Do not tust this man! (image by duragg)

Buying a camper for the first time is an exciting experience. Many of us who have been there however will tell you that after the initial rush of joy that comes from owning one of these marvellous vehicles, there often comes an overwhelming sense of 'what the heck is this piece of rusting junk I just bought!!!'
This article attempts to offer some advice to those brave souls embarking on the new journey of buying their first camper and how to avoid some of the more common pitfalls, and also for those (like me) who did not receive exactly what they were promised, that there is light at the end of the tunnel!

I had contemplated buying a VW camper for many years, but having been a student and being broke, and then getting married and being even more so, it took a few years to get to the situation where I was at last able to say, "right! time for that camper!"

I scoured the internet for weeks, and frequented EBay and the like for what I hoped would be a great deal. I was being drawn to the Type25, I figured that in my price range that they would be less work than the older Type2. I wasn't after anything fancy, I just wanted a nice camper to take my wife and kids away in at the weekend.

Finally the fateful day arrived and I saw my camper. A 1980 Type25 1600 diesel, it had a lot of interest in it and was only 15 miles away, so hopped in the car and cruised down to take a look. There it was parked up in all its glory, I was in love. After a quick kick of the tyres, a listen to the engine, and a look at the interior, I was scrabbling for my wallet and making a deal with the seller. All I could envisage was warm, happy, sunset surrounded visions of my family and I and our new camper, merrily chugging around the country on one of many weekend trips away! So without even a test drive, I arranged to pick up the camper the following day.

The next day I took along a buddy and we cruised down to pick up the camper. Got the keys and I was now like a proud parent, with my first baby (or in this case my first camper!)

Well just like being a parent for the first time, and having all the excitement that the new arrival brings, you almost always get that first reality check. With babies its that first 3.00 a.m. wake up call, or that first pooey nappy, or even the first time they throw up all over your new shirt! With my new camper, after the first journey I turned off the engine, and then I could not restart it! There appeared to be some problem with the electrics. Swapped the batteries over (touring battery for the main - not recomended!) and managed to get home! Then a week or so later, it was M.O.T. time, I took it to my local garage and they told me that this camper was ... well I won't say the word they used, but they implied in their most polite English that this vehicle needed too much work, which they could not possibly take on.

To cut a very long list short, the upshot was that the sills, the wheelarches, the steps all needed replacing and welding, the rear suspension springs had snapped and needed replacing, the brakes were awful, the steering was hanging on by a loose bolt, the gearbox was grinding, the side door kept falling off, the electrics were shocking (scuse the pun) and everything needed a complete service. So not too much really, I don't know why they were so put off by this, a bit over the top really.

The very nice chap who sold me the camper told me that there was just a tiny bit of welding to do in the step area, so he was not lying, he just forgot to mention the major welding around the entire circumferance of the vehicle, oh and the other little jobs they mentioned.

So I had a problem and had a few options available, either except defeat and use the camper as a potting shed for the garden, hunt down the guy who sold me the camper and break his legs (unfortunately this is now illegal in the mainland UK, except in some remote parts of western Wales) buy a manual and attempt to fix the problems myself, or find someone else to do the work. I opted for the last option, as the others were never going to happen. Luckily I was able to find someone after much searching who was willing to do the work in his spare time. It nearly cost me as much again as what I had paid for the camper in the first place, but now it has been reborn, has taken us around the country, and we are finally enjoying our camper, the way it should be.

This is my story, so what have I learned that I can share with you, my fellow future camper owners?

