You lot are turning me off Earlybays........

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Irish

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So, it goes like this. If I buy and earlybay will life will be as follows......cue dream music...........

Ferry to France...........

Dear Diary, JUST made the ferry. Had some issues with fuel and had to "bleed" the fuel system. Mouth to mouth on the fuel lines.

France

Dear Diary, fec,k hearing a tappety noise - hope it works out.

Day 4

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding brakes in Rennes.

Day 7

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding engine at a campsite. Met Pierre who knows someone in the club who can help.

Day 9

Dear Diary, the AA are wonderful.

Day 15

Dear Diary - feck me I have a winter project and a half.

So tell me - am I being unfair? Do I rush off to the first T4 to rub me gently and tell me my T2 afflication well be ok?
 
Irish said:
So, it goes like this. If I buy and earlybay will life will be as follows......cue dream music...........

Ferry to France...........

Dear Diary, JUST made the ferry. Had some issues with fuel and had to "bleed" the fuel system. Mouth to mouth on the fuel lines.

France

Dear Diary, fec,k hearing a tappety noise - hope it works out.

Day 4

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding brakes in Rennes.

Day 7

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding engine at a campsite. Met Pierre who knows someone in the club who can help.

Day 9

Dear Diary, the AA are wonderful.

Day 15

Dear Diary - feck me I have a winter project and a half.

So tell me - am I being unfair? Do I rush off to the first T4 to rub me gently and tell me my T2 afflication well be ok?
Click to expand...


Every bus is differant, remember people love to talk about their problems (and ask peeps here for solutions)

But, will only post the odd pic or story about the day trips,holidays etc that go smooth, and with no issues
 
as slammedresto said, every bus is different....

my bus took me around france and northern italy in 6.5wks = 3500miles

my bus didnt give me any problems whatsoever. when i got back, i took it off the road for a resto and 4years later im still going!!!!

no breaking down or noises, but a massive eye opener when i came back and started a 6mnth resto.

having said that...i have spent 1000's and 1000's on my resto but wouldnt sell it or change it for anything!
 
If it helps ease your mind, my bay has never broken down since I have had it...............mind you, I haven't taken it to France! :lol:

Only joking, I took my fastback to France a few years ago, both boots crammed, things stuffed in to every available bit of space around the kids in the back seat, (luckily they were both quite young and therefore small) and it didn't put a tyre wrong for the entire 2 weeks we were there!
 
T4's are for pussies! yes they may go on forever and be econommical, but thats where it ends they have no character at all.

I'm taking my bay to france next year for 3 weeks, I have a list as long as my arm of stuff i need to get done to the van, but I wouldent have it any other way, one drive in my van and it makes it all worth while :)

I love my Bay :)
 
I bought a 71 for 800 dollars put in a new engine and fixed the required minimun of mechanical stuff and a year later drove it 10000 miles around the continental U.S. and didn`t break down. Did have a jetting issue at altitude and a oil change in there . But that is the nature of a aircooled VW. I have not made the trip to France either.The other side of VW issues is I would have never been in a junk yard in Oklahoma City if it was for issues. I didn`t plan it. But how can that be a bad thing? I love junk yards.


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Irish said:
So, it goes like this. If I buy and earlybay will life will be as follows......cue dream music...........

Ferry to France...........

Dear Diary, JUST made the ferry. Had some issues with fuel and had to "bleed" the fuel system. Mouth to mouth on the fuel lines.

France

Dear Diary, fec,k hearing a tappety noise - hope it works out.

Day 4

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding brakes in Rennes.

Day 7

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding engine at a campsite. Met Pierre who knows someone in the club who can help.

Day 9

Dear Diary, the AA are wonderful.

Day 15

Dear Diary - feck me I have a winter project and a half.

So tell me - am I being unfair? Do I rush off to the first T4 to rub me gently and tell me my T2 afflication well be ok?
Click to expand...


no, not at all but just to worn you i have 2 bays and a 2000 caravellel and they are all shit :) the t4 is just more expensive to repair!
 
AxlFoley said:
T4's are for pussies! yes they may go on forever and be econommical, but thats where it ends they have no character at all.

I'm taking my bay to france next year for 3 weeks, I have a list as long as my arm of stuff i need to get done to the van, but I wouldent have it any other way, one drive in my van and it makes it all worth while :)

I love my Bay :)
Click to expand...


but very good for large familys :?
 
These vehicles were very reliable when they were new. Its one of the main reasons they sold in large numbers despite them costing a fair bit more than competitors in the market.

As any vehicle gets older its reliability becomes dependent on its condition. Stuff wears out or becomes old and brittle - just like people :lol: . Most collectors cars have at some stage gone through the "old banger" stage where their low value meant the owner spent the absolute minimum to keep it going. These previous "repairs" have to be checked out and re done properly or the vehicles reliability will remain compromised.

Over the years I have seen a few breakdowns caused by faults in components that could not have been forseen but they were a tiny minority. The vast majority of problems were down to poor maintenance.

Many seem to think maintenance consists of doing the oil, points and plugs etc but a proper service involves a lot of time checking stuff, making sure its in good condition, not loose or leaking or likely to fail/drop off etc. This takes time and some experience too. You have to either do it yourself or be willing to pay somebody to do it for you properly.

