

yeah, plus about £ 1200,

Yeah, and getting a decent bodywork job done to get rid of bad corrosion, with a proper paint-job after that will cost you THREE times that amount