Your review or comments on your van year.

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by rickyrooo1, Oct 19, 2012.

  1. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    New progressive carb bought at Volksworld show.
    Nearly tailended splittie and two beetles at the end of the queue for Sandown Park on the A3.

    Off on week long trip to Floriade in the Netherlands and Cologne. 500 miles in a day. Spraying oil off overfilled engine. While checking oil at services on way home was asked to tow start a Transit tipper truck by a nice Irish person. Agreed and succeeded.

    Camped at small VW get together by the Wey Navigation.

    MOT fail drag link and welding near steering box.

    Regular drives to work no probs.
    One breakdown wire off coil after speed bump.
    Fails to start due to fuel cuttoff sticking twice.
    Every time on road in 10 mins.

    Trip to Wye valley. No probs.
    Trip to Kent no probs.
    Trip to Malvern show charge warning light flickers. Jump start needed off leisure battery a week later. And again. Wont start at all with main and leisure battery flat. Celebrate 25 years of AA membership bycalling on them for the third time ever. Battery knackered. AA man impressed by sparks from loose wire on alternator battery terminal. Also by the rich mixture with the choke on filling the surroundings


    Thousands of miles driving and still smiling still prefer it to my other car.
     
  2. First proper year on the road for me. Been away for two holidays (Malvern & Yorkshire dales). Really enjoyed it and can't wait for next year. We have another child on board next year too!
     
  3. Never had a breakdown with the bus, traveled across half of Europe again, no problems at all. oh, wait, my front hubcaps fell off in Poland, but they were cheap Brazilian junk anyway. new record of 8 lit/100km achieved, no animals run over.

    I can't complain, but I feel this summers potential wasn't entirely fulfilled. No more VW show's for us, they are expensive and boring. You seen one, you've seen them all.
     
  4. bernjb56

    bernjb56 Supporter

    Been a really fine year in spite of the weather.
    Started with Spring Camp where we camped with TLB people for the first time. Learnt a bit about the importance of where you park your van ;)
    We've had about 5 short breaks on our own.
    Pub lunch with the Jivedubbins.
    Had a walk in the hills with Para and Zed.
    Camperjam in the mud :(
    Burnby Hall is a highlight - loved the Humber Bridge convoy.
    Camped in a couple of people's gardens - thanks Zoe and Trev
    Drove down the Tramway at Crich and met some more people.
    Looking forward to Blackpool :)
    Almost forgot our trip to Ireland :)
     
  5. With starting my resto last year the plan was to have it finished by this summer, since we didn't have a summer so to speak i decided to take my time ;D

    So i now have a new planned finish date for next summer, seriously thou i'm quite happy with my progress so far, only have the front arches, front panel and cargo floor left to repair, i've got all the panels required, new engine ready to go in and a few other bit and bobs that i've collect other the past year
     
  6. Woodylubber

    Woodylubber Obsessive compulsive name changer

     
  7. bernjb56

    bernjb56 Supporter

     
  8. First year of owning Kitty - Initial excitement, followed by frustration and despair when we found out the MOT was a fakey followed by joy when we got our first wave. Really enjoyed doing the interior, given me a reason to get out and spend more time with missus now the kids are grown up. only done 3000 miles due to the weather but enjoyed everyone of them. Spent about what i expected on her and had no problems - grateful to Paul and co down at VWDownunder for all the work they've done. Roll on 2013
     
  9. This was my full first year with the bus and its been ace.

    Started off with spring camp in Yorkshire. The weather was great and we just missed the snow. Met loads of new people who are now really good friends. :)

    Then off to Elemental, TLB on the Farm, Zantos (due to Bus Stopover being cancelled) the very wet Camperjam, Autumn Camp and Burnby Gardens. Also had a few camp outs on peoples lawns.

    Had a week away in Yorkshire visiting Hawes and Dent. We ended the week with a trip to Skegvegas which was probably one of the best shows this year. It was really chilled out and the weather was scorching :)

    The bus has been running ok with only a small problem of no gears when we were on holiday. Thanks to Adam and Woody it was all sorted.

    I guess i couldn't get enough of dubs so bought a beetle too :)

    Theres still plenty of time for some more camping, this year isn't over yet
     
  10. Up and down. Highs and lows.
     
  11. Lots of resto lows :(
     
  12. Out of storage in March, after we’d been away in sunnier climes for 4 months. On about the 50th attempt, Hattie started (flipping starter motor). Drove home without being MOT-d :eek: then she sat on the drive for a while as we were scared of the cost of MOT-ing with neither of us working at the time.

    MOT - fail. Mostly brakes related, new tyre and washer not working. Local bloke called Ray came and fixed the brakes. Also replaced the starter motor with one from a Beetle, so no more ‘click click clicking’ and the panic that she won’t start ever again!

    Sat looking at the pouring rain, whilst hoping for some summer weather.

