Camping Westfalia Style: Bay Window vs. Vanagon

[ncstagger]

[Heliconman]

One more thing to think about is the late model bay window westfalia has a camping layout very much like the vanagon interior. You could get a lot out of a 76-79 Westfalia. Still have the "cool" factor and a pretty good camping layout inside. The water cooled vanagon will still have some advantages listed in the other posts but if you want a bay window and want to camp the later models are pretty close to the vanagons at least inside. The heat on our 78 gets very hot BTW.

[poptop tom]

I would not own a vanagon unless it were a syncro.

Really do not like the look of them at all. But that's me.
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'76 Deluxe Campmobile

[Juancho]

This is a tough one. I too have owned both. I keep going back to Bay’s, but no question the Vanagon is a superior vehicle in every aspect, save for looks and character. Another thing to consider, I do not regret selling any of the previous 5 Bays, but I do regret selling my cherry ’84 German Westy with only 80k miles on the clock. That was a stupid mistake.

[TrollFromDownBelow]

I went through the exact same debate about 7-8 years ago. I was seriously leaning towards a vanagon b/c of superior rust resistance, and HEAT (live in the midwest). Plan was to use as a primary vehicle.

What sealed it was sitting behind the wheel of a vanagon....felt like too much like a regular car/mini van. Wanted that nostalgic feel my '71 had that I owned in college. My compromise was to get a late bay (76-79) with the 2.0 liter and use as a three season vehicle only.
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1976 Westy (aka Tripod)
2.0 liter FI solid lifters
212k miles

[Manfreds78bay]

The vanagons are the way to go hands down if all the criteria is camping. And you don't want to camp in a show winner bus. At least, I would not. Why would be to pay all that money for something you are going to scratch sooner or later anyway?

I have a 78 and it's been beat on for many years. I love camping with it because I don't have to worry about it getting more beat. And I also like working on it...most of the time. Unless you have deep pockets and an ace aircooled mechanic, you will be working on it too. And not just tune-ups. You will need to do everything.

A vanagon can be worked on by most mechanics. It's quieter. It's all around more comfortable.

Only buy a bus if you are willing to commit a lot of time to it.
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1985 VANAGON GL Digijet

There is no spoon.

[seventyfo]

I've had a few bus campers, and my last one, a 78 deluxe I was in love with. However, I had to remind myself that I originally bought my first bus to camp in. Eventually I didn't camp in the bus because it was too nice and I worried all the time about the kids getting it dirty, or something otherwise getting torn up with the mint interior. I wanted to make about an 8000 mile trip and after driving someones Vanagon camper around for a while I sold the bus and used the money to rehab an 85 camper. I miss the bus but the vanagon was a nicer drive and just enough room for 4 people. If it would have been just me and the wife I probably would have kept the bus.
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85 Vanagon GL Westy GW 2.2 (Rebuilt by YT)


"I don't know you well enough to care about your comments". Watkins Cravey

[Chris1111]

Bus. Bus! Bus!!! Vanagons are for whimps and are not near as cool. Not NEAR as cool... I personally think vanagons were a bad mistake - a deviation from the intent. To me VW closed it doors when aircooled stop being produced. And the new bug is an abomination.

My 2 cents.
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"Turn on, tune in, drop out"

[Tom Powell]

The bay window is for skiing.

The Vanagons are for cross country and sleeping by the ocean.

Aloha
tp

[purplepeopleeater]

I have all three, split/bay/vanagon.

all have a different feel, and vanagons have just as much coolness as the others but with alot more comforts.

vanagon gets picked first tho, has the suby and all my electrical goodies.