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AZ Landshaper
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2009
Posts: 1698
Location: The Old Pueblo
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 Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 6:16 am Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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Nothing beats the smell of breakfast wafting out the door of a VW van. Its just too reminiscent of summers on the road.. But these days the camper is crowded with kids and friends of kids and the dog and oars and bikes and god knows what else they stuffed back there.
My new-to-me weekender looks more spacious every day.
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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug. |
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hdenter
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2008
Posts: 2754
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 12:46 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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When you are cooking at home you have hard cleanable surfaces all around. You often have a vent/hood fan to collect and remove smoke and odors. If your bacon spatters, it gets on your counters or floors; not the back of your driver's seat or carpets. When you accidentally burn your scrambled eggs the odor can, and will, get into the curtains, seat upholstery and other absorbent materials in your van. Sure, it's nice to be able to heat coffee/water inside on a cold morning. But, for the price you pay in versatility in how you use the van and the hundreds of pounds of cabinets and tanks/equipment you are constantly hauling, I'd much rather have a weekender. JMHO...
Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
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tjet 
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2014
Posts: 3533
Location: CA & NM
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:14 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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Great post. As for your sleeping in the van issue, I've found that maximum ventilation is key during the not so cold months - for me at least...
FYI, Bus Depot has a sale on rear hatch & side door screens right now
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MsTaboo
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 4098
Location: East Kootenay, British Columbia
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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| hdenter wrote: |
When you are cooking at home you have hard cleanable surfaces all around. You often have a vent/hood fan to collect and remove smoke and odors. If your bacon spatters, it gets on your counters or floors; not the back of your driver's seat or carpets. When you accidentally burn your scrambled eggs the odor can, and will, get into the curtains, seat upholstery and other absorbent materials in your van. Sure, it's nice to be able to heat coffee/water inside on a cold morning. But, for the price you pay in versatility in how you use the van and the hundreds of pounds of cabinets and tanks/equipment you are constantly hauling, I'd much rather have a weekender. JMHO...
Hans |
Yes, and no. I've had both and much prefer the full kitchen even though we rarely "cook" on the stove. Most real cooking is outside, but being able to heat food, water, wash hands, brush teeth, etc, inside is a great bonus.
We do a lot of cool and cold weather camping and it's nice to stay inside.
On the other hand I have to laugh at how soft we've all become.
Growing up camping with our Dad was driving to a trailhead and hiking 10-20 miles with our packs before sleeping on the ground with maybe a bit of tarp to keep off any rain. Cooking was always on a white gas Primus stove and was usually the fish we had caught the night before or even that morning mixed with freeze-dried.
We never had campfires in the backcountry and to this day I don't really like sitting around a smoky pit.
Long road trips were usually done out of a station wagon with us sleeping on the ground (under that bit of tarp) or just under the stars and heading out early for that waiting trailhead.
I was always envious of our friend's Bay Window bus.
When I grew up and bought my first VW split I was in heaven (used it for surf and snowboard trips) and my Dad was actually a bit scornful of the added comfort. He did come around when he considered where some of the places I was camping were and able to have a somewhat safe haven to sleep and change clothes.
As I have gotten older and had back problems, sleeping on the ground is less appealing, but the backcountry still beckons (and sleeping mats have gotten better  ).
When I see these giant RVs going down the road to go "camping" I just shake my head  and feel sorry for those kids who will never have the memories of waking up with the morning dew in the wild.
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Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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Lets please not rehash the “ I cant smell anything , therefore my .... doesn’t smell” threads.
We can also leave it at
If you camp a lot.... Full up Camper
If you don’t , Weekemder plus bins
Or, perhaps
Indicators for full camper
Fewer than 4 adults
More than one week
Deep cold for duration
Indicators for weekender
Daily driver
4 or more
More stuff
Teens plus tent
LOng Weekend
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:10 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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| Whichever you have I can tell you from experience -- as much as I love a good curry I will never make one inside the van again. |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7925
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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| HackAl wrote: |
Rims and tires
We spent $1000 swapping out our 14” for 16” wheels. Are they better? Yes. Do you need to do it? No. If my 14” tires weren’t already 11 years old I would have waited. With 16” tires, we sway a little less on the highway in high winds. The van feels a little more stable. That’s about it. |
I just had the way-out-of-whack alignment adjusted on my Cabriolet, which sports 14" wheels. The alignment shop pointed out that the tires are 12 years old (man, time flies  ). When I got home, I started looking for new tires... no Pirelli, no Michelin, no Goodyear, no Continental, no Firestone. No name-brand tires available. Perhaps a bit different in the light truck world, but my lord... smallish tires are going the way of manual transmissions, and I'm not liking it one bit! 
