losing the love UPDATE!! 8/5/12

[lobie]

as some of you may know i bought my bay last september after spending years of saving and dreamin i final found the bus of my dreams only for if to catch fire 2 weeks last after sometime off the road i final got it back and sorted the interior for december. So on saturday with all the gremlins sorted i set of for a day out with the kids, what a great day until we got about 3 miles from home and the oil pressure dropped and it sound like ther was a bag of spanners in the engine, another ride home on the recovery truck

the recovery man addviced it was the crankshaft that had been knock out and possible a bearing fingers crossed or the alternitive is a bottom end. I have a good mechanic friend how has assured me not to worry he will strip the bottom end and take a look, as he says its fixible but this van has spent more time off the road than on and i ve only manged a few hundred miles in it none of them trouble free

i ve reach the point now where its cost me more money than i think it should, most of you on here seem to cover lots of miles even over to europe and back.
i love my bus and i'm determind to get to lots of festivals and shows with the kids but at this rate ill have no money for fuel or food, i sold loads of stuff on ebay just to raise funds for the work including a brand new set of empi 5 spokes an awning the list goes on

im losing the love and most of my money

:roll:

rant over had to get that of my chest

 

[Happystamps]

you'll get there dude. when i first got my bug, it broke down nearly every journey! but it hasn't needed touching for two years now. it's just a case of fixing the things that the previous owners have neglected to maintain... eventually you'll end up with a vehicle that's 100% as reliable as when it rolled out of the factory. these old buses arent unreliable in the slightest- but when you take advantage of their durability, sooner or later you'll lose it.

 

[uber cool]

You have to think of them as a 2nd wife.They costs you loads, you think about getting rid of them but cant live without them! :lol:

Once you have that clear it gets easier.

Also doing work yourself will save loads, I'm in the process of stripping and rebuilding my engine, ok not much wrong with it but it will have cost me about £175 all in inc another cylinder head and all new gaskets. I couldn't afford a garage to do this for me, suspect this would cost £1000 to £1200 at a VW garage.

Post an ad for a 2nd hand engine, fit this them rebuild your own at your own pace.

 

[mcvw]

You have to think of them as a 2nd wife.They costs you loads, you think about getting rid of them but cant live without them!

Second wife!! :lol: I'm still in the process of getting rid of the first - and believe you & me - I can very easily live without her :mrgreen:

But, seriously, try and hang in there. I think we've all had our fair share of sh!t where our buses are concerned. But it will get easier - it's all about the long game

 

[ozziedog]

Know exactly where you are coming from . Haven`t had many breakdowns but managed to fix it myself each time and limp home then spend either loads of time fixing it as I ain`t got loads of money I`ve been converting mine from a panel with windows allready cut in to putting the proper windows in. I`m on the last window now and have been for over six weeks now and as I`m taking so long (new job) (and getting old and slow) it`s getting rusty where I`m working so having to clean it up before I can even start working on it. Hopefully may get a whole weekend on it in the near future and get some paint on it. Even started thinking about a Cali import :shock: But I`ve rebuilt the engine so fingers crossed he should be fairly reliable. Even thought about getting someone in to do the last few bits on the bodywork but don`t know anybody that is more than slightly interested But it shouldn`t be too long and we`ll be all back on the road and doing dub type stuff 8) Then it`ll be worth it :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, Anybody near Bristol fancy doing a bit on my bodywork ??? Where`s the fingers crossed smiley ? :mrgreen:

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

Dont give up youve got a nice bus there matey!
You wont lose the love
Just your mind, some of your skin ,a little blood and your temper, and some more money ,But you will get there
Dont forget we are all here crazy as it may seem at times

 

[K@rlos]

Anyone who knows me well will verify the endless scope of trouble I've had with my bus. On the 3rd engine since I've had it ( the original wasn't in it when I got it ) had to completely rewire it, covert from US to UK rear lights and rebuilt the entire brake system. Plus I got it back from the body shop Saturday morning after quite a major windscreen repair

After all the adversity I've faced I'm now in love with it, I had it up for sale on here not so long ago but I persevered. Now getting the interior sorted, got a nice 2110 motor being built and next year will go king & link suspension, I've done the stuff I needed to and am now doing what I want to do :-D

 

[Reborn bay man]

Keep your chin up,it will get better..

I'm ancient and still buggering about with cars.. :lol:

 

[simo]

Stick with it m8- the fire you had would have broke most newbies but you took it in your stride, i was impressed, just goes to show your as mad as the rest of us
You will get there - you just sort one thing at a time till theres nothing left to do :lol:

simo

 

[Toad]

My advice is simple:
If you want a reliable useable bus keep it standard.
It means diddly squat what fancy wheels you have on your van if its unreliable.
Concentrate on the things that make a van what a van should be = Drivable/reliable.
Running gear/Engine/structure

My own van is mechanically standard and until it was damaged in a non fault accident last year (soon to be back on the road!), I was covering 25k miles a year with no problems.

