TheSamba.com :: View topic - Brazilian Kombi going away / Last Bus made in Brazil

Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:40 am

This is kinda old news, but now it's apparently "official" ...

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/vw-ending-kombi-production-after-63-year-run/

This will mark the end of Type 2 production worldwide, as the Mexican Kombi went away a few years ago. Unfortunately, over time it will also reduce the availability of new genuine VW parts for German Buses, as many of the genuine VW/Brazil parts that we currently sell (including seals, metal, and mechanical parts) only remained in production because they also fit modern Kombi's.

Moderator note:
Other articles, some from this thread, some from other locations are below.
If you know of others or want to add to this list PM EverettB
http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20130820-catching-the-last-bus
http://jalopnik.com/old-school-vw-microbus-will-finally-end-production-this-1153016890
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/08/volkswagen-microbus/
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/9/23/volkswagen-to-haltproductionoficonicbus.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/18/brazil-auto-taxes-idUSL2N0JX02S20131218
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/12/18/volkswagen-kombi-may-keep-on-trucking/
http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2013/dec/...n-pictures
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/usa/end-of-road-for-volkswagen-camper-vans-1.1265713
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-volkswagen-van-a-fond-farewell-2013-12-23?siteid=yhoof2

From a post dated December 22, 2013:
cliveawn wrote: Here are some pics of the last 3 busses made in Brazil.
A sad day!

Like the way all the workers autographed one bus and then the other had pics of them all on it.
These should go into a museum!

Here is the production line empty and all quiet!

Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:03 am

Busdepot wrote: This is kinda old news, but now it's apparently "official" ...

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/vw-ending-kombi-production-after-63-year-run/

This will mark the end of Type 2 production worldwide, as the Mexican Kombi went away a few years ago. Unfortunately, over time it will also reduce the availability of new genuine VW parts for German Buses, as many of the genuine VW/Brazil parts that we currently sell (including seals, metal, and mechanical parts) only remained in production because they also fit modern Kombi's.

That is really quite sad to hear, but not surprising. A pretty outdated car in many ways, there are certainly many better light vans cruising the blacktop these days and/or bouncing through the ruts and potholes of the back country. It would not have done us owners of classic Bays much good, but VW should have totally redone their Kombi twenty years back, maybe making the larger version of the Vanagon their world mainstay.

Hopefully they will not destroy all their molds, patterns, and such.

Any idea if they plan on replacing it with something? Hopefully not a Routan or whatever they call their present excuse for a Transporter.

Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:16 am

Wildthings wrote: Any idea if they plan on replacing it with something? Hopefully not a Routan or whatever they call their present excuse for a Transporter.
Pretty sure we're the only country that got the Routan. Lucky us :roll:
Everyone else got the T5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vw_t5

Not surprising that they're ending production. Hopefully this won't skyrocket parts or bus prices too much. I guess they can finally say "Ya know they don't make these anymore!" and not be lying

Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:28 am

thewalrus wrote: Wildthings wrote: Any idea if they plan on replacing it with something? Hopefully not a Routan or whatever they call their present excuse for a Transporter.
Pretty sure we're the only country that got the Routan. Lucky us :roll:
Everyone else got the T5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vw_t5

Not surprising that they're ending production. Hopefully this won't skyrocket parts or bus prices too much. I guess they can finally say "Ya know they don't make these anymore!" and not be lying

Oh no you weren't. We got the Dodge VW Routan too. :D

Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:54 pm

good. now we can really listen to people bitch about prices

Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:20 pm

I really liked the prototype camper that VW scraped. I was actually excited about it.
But, anything we get in the US market will undoubtedly be only available with a gas automatic. Sort of like that ford transit. I thought, oh, cool, saw them in europe. Maybe there will be a 5 speed diesel option.....nope and nope. I have a german friend who calls the stick shift the american anti-theft system.

Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:43 pm

It is still a shame. The Brazilian Bays should have been sold here if someone wanted one. To this day there is not another vehicle on the market that has the same utility as a Bay.

Thu Oct 25, 2012 5:31 pm

SGKent wrote: It is still a shame. The Brazilian Bays should have been sold here if someone wanted one. To this day there is not another vehicle on the market that has the same utility as a Bay.

I can't say they have the likeability but I would beg to differ that the Mercedes Benz Sprinter has at least and probably far greater utility value.

Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:21 pm

Chris_914 wrote: SGKent wrote: It is still a shame. The Brazilian Bays should have been sold here if someone wanted one. To this day there is not another vehicle on the market that has the same utility as a Bay.

I can't say they have the likeability but I would beg to differ that the Mercedes Benz Sprinter has at least and probably far greater utility value.

Agreed, the rest of the world has a lot of makes and models to choose from, in the US we are limited by the Chicken Tax and a deep stack of safety laws, many of which have no reason being on the books.

Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:53 pm

Chris_914 wrote: SGKent wrote: It is still a shame. The Brazilian Bays should have been sold here if someone wanted one. To this day there is not another vehicle on the market that has the same utility as a Bay.

