Help needed - buying first camper

[otleygas]

Hi. New to this forum and the whole VW camper thing!

Anyway. The Mrs and me have decided to do what we've thought about for years, buy a camper - woo hoo!

we're after something around £3k or less, preferably a pop top rather than a high top but the main thing is for it to be not a total lemon!

I've found 2 I am interested in (see links below) and would welcome any advice on a) whether the prices they are asking are realistic b) what should i be looking for when i go to view them; and c) what questions should i ask of the seller.vital information.

Thanks in advance for your help

http://www.vwheritage.com/display-ad...opup&adId=1074 - see below for information about this - i am going to view this one tomorrow

"The van was first registered in 1982, the camper conversion is the devon type with pop top roof that hinges from the right along full length of the van. Sleeps four via a rock n roll type double and with a double berth in the pop top. Seatbelts are in the front seats,and the rear facing passenger seat, and two seatbelts on the rear seat which we had professionally fitted by our local camper specialists, who have also fitted the new exhaust for us and fixed gaskets on rocker boxes and pushrod cases so the van is now drip free! The bodywork is pretty good but as you'd expect there are a couple of minor issues.. The sliding door and passenger footwell namely. Have had a quote to sort this for £250. Aside of that the rest is fine. Last MOT was in june.. only issue was upper balljoint, which is now renewed. We have had the van Two years and it has never let us down. Always starts first time, uses very little oil, reasonably economical and a pleasure to drive. We have had alovely time in it and hope the next owners do too. "


http://www.dubs4sale.com/types/watercooled.htm (the one about 13 down - £2,600 in Stroud) - no further details on this as yet

[Madwitch]

welcome to the club. No idea about vans but someone else will be along directly who does. Guess you are in Otley? Not far away from us in Harrogate

[jpee]

Look here

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Mi ... yers_guide

Lots of useful info for 1sr time buyers

[otleygas]

welcome to the club. No idea about vans but someone else will be along directly who does. Guess you are in Otley? Not far away from us in Harrogate

Sadly not Otley anymore (but have plans to take the new camper up for a visit!)

[1664]

Link to first one doesn't work. Second one is gassed, has an inverter and only 29000 miles - I presumed that would be on a recon engine.

Read all the buyer information that you can. When you view a van think bodywork, bodywork, bodywork, bodywork. You can repair interiors and mechanics but bad bodywork can be a death sentence.

Do NOT just buy the first one you see unless you are certain it's as flawless as you can get for the money. The more you see, the better informed you'll be. Try and get to an 80-90 meet and look at other member's vans too. You'll just have to trawl sites to get an idea of prices as ultimately a van is only worth what someone will pay for it.

Use the 'Wiki' and 'Search' facility at the top of the page. There has been numerous threads dealing with exactly this query.

Good luck and welcome to the club

[otleygas]

Link to first one doesn't work. Second one is gassed, has an inverter and only 29000 miles - I presumed that would be on a recon engine.

Read all the buyer information that you can. When you view a van think bodywork, bodywork, bodywork, bodywork. You can repair interiors and mechanics but bad bodywork can be a death sentence.

Do NOT just buy the first one you see unless you are certain it's as flawless as you can get for the money. The more you see, the better informed you'll be. Try and get to an 80-90 meet and look at other member's vans too. You'll just have to trawl sites to get an idea of prices as ultimately a van is only worth what someone will pay for it.

Use the 'Wiki' and 'Search' facility at the top of the page. There has been numerous threads dealing with exactly this query.

Good luck and welcome to the club

Thanks. Very helpful. and am reeding the wiki now!

Not sure why the first link doesn't work. It's the yellow one at the bottom of this page...

http://www.vwheritage.com/publicRouter. ... lateID=vwh

(air cooled devon conversion camper)

[1664]

The high top doesn't state what year but looks 'newish'. 1985/6 was the changeover from air cooled to water cooled. (Don't post a question asking which is best - you'll never hear the end of it!!)

I think the Devon sounds a bit pricey for it's age but maybe it's in fantastic nick and the hightop's a rot box. The only way to find out is to look at them................ The high top maybe an Autohomes 'Komet' looking at the roof and naturally I'm a bit biased towards that

[otleygas]

The high top doesn't state what year but looks 'newish'. 1985/6 was the changeover from air cooled to water cooled. (Don't post a question asking which is best - you'll never hear the end of it!!)

I think the Devon sounds a bit pricey for it's age but maybe it's in fantastic nick and the hightop's a rot box. The only way to find out is to look at them................ The high top maybe an Autohomes 'Komet' looking at the roof and naturally I'm a bit biased towards that

Thanks. The high top is an '87. Just managed to speak to the owner and the mileage is 127k not 27k as stated in the advert (thought it was too good to be true!)

my heart is in the pop top, but, without looking at it, it does seem a bit pricey - i would have though 2.5k was more along the right lines judging from other adverts. but as you say i'd best take a look at it!

[Willoughby]

There is a devon conversion for sale up my neck of the woods.

1981 T25 Devon,4 berth

Its a 2litre Aircooled and will soon to be for sale,full camping interior,sink,gas burner

It will come with 1 years MOT

£2500

Can get more details if you want.

[img:800:600]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/m ... 0858-1.jpg[/img]

[otleygas]

There is a devon conversion for sale up my neck of the woods.

1981 T25 Devon,4 berth

Its a 2litre Aircooled and will soon to be for sale,full camping interior,sink,gas burner

It will come with 1 years MOT

£2500

Can get more details if you want.

[img:800:600]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/m ... 0858-1.jpg[/img]

That looks very nice indeed a long way from me though (am based in Bristol). But that said, i guess i could pay to get in transported down?

don't know if it has seatbelts in the back do you?

[SplendiferousII]

Hi and welcome.

I looked at this one earlier today and though how nice it looked.

Not to far from you either.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-T25-CAMPERVAN_ ... 286.c0.m14

[otleygas]

Hi and welcome.

I looked at this one earlier today and though how nice it looked.

Not to far from you either.

http://cig.eaby.co.uk/VW-T25-CAMPERVAN_ ... 286.c0.m14

That does look very good from the pictures. shame the auction ends in a couple of hours otherwise it would have been worth a trip down. hmmm i'm beginning to see that this buying thing isnt too easy

[kevtherev]

But that said, i guess i could pay to get in transported down?

transported ?

don't you drive?

don't know if it has seatbelts in the back do you?

you could fit them if you wanted... easy job ...all the info is here on this site

[otleygas]

But that said, i guess i could pay to get in transported down?

transported ?

don't you drive?

don't know if it has seatbelts in the back do you?

you could fit them if you wanted... easy job ...all the info is here on this site

drive yes...but it's a long way up to Scotland!

[lloyd]

If you can find a good van, it's worth the trip to go pick it up and drive home. We took train to Colchester, bought ours in Brightlingsea, and drove it back home to Torbay.