| HackAl wrote: |
Northeast winters
Like with any recreational vehicle, you have between 16-20 weekends to enjoy it. That’s assuming the weather cooperates and there’s not some wedding, birthday, baptism or graduation keeping you from a cold beer and a campfire. That van sits under wraps all winter. If you are a cold weather camper, you are driving on salted roads around here. Not good for a 30 year-old, rust-prone vehicle. Winters are painful for me. |
As already said, desert-dwellers have it a bit different.
| HackAl wrote: |
Actually sleeping in the van
It also helps to be really tired and a little drunk. |
ZzzQuil for me. 
| HackAl wrote: |
Westfalia Camping equipment
I have very mixed feelings about all the camping equipment. Without hot water and, with the sink being miniscule, its use is somewhat limited. Most state campgrounds around here offer sinks for washing pots and dishes anyway. We are learning to make the best use of fridge but again, limited. The stove is great and we use it all the time. Point is, if you find a Weekender you like, buy it. You can make do without all the camper stuff or find even better replacement gear, gradually. As cute as the Westfalia camping stuff is, it can be as much of a headache. |
I debated about a camper vs. MV, but wanted all my camp gear already packed and ready to go... I simply chuck my clothes and food in and hit the road. My Westy is primarily a camper, with occasional Lowe's-type hauling duty; thus, I love my full-camper and use the kitchen all the time (van still has an old vinyl, with hint of new leather aroma). The great thing about Vanagons is that they come in all different flavors, one to suit just about everyone. 
| HackAl wrote: |
| The city water hookup is messy and hardly worth it. For what? Washing dishes? Use the camp sink, lake or stream with some Tom's of Maine. |
When I installed the Shurflo faucet, I eliminated the city water connection (hookup is now a solar connection). If I'm camped at hookups, I'll simply add water to the onboard tank.
| HackAl wrote: |
Expectations/disappointment/lessons learned
Keep your expectations down and you won’t be disappointed. Stuff breaks. You fix it. |
That aforementioned trip in my Cabriolet to the alignment shop: Tech comes in from the test drive, "First and second gear in that car are really weird!" Me, to myself: "  , drove fine yesterday and coming over here, hmm." I get in to drive it home and... seat won't lock into place and, most importantly, no first or second gear (had to start from red lights, hitting every single one, in 3rd).  Instead of driving it out of town as planned today, it's sitting up on jack stands waiting for a new shift bearing assembly and shift rod bushing (seat has been fixed). So, yes, if you desire to own an old vehicle, expect to repair one thing only to have another component go bust and try to keep your sense of humor alive and well about it all.
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1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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llilibel03
Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2008
Posts: 767
Location: Redondo Beach California
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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| danfromsyr wrote: |
Drinks/drinking..
while craft beers are tasty and mass produced domestics are cheap.
a slow & reasonable pace of hard liquor will minimize the wake ups and trips in/out & up/down throughout the night. when that denatured water wants out.
look at the old folks in life, they're nursing their highballs for a reason.. |
Never thought about that.
We just got back from a week in Sequoia and my wife asked me what the best part of our camping trips are. For her it's when we hit the road, day one, usually in the wee hours of the morning, with no traffic.
For me it is when we get back from a day of hiking, hot tired and dusty, cracking open an ice cold beer (from my sail boat racing days, it's always cans). But like you say, if I overindulge, a midnight trip to the WC is usually in order and the sliding door will wake everyone up.
On another note- do you folks sleep with your head at the back of the van or towards the middle?
We sleep with our heads at the back, to avoid the feeling of your head hanging over a cliff. I do have to wear socks because my feet will often hang over the edge of the seat and I have hit my head on the cabinet sitting up in a haste.
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87 syncro tintop
90 gl tin top
85 westy 2.0 tiico automatic (present) |
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Gizmoman
Samba Member
Joined: September 10, 2011
Posts: 1554
Location: Nevada
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| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:31 am Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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| llilibel03 wrote: |
On another note- do you folks sleep with your head at the back of the van or towards the middle?
We sleep with our heads at the back, to avoid the feeling of your head hanging over a cliff. I do have to wear socks because my feet will often hang over the edge of the seat and I have hit my head on the cabinet sitting up in a haste. |
Head towards the front of the van. I have two sticks that reach from the floor to the bottom of the fold-out section. After removing them from the storage under the seat, I use them to prop up the "head" of the mattress about three inches. Keeps the pillows from rolling off and minimizes heartburn from that bowl of canned chili.