Its the reason you may find a garage that will do a service really cheap but such a low price means that to make ends meet they cannot possibly do any more than change oil, plugs etc.
 
I agree with Trikky. I do loads of ongoing maintainence on mine ... it saves much heartache!
 
As someone who has broken down in France - twice :roll: I guess I'm in a pretty good position to voice an opinion.

Totally agree with Trikky and Clem and I always try to get the bus prepared as much as possible before the trip and take a box of sensible spares, in my company 'ronseal' car I could probably afford to just hop on the ferry or euro with just a quick check of oil, but the bay takes a bit more prep time.... but having said that the unexpected has a nasty habit of biting you where it hurts

For us it is one of the joys of just pottering around either in the UK or France in the old bus, I drive it differently to the ronseal car and overall I smile a lot more in the bay than any other motor I've had. I'm certainly learning to do more myself, but wouldn't dream of travelling anywhere without breakdown cover

Me, I'm sticking with it, although the wife keeps looking at T5's at the shows and I've said she can only have one of those when we can afford to run both a T5 and a T2 - and that's never going to happen unless the magic numbers come up and I can't remember the last time I bought a ticket :lol: . But there comes a time for choosing, who would have thought David Eccles would have parted with his splitty and order a new Californian.

With mine, I'm pretty certain with the work that has been done that 99% of the time when I turn the key its going to start first time, but in the project we replaced a heck of a lot of the running gear, wiring, and general electrics to have that sort of confidence - but it still broke down last week and needed a call out, but a couple of hours work the next morning got it sorted

In the end only you can judge if its worth it, its a tough call and sometimes you have to cut your losses and run but for me I like smiling and use the old bus as often as I can .... and this forum is pretty good at picking you up and dusting you off
 
Sounds like you over looked a good service and some mainainance before you left for France. Been all over in mine, France on holidays, Hannover and back in a long weekend (thats a long way from Devon). Just this moment walked in from a 500 mile round trip weekend to VW Action and not a thing to report im affraid. A little TLC and some on going maintainance go along way i feel.
This coming week i will service it, go through some areas checking for wear etc and give it a good wash and polish. These are old cars and need treating as such. If you want to jump in without giving it any thought then maybe a T4 is for you, but ive seen a fair few of those on AA vans as well.
 
That reminds me, i think my starter motor is on its way out....................on going maintainance or park on a hill the choice is mine.
 
Irish said:
So, it goes like this. If I buy and earlybay will life will be as follows......cue dream music...........

Ferry to France...........

Dear Diary, JUST made the ferry. Had some issues with fuel and had to "bleed" the fuel system. Mouth to mouth on the fuel lines.

France

Dear Diary, fec,k hearing a tappety noise - hope it works out.

Day 4

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding brakes in Rennes.

Day 7

Dear Diary, currently rebuilding engine at a campsite. Met Pierre who knows someone in the club who can help.

Day 9

Dear Diary, the AA are wonderful.

Day 15

Dear Diary - feck me I have a winter project and a half.

So tell me - am I being unfair? Do I rush off to the first T4 to rub me gently and tell me my T2 afflication well be ok?
Click to expand...
sparkywig said:
Don't go to France then....
Click to expand...
strange to say but only ever had problems in france

2009 old lady T boned the van on the ferry- hadnt even left Portsmouth port!
2010 starter motor packed up on the campsite - Pierre was dead helpful!
2011 burnt valve RAC man very nice. Relayed back to UK and home

would I sell it and buy a T4 - NO
would it stop me going to France -NO
Did it ruin the holiday - Not really, part of the experience
Driving and owning a Bay is a different way of life, the camping element is only one part of it. if you want to just go camping buy a T4.
 
Have had my bus nearly 4 years. Have been all over the UK, twice to Ninove, EBI 3 and 4, also to Le Bug Show at Spa last year. Have had 2 'occurances', both thankfully within a mile of home. One was entirely my fault for not servicing the brakes as often as I should, :oops: the other totally random (brass tube from accelerator pump fell out and down the inlet tract...) either could have meant a recovery truck had I been 'away', but could have clamped the N/S/R flex pipe to keep moving and now carry a spare carb.... just in case ;) .

Point being, I want to drive a 40 odd year old VW because of the whole 'recipie' of owning/using/fixing/adoring such a vehicle. It is addictive and absorbing, gratifying and soooo damned rewarding!!! If I just wanted a modern, care free, efficient small 'motor home' to go travelling with, then there are so many options to be had with many more features and comfort than a T2 can offer.

I love my bus, my (12 yr old) son loves our bus and we both love the adventures that it takes us on. It's debatable which one of us gets more excited telling their respective friends about how we drove around the F1 circuit at Spa, about Callums beetle being so rediculously close to the gates on the ferry, the banter on the CB as we crossed France, etc,etc.
Yes, many of the situations could occur in a modern vehicle but I'm sure doing so in one of 'our' vehicles adds so much more to the experience.

Am currently looking for a replacement daily driver, a T4 with mid windows and 5 seats would be good as a family/work vehicle but could never replace 'The Bus'.

I love my bus, my boy loves the bus. Me, my boy, my bus. Don't need any more than that. Life is complete.
8)
 

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