1964 VW split screen campervan
Fancy taking to the road in a Camper Van this Summer? Before you decide to buy one check out our top ten tips gleaned from Camper Van Owners
So tempted to buy one? here are some words of advice from Camper van owners.
1) Ask someone who really knows VW campers to look at it with you.
2) Don’t buy a shell as a renovation project if you’ve no practical experience and don’t buy a pristine show piece if you want to customise it.
3) Know what you want the van for, one for you and a friend to take away for a weekend or one that’ll take a family around Europe for a month?
4) Be prepared to pick up a manual and toolbox and learn about what really makes your van stop and go, otherwise get some very deep pockets.
5) Familiarise yourself with common potential problems. There are some great camper van clubs & any questions are usually answered very comprehensively.
6) Decide on a budget. These are a great investment & prices are increasing all the time. There are lots of fully restored buses commanding large sums of cash and there are lots of rusting heaps that need love & attention.
7) Expect to spend hours scouring Ebay for parts and gadgets and don’t be afraid of doing some DIY.
8) Do your research, check out www.eircooled.com or www.type2ireland.org/ both great resources on everything aircooled and VW campervan.
9) Learning how to weld will always be useful.
10) Buy the best van you can afford. Good ones are expensive, but a poor one will cost a lot more to restore. They need plenty of maintenance as befits any old classic vehicle, but the reward is to have an iconic form of transport that is classless, and that everyone desires.
Geraldine Herbert
3rd April, 2014
