Date: Mon, 27 Feb 95 15:13:36 CST
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject: 95 Eurovan Camper
Volkswagen Camper
Bare-bones RVing in an ultra-compact package from Winnebago
Motorhome, April 1995
Tom LaRocque
It was once called the Weekender package, and included a pop-up roof,
curtains, a refrigerator and other amenities designed to equip the
Volkswagen van for camping. Now all that equipment and more is
standard, and the vehicle previously titled the Weekender has been
rechristened the EuroVan Camper, partly on the understanding that
camping is no longer limited to weekends.
As the only VW van sold in the United States, the EuroVan bears a
serious responsibility. It alone carries the legacy of the Microbus,
which began 47 years ago when someone in Germany sketched a rectangle
atop a VW Beetle. Millions of the Microbuses were on the road before
Detroit produced its first minivan.
The EuroVan Camper Class B van conversion, with the RV modification
done by Winnebago Industries, is sold by Volkswagen auto dealers. Those
dealers service the chassis and cab, while Winnebago dealers work on
the coach accessories and appliances.
Included in the EuroVan Camper are the famous pop-up roof, which rises to
create a double bed; a rear bench seat, which also unfolds into a bed;
a 3-way refrigerator; a two-burner stove; a single-bowl sink, along with
12-gallon freshwater and 8-gallon gray-water tanks; a 4.7-gallon propane
tank; fluid-level and power monitor; and an optional 12,000-BTU forced-
air furnance. A portable toilet would help the unit's self-containment
aspect, but showering must be done elsewhere. At $31,232 suggested
retail price, the EuroVan Camper plays in the price league of most
opulent domestic minivans, but they have no camping equipment. That
price places it near the low-to-average end of the Class B van
conversion price range, and Class B van conversions may not be equipped
for camping.
Despite all its emulators, the VW remains a unique vehicle that's tall,
boxy and utilitarian like its grandfather, rather than sleek and
swoopy like most of today's minivans. However, with its RV equipment
list, the EuroVan Camper shares more in common with a Class C motorhome than
with a minivan. But this vehicle could realistically serve as a second
car, and perhaps even a first.
Urban EuroVan commuting became routine after one day behind the wheel. The
Camper is economical to operatore, earning better than 18 miles per
gallon on the highway. Visibility is good all around, and parking is on
par with other Class B van campers. Its 80-inch height means it should
fit through a standard 7-foot garage door.
A 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine produces 109 hp, which is less than
a base VW Golf. At 4965 pounds wet, the Camper weighs almost twice as
much as the smaller car, but accelerating 0 to 60 mph takes only a
reasonable 15.7 seconds. It's a less frustrating drive than one might
expect. Peak torque comes early, at 2200 rpm. The drivetrain follows a
Honda-like formula: a quick-revving engine paired with the closely
spaced gears of a five-speed manual transmission. I found it fun to
drive.
For those who dislike stick-shifting, a four-speed automatic is offered
as an $895 option. EuroVan's towing capacity is 4400 pounds for a braked
trailer, 1500 pounds unbraked. Maximum tongue load is 440 pounds using
a weight-carrying hitch. Given the small engine, towing the maximum-
rated load would likely cause a severe performance penalty.
On the road, the rack-and-pinion steering system's on-center feel was
sloppy at best. The vehicle wandered left, then right, almost at will.
It's entirely likely that our test Camper was badly in need of an
alignment, but an earlier non-converted VW van I drove behaved much the
same way. The EuroVan's handling this time was doubtless aggravated by the
rather windy conditions that existed during my brief test drive. Winter
traction is excellent, thanks to the front-wheel drive system.
Rocky Mountain National Park has a problem with coyotes, and so did I.
In what otherwise would have been a silent overnight stay in the camper
I was rendered nearly sleepless, due to the sound-passing qualities of
the fabric tent-top sidewalls, by one inconsiderate animal. That,
however, was my only complaint. The overhead bed was cozy and warm
despite 20-degree F temperatures outside. The furnace kicked in
inconspicuously every half-hour or so, and by morning the propane
supply had barely budged. Volkswagen says the furace could run 36 hours
straight in extreme cold.
