why did you buy your bus ?

[Lee C]

Cos Taypic told me to!!!

 

[67westy]

My sister bought a T25 in 2010 and the (now) wife and I really loved the idea of getting a van. Shortly after we went to Thailand and were stranded for around a week due to the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash clouds. We got back after paying a small fortune to upgrade our tickets to get an earlier return flight and thought bollocks to going abroad any time soon we'll get a camper. Wasn't sure what we wanted but went to stanford hall in the T25 and had a look around the for sale area. Really liked the bays and had a good long look at some late bays. Came back with some contact details but got steered towards an early by Wilf (gingerporsche). Found a westy online near nottingham that looked fairly solid, had a drive and paid the money One of the best decisions we ever made.

The van had a few problems that if we weren't so naive we might have spotted. It came with a badly fitted 1200 engine but all the little niggles are ironed out now, it's fully restored and we're loving every trip 8)

1200 :shock: I bet that went well

:lol: when we got the 1600 in it felt like an F1 car :msn4: The badly fitted clutch didn't help matters either. Needless to say it's much better now and all bodges resolved!

 

[Bluesnailman]

I had a lovely '74 Mgb roadster, and wanted a 1980's Porsche 911. Wife agreed to a Porsche but wanted new t5 campervan as 'normal' car, and couldn't bring myself to agree to that deal. Seemed like having two really compromised cars...... More than happy with our air cooled camper and normal car perfection we reached. Porsche, pah - just so not interested now....... Doubt we have many 'investment' buyers on the forum, but I guess some garages might see them.

 

[sharky71]

My very first car was a 68' Beetle 1500 with factory sunroof at the age of 20,had it for two years and sold it for more than twice i paid and ended having two years free motoring.
Only sold it for more [b]POWER[/b] :lol: :lol: So far was my biggest regret.
19 years later we(family)purchased a 69'lhd westy and started the journey of restoration.
At this moment we are at a cross roads,had no end of strife with the engine in the last 2 years 2 different blocks and still all is not rosey.
The final straw was when i twisted my lower spine earlier this year and after 3 months lay off the van i took it for a spin and the Dyno bearings were shot so had to pull the engine again :roll: so i left the zorst on for the first time(usually take it all off) and when i came to refit the engine what should of been 1-2hrs took 8hrs,struggled with the top two bolts,seemed to be at a crappy angle blah blah.

Anyhow in a fit of rage i put the van on the web for sale,but in my sub conciousness i put it on for alot.
Needless to say we still have it but i am still not sure whether to keep hold.

Just need to feel the love once again.

 

[hipshaker]

i did a couple of years (06 and 07) at the IOW festival in small pop up tent, which didn't agree with me. I borrowed a late bay from a mate for the 08 festival ….. 100 times better. Also borrowed a different one, a crossover, to go camping just after …. the started hunting.

I found a beautiful 1974 latebay for sale locally, it was on ebay. lovingly maintained by an old couple …… when i bid with seconds to go the connection must have been bad and the bid didn't register. i was kicking things around the living room as my bid was a good couple of hundred quid above the end price (although no guarantee).

a local guy had gone with me to look at the ebay one ….. i popped in to see him one day and he had this wreck he was rebuilding, which eventually became mine. all a bit by accident really.

 

[marco]

Still working that one out :lol:

 

[Pickles]

Haven't got a clue … well I have 4 years ago the wife told me too! So we could take the baby camping.

Having bought it I learnt that many 40 year old bits were knackered and needed replacing, that was fine up until 2 years ago when I had enough cash to pay others to work on it, redundancy in 2012 and earning less than half that I previously did means now I have to do it myself, bit of a low at the moment as its sat on ramps directly outside my office window, with the engine out, since March.

