Pros and Cons of owning a VW Type 2 Bus?

Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!

Came with a 2.0L FI engine with Hyd lifters. That engine typically would go 150K miles or more.

The rest of the mechanicals would far outlast the engine...

Great for hauling; a 4 X 8 sheet of *.* fits nicely.

10 foot lengths of pipe.

Take the seats out and build a bed for camping...

If you get it, buy the Bentley Official Manual.

Speedy Jim ('78 Bus)

pros: it's a bus.

cons: it's a bus.

:)

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 19:02:20 -0400, Speedy Jim scribbled this interesting note:

I didn't know this. See why I come here to ask questions?

Sounds like you know this from experience? Those aren't really considerations for us since we have an assortment of trucks and trailers to choose from for big items, up to and including hauling a couple of bunks of plywood all at once! That is in the dump truck. Just a couple of weeks ago I did a fence for Scott (200 feet of fence) and hauled 40 treated 2X6s and over 700 1X4X6' #2 cedar pickets on a heavy duty trailer we have. So hauling big items isn't a real concern for us!

See, I was wondering about that as well! Not that we'd go camping withoug a tent anyway!:~)

But of course.

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 00:26:52 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@ohatzhapu.bet (The Queen of Cans and Jars) scribbled this interesting note:

Kinda' figgered that out already!:~)

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

well, then ... if it runs well, buy it! if you don't like it, you can always sell it - or so i always tell myself when i'm trying to justify the purchase of another in a long line of old german cars.

I'll go by one night this week and take a look at it, I'll call you and maybe meet you over there to shake it down real good ffor other problems.................Anything unusual to look for ???............Come on guys, Show us the things to REALLY look for, The price sounds pretty right. But Kbowing the crap thangs to look for is a huge plus.

Thanks guys, in advance.

Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply MUADIB®

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

What is it that you're not passionate about: a) that it's a bus rather than a bug, b) that it has a type 4 engine rather than a type 1 engine, or c) that it's a passenger van rather than a camper?

Here's my "dissertation" on owning a bus:

I've had a Bug, a '75 bus with type 4 engine, a Vanagon camper, and now a '71 "station wagon" bus with passenger seats and a type I engine. Based on these, I'd say for the one you're considering:

1. A bus is about the easiest thing in the world to drive. It has great visibility and manuverability.
2. It's roomier than a bug and has more leg room, too, but somewhat slower and lumbering in comparison.
3. It's excellent in the city and on country roads, but not much fun on freeways and interstates.
4. It can be uncomfotable in very hot weather, especially exposed to the sun.
5. When the weather is hot, it's more comfortable than a modern vehicle with a broken AC since it was orignally designed without AC--it has better ventilation and vent windows.
6. My '71 is too slow and bounces around too much on freeways and interstate highways--even schoolbusses pass me.
7. With a type 4 engine you should be able to go the speed limit on interstates and you won't have to downshift to go up big hills.
8. Tires with high sidewall ratings probably won't bounce around as much.
9. The engine is loud and it's hard to enjoy the stereo or carry on a conversation when driving. The type 4 engine is even louder.
10. It's very convenient for camping and shopping.
11. It's useful for carrying furniture, lumber, etc, too, but I always worry about damaging the seats or interior panels.
12. With regular care it's very reliable and will last a long time.
13. Replace the weather seals as soon as possible to keep rain from getting in and causing rust.
14. Repair any rust you find under the weather seals and the body should last another 20 years or more.
15. Teenagers will wave at you and give you peace signs.
16. And if you don't like it, you will most likely be able to sell it for about what you paid, maybe even more as they get scarcer.
17. For camping, it's got room for your gear plus seats for your family. Everyone gets a good view of the scenery as you drive to the campsite. It gets decent gas mileage and handles dirt roads and ruts very well for a 2WD.
18. I always worry about breaking down in the boonies with my kids and no cell-phone access, but so far my bus has never left me stranded.
19. Sometimes I wish mine was a camper when I'm making solo trips, but I have 4 kids, so a camper would be too cramped for the whole family and the built-in furnishings are too small for more than 3 people, at most. I do believe the bus campers have a more convenient layout than the vanagon campers. With the vanagons you have to sit inside to use the kitchen, but with the buses, you can stand up outside and reach inside the door.
20. Compared to a regular RV, a bus is multi-functional. You can use it as a daily driver, too. Ted Bogart

