Renting a VW for the summer

Pgoman · Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 8:07 pm Post subject: Renting a VW for the summer

To start out I just want to say that I am currently leading a really boring life. I'm obsessed with money because I have none, I'm working a type of job I've settled for, I do nothing for myself as far as doing the loves of my life, and I want to have something I can enjoy.

I had this great idea of traveling to over 17 music festivals and volunteering at each one to see how the festival curcuit worked and have been interested in a VW to carry me around. Since I don't see myself with a vw bus for more than 2 or so years, I was wondering if people rent them for the summer June-August and would that be hard to do.

If anyone has info , please PM me or email me directly. I'm very interested in pursuing this much more than what feels like my lifeless day job.

Thank you community!!!

Brian · Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 8:54 pm Post subject:

Don't wanna be a negative Nancy, but that sounds like a terrible idea.
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-Zodiac- · Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 9:10 pm Post subject:

Learn to love and enjoy VW's, then you will have a hobby that always requires abit of attention.

Probably better of to just buy a bus, then sell it once the novelty has worn off (maybe it won't?).
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Brian · Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 9:40 pm Post subject:

Buy an Accord, Camry, Ecoliner or an Astro.
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crukab · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:33 am Post subject:

June to August is PRIME Vw driving time for a large part of the Bus owners , I really doubt anyone would give that time up. Just saying.
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williamM · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:56 am Post subject:

Hardly a "Travel/ adventure" monolog here goes totally trouble free. Part of the adventure is getting yourself out of mechanical and financial difficulties ON YOUR OWN..

There is of course lots of help out there in the VW community- But relationships must be built with in the vw community.

There are lots of chev/dodge/Toyota= vans out there with a much better reliability track record.

Read and view some of the great travel stories here from the like of "wheelie pete" and "Hasta alaska" to see if your up for so much adventure.

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sixfootdan · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:35 am Post subject:

You said that you have no money but you want someone to loan you a VW for the summer? That has bad idea written all over it. Plus you just joined yesterday, Sign me up. Laughing

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usmc1345 · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 10:51 am Post subject:

The ammount I would charge you, you could buy your own..... Lol
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Mike Fisher · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:38 pm Post subject:

Bugsy Malone went from British Columbia to Florida & back. She stopped at our place & spent the night. I adjusted her new clutch for her, but she had her own tools,manuals,jack etc & is a mechanic in her own right! She emailed me ahead of time to stop here & I we were happy to have her! My wife & her are both Filipinas so they gabbed late into the night! She asked what kind of beer I liked & I told her I drink Old Crow whiskey which she showed up with. She stayed at a ton of people's homes & we all worked on her Beetle it sounds like from her thread. She had here own car,money,plan for the trip & is planning another excursion to South America? Got to buy your own bus and get it running First! Wink

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=588159&highlight=
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Pgoman · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:53 pm Post subject:

Wow a lot of feedback on this idea and thank you all for responding. Very Happy

Going through the comments I think I've been thoroughly convinced I need to just pony up and purchase the van cause renting is astronomically bad. Renting also would probably be unbearable cause I wouldn't want to give it up after the summer. I guess I was just seeing my options.

Yes I am a new member, but I'll make sure that I "get with it" asap.

My heart is set on VW campers because of their emotional value (love of seeing at music festivals) so I've started looking around CL for ones to save for. Any suggestions on where are some other places to look VW campers?

Side note: If anyone has any articles they could point me to about what I need to look for in purchasing one, that would help immensely on my journey.

Thanks everyone again for your replies.

-Zodiac- · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:56 pm Post subject:

Check out classifieds here on the samba, should be afew busses out there. Maybe get a late model with the auto? No clutch, bit less to worry about. Not too familiar with the busses, but I would save up for the bus - and another good chunk, so you can go through the drivetrain, and buy spair parts to change on the road if needed.
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busdaddy · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:57 pm Post subject:

Link

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Brian · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:01 pm Post subject:

How technically savvy are you? Read up. It costs money and time to have a bus running well.

BUS FAQ

What Do YOU Look For When Buying A Bus?

Bay Window Bus Buyers / Spotters Guide
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Pgoman · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:45 pm Post subject:

busdaddy · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:10 pm Post subject:

busdaddy · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:16 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah, don't get the idea I'm trying to discourage you from your dream, I'm just saying think long and hard about all the not so fun parts of it as well as the great experiences, with good comes a little bad sometimes.

Here's the Hasta Alaska thread mentioned earlier, read the whole thing and keep track of the calendar time it encompasses, Ben is a guy in a not so dissimilar situation as you propose except he surfs instead of goes to festivals: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=538476
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Derek Waycaster · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:38 pm Post subject:

No one here would dream of discouraging someone of becoming a VW owner as long as that person realized fully what that entails. Everyone here was new to VWs at some point. It's not a put in gas and go kinda thing. All of the above is true, and while keeping an VW on the road is tons of work, it's worth it. For most folks, working on it is half the fun. Not to say that they are unreliable, but they are finnicky, temperamental little entities that will leave on the side of the road if you aren't carrying the spare parts and knowledge to repair the smallest thing. And it usually is the smallest thing. Jumping into an unknown bus, with little or no bus knowledge, en route to 17 music festivals, is a lofty aspiration. That being said, there were kids on tour back in the day whose shit was held together with duct tape and bailing wire and they did tours coast to coast. You gotta really want it mister.
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Brian · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:18 pm Post subject:

wythac · Samba Member Joined: August 02, 2004 Posts: 2791

Good parts of your plan:

You are thinking ahead.

You came to a good place for info.

Bad parts:

Placing a deadline on having a van before the summer.

Going to several states (I'm assuming) during the summer heat without getting to know your ride.

Approaching this project thinking that you can do it without significant funds or experience with Volkswagens in particular.

Buying any Volkswagen as an "emotional" decision without experience with these cars.

I would suggest that you save, then locate one this year. Better to buy a car like this in the winter...you get to see where it leaks, sweats, etc. You get to figure out if you are up to occassionally freezing your ass off in it. Price is usually depressed on that evidence. Spend some time "getting to know it" over the next year, then go on your pilgramage in 2016. I think if you buy one now, you will pay a premium and probably only make it to 2 or 3 of the 17 shows you'd like to attend.

EDIT: I forgot to add: It is highly unlikely that anyone putting the effort, know how and/or cash into making a bus mechanically sound enough to make the trip you describe, would then rent that vehicle to you.

If you do find someone willing to rent a bus to you, it will likely be that they expect that you will have to repair it so many times that when they get it back it will be in much better shape than when you took it. Which wouldnt be a problem if the bus took you where you wanted to go (shows) instead of giving you a tour of several cities ACVW shops at a rate of $100+/hr.

Malokin Martin · Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:11 pm Post subject:

(As above) Mid December is totally the sweet spot to hit people up on buying nearly anything used... Particularly VW's and motorcycles....


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