Vanagon, VW T25, Westafalia - all names for one great budget bus
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 a great way of enjoying cheap camping and the festival season.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.
So if you’re on a budget, or if it’s your first foray into buying a camper, it’s a good model to look out for.These are old campers, though, so you will need to do more maintenance than with a modern vehicle.
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. Look at a number to research. If you get more information and learn about the model, you can spot vehicles that will cause problems.
The owners should tell you what the camper has been used for and they may know something about its history. Look out for poor van conversions or vehicles with a chequered history.
Check the Bodywork
Take some time to really have a good look around. You’ll find a ladder helps to check gutters, roof and the pop-up mechanism. Ask for a demonstration.
Check for filler using a magnet and look along the sides for bumps and waves. Most rust will start between the Vanagon body panels, can be serious and needs to be checked thoroughly.
The battery tray can hise problems and also the steps - carefully look over both the front and back steps. You’ll also need to check the fuel tanks as they can rot on the TOP!
Carefully look over the tyres. Are they the same model? Check the condition of the spare? 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. Oil leaks on the engine and excess smoke from the exhaust will tell you there are engine problems. Are there any smells of petrol or diesel that could indicate the tank is rusty? Check what engine it has, when it was fitted, where it came from and the mileage (which can be difficult to prove). Ask about maintenance, oil changes and other service history.
Does the engine start straightaway or does the starter motor struggle? They can pack up without warning. The VW t25 had aircooled and petrol and diesel 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?
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Tags: vw camper, vw t25, vw t25 camper, VW vanagon, vwt25 camper