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Busman Be
Posted: 08 May 2012, 22:26
by stephen t25
Hi all, my names steve and i live in sunny north devon, i have been reading various posts on here regarding buying syncro's and have nearly bitten the bullet and parted my cash on a few occasions but due to reading stuff on here i have kept my powder dry and not gone for it. I have had a couple of t3's and now run a whitestar German converted 1.9tdi which runs great. Now my family has expanded and we have a love for wild camping i have been looking on busman's website at his vans which look good value.... there are a few that would suit me great but not sure about import and quality of his motors, has anyone dealt with him as i really like the blue 16" poptop tdi .
Any advice would be very much appreciated as i know you chaps know your stuff .
Many thanks stephen

Re: Busman Be
Posted: 09 May 2012, 00:11
by mcgill5
hi there,i have personally bought a few vans from Mike and have collected them from Belgium to have them rebuilt etc here in Scotland. very nice guy and good to deal with. a lot of his vans need various amounts of work,he does tell you what he knows about but as with any vehicle you cant see a problem with say a diff if the gearbox or engine dont work. as i say if you ask him anything he will honestly tell you,very helpful and speaks very good english(even scottish)
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 09 May 2012, 10:06
by syncron ice
Hi,
Yes Mike Plompen a great, honest and hospitable guy to deal with.
I bought my 16" ex Finnish Army ambulance from him.
Tony
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 09 May 2012, 11:18
by syncroy
Hi, If you don't know your way fully around a Syncro I would definitely recommend Mike. He doesn't just sell them he drives them, so he'll give you an honest assessment of what he knows needs doing to the van. I bought my van from him nearly 6 years ago & have never looked back............he even threw in breakfast!!
Best of luck!
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 09 May 2012, 18:55
by BALDY3260
has anyone spoken to mike recently? only i have emailed him a couple of times in the last two weeks about a van, and had no reply, just wondered if he was away or something.
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 09 May 2012, 20:42
by stephen t25
Hi all, ...Thanks for the info on Busman, sounds like a real honest trader and enthusiast, which is a good combination. The van i initially saw on his site a few days ago was a 16" blue van with a westfalia poptop and interior with a 1.9tdi with lots of uprated bits, it was on a section of vans for sale but weren't at his place which is not on his website any more. I am going to buy a syncro and going to wait for the right one at the right price and casting my net to the continent i think is the best option for value
If i find the right one would be great to meet up with others camping etc...just need to bring myself to part with my whitestar TDI (OR KEEP IT AS WELL ) :Dt
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 10 May 2012, 09:39
by guzzi
Hi Stephen
I bough both a 16" diesel and a slightly rusty but late T25 California as a donor for my van from Busman and i found the whole process to be really good.
If you give him a shout as to what you are after i am sure he will come across it sooner or later and as the others say his English is excellent

Re: Busman Be
Posted: 10 May 2012, 10:13
by Drytooler
There are some intresting syncro's for sale on the dutch version of ebay.
If i din't have a Syncro ...
TDI 110HP
diflocks
decoupler
http://link.marktplaats.nl/555168546
And a original 16"
http://link.marktplaats.nl/546597607
red dehlerroof(On Mike's site to)
http://link.marktplaats.nl/550026408
ore look on
http://kopen.marktplaats.nl/search.php? ... bmit1=Zoek
I'm sure Mike can help you getting one of these across the plump

Re: Busman Be
Posted: 12 May 2012, 17:04
by thefatsurfer
Just another echo to the other comments. Such a nice man. I did have a "What the blithering heck am i doing?" moment when i bought a 16" off him a few years back when i realised i was stood in a foreign airport waiting for a man i had never met, that i had just bought a van off that i hadn't seen. Madness. All worked out fine though. He even fed me! Top bloke.
Alf
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 12 May 2012, 18:23
by slobbo
Mike usually has access to a lot more van than he puts on his site. Tell him what your after and he will let you know if he has what you need.
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 23 May 2012, 15:44
by tforturton
I've been having a bit of a back and forward email conversation with Mike ever since I discovered his website, and I have to say he's been very helpful. I haven't got round to actually buying one yet, but it won't be long.....
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 25 May 2012, 17:02
by tforturton
I'm interested in this process. How many people, of those who have bought a bus from busman, actually went out to see the chosen vehicle before they bought it? Or did you go on his word, and ask for lots of photos?
Re: Busman Be
Posted: 02 Jul 2012, 17:29
by TRAILBREAKER
I know that many Syncro's in France,Belgium and Holland come from Busman's place.
Mine too.
Nice bloke,lovely wife and many children

Re: Busman Be
Posted: 02 Jul 2012, 20:53
by syncron ice
I went over to see my ambulance first, checked it over and asked for a few bits to be sorted which were. I flew into Charleroi very cheaply at the time and got the train to Ghent where Mike picked me up, fed me, looked at ambulance and without a cent exchanged he drove me back to Charleroi. I returned a couple of weeks later to collect it and was fed, slept over and he put his insurance plates on my bus and followed me down to Cherbourg to make sure everything was ok. Now that's what I call service.
Personally I wouldn't buy anything without checking but if it's not possible then Mike is very trustworthy and honest.
Tony