‘Elly’ – our 1988 VW T25 Caravelle.
OK, so she’s not the prettiest T25 out there but she isn’t rusty, is reliable, has a long MOT and Tax and best of all isn’t expensive! ;D
I’ve got a huge file of service history and invoices for this bus. It was first registered in April 1988 and being a Caravelle comes with the desirable and comfortable 7 seats, all with factory fit seat belts. The service book shows it was main dealer serviced until it was 6 years old and since then there are bills from local garages for services and repairs. It was last serviced 2,000 miles ago in March 2012. There are 15 previous MOT’s with the paperwork which show the van has done a genuine 97,000 miles – pretty low for any T25.
The engine was replaced in 2009 after a previous owner failed to fix a water leak and kept driving until it cooked itself.
Renowned T25 expert SJD Motors (aka SPANNERBOY on the VZi forum) replaced the engine and the new one (a 1.9 petrol) has done 20,000 trouble free miles since. 
He also fitted a second hand speedo head as the old one had jammed so the mileage reads 192,000 now, but the change of speedo is documented by the garage and I even have the old broken speedo to show you. The documents confirm the bus has genuinely done under 100k.
The current MOT is until 21st December 2012 and it is taxed until 31st May 2013.
The bus has recently had 4 new shocks and lowered springs fitted on the front which gives it a really cool stance. The original front springs are available if you wanted to return it to stock height.
It has chrome bumpers and is running on standard steels painted red with chrome beauty rings and chrome hubcaps – these are good quality original items not cheap nasty reproduction ones which go rusty as soon as it rains
All 4 tyres and the spare are very good.
I was planning to paint the roof red as well but haven’t got round to it (weather has been to poor to paint it outside and it won’t fit in my garage), but I have bought the red paint which I’ll include as well.
It has a really strong steel roofrack with wooden slats which will take big or heavy objects. To be honest the wooden slats could do with rubbing down and some fresh varnish this year.
Mounted on the tailgate is a SARIS 3 bike carrier which folds flat when not in use. It isn’t heavy and the tailgate struts easily hold the tailgate up with this fitted but you could remove it if you wanted.
Inside it’s a factory 7 seater bus – up front are a pair of captain’s chairs with adjustable arms. In the rear are a double and a triple seat – all are in very good condition and every seat has a factory fitted seatbelt (4 x 3 point inertia reel belts and 3 x inertia reel lap belts) so ideal if you want to fit child seats.
The twin rear seat has been turned around to make the rear seating much more sociable – it’s a great place to chill with your mates over a few beers at a show! The mountings are there if you wanted to switch them back, but I really like it like this.
The rear seat folds flat for extra luggage space if you need it. Being a genuine Caravelle it has sliding rear windows and demist / heater vents in the headlining in the back (headling is also in great condition) and nice touches like a cigarette lighter for your sat nav or phone charger and a vanity mirror with light in the sun visor.
It’s a great van and we love it but I have to mention the paint - not that you won’t have noticed it!
For some reason a previous owner objected to the metallic blue it once was and has painted it matt black. I’ve got used to it and now really like it but it might put some people off. It was done at least 5 years ago and no rusty bits have come through, so I can’t imagine it was to cover up rust – I guess someone just decided that rat look matt black was the look they wanted! That said if it was still shiny metallic blue it would probably be at least a grand more than I’m asking.
I’ve been on holiday in it twice this year (and done about 3000 miles in the last 6 months) but realistically it will probably sit on the drive until next summer before being used again so really needs to go. It has just come back from a trip to the North Wales mountains and cruised along happily at motorway speeds and tackled some pretty steep climbs fully loaded with no bother.
Well done if you are still reading............
Asking price is £2250
The van can be viewed in Woking.
.just bought a van, wife you make me live in it if i bought another one.good luck with sale buddy.