Quote: Originally posted by jacqfrost on 25/7/2006
thought i would throw my penny in your both right the battery was moved to the engine compartment for more amps required to turn it over on diesel engines or so i'm told !
Well, there's something I've learned today! Thanks for that explanantion...makes a lot of sense
Just sold a T25 KOMET air cooled 2.0l owned for 8years. Very good but heater was poor. I fitted a new interior from AVA Leisure. Good quality units..but pricey. Van had some rust on seams. Suggest rust treatment from FROSTS in Rochdale. Van was very reliable and sold quickly. Just bought a T4 also rusting! Good luck
Could be the best thing you've ever bought! If you want to keep fuel cost down and save the planet at same time consider an LPG conversion or use bio diesel, plenty advice on Club 80-90 site.Happy camping!
we have a T25 1990 1600 turbo diesal and we took it to devon and somerset this yr after a wrong turning we ended up going through dartmoor - well the hills are 20% and 25% but ours made it up if only by a wing and a prayer, we love ours its so easy to get to places others would struggle i.e. the larger newer vans. Im sure once u get yours youll never look back.
I've also got a type 2 T3 ("T25") campervan and it's also my first campervan.
It's a 1982 2.0 litre aircooled one which isn't too bad (I paid 5k for it), where I managed to spend a week in it during the summer.
The bodywork on it is very good for it's age (hardly any rust at all) and it's only done 54k. The only problem I have with it at the moment is it's annoying habit of trashing rear wheel bearings after every 200 miles or so (possibly rear wheel bearing case).
Hopefully I will be able to get it back on the road again in a few weeks time after I have got the bits from america and will be able to drive it again :)
Hi I am also looking to buy a first camper, possibly T25 I haven,t got much to spend, and really wanted to sell my X reg Peugot 206 and just put a little more towards it. Theres one (T25) for sale in my local garage(from private owner) - a 1.6 turbo J reg - pretty tatty inside, with some upholstery needing recovering, and generally poor inside. It's an Autohomes conversion hi-top with built in water tank, mains, and 3 way fridge. Looks ok superficially outside with just a few small rusty areas. It's done 190k miles though, but this should be ok for a diesel shouldn't it?I,m pretty handy with mechanicals/electrics and could probably do up the inside ok. Haven,t had a proper look yet or asked for a service history, and am waiting to see what the owner wants for it - what do you guys think it may be worth?
Diesels often only last about 100k miles so that van should be on its second engine--heads are prone to cracking as well--make sure the gearbox is smooth--if its noisy with crunchy changes that could be on its way out--T25 gearboxes fail suddenly jammed with a broken syncro ring--
Oh dear, our 1600 turbo diesel must be about to die anyday now then! It's just gone over 100k. Goes better than ever now it has new alloys and tyres. Cruises at 70mph comfortably and has been extremely reliable, although it does help if you're mechanically minded otherwise it would cost a small fortune to update.
Next weekend is Vanwest - www.vanwest.net at the Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford. Its all about VW vans of all ages. Might be worth popping along just to see how much things cost and have a look over other peoples vans to see what can be done to them.
You have to be carefully you don't turn into a V Dub nut like we have! Never thought I'd get van proud either!
Cheers. Julie.
Quote: Originally posted by jueypooey on 07/5/2007
Oh dear, our 1600 turbo diesel must be about to die anyday now then! It's just gone over 100k.
well lets hope it dont then--the comment was intended to help the potential van buyer--pointing out that T25 engines petrol or diesel dont run for ever-I'm sure you read the 80-90 tech forum so you know these engines arnt trouble free--& genrally with a 17 yr old van you have no way of knowing how its been driven or maintained or even if the mileage is correct--the 1.6 diesel fitted to a T25 genrally has a much shorter life than the similar engine fitted to a Golf of the same era--because it has to haul 2 tonnes of van around--
thanks guys for your advice - I went for a proper look at this J reg T25 tonite and although it looks sound underneath, there are some areas of bodywork with rust forming (wheelarches, steps etc, and that interior(see my first comment above)! It has a pretty good service history, but no sign of engine recon or change - the seller wanted £6400 for it! can,t believe that with 190k miles on the clock- I only have approx £3500 max, and have seen others, maybe older but with half that mileage and much better interior on the net for about this lower price, but in London/Surrey/Yorkshire - looks like I might have to travel a bit to get what I want - from this thread, it seems that the 1.6 turbo diesel is the one for me, as I would be using it to commute to work in the winter, as well as hols and need reasonable economy plus decent cruising speed
Ours is old, but has never let us down, OH converted her from a mini bus last year, just finishing some trimming this year...she is very heavy (for me anyway) on the steering, can be a right old cow going up hills, always marks her pitch, but I wouldnt part with her....and everyone always waves to us - and most stop for a chat if we're parked up in her. Have a look at our web site....
I have T25 1982 Westfalia Camper with diesel watercooled 1.6 l engine. I am doing short daily trips around 15 miles, and I just calculated my usage of diesel to be 45mile/gallon(Imp) or 10 mile/l.
Its is painfully slow on acceleration, although speed dial is in Km/h so you can have impression that you doing a speed. Max speed with wind behind you achieved was 115km/h (70mph). s very comfortable driving at 80 - 90 km/h.
We've had 2, both VW Autosleepers, both pop tops. Our first,Elsie, was stolen, to order the police think. She was diesel and much heavier and slower to drive. our newer one, M reg,is petrol and quicker, we drove across the Massif Central this year, two years ago drove aver the Rhone Alps.......she loved it!
Due to the popularity of them and Elsie being stolen, we now have a security post in our gateway, an alarm and a massive steering lock!!
We have never bothered to carry water, we don't have a heater in the living are, so take a fan heater if we need to. I have made the curtains and a throw to match so we can leave the rock and roll bed made up and just pull it out , no problem with storing bedding that way!
We also use her as a second car if we need to. LOVE HER !!!!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: VW T25 Advice
Thanks for that explanantion...makes a lot of sense 
I haven,t got much to spend, and really wanted to sell my X reg Peugot 206 and just put a little more towards it. Theres one (T25) for sale in my local garage(from private owner) - a 1.6 turbo J reg - pretty tatty inside, with some upholstery needing recovering, and generally poor inside. It's an Autohomes conversion hi-top with built in water tank, mains, and 3 way fridge. Looks ok superficially outside with just a few small rusty areas. It's done 190k miles though, but this should be ok for a diesel shouldn't it?I,m pretty handy with mechanicals/electrics and could probably do up the inside ok. Haven,t had a proper look yet or asked for a service history, and am waiting to see what the owner wants for it - what do you guys think it may be worth?
