1989 Volkswagen T25 Campervan

With just one previous fastidious owner from new, this incredible T25 Transporter with an Autosleeper campervan conversion is only being offered for sale after his sad passing. The garage that looked after it for him has agreed to sell it, so they are well placed to be able to advise potential bidders on its history and condition; they would also welcome any inspection in person as they are confident you won’t be disappointed when you see it in the metal.

In an incredibly original and well-preserved condition, the campervan has covered well under 60,000 miles. It has clearly been a much-loved and treasured member of the family, as the condition, both inside and out, is nothing short of stunning; you’d have no difficulty in believing us if we were to tell you that it is three year’s old, rather than 30.

Finished in white with contrasting red stripes, the bodywork is way, way better than you’d imagine; Volkswagen Transporters of this era are renowned for many things but rust-resistance isn’t one of them. So, it’s great to be able to tell you that the dreaded tin-worm hasn’t made much of an appearance here at all. In fact, the only mention of corrosion on the online MOT history is surface rust on the exhaust back in 2011…

The panel gaps are good too, being tight and, more importantly, even which is a good indicator that there are no accidents or other major damage in its past.

Being completely honest, there are a handful of touched-in chips on the front, but also being honest, the seller states that there are no scratches or car-park dinks he has seen, the bodywork really could be five years old rather than thirty. Even the door shuts are as clean today as they were when it rolled off the production line. It really is in quite a remarkable condition.

Even most of the exterior plastic and rubber trim is still a deep black in colour rather than the more usual mottled mid-grey. In fact, the only flaws that stand out were caused by an excess of elbow grease when the previous owner was washing and polishing it; the transfers along the side are a little faded in places due to this, as are some of the corners. But are they really flaws? We’d argue that they aren’t; they are a lovingly acquired patina acquired as a result of love rather than neglect, and we wish every vehicle we’d ever owned had been as cherished and cared for as this has been. Paint that’s a little thin in places seems to us to be a small price to pay for such devotion.

The underside of the vehicle is equally clean. There’s no evidence of any welding, dents or other variations from its original finish – nor are there great gobs of underseal, we can delightfully see just white paintwork with a hint of yellow Waxoyl (or similar). It really does look as good under there as the MOT history suggests it should be.

The steel wheels wear their OE Volkswagen plastic wheel-trims with pride (this is a vehicle from the 1990s, after all…) and are shod with matching tyres, further proof that the original owner was a prudent and cautious man that looked after his vehicles properly.

If we are being ultra-picky, then the number plates could do with being replaced. If you are so inclined, a detailing of the exterior plastics would return them to a consistent colour; for example, the two exterior mirrors are various shades of grey. (Sadly, we are referring to their colour rather than their sexual proclivities. What they are, nobody knows.)

There is an exterior chrome ladder plus the usual exterior water tank filling point.

Yes, it is a typically period hue in there but it is also incredibly well-preserved, especially the fabric seats, which isn’t really any surprise because the seller confims that whenever the camper has been submitted for service, they’ve been covered and protected with good-quality seat covers, probably since the vehicle was new, so have never been directly exposed to either buttocks or the sun’s damaging rays.

So, while the seats are a fetching shade of coral, they remain firm and almost unworn and they certainly don’t have the sort of rips and tears that almost all of its contemporaries are now sporting.

The passenger’s seat swivels through 180-degrees, which is a lovely touch and makes this charmingly original campervan even more versatile and useful. Oh, and the two rear seats have safety belts fitted.

The door cards are magnificently straight too, as are both the front and rear carpets. The headlining in clean and taut. The dashboard is clean and uncluttered, and certainly doesn’t have any extraneous holes or other damage. Even the pedal rubbers are barely worn.

The only reason you’d want to change any aspect of the furnishings is through colour & taste, they are in great condition and not ripped, torn, faded or reeking of cooking.

The same goes for the Rock ‘n’ Roll bed, which is almost unmarked and easily big enough to sleep two adults in comfort. The upper bunk, which will sleep a couple of children and is accessed via its own wooden ladder, is in good order too.

The cupboards, fridge, cooker, removeable central table, and other accoutrements that comprise the Autosleeper campervan conversion are in very good condition indeed. Even the cups and plates still sit in their wooden holder, which is cleverly designed to keep them firmly in place and the whole ensemble hopefully free of rattles. And we have had it confirmed that all the interior hinges, catches etc are working well, and there is no sign of any water ingress or dampness.

A Propex heating system is fitted, along with a neat control panel that contains the fuses, water system and fridge controls, and a battery condition indicator plus a 12V power outlet.

Neither the Fellows gas cooker, Electrolux fridge or Propex heating system have been safety checked but the seller states he has tried everything and found it to be in good working order. The gas system has not been checked either, and as a sensible precaution with any caravan, we would recommend the new owner get this done before using the vehicle as a campervan.

The Transporter also comes with a simple awning (possibly unopened!) to extend the living area, plus a mallet and collapsible shovel.

The four-speed manual gearbox and 1.9-litre petrol engine are both working very well. Invoices show why, this camper has been beautifully serviced very regularly and regardless of mileage. And an owner who owns a vehicle for 30 years and leaves it in the condition we have described is not the kind of owner who corners on the doorhandles, or uses the handbrake to enter a Tesco parking space.

Beyond regular servicing, the paperwork includes works to the exhaust, carburetor rebuild, brake fluid changes. It’s probably not needed anything else. At all.

As mentioned, the vendor has regularly serviced this camper for years, and it was his confidence in its all-round condition that led him to wish to be involved in its transfer to a new owner who would look after and appreciate it.

The VW Transporter has an extensive service history. Included are the original handbooks and manuals, the habitation manuals, loads of MOTs and services; it even delightfully includes the original 1989 purchase invoice. You couldn’t really ask for anything more.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. A Haynes manual for the vehicle is included.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

As the price of classic, split-screen VW vans continues its stratospheric rise, interest is starting to grow in the more modern Volkswagen machinery. And yet, as always, the interest initially starts with only the very best examples - and this is certainly one of those.

With fewer than 60,000 carefully driven miles, an immaculate interior and an impeccable provenance, this T25 Transporter with its Autosleeper campervan conversion is one of the very nicest vehicles we’ve had pass through our hands in years.

Largely because it ticks all the boxes: it’ll be reliable thanks to the fastidious servicing and maintenance it’s received over the years; it’s small enough to be used for the weekly shopping run but still big enough to sleep a family; and the Autosleeper campervan conversion is comprehensive enough for it to do double duty as both a day van and a campervan that would accommodate a fortnight’s touring holiday for a young family, or even longer with just a couple sleeping on-board.

Just think of the memories you’ll be able to create in it! Because, despite the sadness attached to its sale, this has been a much-loved member of the previous owner’s family and it would be a fitted tribute to him if it could go to people who are going to love it as much as he did.

And it’s not as if it’s going to cost you very much because we think that it’s going to fetch around £14,000 - £18,500, which is a paltry sum for a well-equipped, ready-to-use VW campervan that’s barely been run in.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Maidstone, Kent; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.