Newby - need some advice

Post by **Dartmoor** » 11 Aug 2008, 15:22

Hi, I was almost thinking of buying a Bay camper, but have now stopped in my tracks and am considering a T3? Why? Well, firstly it seems looking at prices that you might get better value for money - true or false? And then safety. By all accounts the T3 looks a stronger safer vehicle.

Like the T2, there is a problem with seating. I want a camper van, but I also want seats for five - all with belts. Virtually all the vans I have seem are 3/4 width R&R beds, and where there is a buddy seat, it has no proper belt. Where some other conversions, particular on T2's, have full(er) width seats, they have solid objects like cookers etc directly in front of one of the passengers. In a crash, God forbid, your nearest and dearest could be impailed or even killed by smacking their head on a wooden cabinet.

So, is there a way of safely seating three passengers in addition to driver and front passenger? Can you tell the conversion type or configuration?

Then there are old Harrys who tell me avoid the T25, the engines go pop. Well that can't be true by the number I see on the road (vs the number of T2's on the roadside!). Are the early Aircooled engines ok? Or are the watercooled ones a better bet?

many thanks. Oh, and if you have a rust free one for sale that fits the above, let me know!

Post by **1664** » 11 Aug 2008, 15:47

Hello and welcome.

You can occassionally get buddy seats with seatbelts - usually out of more modern vehicles. I've got belts for two at the rear of mine. I did have a camper with three but like you pointed out the unlucky bu@@er on the drivers side would have their brains splattered by the cupboard in a smash so I wouldn't have used it TBH.

I prefer watercooled but that's just me.

Post by **clartsonly** » 11 Aug 2008, 16:03

hmmm.. try not to consider the results of a crash, if you crash with a lorry you are all dead whether you have seat belts or not. you should not live you life in fear of these happenings, I put full leathers on when I am on my bandit, of course I am not expecting to fall off, something will cause this to happen and the chances are all the leathers would do is keep my broken limbs near each other.

I love not having proper seat belts in the back although when my wife is in the camper she does ask the little ones to put them on. you need to make other safety considerations as well as the seat belts, you have a gas cylinder next to them, a drawer full of knives, a 25 year old rusty chassis holding a massive engine just behind, the fuel lines running under the floor to the engine, and back along the other side of them on the return, 2.5 tons sitting on high wheels agasin on a rusty chassis, steps which sometimes when you stand on them snap off. home maintain 240volt camping electrics running over you head when you are sleeping a handbrake which used to work well.

the list goes on.

I think my point is dont live in fear, and over safety conscious, if the camper was to roll over then someone would get a cooker or fridge in the head anyway wouldn't they.

good luck, I made a buddy seat but there is no seat belt there.

Post by **Dartmoor** » 11 Aug 2008, 18:15

Fair point, but my ascertion was that the T25 would be relatively safer than a T2. There's alot more metal, probably less rust, and the application of another decade or so of design knowledge. Looking back, I guess the comparators are that the T2 design owes its origins to the beetle. The T25 was conceived at the same time as the Golf Mk1 and Passat.

Post by **kimbobill** » 11 Aug 2008, 18:55

It's not a problem, if you have an head on crash, as there's no engine in front of you, the petrol tank blows up and shoots you out

Website · Post by **CovKid** » 11 Aug 2008, 19:35

I certainly feel marginally safer in a T3 than a T2 and my chassis is rust free, plus T3's were built from thicker steel underneath anyway.

Post by **kimbobill** » 11 Aug 2008, 23:00

Sorry Dartmoor for scaring you, We've have ours bus for 12 years and there is nothing that I would rather drive.It isn't the safest design on the road but if you want to duck and dive the traffic this ain't the one to do it in. We cruise around 55 60mph and feel very safe, we travel all over the place. It can go down any country lane, park it, in just over it's length and looks good.
The only thing with an auto is there's not any braking using the engine and gearbox and even with the bigger swinging calipers on the front, in traffic when it comes to an abrupt halt the vehicle in front can fill your screen very quickly

but just give it a little respect distance wise and you'll love it.

My son's just brought a T4. It's got a lot going for it but they just don't drive as nice and they're not a patch on the t25

go test drive one and don't forget to turn the corner a little later than a normal car...enjoy

Post by **ermie571** » 12 Aug 2008, 11:21

Dartmoor,
I have a camper. It seats 5, all belted. 3x 3point and 1x lap. The buddy behind the passenger has a three point on it.

Where there is a will and all that....

I now drive slower, and am much more conscious of the road conditions. Boy do I moan when other drivers pull into my stopping distance, as it is just marginally longer than their car!!!!! They can be treated to the blazing intensity of full lights too (ok, half a candle aint gonna scare anyone, but it makes me feel better - the square lamps are better!)

I have also just put a 40 year old beetle back on the road.....going down that LOW after bieng up that HIGH is scary.....

Em
x

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