Question:
I'm a long time VW owner, currently have a '73 Westy that I work on and my wife
drives a Jetta. This coming summer we're planning a 2 month tour of the U.S.
with the family. Was hoping to buy a new '04 VW Camper (Westy) for
reliability, comfort, and camping. No such luck, huh? Has the era of the VW
Camper vanished?
Answer:
Maybe the buses of yore are gone, but it's still possible to get a Eurovan.
They come in several body styles: regular van (GLS), MV (Multivan), MV
Weekender and Camper. Though discontinued -- 2003 was the last year--there
are still campers around (Winnebago did the fitting out), though they're
hard to find. Do a "froogle" search to find vans for sale in your section of
the country.
We (husband & I-kids are grown) recently acquired a 2003 Euro. MV that we
plan to use for overnight &weekend camping in tandem with a side tent. We
ordered it through Carmax with 10K on it & it had to be shipped from halfway
across the country. So far, it's been great. No problems & it's a real
hauler. We carry lots of bulky musical equipment around, including a number
of guitars, banjos & a full stand up bass plus have 2 big dogs.
Camping accessories for the EV-MV can be found
here:http://secure.cartsvr.net/catalogs/index.asp?category=76010
The Eurovan MV has the fold down rear-seat bed, a little table & the rear
facing seats (behind drivers' & front passengers seats) come out. It's not
as long as the EV camper & I find it quite acceptable for driving around
town, running errands, etc. more than I would a conversion van or a full
camper. (other car is an outback, used for daily commute & kayaking).
The gas mileage of the Eurovan (VR-6, 210 HP engine) compared to a car, is
so-so, but compared to a big conversion van or truck, pretty dern good
(17-21). Unlike the "Weekender" version, the regular Eurovan MV also does
not have the pop up tent & upstairs bed. And, if you want a MV or MV
Weekender to be more like a camper there's a kitchen unit that can replace
the passenger's side rear facing seat. You can check it out at
http://eurocampers.com/EVKitchen.html
We plan to cook on a coleman in the annex of the side tent, but can see the
appeal of having an all in one stove/sink unit right in the vehicle.
-Gail in North Carolina
