Areas to check when buying a Bay-window
(68-79) Volkswagen
van!
Click any image to enlarge
The strength of the
VW van is legendary and began with the earliest Split Window vans and continues
until this day. This buying guide deals only with the Bay-window van produced
from 1968-1979. Many areas will relate to the earlier Split Screen vans but when
dealing with the earlier vans, please seek expert advice as I have not (yet!!!)
owned a Split van.
The inherent strength of the VW van is why so many
have survived until today with the youngest vans (Bay-Windows) being at least 22
years old and the oldest survivors touching 33 years old. Just think, when was
the last time you saw a 30 year old Transit van compared to the daily passing of
an old VW??
The mechanical strength and simplicity of design should make
the purchase of a van easy but the reverse is more true. Due to the fact that by
now, most vans have had a few owners and many much more, there is a good chance
that someone will have scrimped on the routine services in the belief that the
vans are so strong, that they can take the punishment. This might not have been
a problem for the owners at the time, but for the potential buyer, trying to
determine if a van has lead a hard life is were the detective work begins as you
can never under estimate the cost of repairing a thrashed, crashed and abused
van.
Choose carefully with an open mind, a VW van, camper, microbus or
pick-up can give years of rewarding service with low depreciation, low running
costs and high enjoyment, ending up part of the family.
Before buying
a van, always spend as long as possible looking around at what's about. Go to
shows, even stop owners in the street for their views but don't rush into a
purchase unless you come across a 1 owner, low mileage, un-marked, full service
history van, in which case, sell your granny to get it!!
Home
