Yahoo Autos Here's $28,000. Buy something to BE a camper
Last week in our ongoing, difficult-to-name series, we gave our editors 48,000 fake dollars to buy something that could tow what was described as a "camper," but in many countries, would be considered a small home. We, predictably, picked a bunch of ridiculous things technically capable of the task ... but yeah, it might not go the best. Well, except Greg Rasa. He was smart and went with overkill.
This week, instead of buying something to tow a camper, we're buying something to BE the camper. I'm only providing our editors with $28,000, because it's just more interesting this way, and it seems a little more realistic given the third-car nature of most outdoor adventure rigs. If anything, this is still too generous.
Onto the rules!
It can be new or used.
It can NOT be an RV, be it a bus-style one or upfitted house-on-an-Econoline chassis sort of thing. That's boring.
You can spend every last cent on the vehicle OR leave in reserve however much it takes to transform the vehicle in question into a camper. In this event, please show your work ($$$) to some reasonable extent.
You must sleep INSIDE this vehicle. You cannot buy a 911 and a roof tent. That's a 911 with a roof tent, not a camper.
I suppose it would be OK if there's a way to get into the tent from the sunroof or something, thereby creating a contiguous structure as James May did in that one Top Gear episode (Jeremy Clarkson's creation picture above was also from that).
Alright, let's see what insane savvy choices we came up with!
1979 Volkswagen camper van
Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: Shoutout to James for making this as easy as possible for me. I previously owned a VW camper van, a 1975 high-roof model in two-tone blue and white. I sold it to a great couple who used it to criss-cross the entirety of the United States, more than once I believe. Sometimes when we do these little virtual exercises, commenters love to tell us how dumb we are for what we picked. Like when I said I'd tow a family-size travel trailer with a Toyota Land Cruiser last week — kind of like how I towed my own 1975 VW van on a flatbed trailer along with various sundries from Washington State to Ohio a few years ago, weighing in at 6,000 pounds, with a Lexus GX 460 rated to tow a max of 6,500. With that in mind, would I buy, own, drive and camp in another VeeDub? Absolutely, without hesitation. I prefer the vintage air-cooled VW engines, partly because I like originality but more because I am very familiar with driving and working on them. I've never owned a wasserboxer, and I'm sure I'd be fine with it, but for the sake of this exercise I'll stick with what I know.
I found this lovely 1979 Type 2 on Bring a Trailer, and it's just right. It comes in at exactly $28,000 and is ready to go, complete with a fold-out bed in addition to the sleeping accommodations provided by the pop-up tent. There's a sink, a stove, and a small refrigerator. No toilet, but there are forests all over the place. A porta potty would do in a pinch (ask me how I know). The green color is amazing, and the plaid interior is even better. Easy-peasy assignment this week. Thanks, James!
1996 Mazda Bongo Friendee
Senior Editor James Riswick: Here it is, the Mazda Bongo Friendee, ready as always to be a humorous addition to any list. However, rather than its usual inclusion on any "Craziest Car Name" listicle (I've written several), this time it gets to move beyond its delightfully bonkers moniker and showcase its actual talents. I mean, if a family of four can celebrate Christmas morning in this thing, complete with a Christmas tree, I'm pretty sure it'll handle a simple camping trip. Just check out that seat versatility! Now, at 6-foot-3, do I have any confidence that I would be able to comfortably drive this thing, let alone sleep length-wise in the back? Oh heck no. But the upsides here seem substantial, including this particular Bongo Friendee's incredible pale teal paint job, super '90s graphics, 160-hp 2.5-liter V6, and the oddball delight of driving on the right side of the car. This will get people talking ... especially after you say "I drive a Mazda Bongo Friendee" in all seriousness. The asking price from JDM Car & Motorcycle Auto Sales in Seattle is $21,995, which leaves plenty of money in the bank for an REI shopping spree and a sweet Christmas tree.
