Volkswagen Van (T4)
| It was in 1999 when there was no need for a "regular car" any more, due to business and private reasons. On the other hand a chance for a longtime desire was pointed out, the purchase of a well preserved Volkswagen Van -an ideal vehicle for all my interests, be it travelling, climbing or Amateur Radio.I have to admit that the purchase decision for a second hand car again was learning it the hard way. Overcoming several disappointments (starting at the authorized Volkswagen dealer and regrettably not ending at the strange camping supplier ReimoŽ) finally everything starts to fit more and more ... |  |
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They say that you need to build up three houses to find what you are looking for. As an owner of a flat only I was never building a house and - God forbid! - I hope that I might never have to gain this experience. Anyhow after all the trouble with my motorhome finally I understand those people much better now. Planning is crucial, not only of of finances, but also of time as an important resource. |
At a
dear price I had to learn, that the market for homemade Volkswagen
motorhomes is not existing any more like it was only ten years ago, when
numerous smaller companies offered furniture and fixture kits for home
constructors. Nowadays this role has been taken over more or less from
Volkswagen exclusively at "Volkswagen prices" which some used
synonymously for "exorbitant". Nevertheless Volkswagen offers
professional value for its products. As already mentioned I followed by
mistake the traditional way of home constructers to build a RV from a
former double cab Transporter. The first mistake can (and following Murphy´s
Law) will be done with the purchasing decision of the chassis cab itself.
The optional long wheelbase makes the van a little bulky in cities (parking),
beyond it I could not find too much advantage for the intended use as a
motorhome. The next basic mistake often happens in the choice of the
proper engine. Impatience lead me to the decision that the classical 78HP
Diesel engine could be enough, but for a vehicle with a maximum weight of
2,6 tons it is not. The modern TDI Diesel engines produce much
more power (102HP or even 150HP) at significant lower consumption. Speed
and accelaration are not the main thing in cruising - the experience of
slowness in travelling can be a great thing by the way - but consumption
will become an issue quite soon.
The next advise is
reading and re-planning again and again: Supportive literature can
be found both in the web and in bookshops:
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After the final evaluation for several possible ground plots, I chose the version with the "kingsize bed" with very few and fully removable furniture. All furniture can be safely mounted on stable bars, but within approx. 10 minutes of disassembling the Van can be used as a transporter again.