I want you to be on here saying to us all how much fun you and your family have been having in your van, and not reading tales of woe

(Keep the faith! )

 

[Gadget Boy]

Ive had the Gadget Bus 12 years now , Its the longest women Ive ever had in my life 5 engines, two gearboxes, two complete front suspensions, 4 sets of wheels ( Soon to have its fifth) 3 interiors , 2 roof racks and a **** load of trouble........

You need to be patient as the best things come to those who wait ( that would make a good advert ) .....

BUT When the sun is out and your cruising with the music on and everone is looking going '' Nice van '' it doesnt matter .... If your sitting there counting the pennies and saying Ive spent to much...... Then Its time to sell it. Im afraid you just cant do that with a van , its a money pit just like buying an old house it will at some point all want replacing ..... When you've done this and that, then you can enjoy it and drive it but sometimes its a long and Very expensive road

 

[mcvw]

but sometimes its a long and Very expensive road

bit like that motorway on the way up to your gaff

 

[THE LAST PANZER]

Hang on in there marine......the mission your on is like running the gauntlet, there will be a barage of breakdowns, the shelling of M.O.Ts, money supllies will run so low you'll think this is a suicide mission, your wives and girlfriends will think your a M.I.A with the amout of time you spend in the solitary block (the garage) and just when you think your mission is over and the the old war bus you ride in gets shot down in a blaze of glory on the M1 in the pissing down rain at 3.00am in the morning.....................

There will probably be another marine right behind you getting ready to pull you out of the trench we call the hard shoulder or to offer you spare ammo, tools or a cup of tea. He will stand shoulder to shoulder until your Huey Evac is hauling you home ( thats the AA to me and you ) and he will also have the scars of a battle hardened war driver...........we are united as a band of brothers and we never leave anyone behind.

Well thats how i see things, we've all had a fare share of **** with thsese things including me but it all comes good trust me

 

[Gadget Boy]

^^^^^^^ Lmfao @ James and Mike NOT yet

 

[ozziedog]

" Trust me " Trust me he says :shock: He ^^^ is barkin mad that one ^^^. :shock:

I do however believe that it may be a prerequisite of owning one of these wonderful old busses,, that you have a tendency to be slightly out of step with the rest of the world and you do need to have your own version of reality It WILL be all right in the end, because if it`s not alright then it`s not the end :mrgreen: As LP would say ^^^ keep the faith soldier

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, It`s gonna be a great summer :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

Ive had the Gadget Bus 12 years now , Its the longest women Ive ever had in my life 5 engines, two gearboxes, two complete front suspensions, 4 sets of wheels ( Soon to have its fifth) 3 interiors , 2 roof racks and a **** load of trouble........

You need to be patient as the best things come to those who wait ( that would make a good advert ) .....

BUT When the sun is out and your cruising with the music on and everone is looking going '' Nice van '' it doesnt matter .... If your sitting there counting the pennies and saying Ive spent to much...... Then Its time to sell it. Im afraid you just cant do that with a van , its a money pit just like buying an old house it will at some point all want replacing ..... When you've done this and that, then you can enjoy it and drive it but sometimes its a long and Very expensive road

Ahh wise words from a true ambassador there!
:worship:

(even though he favours the 4 punctures look) :roll: ...................err .. ile now get my coat!

 

[ZedBed]

Hmm I've had 4 buses in 15-20 years and just driven them round really. One T4 engine needed a new head when the valve receded, but it still did 55 on 3 cylinders. Othere than that and some rust...nothing. Must be lucky.

 

[Toad]

Forgot to say....I have had my bay for 12 years this year. In that time I have spent very little time and money on her. She has just kept going well. I have also lived in her through harsh winters, travelled around more fantastic places than I could ever recall, I have transported me and my family and children on many happy travels and holidays, moved house for me and others, transported all kinds of crazy loads too! All in all she has been a very loyal and unwavering friend.
No suspension mods/no fancy wheels/no fancy paint/no fancy interior....just good old VW engineering.

Keep it simple and enjoy!

 

[Gadget Boy]

Just for Toad

Just because it has fancy wheels and suspension , Doesnt mean it doesnt earn its keep ......

:mrgreen:

 

[Nugsy]

Ive had the Gadget Bus 12 years now , Its the longest women Ive ever had in my life 5 engines, two gearboxes, two complete front suspensions, 4 sets of wheels ( Soon to have its fifth) 3 interiors , 2 roof racks and a **** load of trouble........

Sounds like triggers broom :lol: still the same bus :lol: