crossing over to the DARK SIDE????

[Geeze]

Being honest, I miss our old T25 and sometimes wish we still had it :msn4:
Sat at 'motorway speeds' quite comfortably, drove like a mk2 golf and was a surprisingly good hoon when out on your own (but it was the SA spec 2.5! ).

But never felt a love for the T4 / T5.
T4 has wonky front suspension and is a pig to work on, plus a mate who traded up to one from a T25 quickly chopped back again when he realised it was less spacious and practical :lol:
The old stuff (splits, bays, T25) feels like a 'proper' bus, the newer ones are just transits with a vw badge.

That said, do quite fancy the idea of a T5 on coils and banded steels as a daily. Only trouble with that is I would want the 170 and everyone I've known with one struggles to hit 30mpg in normal use and gets regular four figure bills keeping them held together. And it can be north of 400quid to tax the things :shock:

 

[marco]

I would sooner buy a Bongo.... :shock:

Never! they just look wrong!! :lol:

 

[Geeze]

I would sooner buy a Bongo.... :shock:

Never! they just look wrong!! :lol:

But they're Friend(l)eeeeeee....!

 

[Pete B]

I don't get this debate.

Either you want to own and use a vintage Volkswagen or you want a modern vehicle.
The two are so poles apart it is not worth wasting time and oxygen saying otherwise.

Fin.

 

[RICH-I-AM]

I don't get this debate.

Either you want to own and use a vintage Volkswagen or you want a modern vehicle.
The two are so poles apart it is not worth wasting time and oxygen saying otherwise.

Fin.

Gotta disagree with you there.
In the original post his mate has one and his missus wants one.
People are getting in the poor blokes head :lol: .

That aside, i believe its a finer line than you make out.

Rich

 

[lard]

Well - my brother who got his bay before me (68 LHD westy - slammed delta green) - it was a beauty - it's what inspired me to sell my GT6 and get my bay

late last year he sold it along with his slammed fastie to get a T5 - the T5 is short wheel base, custom alpine white with black roof - slammed with lovely black deep-dish wheels e.t.c. - he had to as he needed a vehicle to travel for his new job, it's a great vehicle (chipped e.t.c.) but essentially looks like a "murderer's car" or in some low light settings in city centres, a drug baron's mobile office

If he had the choice, I think he probably would have got another car and kept the bay ... it's a happy middle ground between needing a car for commuting and having a camper, the only issues are things like a pop-top cost him around £3K - a bed conversion (needs to be type tested) cost £3K - his kitchen units cost £1K - I thought bays were expensive until I saw how much stuff costs for T5's :shock: - tyres are £200 per corner e.t.c.

He might reply and let you know his thoughts - as Pete says I think the two though aren't 100% comparable - yes both are campers, but one's a classic vehicle with the spannering that comes with it, the other is a modern van based camper conversion that (IMO) you just can't tinker with to the same level, and on the same kind of budget and doesn't have the same appeal

If the question was - would I sell my bay and get a modern camper? The answer would be no - I got my bay as I like classic vehicles, the fact I can camp in it is a bonus, if it was a microbus I'd still go away as much and just use a tent (I've always gone on hols camping since young) - I don't want a modern camper as my second vehicle, I want and am lucky to have one of the most iconic classic vehicles you can get - which suits me fine 8)

 

[marco]

Early bays have a better forum :mrgreen: you'd have to join the vwt4 forum :shock:

 

[sharky71]

.............having read some of the comments i somehow get the feeling some would like to try and maybe buy but the majority would rather stick with the Early,but i have thought about it quite alot,not just overnight but since last years Busfest.
What with last years crappy weather and so far this years (tail end of april ommitted)slow start had me thinking of alternatives :roll: , but what would and probably will happen if we succumbed to the DARK SIDE is i would miss the nice looks,curves,soft suspension,slow acceleration,even slower braking :lol: :lol: :lol: and generally the feel good factor of owning an Early. 8)
The fact that there is no road fund to pay and insurance for this year atleast is under 150 notes seems an all round better solution.

Money is not that great currently but even if it were i don't suppose we would get away more than 6 weekends a year plus a 10 day- 2 week break whether in an Early or a T5 the only down side i can see is the limited storage in the van.
I don't mind a little spannering here and there and i've gone over to lecy points with stock setup else where so as long as any other parts are not extortionate then i'm happy
I just assumed new modern van more reliability fewer parts needed etc but are they really £200 a pop per corner for tyres??? :shock:

Any other thoughts??

 

[RichardAlexander]

For me owning an Earlybay was more than owning a vehicle for going to shows and camping in, I feel like I am driving around in a piece of history.

Ignoring all the expense and sometimes frustration involved with owning a classic bus there is not one single part of me that would consider swapping that historic journey for a T4/T5/T6 etc converted plumbers/builders van.

Of course I do agree newer more modern vehicles are faster, more reliable, warmer/cooler, practical the list goes on - however if you are looking for the best campervan for the equilivant money get a Hymer or a Fiat and stay away from expensive compromised VW's.