I can't say they have the likeability but I would beg to differ that the Mercedes Benz Sprinter has at least and probably far greater utility value.

I don't know. I have a bed in the back of my bay or a seat in just a few minutes. I can roll over and look out the window if I want. This doesn't look as appealing although perhaps for large loads it would be more room.

Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:28 am

We had a good run :( 1950-2012

Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:19 pm

:/ Sad, sad news.

Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:33 pm

Only 3 years till we would have beat the bug :(

Sun Oct 28, 2012 7:09 pm

CoastalAirCooledVW wrote: Only 3 years till we would have beat the bug :(

Now that is sad. :( :cry: :(

Sun Oct 28, 2012 8:04 pm

Wildthings wrote: CoastalAirCooledVW wrote: Only 3 years till we would have beat the bug :(

Now that is sad. :( :cry: :(
Do we still get second? Or is their something else?

Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:58 am

Mmmm… the Routan. Never drove one, but 4 days ago I fell into an incredibly good deal (intra-family purchase) on a late model Chrysler T&C minivan. Yes, it has a V6, power windows, good A/C, air bags, power-adjustable pedals, and even sliding doors on both sides (woo-hoo!), but after driving it for a few miles, my thoughts were, that I really like my ’68 Westy a lot better. The Chrysler (a.k.a. Dodge or Routan) just doesn’t show me 40 years of advancement over the early bays, not in handling, usable interior space, driver feedback, or especially, feeling like I’m really “in charge”. I.e. it’s freakin’ “dull”. Yeah, I know that’s very subjective, but the feeling is getting even stronger, the more I drive the T&C. I’ll probably give it to a stepchild, grandchild, or some such in the next year or so.
Please don’t sign me up for a Routan, unless it’s a giveaway drawing for a freebie, and even then I’ll still prefer a bay.
Bummer for Brazil and the rest of us. Wish I could buy up 2 or 3 new current Brazilian Kombis & just dry store them for future use, but it looks like I’ll just have to take good care of what I have. OTOH that feels OK.

Mon Oct 29, 2012 3:28 am

WestyPop wrote: Mmmm… the Routan. Never drove one, but 4 days ago I fell into an incredibly good deal (intra-family purchase) on a late model Chrysler T&C minivan. Yes, it has a V6, power windows, good A/C, air bags, power-adjustable pedals, and even sliding doors on both sides (woo-hoo!), but after driving it for a few miles, my thoughts were, that I really like my ’68 Westy a lot better. The Chrysler (a.k.a. Dodge or Routan) just doesn’t show me 40 years of advancement over the early bays, not in handling, usable interior space, driver feedback, or especially, feeling like I’m really “in charge”. I.e. it’s freakin’ “dull”. Yeah, I know that’s very subjective, but the feeling is getting even stronger, the more I drive the T&C. I’ll probably give it to a stepchild, grandchild, or some such in the next year or so.
Please don’t sign me up for a Routan, unless it’s a giveaway drawing for a freebie, and even then I’ll still prefer a bay.
Bummer for Brazil and the rest of us. Wish I could buy up 2 or 3 new current Brazilian Kombis & just dry store them for future use, but it looks like I’ll just have to take good care of what I have. OTOH that feels OK.

When I sit in the seat of a newer car at first everything feels so nice and comfy, but within a few miles going down the road my elbows will begin to hurt because they don't like the padding the newer arm rest are made of and withing an hour I am getting spasms across my back because my body doesn't like the wrap around seats that don't allow me to shift my position. By the time I have run through a tank of gas I have trouble getting out of the car and moving, straightening up is painful. By the end of a full day of driving a newer rig my ankles may be swollen up to twice their normal size. In my Bay in contrast, 600 or even 800 miles in a day doesn't bother me much.

My wife pretty much feels the same way. She and my one daughter did coast to coast in my bay a few years back in 2 1/2 days, seldom going above 60. Don't think she could have done it in that short of a time frame in a more modern car which restricts you down to close to zero body movement leaving you sore and beat.

Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:37 am

My two main beefs with modern front wheel drive mini-vans are:

The body design is centered around glass encased, air conditioned comfort - which do not allow the installation of manually operated, slider type windows with screens in the rear.

Second, they lack good ground clearance. There is lots of low hanging fruit underneath to damage on rutted, unpaved roads.

I could get used a five or six speed automatic transmission, if I had no other choice - but I prefer a manual transmission. Manual transmissions are basically extinct in most North American mini-van offerings.

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

Mon Oct 29, 2012 5:09 am

SGKent wrote: I don't know. I have a bed in the back of my bay or a seat in just a few minutes. I can roll over and look out the window if I want. This doesn't look as appealing although perhaps for large loads it would be more room.

Then again, a Kombi version of the Bay didn't come with a bed either.

Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:27 am

If anyone wants to throw a LT 4x4 crew cab or panel my way, Im sure Id catch it. :wink: Thats the one I wish we got here :cry: