Will the T2 stay cool forever ??

[hippysteven]

Hi all,

On the drive into work today I started daydreaming about maybe when I'm older, how cool it might be to restore all things aircooled for a living.
Then I thought, well I'm 24 now and in 20 - 30 years from now, people might think, what the hecks a type 2 split or bay ?

So i asked myself what will be seen as a t2 equivalent ? The cool camper ? Or the lowered transporter ? My guess is that the t4 and t5 may come up trumps. Hopefully not a Ford S-Max :?

What do you lot think ? Will the t2 stay cool forever ?

Sorry if this is a depressing topic but i did think of it at 5:30 am on the way into work!

 

[marco]

Mazda Bongos :lol:

 

[lard]

Hi,

Interesting topic! Firstly I will classify "cool" as "desirable" - I would draw some conclusions from other long lived marques such as mini, porsche and landrover - though not completely comparable it shows the same trend in as much as the early vehicles still remain the most sought after, especially as numbers dwindle the demand increases from a buoyant community around the vehicles, traffic accidents, rust and major component failure will sift the crap cars from properly maintained ones until you get to a point when a car is desirable (i.e. cool) due to the ratio of buyer vs stock level's in the market

Will the T2 remain cool? Of course, the split screen has a good number of years over the bay and is still viewed (by some uninitiated folks!) as being "cooler" than the T2, but that again is down to the availability of good vehicles vs demand for them - the T5 may be more practical, reliable, faster e.t.c. but (ignoring the fact that any camper is desirable) it isn't rarity that makes them "cool" (i.e. desirable) but rather the investment required to purchase & run one that makes them cool (e.g. if they cost the same as a Citroen picasso then there would be more people driving them and then not so desirable?)

That's my initial thoughts - T2 will always be desirable as everyone knows what a camper van is, certainly my kids (and no doubt everyone elses on here!) will no doubt think they are cool when older based on their exposure, want to buy one and with a depleting number the coolness will just increase in time

 

[hippysteven]

Hey lard,

I must say, that's a well thought out insight! i reckon as long a petrol and insurance stays affordable and tax exempt cars stay exempt for the future, then t2 will stay desirable to the average enthusiast because a vw will be affordable to run, but if running costs go up, you may aswell have a Ferrari sat on the drive haha
And let's get real, at 20-25mpg, petrol is on thin ice already for aircooled's!

 

[lard]

True - I'm waiting for a production electric conversion or hybrid to be released in 10 years or so - it will all be about custom firmware on your flux capacitor by then

 

[marco]

True - I'm waiting for a production electric conversion or hybrid to be released in 10 years or so - it will all be about custom firmware on your flux capacitor by then

I've thought about that, must be able to get a scrap civic ima.

 

[sparkywig]

I'm nearly 30 years on from my first bus, don't give a f*ck whether they're cool or not.

 

[Myvanway]

I have wanted a t2 for over 15 years, but never desired a T4/5... but I would have one as a daily work horse instead of my passat.
I like all sorts of interesting vehicles that show character.. Commers too! :roll:

All things retro for me.... Mmm formica! 8)




Off the subject........ This is really cool!! 8)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_p9z6rgDzg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[maddog]

I bought my bus 20 yrs ago when they weren't cool and driven mostly by the older generation......hot hatches were all the rage :lol:

 

[Marvel]

True - I'm waiting for a production electric conversion or hybrid to be released in 10 years or so - it will all be about custom firmware on your flux capacitor by then

But you'd still have to get it to 88mph!

 

[Trikky2]

If somebody had told me 25 years ago that these vehicles would be desirable collectors cars I would have laughed.

So i dont think my opinion on this question is likely to be useful - :lol:

 

[Irishpete]

If somebody had told me 25 years ago that these vehicles would be desirable collectors cars I would have laughed.

So i dont think my opinion on this question is likely to be useful - :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

My girfriend's dad used loads of VWs as work busses over the years and said the same thing when I turned up in my T25! That said, he does love the Bay (and his T5!) :msn4:

 

[BARKING MARK]

Will the T2 stay cool forever ??
Cool is another word for fashionable,and as we know fashion is fickle, I think the T2 has gained classic and almost iconic status and will be around for a long time to come, eventually we will only see them in museums and play things of the rich as carbon based fuels become uneconomical for every day folk like you and me... that will be a sad day. So what will take its place ?
WHO CARES lets enjoy our Busses while we can and get out there as often as possible...PARTY ON..

 

[Clem]

I got my first camper in 1993 and they were considered 'cool' then, and you'd always be asked where the surfboard was etc. Granted, there were more still in the hands of older/family types with no concept of a scene back then, but they were definately not just any old van. RTTS was rammed with them full of surfers, skater and pot heads :mrgreen:

But, yes, I cant see the cool tag going away anytime soon. No matter what our personal reasons for ownership, they are what they are.

 

[Araon]

To be honest what is "cool", some ****** telling me I'm in a scene, **** that I does what I does cos it makes me happy....

The number of folks buying knackered old vans dont make it cool....

Cool is a state of mind, not knowing or caring your cool is "COOL"

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Mazda Bongos :lol:

I wouldn't mind one, would have to be one of the jacked up 4x4s with all the badly translated English down the side "mazda bongo vehicle sunshine family happy time" etc :lol:

 

[frod]

A few months ago I did the school run in our ebt2 and my daughter's school friends went mad over it. So there's at least an other generation of people who think they're cool. Loads of kids like doing the wave as you go by. My brothers have new top of the range ,range rovers but no one takes pics of their vehicles as they drive by. Even though their cars maybe brilliant at what they do ...... the t2 will always out cool them. and they paid more than £450.

 

[bigdaz]

I've owned Bays since I was 18 so 28 years.
I was into surfing back then and it has always been a cool ride in that scene.
Back then Beetles were more expensive. Vans were cheaper but still quite expensive compared to say a similar aged Transit or Bedford.
The T2 has become. An icon and is portrayed on TV as a good fun thing.
And I suppose it is but many new owners are buying a look without realising the amount of care an attention that goes into owning one of these things.
I think once this trend is over the T2 will go back to being a cool enthusiasts car still desired but possibly more realistically priced.
I recession with low interest rates classics always sky rocket because there's no point saving.
E types did this in the eighties. Ford Rs and Capris are going mad at the moment so I suppose it's not just our beloved vans