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Original poster

VW Camper Vans

42 replies

mumball · 25/03/2006 19:47

Hi, My DH has just spent thousands (really) doing up his split screen camper van and I really can't see what all the fuss is about. We have to go to meetings with other WV enthusiasts, and DH spends hours (when I am not on) on the internet talking to other people about their vans and 'bugs' and what they are going to do about them and with them. So I just wanted to know do you love them or hate them, or just totally indifferent to them (like me - although I am leaning to the hate side) Sorry, I got fed with talking about children and food. Have you any advice for my Dh and do you go to any Shows? :o

Thanks Mumball

OP posts:
SleepySuzy · 25/03/2006 19:49

I'd love one - fab! Don't go to any shows tho.

CountessDracula · 25/03/2006 19:49

I love them (we always had one when I was growing up) but I wouldn't get into all that owners club stuff too trainspottery for me!

madeleines · 25/03/2006 19:52

We have a 1973 bay camper van. Dh has just done the basics to get it to go but is quite keen on other accessories to smart it up - although he isn't mechanically minded. I like it because I enjoy taking it out for the day and we went camping in it twice last summer. If we didn't use it a lot I couldn't see what the fuss was about. But it's great to sit in it after a windblown day at the sea and have a cup of tea or play a card game with the children.
Dh is quite intested in going to one of the events but I won't let him. Grin

gigglinggoblin · 25/03/2006 20:00

i would love one of these, it was either a people carrier or a camper van when we got round to it, unfortunately the car went bang unexpectedly so we had to get something quick and ended up with a zafira which i am very not keen on :(

xp and i had a beetle as a hire car for about a month a while ago, i loved it! we kept getting waved at by other people in beetles :)

no idea why i think they are so fab tho, they are just kind of different and cute i suppose

hub2dee · 25/03/2006 20:01

Split screen, mumball ? That's rather special, LOL. Bet he wouldn't mind a pope's nose Bug then !

madeleines · 25/03/2006 20:04

oh the waving is the best. Except when dh has been driving it for a while and gets in the habit of waving and then continues to wave whilst in the audi.

mesenfantsmaman · 25/03/2006 20:05

I would love a splitty, we are soon to buy an early bay window and trade in our sensible family car. We went to bug jam last year not trainspottery at all, cool music, entertainment very festivally, kids loved it, we have also been to the Big Bang, we live quite near to Santa POd

fennel · 25/03/2006 20:06

we had one for 7 years. A lilac painted 1977 transporter. we loved it before children and with just one child but by the time we had 3 under 5s it was too squashed. like a can of restless noisy sardines.

never went to any meets or shows though.

sold it last year for a sensible people carrier.

madeleines · 25/03/2006 20:07

dh says that split screen owners become much bigger enthusiasts than those with later models hence your dh's dedication!
He also says they are cliquey! Shock

gladbag · 25/03/2006 20:08

We virtually grew up in one! I spent all my childhood holidays in it - drove all the way to Yugoslavia twice, and numerous trips to Cornwall, France etc and it was fantastic. I hold them very dear to my heart but I wouldn't buy one now (even though I would love a split screen (navy and cream) so am hugely jealous), as they are just too slow, too expensive to repair etc (even when reconditioned). Dh and I are thinking about getting a newer diesel VW and having it custom fitted. I want to travel down through Spain and then across to Morocco......in my dreams for a bit though as money is too tight lol

I hope you have some wonderful holidays in it, and good luck at any conventions (that bit is rather scarey, if you ask me Wink).

mesenfantsmaman · 25/03/2006 20:08

splt screens are gorgeous, dead expensive to buy now

madeleines · 25/03/2006 20:08

the most we've had in ours was 2 adults and four children (one in a bulky car seat) and there was still loads of room. A lot depends on what kind of conversion you have.

mesenfantsmaman · 25/03/2006 20:10

we are looking at a devon conversion, would that be opkay for mum dad and four kids

madeleines · 25/03/2006 20:14

I'm not sure what a Devon layout is but I have heard of it so it must be fairly standard (dh leaves Volksworld magazines in the loo). Ours has two rows of seats behind the driver with the cooking unit and fridge on the other side (by the sliding door).

mesenfantsmaman · 25/03/2006 20:15

do the seats face eachother?

madeleines · 25/03/2006 20:18

no - both rows face forward. Then you take the cushions off the first bench, move the back of the seat to the front (immediately behind the driver) and you then have two bench seats facing each other (and a table you can put between). But you can only drive with them in the forward position. The frames to the benches then make the support for the bed.

hub2dee · 25/03/2006 20:27

I always wanted a Baja Bug with big olde wheels on the back and the engine hanging out !

Original poster
mumball · 25/03/2006 20:38

As far as I know we have a Canterbury Pitt interior, but, really thats all a bit too technical for me! and I am so glad someone else's DH reads Volksworld!!

OP posts:
Original poster
mumball · 25/03/2006 20:40

oh and DH doesn't like bugs - just vans and then only splitties - I shall come back and talk vans later have to go and cook now :(

OP posts:
madeleines · 25/03/2006 20:42

dh used to have a baja bug. He swapped it for his camper van. I think he got the best part of the deal, but then the guy he swapped it with didn't have children...

hub2dee · 25/03/2006 20:48

Did he have a chrome flywheel though ?

Gem13 · 25/03/2006 20:50

DS (age 3) loves them (and Land Rovers) but Airstreams are more my thing...

madeleines · 25/03/2006 21:02

I have no idea what a flywheel is - dh says he did.

hub2dee · 25/03/2006 21:15

Radical. Smile

Bet he had headlamp eyebrows too instead of stock headlamp chrome, LOL.

Did he goes as far as dropping the front quarter-light though ?

nooka · 25/03/2006 21:22

We had a VW caravanette for 13 years when I was a kid - is that the same thing? I don't know what a split screen is!

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