TheSamba.com :: View topic - Thinking of buying a VW bus (first time), any advice?

Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:24 am

I am not as educated as some people here, but I will tell you some things I do know:

1) You're not going to find a "Rust Free" Bus unless it has had a complete restoration done to it, and at that point, you're looking at about twice your budget.

2) Make sure you know what you're getting into. These are NOT new vehicles that require very little maintenance. These require a lot of maintenance, so either be prepared to get intimate with your bus or have the money to routinely pay a good air-cooled mechanic to do it.

3) Read this site. A LOT.

4) Learn (by reading) who or what "Ratwell" is and then go read that.

-70

Fri Dec 05, 2014 10:23 am

Based purely on your original post and it's tone, I would suggest you get a 4wd Tacoma w/ a camper shell. We have neigbors w/ a setup very similar to this. They are retired young and plan on really seeing the country.

Frankly, I wouldn't want to drive my bus for thousands of miles these days. Doing 60mph while everyone else is doing 75+ is dangerous and not all that fun. You're also not going to have heat, AC, ABS, airbags, etc.

I like my bus for camping trips 1-4 hrs from home and to mess around with.

Fri Dec 05, 2014 11:14 am

Where in Maine are you?? Randyinmaine is in Old Orchard Beach and would be a good resource. Stanagon in Boston would be a good person if he is close. Even if they are not near you they may know of off grid vehicles for sale.

There is a Sage green Westy sitting at a service station on Route 1 in Wells for about 10 years, stop and ask.

Fri Dec 05, 2014 12:15 pm

Thanks for the awesome amount of replies :o
I saw this:
http://maine.craigslist.org/cto/4778838957.html
Which I hope to look at and I'll check out the one in Wells ToolBox mentioned.

As it was pointed out I really need to drive a bus around and think about whether I'd be happy doing it for a 12 hour day on a cross country trip. The only manual vehicles I've driven extensively (for 12 hours a day) are tractors - that's a totally different beast.

Also didn't mean "I'm not looking for a do-it-yourself longterm project" in terms of I won't do it myself - what I meant is I'd prefer that I don't have to do extensive work myself, I have no problem fixing some mechanical things or swapping an engine - but some people buy a bus to have a long-term project "to work on" and I'm looking to buy a bus because I'd really like to travel with one (I especially don't have the tools or experience for body work).

Again you guys are awesome :wink:

Fri Dec 05, 2014 12:55 pm

Send me a PM when you find something you are interested in and give me your phone number.

Perhaps I can point you to a shop that knows a lot about a bus and can have a good look at something you are seriously considering.