I still can't understand why you want one even though you don't have the money or the skills. If you had belief you would have bought your rust bucket T2 without asking on here. But you know its a big risk and you could lose a lot of money and end up with a part restored van which would still be in category 3 or 4. We have told you so, based on experience. Re your parents' garage, Stand on your own feet and don't sponge off them. Rent a garage if need be, but using your parents is not good in my book.
If you want one buy one, get the best you can afford for your money, enjoy it, it's emotional and you'll either love it and keep it or get it out of your system. If you buy carefully you won't loose much money, use every advantage you can like a free parents garage for as long as they'll let you.
Time for a sensible answer (maybe) I bought mine for 11,500 in 2012ish I didn't buy a 20k bus because it is kept on the road - it would devalue overnight. I didn't buy a 4K rotter because it is kept on the road - it would dissolve overnight. Buy a decent, but not amazing, one and get on with driving it and keeping it ahead of the devil's rust bin.
Don't let some of these miserable sods put you off buying a bay window! Buy the best you can afford. Buy in winter, cheaper and more time to save. Buying from up North may get you more than down south. Accept it may take some time before you get the right one for you If you can't afford one that you are happy with then you need to save more! Sell whatever you can to raise extra cash Look about on local Vw club facebook pages etc. Do you have a wanted advert on here with budget? I recommend getting one that is solid underneath if you can The right van for you is out there, you will find each other. I bought my van when I didn't even have a job, if you want one you can make it happen That was over 19 years ago and I don't regret it. Don't buy a Brazilian, even if you win the lotto! If you spent 40k on an old proper bay then it would ******* all over a Brazilian. 40k over 20 years is 2k a year which is bugger all for the joy a bay window can bring I'm not suggesting for a second yoy need to or should spend 40k on a bay.
the only way is to spend as much as you can buy the best you can , believe me it willllllllllll be cheaper in the long run
Hi mgbman The reason I want one is cos in the 90s a couple of mates had um and I always really liked driving them and having adventures in them. Isn't this the reason everyone buys one? I joined here to try to make sure that next year when funds free up that I don't get my pants pulled down like so many other people who just impulse buy. Fore warned is fore armed and all that. Knowledge is power and I want to make sure I've got a bit before taking the plunge. As far as the mechanicals go. I used to rebuild my motor bike and I fix boilers for a living so I know in time I can learn it's just I don't know enough right now. Why rent a lock up when I might have a free garage just up the road to over winter with no security issues. With all kind advice people have been good enough to give me on here I'm sure I will get the right one. I think it's great that so many people on here have been willing to help newbies like me avoid the scammers.
This makes sense to me! Be realistic about what you can and can't do, then spend time finding a bus that works with this. If you can't weld, then buying a rusty bus will cost you a fortune. If you can do mechanicals and a bit of light carpentry, look for a bus where the welding is done, but it needs mechanical work or new interior. These do come up, mainly it seems from people who bought a rusty one, spent a fortune (in time, money or both) welding it and now want nothing more to do with 'that ***** bus'. Even painting you can do yourself on the cheap, just search for rustoleum rolling. If in fact you have time/ability/space to do none of this yourself, then you need to be realistic about how much it will cost you either up front or in ongoing garage bills. If your parents have a garage they don't use, this is in fact a criminal waste, and it's your duty to fill it with something old.....
It doesn't matter what you buy, T2, T3, T4 or T5 you'll still end up spending loads of money on it - just on different things
Oh, and if anyone tells you a t3/t25 is a cheaper option they lie. They are equally old and unreliable, they are often as rusty and are far trickier to fix in a lot of respects. Air cooled garages don't seem to like doing anything to them, but then neither do the water cooled brigade.