The top bunk would be a reat treat in summer; unzip the walls of the
canvas pop-top, and you've got a screened-in master bedroom. Unzip the
screens, and you've got access to the rooftop luggage rack.
I cooked a breakfast of bacon and eggs without a hitch. The appliances
worked well, although the stovetop flame controls could stand a bit
more sensitivity. If a 7-foot basketball player had been there for
breakfast, he could have stood straight up in the raised roof area.
Fully elevated, the pop-top creates more than seven feet of vertical
standing room. Cooking takes a lot of looking down because the galley
appliances are considerably lower than those in a household kitchen.
One or both of the twin dining tables can be installed alongside the
sink and stove. It's a handy arrangement, because at times two is too
cramped. An optional center bench seat, in addition to the rear bench,
can been installed facing forward or to the rear. The latter arrangement
creates a face-to-face dinette area for eating or playing cards.
There are a couple of annoying functional points about the EuroVan.
Headaches resulted from locating and using the freshwater tank drain
to winterize the unit. It's not a frequently used component, but it's
hard to reach and the drawing in the owner's manual wasn't even close
to what we eventually found. In converting the rear bench to a bed, the
fit between components was agonizingly imprecise, perhaps because the
test vehicle was a pre-production prototype. I removed the heavy center
seat without help, but it's still a strain.
Volkswagen will begin production of a revamped EuroVan in early 1996, and
U.S. delivery is expected in the 1997 model year. A Camper model may
or may not be offered, said a company spokesman. If a '97 EuroVan
Camper is in the works, the new design will defintely correct the
model's main shortcoming by offering a more-powerful V-6 under the hood.
The EuroVan Camper is not for those who want a full-featured,
self-contained, luxury motorhome. For light-duty camping forays by the
adventurous, it still does the job, just like its earlier brethren.
Volkswagen of America Incorporated
3800 Hamlin Road
Auburn Hills, Michigan 48326
(800) 444-8987
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EuroVan Camper Specifications
PERFORMANCE
Fuel Consumption ................ 18.2 mpg
Fuel consomption recorded at 60 mph, 6000 feet elevation,
predominantly flat highway. Ambient temperature 35 degrees F.
Acceleration time 0 - 60 mph .... 15.7 sec
CHASSIS
Manufacturer .................... Volkswagen
Engine .......................... 2.5 liter I-5
Horsepower ...................... 109 @ 4400 rpm
Torque .......................... 140 @ 2200 rpm
Transmission .................... 5-spd manual w/OD
Axle ratio ...................... 4.56:1
Tire size ....................... 195/70 R 15 C
Load range ...................... C; 1764 lb single @ 36 psi cold
Wheelbase ....................... 130.7"
Brakes .......................... front disc / rear drum
Suspension ...................... Torsion bar front / coil spring rear
Fuel capacity ................... 21.1 gal
COACH
Ext length ...................... 16' 10"
Ext width ....................... 6' 1/2"
Ext height ...................... 6' 8"
Int width ....................... 63"
Int height ...................... 4' 5" (lowered), 7' (raised)
Frame construction .............. steel
Insulation ...................... none
Freshwater capacity ............. 12 gal
Waste holding capacity .......... none
Sink holding capacity ........... 8 gal
Hot water capactity ............. none
Propane capactity ............... 4.7 gal
Furnace ......................... 12,000 BTU
Air-conditioner ................. Automotive
Refrigerator .................... 2 cu ft
Converter ....................... 20 amp
Batteries ....................... 120 amp-hr
Generator ....................... none
Base suggested retail price ..... $30,290
Price as tested ................. $31,232
WET WEIGHT
(Water, fuel, propane tanks full; no supplies or passengers)
Front axle ...................... 2758 lb
Rear axle ....................... 2207 lb
Total ........................... 4965 lb
CHASSIS RATINGS
Front gawr ...................... 3353 lb
Rear gawr ....................... 3912 lb
Gvwr ............................ 5995 lb
Owner may add up to 1030 pounds in weight of passengers and supplies
to motorhome equipped as test coach without violating chassis maximum
gvwr.
Gawr: Gross Axle Weight Rating
Gvwr: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