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82 Vanagon Westy - AAZ 1.9 TD, HE200 Holset, WAIC, 27.75 dia tires, Electric power steering, 5-speed AAP w/.078 5th
Oversize spare carrier - stock location (no longer for sale). |
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HackAl
Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2016
Posts: 338
Location: Bergen County, NJ
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| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 7:17 pm Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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As far a sleeping arrangements: My wife/daughter sleep upstairs,- head facing front. Because two of us snore, I'll face the opposite way downstairs so as not to wake up the other. Also, if I'm on a phone/tablet, the light is less likely to disturb them upstairs when I go to bed a little later. If the screen is in the hatch, I feel like I get better circulation with my head near it.
Yes, need to watch your head when you get up. Still learning that lesson. 
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91 Westy.
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oldschool84
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2015
Posts: 119
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:26 am Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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| HackAl wrote: |
| joetiger wrote: |
| HackAl, your comments about the Westfalia camping equipment are interesting. Most people with the full setup seem to really like it. As I build out my Syncro, I'm pondering a kitchen unit vs. a weekender-type interior similar to what's in our Wolfsburg Westy. We rented a full Westy in Washington last summer and my crew loved the onboard cabinet storage and the sink. |
Storage is fine. My faucet pump stopped working. The replacement was easy enough but then I discovered it might have been a short all along. (I have a good tester now). Then, I started delving into the mysterious realm of the LP fridge function, the topics for which could be their own message board. Still sorting that out (Thanks Dave, Kamz, etc.). Last year, I must have closed my kitchen drawer too hard because I cracked the city water (back-flow preventer,- white thing) which caused an extensive leak while camping. The city water hookup is messy and hardly worth it. For what? Washing dishes? Use the camp sink, lake or stream with some Tom's of Maine.
Maybe equipment usage requires more adapting on my part. Just saying that you can really, really live without it especially if you are mostly using campgrounds. |
Just a comment about washing dishes in lakes or streams - much better to wash at the campsite and dump the soapy and rinse water on the gravel road so the detergent dilutes a lot before making it into the water supply - I often pee on the road when I need to as well - it's the part of the environment that's impacted already and better than stumbling 3 feet into the bushes just for the sake of a little "modesty" - of course I camp in backcountry locations, not SPs, whenever I can. |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3431
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:23 am Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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Not to derail the tread further - but here is the definitive answer on choosing the between the full camper or "weekender" (basic camper) versions.
Question:
Q1: Do you prefer the full camper?
Yes - Choose the Full Camper
No - Go on to question 2
Q2: Do you prefer the Weekender Camper version?
Yes - Choose the Weekender
No - Go back and answer question 1 correctly.
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John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
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FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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sped372
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006
Posts: 653
Location: Waunakee, WI
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Random thoughts/advice from a 3rd year, Northeast owner |
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We spent ten years (well, not continuously, but you get the idea) in a 1970 Westy, and now three or so in the '84. IMO, preference for weekender vs. full camper is going to largely depend on how you intend to camp and whether you use the vehicle for much besides camping.
Personally, I could not imagine going without the full camper kit, but we often go for week-long trips with two adults and two kids. Even just having the cabinet space to squirrel things away is a major plus to keep everything corralled. Similarly, we rarely use the vehicle for anything besides camping or day-outings where having the "camp stuff" that is stored in there is convenient.
I think the sink works well if you understand it's limitations, same as the fridge. Granted, extended 90F weeks of weather are rare in Wisconsin. We used to get by just fine with the icebox in the '70 - the fridge is that much nicer... it's all relative. We'll use up the more perishable stuff like raw meats the first couple days and coast out a week on pre-cooked stuff or packaged deli meats etc. It hasn't been that hard to work around the limitations. We bring a cooler for drinks so space isn't that much of an issue and we don't open the door more than a couple times a day.
We use the sink a lot more than I thought we would. The water had a very slight plastic taste at first but after the diluted bleach treatment it's been all-clear. Very convenient to fill water bottles, make coffee, rinse dishes, brush teeth... I guess your typical sink-related activities. We use the stove a fair amount to heat water but do nearly all our cooking outside on a Coleman.
The kitchen in the '84 is a huge step forward from the '70 (obviously) and we really appreciate it.
Now, if we needed or wanted to use the Van more as a "van" and less as a "camper" - I could definitely see a weekender being nice.
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1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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