    Moosey did some more work on the interior … new checked floor (love it) and purple carpet on the panels and inside the poptop (looks better than it sounds!!) and rubbing down and filling the worst bits of paintwork. Problems with the sliding door came to a head when it fell off (luckily on the drive!), and Moosey spent many an hour cleaning up and replacing various bits of the mechanism so it now works well (we only had a very brief phase of having to climb in and out of the back door…)

    Went to Zantos - our first encounter with TLB folk - had a great time but got Woodied…

    Then a series of weekends away: Swamperjam (‘nuff said); WOMAD (brilliant); near Scarborough; Viva Skegvas (nice evening spent with Woody, Dave and Jonno and family); Run to the Hills (didn’t enjoy that one - rain rain rain, and found out the seal on the back door was worn out, so wet pillows); Autumn camp (fab and met more lovely TLB-ers): Moosey had a good weekend at Techenders and learnt some more bits; Crich Tramway museum and the brilliant drive through in line up with another new lot of TLB folk; Whitby; camping at Zoe’s (managed to not get too hammered!); a waxoyl weekend with VWT2OC (more on that later); and Wilma’s 40th next weekend. In total it will be 23 night’s camped - 25 for Moosey - not nearly enough!!

    Hattie’s been running well - Moosey’s been learning various bits so he can tinker, and got some great help at Techenders; mpg has improved due to aforementioned tinkering.

    Next year - longer holiday? Fix the heating? New foam for the bed? Definitely more camping!!

    Just realised - I should have let Moosey post this seeing as he’s done all the work … I’ve just been ferried around and enjoyed myself! Thank you husband! xx

    P.S. - I made bunting... :)
     
  13. Oh is that right mr fearn !!!! Amazing the things I find out on here pmsl :thinking:
     
  14. We bought our first camper just over a month ago after us both wanting one for years and never being able to afford one. We have hired and borrowed before to make sure it was both something we enjoyed (which we agreed that it was almost instantly!).

    Then came our daughter...which put our plans on hold for a while but now that she's two it adds a new dimension to it for us. We are also in a better position financially now so decided to take the plunge. Having a child to think about made us consider one with a bit more sleeping room and one that perhaps didn't need as much doing to it immediately so that we could at least enjoy it from the start with little trips away etc.

    After plenty of research and some sound advice from a friend who has owned and ran VW beetles and vans since his late teens, we found a couple of ones we liked. The first one we looked at was a bit of a death trap tbh, and we were so disappointed. However, the second one we tried was perfect and we fell in love immediately. The family selling the van had asked the club valuer from the SSVC to help them out (there was a family illness), and he was brilliant at offering advice and showing us all the good and bad points. We went for a Westy in the end following recommendations and haven't looked back.

    We take 'Percy' out every weekend to the new forest or the beaches at Bournemouth and can't wait for slightly warmer weather next spring so that we can all go away for the weekend together.

    My wife and I camped over in 'Percy' for the first time in Brighton Breeze a couple of weeks ago (we had done Brighton breeze before when we hired one from vanilla splits and always visiting each year since). The layout for us was just perfect, original Westy interior did us proud.

    Have driven it to Cornwall on holiday already, as well as to London for the Brighton breeze run...and so far so good, no break downs! (Am keeping fingers crossed it stays this way but realise this is hugely optimistic :))

    Still trying to figure out a couple of things but that is why I love tlb so much, always good advice on hand and some top and amusing people on here. (Addicted to it very quickly).

    I've always been a good diy'er but never extended it to vehicles but now I'm starting to. Replaced a couple of bits in the engine already, plus done a bit of electric work and temporarily filled and respray end a rust hole in the cab step. Replaced a few bits inside too.

    My wife has also found a local vw mechanic to come and spend the day with me giving me a crash course in the engine and how everything works (a birthday present).

    So, all in all, we're very excited new vw van owners. And have learnt so much already from this forum (am very grateful). And can't wait to get 'Percy' into the garage so we can work on him over the winter ready for next spring!
     
  15. Well this is my first year of owning a late bay so as of yet i haven't really done much to it. Bought it in the summer and after a pleasant (but slow) drive home its sad to say its just sat on my drive. Only used for the odd run out round the town or being used to carry sand and cement from B&Q, the plus side of having a crew cab :) . But apart from that I've just had a lot of ideas of what i'm wanting to do with. So far the list consists of fuch alloys, a 4 inch drop and a new interior (including TV and xbox ;D).
     
  16. Birdy

    Birdy Not Child Friendly

    Troubled.
     
  17. This is my 4th year of owning Milly. Because my youngest daughter Alys was born at the end of October 2011 my planned strip down, paint & engine build never happened. I finally got around to pulling the engine in January. Went snow boarding & broke my wrist in Feb so I never actually got around to building the engine until May.
    I was hoping to be on the road by Feb but it wasn't to be.
    By June the engine was in & then I had a major setback! The engine blew up! :(
    In the end it was august by the time Milly was back on the road some 6 months late.
    Luckily we had some nice weather & we had loads of trips away. Milly is having a respray in 3 weeks, a year late but who cares, there's no rush & we can always camp over the winter.
    I love trips away, in the van with the family & Leah my 2 year old loves it.
    :)
     
  18. Got it just how I wanted and then got made an offer and let it go :( miss her already

    been too busy to even pick the new one up.
     
  19. Terrordales

    Terrordales Nightshift

    I'd prefer not to comment until the end of the year, lest I jinx myself ;)
     
  20. Had a few ups and downs with poor old uggy, as I brought her as a partly restored project it's very hard not to have any downs when you find poor work and blatant bodges
    But I'm still really enjoying working towards the big picture and being able to use it or even drive it up and down the garden.

    All in all a happy year and every day I try to do a little bit on the bus to make it a habit, one day we will be out to play in it

    Focusing on that big picture. ; )
     

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