This is how it all starts, all very innocent, but before you know it you've bought it and you're hooked :-)

I would say the pro's are you get a roomy vehicle you can sleep and cook in (buy an awning too and you double the space for camping). It's relatively simple mechanically compared to modern vehicles, surprisingly comfortable to drive distances. The cons are it's a bit slow up hills - although a 2 litre fuel injected engine should help here, and you can't always park them in multi storeys because they're too tall. I would check the bottoms of the cab doors for perforation, the battery tray in the engine compartment for holes, bottom of the sliding door, and the underneath structural out riggers. Also, lift the drivers and passenger floor mats up to check for rust here. Most of all if you buy it go camping in it!

--Steve

That's why I went on to the Type IV upright Conversions, it is a no brainer if you can go 150k in a two ton bus, how long will it last in a 1700 lb bug!! And the performance is better then a 914. Love T-4 Joe Cali Next Generation

Hi,

I have a fuel injected 78 camper with 180,000 miles. Here are my pros and cons:

Pro:

1. Relatively easy to fix, compared to today's cars.
2. New parts are still available and there are still plenty of used parts from junkyards. This is not a rare car.
3. The camper is well thought-out for weekend outings and can still be used to pick up lumber and furniture.
4. The ride is good and the noise level fron the engine isn't really all that bad.

Cons:

1. It slow! I sometimes wish for the 55mph national speed limit. I can get up to 70-75mph, but its dangerous at that speed during heavy winds. Plus the mileage really suffers above 55mph.
2. The gas mileage is nothing to write home about. I get about 15 combined and 17-18 on the highways. Considering there is no AC and the acceleration is weak, these aren't good numbers.

Despite the cons, I still like driving my Type 2. Overall, its inexpensive to keep, kind of fun to own and it has that classic design, which is still sort of modern, even today. (I'm talking about the shape only, not the mechanicals.)

--Tom '78 Westy

Joe,

The 2 liter souped up T4 I built for the convertible, is now sitting in my split window bus. I love it!!!! The bus moves so effortlessly, like a thought! It's no sports car, but it can really keep up with traffic and surprise a few people still ;) I loved it in the convertible, but in the bus it really feels like home. (I have reduction boxes still in place). Loaded the bus full of camping gear, and went on a several hundred mile road trip to southern Sweden 2 weeks ago with a friend riding shotgun (The BugRun show in Mantorp Park Raceway, 1200-1300 cars). I could swear the engine didn't even notice the extra weight!!

DAMN I'm happy. Engine temperature even after a long highway stretch (50-55mph) was excellent, the dipstick was barely warm. I don't know why, don't have any hard data, but I can tell that the engine was feeling happy. Needless to say, so was I :)

I converted mine to upright as per your instructions ("The Cali Book") with a little twist: I went through the extra trouble of fabbing a bend in my doghouse fan shroud, so that it would blow air straight Down The Middle, exactly between the cylinders on both sides. I had a chance to study Joe Locicero's (R.I.P. my friend) DTM shroud in detail when we ordered one for my friend some time ago, and I shamelessly copied the idea and started cutting, banging, welding and cussing. ;) The shroud turned out quite heavy though. Oh well. Everything fits together perfectly (If I may say so) now that it's all custom made for this particular engine.

The only thing I would change is the compression ratio. I set it relatively low, around 8:1, when I built it, because I knew it would later in life find it's way in the back of my bus. I thought it would run hotter and work considerably harder. WRONG. It didn't even notice the added weight.

If I ever take it apart, I will raise the CR to around 8.5:1 and see what happens. As is, the damn engine will live forever though.

Thanks Joe (And Joe :) couldn't have done it without your help.