I am sure a T4 / T5 will depreciate significantly more in comparison to a classic camper too. :shock:


This frequently comes up as a point of discussion on Vzi - each to their own I say. :msn4:

But for me history and heritage wins over practicality and speed. :lol:

well said my friend.

i admit i very much like the way you get the odd looks from people who appreciate the classic vw and when i drive it it always leaves me with a smile on my face(when it's running right) :lol: :lol: but i do sometimes find myself alittle envious of the mod cons in the T5 but somehow feel that it might not be all what it's cracked up to be.
storage problems and lack of power up hills a side i do get that happy feeling when we get where we want to go(or is that relief :lol: :lol: )under our own steam,perhaps i need to factor in more travelling time?????

Have to agree, I brought the earlybay because it was the earlybay looked at loads of lates before setting my heart on it, don't really care about shows and like like I love the feel of driving something older than me (just) and getting my hands on it and saying I fixed that, I did that. Don't get me wrong my mates got a T5 and it's lovely it just doesn't have the SOUL

 

[AndyO]

look at a T5.

then, look at an Early Bay.

No contest.

 

[john the horse]

Y not get a transir

 

[r73]

I don't get this debate.

Either you want to own and use a vintage Volkswagen or you want a modern vehicle.
The two are so poles apart it is not worth wasting time and oxygen saying otherwise.

Fin.

I'm with you on this, pointless comparison in my book. They're totally different.

 

[ozziedog]

I got a daily Mazda 6, and a Merc, and the Mrs got one of those bleedin German (ish) things called a Mini., we got all the mod cons you could want, heated seats, climatic this that and the other, built in sat nav, etc etc, But I got an Early that I don`t have a *** lighter in for gadgets and stuff, not much heating, and not absolutely brilliant on go go juice, and we only got the bog standard medium flavour radio that we have to tune and re tune as we go along. Looks cool as though,, drives cool as though,, feels mint and cool as when I`m driving him though,, at the end of the day,,,, it`s all about ???????????????????????

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, SMILES per gallon :mrgreen:

 

[Clem]

I don't get this debate.

Either you want to own and use a vintage Volkswagen or you want a modern vehicle.
The two are so poles apart it is not worth wasting time and oxygen saying otherwise.

Fin.

To reiterate ... this^

Fin

 

[faux]

I don't get this debate.

Either you want to own and use a vintage Volkswagen or you want a modern vehicle.
The two are so poles apart it is not worth wasting time and oxygen saying otherwise.

Fin.

Gotta disagree with you there.
In the original post his mate has one and his missus wants one.
People are getting in the poor blokes head :lol: .

That aside, i believe its a finer line than you make out.

Rich

I have a modern car because it makes life easy on the 20k business miles a year and an Earlybay because it makes me feel goooooood!

I honestly don't see them being comparable.

 

[trinketpimp]

Take a look in the look in the swap section....people with bugs and 5 's looking for an EB....camped in a field at Vanwest last year that was mostly non air cooled, yes they were there, and enjoying the vibe the same as all of all hof us but I can't help but feel it's a bit like alchhol free beer, tastes the same, but ain't quite right....

 

[trinketpimp]

Take a look in the look in the swap section....people with bugs and 5 's looking for an EB....camped in a field at Vanwest last year that was mostly non air cooled, yes they were there, and enjoying the vibe the same as all of all of us but I can't help but feel it's a bit like alchhol6 free beer, tastes the same, but ain't quite right....

 

[lard]

.............but are they really £200 a pop per corner for tyres??? :shock:

He had massive rims with v.low profile stretched tyres :shock: - also chewed through them every 5-7K

He now has banded steelies on which look really nice and are kinder on tyres!

The question of T5 vs T2 though is definitely dependent on circumstances - as above, if my brother didn't have to do >20K miles a year for work and could have 2 vehicles I'm sure he'd still have his, no contest as people have said, a T5 in his case was the next best thing considering the requirements/restrictions a company car allowance brings

 

[yorkie]

For me owning an Earlybay was more than owning a vehicle for going to shows and camping in, I feel like I am driving around in a piece of history.

Ignoring all the expense and sometimes frustration involved with owning a classic bus there is not one single part of me that would consider swapping that historic journey for a T4/T5/T6 etc converted plumbers/builders van.

Of course I do agree newer more modern vehicles are faster, more reliable, warmer/cooler, practical the list goes on - however if you are looking for the best campervan for the equilivant money get a Hymer or a Fiat and stay away from expensive compromised VW's.

I am sure a T4 / T5 will depreciate significantly more in comparison to a classic camper too. :shock:

This frequently comes up as a point of discussion on Vzi - each to their own I say. :msn4:


Having just read this post, I couldnt of put it better myself ...all of the above are my thoughts exact.
But for me history and heritage wins over practicality and speed. :lol:

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

What you need is a magic carpet nipper not a T5
if you want to near half the journey time to Cornwall
If I take my Mondeo to Cornwall I can only shave off about 45mins from the journey of 180 miles
Keep the bay you would regret selling it