What it’s like living with a classic Volkswagen van

The Volkswagen T3 Caravelle had a tough act to follow after the success of the iconic Volkswagen Kombi van of the ‘60s and ‘70s. But this old camper has a charm all of its own.

Geoff Innes owns the kind of vehicle that makes children wave, enthusiasts swoon and hotel porters happy to park on their forecourts.

Does Innes, a carpenter and musician, drive a six-figure Rolls-Royce or Lamborghini? No, his ride is a 35-year-old Volkswagen T3 Caravelle that cost $15,000.

The soft-talking Sydneysider is among a conspicuously growing cult that favours character and cachet over mod-cons. For the same budget as an affordable new car, they opt for smiles-per-mile in a cool, modern classic.

Geoff Innes and his 1985 VW T3 Caravelle.

Owners join a genuine community, even if they range from dedicated marque enthusiasts to inadvertent inheritors of a family heirloom.

Innes, a father of five, has had to buy a vehicle to serve as work van, family wagon and “band bus” — he plays trumpet in reggae outfit King Tide.

For the past 15 years, that has been the 1985 Caravelle, in Damuso White over Bamboo Yellow.

Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Innes began playing professionally in the late 1970s, then joined UK funk-soul band Rokotto to spend three years touring the UK and Europe. In London he met his Australian wife-to-be and in 1987, with two young children, they moved to Sydney.

“I was a tradesman but it was Bicentennial time and I was playing sometimes nine gigs a week,” Innes says. “I probably got a lot of jobs in bands because I owned a van.”

The van also serves as transport for Innes’ band.

In the early 1990s Innes splurged on a near-new Volkswagen T4 Transporter. “I’d always fancied a VW, and I kept that for 14 years, until I decided I’d like a little more luxury.”

He first searched for a T4 Caravelle — plusher and more passenger-focused than the Transporter — then bought the then 20-year-old T3 from Sydney’s Classic Throttle Shop.

“It was a one-owner with less than 100,000km,” Innes says, “and the T3 [1979-92] was already being recognised as a future classic, being the last with the engine in the back.”

VW’s Kombi dynasty has a passionate following but Innes‘s enjoyment is more pragmatic.

“I admire the classic T1 and T2 Kombis (1950-79) but the driving experience is pretty agricultural. The T3 was the first that was really nice to drive — it’s got 50-50 weight distribution and it handles beautifully.”

The T3 followed the iconic Kombis of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

The T3 shares home duties with an ageing Honda CR-V, the two covering all the family’s needs.

“I love the look of the T3, I love the reaction I get when I’m driving it,” Innes says. “Young kids go ‘spotto!’ and give you a wave. Every time I go to the beach, surfers come over to talk about it. Tourists take selfies with it.

“I suppose it’s the cool factor but you can turn up anywhere and be socially accepted.”

Reliability hasn’t been an issue, though with the clock nudging 250,000km the engine has recently been rebuilt. Parts are easily available and DIY fixes are a cinch, thanks to online enthusiast forums.

“I’ve probably spent $10,000 on it over the years,” Innes says. “I’ve developed a real relationship with this car because, from day one, I’ve felt more like a custodian. It won’t end with me. It’s got the potential to just keep going.”

Originally published as What it’s like living with a classic Volkswagen van