Well here is a list, these are just things I have learned and are intended as a guide, so please get independant advice if unsure:

• Be careful on the internet, ask yourself why is the person selling the camper, check out their feedback if using EBay, do a vehicle search to see if there has been any dodgy history.
• Does the vehicle have a M.O.T. with at least 3 months to run on it? If there is no M.O.T. then there is probably a reason why, as most people would put an M.O.T. on a vehicle if it is roadworthy to get the maximum price. If there is no or little M.O.T. and they are claiming that everything is a-okay, ask them whether they would be willing to get it tested before you exchange any money. if it then comes back with problems you will know where you stand. Any honest seller should not have a problem doing this.
• Take a mechanic or experienced friend along. If you are lucky enough to have such a friend and are confident in his abilities with VW campers, then take him along, he should know from experience what to look out for. If not then ask a local mechanic whether he would be willing to help you if you pay for his time, (or can bribe him with something else), failing that then the RAC or AA usually offer some type of vehicle check that you can pay them to do.
• Look out for rust in places that will affect a future M.O.T. Most of these vehicles (unless they are an import from a dry clime) have a certain amount of rust on them, so expect some, and expect some to be covered by paint or filler, what you need to look out for is structural rust, if there is major rust on the chassis then I would stay clear. A good M.O.T. garage should be able to tell you the exact areas/body panels to look at, certain things such as jagged, exposed metal that could cause injury are also picked up in M.O.T.s so look out for that. General surface rust or areas that are not structural can be treated or replaced and will generally be okay for an M.O.T. though they may bug you if you want a pristine camper.
• Test Drive, Test Drive, Test Drive! (Did I say Test Drive?) my biggest regret is that in my eagerness and excitement, and my complete trust in a total stranger led me to not even test drive my camper! Yes you are saying, what an idiot! I admit it, it was idiotic! But I share my humiliation so that you will not make the same mistake, it is easy to do, if you are like me and tend to trust what people tell you, (not any more!) then it is easy to do. Test drive the vehicle, and take it through its gears, do they stick or pop out? Does the speedo, indicators, wipers, lights and gauges work? How do the breaks feel? Is the steering firm or is there play in the steering wheel? (If there is play this is not good, not expensive usually but not safe) How does the engine sound? Are there any weird vibrations? Do the doors unlock, lock and open/close correctly? Does the engine start well? These are just some of the questions you need to ask yourself, or better still your mechanic, friend, RAC man who is with you. You will usually know if you are going to have further expense/problems just by the first test drive. I would suggest that you go for a 15 to 30 minute drive on both open road and around town, and not just whip around the block or carpark. Take a pen and paper and write down (do I need to say not whilst driving, no I didn't think so...) any faults, worries, problems so that you can calmly go through the list with the seller after the test drive, (it is very easy to forget things when you are in a buyer/seller situation) that way you will be able to get these things addressed or be able to use them in your negotiations.
• Check the documentation. Make sure before you hand over any money, that you are satisfied as far as possible with the paperwork. There should be a registration document, and this should reflect the sellers name and address, (he will need to send a part of this to the DVLA if you buy the vehicle) Also if there is a M.O.T. (if not read point 2 above) ensure that the M.O.T. document is real, and is up to date with what you are being told. If you are being sold a vehicle with a full or part service history, ensure that all the relevant documents are present for you to check. Likewise if you are being told that the vehicle has had new parts added recently and they come with any guarantees etc, then ask for the receipts/invoices.
• If in doubt DON'T BUY! It may sound obvious, but never feel that you must buy a vehicle especially if you are face to face with the seller, you are not obligated to buy from them just because you viewed, test drove or even took up a day of his/her time asking questions! Never feel pressured, and if you feel you want to think about it, or come back another day with someone with more experience, then do. If the seller is honest and not desperate then they should not need to hassle or pressure you, if they start this then ask yourself why, or simply walk away. Its your hard earned cash, and your future sanity that is at stake, so be careful.
• MOST IMPORTANT! Don't let me put you off, I believe that generally most people out there (especially in the VW community) are good and honest people and will usually explain the problems/issues with any van they sale. Also do not think that because you followed these steps that you won't have trouble free motoring, because of their age these fantastic vehicles will have problems from time to time, in fact thats what makes them interesting and fun, because we have all had these issues, some are inherant and others are obscure, but they make great stories to tell at the shows/events and you will find a host of other people who have had similar experiences and who can offer advice. Its part of what being a camper owner is all about! The trick is when getting your first camper, is to get one with the least amount of problems to start with. So be aware, be careful, but most of all be a camper owner and join the happy throng!