Hello all

Hello I'm Jon and I've been umming and ahhing for a year or so about buying a camper. I've considered older bays and Brazilian bays. I've been to see a few and on the older bays it is really easy to spot problems, or at least it was on the ones I looked at. It was however harder to see problems on the Brazilians.

I think I'm about to take the plunge and am off to see a water cooled Brazilian. Are there any known problems I should be aware of and look for when I look over the van.

I've really enjoyed reading through the posts on the forum and hope to soon be able to put a pic on my profile.

Thanks

Jon

Hi Jon and welcome. Thank you for your kind words re the forum.

As an AirBus driver I can't go into specifics about the 1.4 engine, other than check it like you would any normal watercooled engine. Look for clean oil, no white emulsification on the oil filler cap, check the exhaust isn't blowing, does it start well, does it idle consistently, are there any running problems? Is the expansion tank up to the correct level. You get the picture.

With everything else it's simply a case of having a good look around. Check the following points:

1. Is there any evidence of corrosion on the lower 6 inches of the Bay? If so - why?
2. Has the Bay been undersealed and Waxoyled?
3. If a poptop is fitted - does it all work correctly ie is the canvas clean and undamaged, are lockdown catches in place, has the roof been marked by the poptop rubbing against the body of the roof (if it hasn't - it's a rarity!)
4. Check the gutters for corrosion - not just what you can see standing next to the Bay, but what's over and inside the gutters.
5. Is there play in the steering - a loose wandering steering wheel that constantly needs correction is the sign of a steering box problem. A gentle amount of correction is normal.
6. Do all the gears engage properly? The Brazilian gearbox is notchy not sloppy - gearlever travel is long but not loose.
7. Ask if the gearstick has ever snapped - if so how long ago and where did the replacement gearstick come from.
8. Do all the electrics work - check them.
9. If an on-board accessory heater such as a Webasto or Eberspacher is fitted - check that it works.
10. If there is a gas hob and fridge - check that they work.
11. What does the Bay ride like - it should be firm but not harsh - lowered suspension causes a harder ride. A particularly hard ride up front could indicate a lack of grease in the front suspension/poor maintenance.
12. Does the Bay have documented service history/bills to be seen? The more, the better.

I'm sure there's more but that should kick the list off. Have fun searching - it's a great time to buy.

Tim

Hi Jon, welcome to the forum. Check that the habitation area has been serviced as well as the van. The engine should be fine as the watercooled is a modern engine. The original exhausts dont last long in our climate (as little as 2 years). Rust is the obvious one to look for. If it is showing rust, i would leave it, it hasnt been cared for.
Good luck with your search and keep us posted

Hi Jon, welcome to the forum, I think Tim has given you enough info to get on with. Good luck.

unless the ecu has been tweaked, to tell it to always run on petrol to alleviate any cold starting problems, mine was done as part of my vwdownunder package .

best regards and welcome on board,

eddy

Hi and welcome.
As mentioned above have a real good look around, especially underneath, and in the guttering.

Hope all goes well and your soon driving home in your new bus.

Hi jon welcome,

Had any luck yet?

Hi tim is spot on rust can be an a problem