Came up to scotland last night in the bus , only 70 miles but on edge the whole way. Am I the only one that is always waiting to break down. I suppose the further I go and more often , the confidence will grow. Cam
If you have a few spares and breakdown cover, it’s not the end of the world if you do break down. We’ve had a few recoveries over the years - it just makes life more interesting.
Drive it more further and further....then as has been said confidence in your bus grows. Plus keep the valves checked, plugs, points, oil.
^^^ this. If you can do basic maintenance yourself, or you have someone you trust who does the servicing for you, and you treat your van with respect when driving, just go for it. Doesn’t mean it won’t break down..... but hopefully when it does it will be for something really catastrophic that you can feel totally justified in being grumpy about, rather than standing on the roadside kicking yourself because you forgot to check the oil level before you left. Helping, not helping?
You HAVE to break down! It’s your right of passage of owning one! Only when you KNOW it won’t break down,by learning regular maintainance and pre travel checks,and carrying the correct spares ‘just in case’, can you join the smug elite!
I do carry spares but it's always in the back of my mind. I set off from Carlisle for Cornwall in my splitty many years ago after only test driving it 6miles after I bought it , it had stood from 2years before that . I think I'm getting less daring with age .
I first started driving in 1969 and never had any fears about the car breaking down. These buses are contemporary with those times so would be just as reliable as the cars I drove. Keep it well maintained and it should be just as reliable as it was 40 years ago.
All of the above. Jump in and drive it. Something might break (but probably won't), so you fix that and go out again. Eventually, you'll fix everything.
I was like this then I ripped the heart and soul of my bus and fitted a Subaru engine ... no longer waiting to break down (on every trip).
We've broken down in some lovely places and met some great people that otherwise would have been missed
If you haven’t broken down then I fear you are not a ‘full’ member of TLB... If it happens, see it as a joyful initiation into an elite tribe. Bit like a late-life circumcision with no anaesthetic.
The only guarantee is it will happen one day. The only control is good maintenance and ensuring you have somewhere safe to stop. Anyway.....why worry about breaking down when these things go up like sparklers when they catch fire. Here to help