 

[Myvanway]

Because I wanted a way we (The family) could have fun, whilst still getting a VW Fix!! 8)

 

[trinketpimp]

Have had a good run of 5 bays over the last 25 years or so, last one was a 73Devon. Always had a hankering after a lowered early-bay panel with bench seat and a 1641....
Mother went Harry and Willey afore Xmas so we had to take out some bonds that we had left with her to get her under the wire with money in the bank so the care costs were catered for... so I was 5k to the good.
Thought I pressed 'other items by this seller' on Flea-bay but must of been 'similar items' and up popped a 71 Oz import panel van with bench seat and a 1641....
E-mailed him and he was in Hereford and as we were off to Dubstock I arranged to call and look, blow me if his garden didn't back onto the show site..... the asking price ? 5k

So, as the Mrs put it, it looks like it was meant to be and more importantly, you are 50 now so if not now when? as time is not on your side !!!!! so bond sorted it and the 73 Devon is paying for the lowering and all the other body-work it needed as it was full of expanding-foam. Hope to get it MOT'ed next week then register it and get out there amongst you all once again.

Is it an investment ? in truth I never gave it much thought, never sold a bus for less that I paid for it. When I am at a show and the weather is okay, the band good enough to shake a leg at and i've scored some wanted parts for a bargain, spent an evening sat around the fire pit with friends and too much beer etc the sound of sliding doors closing is worth more than 5k.

 

[Davydomes]

4 Beetles - only 2 of which made on to the road, only 1 of which I restored. Nova Kit Car. Always liked the appeal of the "wild rover" that the T2's gave. Always went to look a them at shows. Any hoo, did a full body off nut & bolt restoration with Vinvan on a 1961 BMW Isetta - 7 years to do it :shock: (yes - parts were a lot harder to come by back then...getting easier now). We actually enjoyed the venture that much and the fact we felt at a loose end when it was finished. We decided to do another joint project - couldn't think what - was looking at possibly doing a Messerschmitt - but hard to come buy. Then, after talking to a couple with a Bay at the Lydiate Classic Car show, and, having a really good look at a few.......a Bay was chosen. Pure luck that we got an Early. Really glad we did. Even though I have dipped my toes into the VW scene over the decades (went to VW Action at Stoneleigh in 1982!) it has really surprised me just how big the scene STILL is. It's ACE!

 

[tonicman]

cos my mrs told me to :lol:

 

[subheatadey]

I had a slammed Harley but my back is knackered and some days I had all on just to throw my leg over it (a bit like when i was married) so now i am ensconced in a tin box, i can listen to the radio and best of all I don't get piss wet through - apart from the leaking quarter lights it's all good. :fyou:

 

[admwllms]

I suffer some health issues with ankylosing spondylitis and spent most of my formative years laid-up in bed, so when I started improving a few years ago and began working again, a bus seemed a great treat to myself and to allow me to see some of the world – well, Europe – while I still find it relatively hassle-free to get around. Now we've got our first kid on the way, I can't wait to go camping and travelling with him and our dogs.

I actually dipped my toe with an air-cooled T25 as a test to see if we enjoyed the camping thing and after a trip to southern Spain last year and it was an awesome experience so saved like mad for the early bay. Making the same trip in the bay next April, can't wait.

 

[neilswheels]

It was cheap, couldn't say no!

 

[vwcanuck]

It was cheap, couldn't say no!

Same-ish here! With no room, no time and another project well underway, I really didn't need my '68. But I never had a panel van and this one was in decent shape for having spent so many year in Canada. I look forward to the days when I can work on it ... soon to be on the road again

 

[trebor]

I wanted a panel van, the other half likes curtains so we compromised on a westy. Plus I've paid enough tax and wanted something free.

 

[Sydney1]

Love camping and wanted a classic car. Also found my bank balance kept going up and I needed something to spend it on :lol:

OPPS another £800 about to go on new twin carbs!

 

[Sydney1]

I wanted a panel van, the other half likes curtains so we compromised on a westy. Plus I've paid enough tax and wanted something free.

I wanted more sex and the other half wanted less so we compromised and don't have any!

 

[Irishpete]

My first bus was a lovely T25 (I'd buy her back in a heartbeat if I could ever find her!) that I bought for weekends away surfing and also just something for me to tinker with. I avoided getting one for ages as I'm not a big fan of the VW 'scene' but I like just getting out and enjoying them.

 

[martin.sim]

[/quote]


I wanted more sex and the other half wanted less so we compromised and don't have any![/quote]

Similar thing happen to me lol


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Why didn't I buy my bus years ago !?