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guide to buying a distance wide |
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rogeroo 
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Joined: 08 Feb 16 Location: south west scot Status: Offline Points: 7 |
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 Topic: guide to buying a distance widePosted: 08 Feb 16 at 22:53 |
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hello all.....I am new and would like your thoughts/advise on buying a distance wide?...if there are any bad point to look for, or any common problems etc.....all advise will be gratefully received, thanks Alan
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jason k
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twinklerims Joined: 14 Jan 05 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 15934 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 16 at 07:47 |
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Leaks leaks and more leaks.
They then happily rot away behind the ally panels. Treat with the same suspicion as of you were buying a thirty year old caravan! Which you kind of are! Join karmann coachbuilts website , a chaps just had to do a full reframe on his due tobdamp! See what you're likely letting yourself in for! Plus they are very slow! If you want a mk1 Lt I'd be looking a a tin van like a Westfalia Florida. |
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Bcs shallowest surf award winner 2006
camperjam 2011 chug and tug team member aberdare. south wales newest member of karmann korner no longer the only moderator to manage to ban himself |
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Buss Marius
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Joined: 05 Jan 16 Location: Oslo Norway Status: Offline Points: 236 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 16 at 11:50 |
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I have a 87 Karmann LT L with the 2,4D NA Diesel. 75hp and 140 nm is not much. We can hardly keep up with trucks on a flat road, and when we try. Our consumption is close to 20l/100km. Driving at 70km/h we are down to 13l/100km. The newer Distance Wide usually has the Turbo diesel with 102hp and 195nm or the more environmental friendly 95hp with 220nm. Mine is a lt28 with a total weight of 3180kg. It is just enough for 2 persones. Get one with 3400kg (LT31) or 3500kg (lt35)
As Jason K says, it is a caravan with engine. You most likely will have to do a reframe of one or more sides in a not to distant future. If you have the money i would go for the T4 Cheeta instead. 78hp, much quieter, a bit faster an much more economical. Also easier to do a engine swap to a TDI from another T4 (remember to swap the gearbox and breaks as well) |
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87 Karmann LT L 2,4D. 89 T3 Syncro Reimo 1,9TD. 2000 T4 Caravelle TDI
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rogeroo
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Joined: 08 Feb 16 Location: south west scot Status: Offline Points: 7 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 16 at 23:19 |
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cheers folks....was looking at lt 31/35 from 1990-96 with the bigger engine.....you seem to get more bang for your buck in say germany, and they say that they are garaged in the winter....some off them anyway.....are they alu frames under the cladding?
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jason k
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twinklerims Joined: 14 Jan 05 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 15934 |
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Posted: 10 Feb 16 at 11:29 |
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Nope timber. There will likely be rot there already. You will need a full or partial reframe at some point.
Honestly a t4 gypsy cheetah or early colorado is a much better prospect. Even with the 102 motor it's gonna be dog slow. |
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camperjam 2011 chug and tug team member aberdare. south wales newest member of karmann korner no longer the only moderator to manage to ban himself |
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AndyT
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Joined: 16 May 08 Location: Ammanford Status: Offline Points: 2274 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 16 at 00:24 |
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All LT's pre 96 are slow, something you have to accept if you own one.
A re-frame wouldn't worry me too much personally with modern glue's and timber treatments etc, but it's a lot of work and you need to buy carefully. I've seen surveys of caravans with issues on tv, so I guess you could have the same done for a camper if you are paying decent money. Or take a reliable damp meter with you. |
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LT28 1979 2.0 Pampas Nevada Camper LPG 93K, 1980 T3 A/C Camper 98K,1994 RRC 3.9 LPG 120k , 1998 Audi A6 Est 2.5 V6 diesel 127k
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jason k
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twinklerims Joined: 14 Jan 05 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 15934 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 16 at 07:43 |
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If its been stored undercover a damp meter will tell you nothing!!
A reframe shouldn't be taken lightly! They average out at around 500 man hours on the smaller but same construction t3 gypsy/cheetah! Personally I'd run a mile and buy a later GRP bodied karmann |
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Bcs shallowest surf award winner 2006
camperjam 2011 chug and tug team member aberdare. south wales newest member of karmann korner no longer the only moderator to manage to ban himself |
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rogeroo
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Posted: 11 Feb 16 at 22:39 |
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thanks folks....I am half way through reading the resto job stephen from durham has done to his on the coachbuilt forum....its monumental....i doth my cap to the man. There does not seem to be much off a size difference from the DW to the cheetah either, how are the cheetahs constructed.....cheers Alan
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jason k
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Posted: 11 Feb 16 at 22:44 |
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Later ones ie t4 are GRP bodied with no wall to roof joints to leak!
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Bcs shallowest surf award winner 2006
camperjam 2011 chug and tug team member aberdare. south wales newest member of karmann korner no longer the only moderator to manage to ban himself |
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rogeroo
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Posted: 12 Feb 16 at 23:24 |
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have been checking out the t4 cheetah, they are practically the same as a distance wide, but without wood rot.....are there any bad point on the t4 cheetah?
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AndyT
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Posted: 13 Feb 16 at 10:56 |
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LT28 1979 2.0 Pampas Nevada Camper LPG 93K, 1980 T3 A/C Camper 98K,1994 RRC 3.9 LPG 120k , 1998 Audi A6 Est 2.5 V6 diesel 127k
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rogeroo
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Posted: 13 Feb 16 at 21:38 |
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cheers
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jason k
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Posted: 14 Feb 16 at 08:22 |
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Later cheetahs are GRP bodied,those vans have no seams to leak! The only Penetration's are the windows and door. I personally wouldn't buy a early karmann with seams!
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Bcs shallowest surf award winner 2006
camperjam 2011 chug and tug team member aberdare. south wales newest member of karmann korner no longer the only moderator to manage to ban himself |
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rogeroo
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Posted: 14 Feb 16 at 10:31 |
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thanks all, as much as i love the character off the DW, and would consider buying one if it had been restored, when lying in bed out wilding in the wind and rain, knowing it is not rotting as you sleep is gonna make you sleep even sweeter, and size wise its the same bang for your buck
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