Jan

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 17:32:29 -0500, John Willis scribbled this interesting note:

Thanks for all the replies. Based on everything that has been said there is no real reason for us to buy this car. Sure, I could buy it, do a very minor amount of work on it, and resell it at a profit, but I've got several other cars I need to do that to already. In fact I'm going to do some rough and ready body and paint work on my '71 Ghia starting next week in the hopes that it will help me sell it faster. After that I'm going to attack the '70 Beetle which needs to be sold. Then I may get the '74 Thing into driveable shape since that car is insured and registered, yet undriven for a long time. And it is for sale as well. Then I've got a couple of ther cars (Toyota Celicas) that need a minor amount of attention and sold. Not to mention several other Beetles of various years.

I'm trying to be good here and not accumulate more stuff. I'm trying to create more space around our house and clean things up, not clutter them up more.

Again, thanks for the replies. In the future if it is meant for us to have a VW Bus one will turn up. Of that I'm certain. In the meantime our '93 Honda Accord Wagon makes a fine car to go camping in!:~)

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

John, I'll not spend the time looking then, I guess.............I was going to go tommorrow night, since I have the yards all mowed.

You should tell them what it is about that Honda that should make them believers in the "if it is meant to be" theory...................It is definitely interesting.

Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply MUADIB®

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 00:52:38 GMT, MUADIB® scribbled this interesting note:

If you insist.

A few years ago my wife and I bought a metallic green 1993 Honda Accord Wagon. It was a nice car. We both liked it very much. Last year an elderly woman pulled out, turning right, from a residential street and crossed two empty lanes to hit the only car anywhere near her at the time, that being my wife's car, the Accord Wagon. Scared the hell out of my wife since both she and our daughter were in the car at the time. The car was declared a total loss and for the first time in my life a car insurance company didn't try to screw me (could have had something to do with a baby being in the car?)

We rented and borrowed cars for a couple of weeks while I searched for another metallic green 1993 Honda Accord Wagon. See, it was exactly what my wife wanted and I told her (and she scoffed) not to worry, one would turn up, and it would be even closer to our house than the last one was (the last one was about four miles from us.)

Honda Accord Wagons do not turn up with any great frequency. Using country wide searches on eBay and other online sources you will only be able to turn up a few. The people who buy them don't sell them very often. And even then far fewer of them are metallic green. But, thinking herself to be a realist (on rare occasion) she was convinced it would never happen.

One day Scott and I were going up to Home Depot for something, I forget what. He mentioned one car lot about a mile and a half from where we live that usually has a good assortment of used import cars. That particular road has lots of car lots. We were only going to look on this one. In fact he looked there while searching for a car for he and his wife and remembered being impressed with what the fellow had on the lot. I asked him if we might stop by there on the way back. Since it was a weekend and all and there was lots of time for both of us he said sure. We drive onto the lot and look around. The usual assortment of SUVs and Lexus and Infinity and Hondas and the occasionl Chevy Van. Oh. Look. Right there. Hiding beside the black Dodge Ram Truck. Hey, that is '93 Accord. And its green. We drive slowly. As we gain a better point of view it turns out to be a metallic green 1993 Honda Accord Wagon.

No price tag. None of the cars on the lot are tagged.

I return the following Monday. Late in the morning the owner shows up. I want to look at the car. It won't start. Looks to have the original battery in it (says Honda all over the battery!) It jumps off just fine. Runs ok. But since the registration is out I only drive it around on the lot. The A/C does not work and it has a radiator leak and the muffler should be replaced and the window tint looks terrible and the power antenna is broken. But it is the car my wife wants and it will make a nice surprise for her since I've not even suggested to her that I was going to look at a car and she doesn't even know this one is even here!

I make a deal with the fellow. I'll never forget this dialog.

"Would you be insulted with and offer of $3,000.00?" says John. This is about half what the insurance company paid for the other car.

"I don't know. Let me go check!" Says the owner of the lot!

He accepts my offer. This car was older than the average age of cars on his lot and did have quite a few problems. But he made a little on the deal and my wife got exactly the car I was convinced I would find for her and it happened exactly the way I told her it would.

All it takes is asking the right question and then taking advantage of opportunity. The next closest 1993 Accord Wagon I'd found at that point that was also the original metallic green was in Denver. We live outside Dallas, Texas. I wasn't willing to make that drive.

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)