VW camper vans owned by Jordi (31) from Drachten are extremely popular. ‘It’s a hobby that got out of hand’

In the camper with a lifting roof, manager Jordi de Jong (31) of Dreambus in Drachten folds down the seat of the VW T2 in one movement. “That way you have a place to sleep,” he says, grinning. “Easy to operate. There is room for four people. There are also two sleeping places above the unfolded sofa. How to get there? “Just climb. The children usually sleep there.”

There are sixteen legendary VW camper vans for rent in the company’s recently opened showroom on the Bolder. Enthusiasts can also take to the road with a convertible beetle (wedding car), a DAF 33 (1973) and a Peugeot 404 (1964).

Dreambus is an initiative of owner Jeen Holwerda (56) of archive and data shredder Prodak. He owns one such VW van and imported two from California in 2015. “It is a hobby that has gotten out of hand,” explains De Jong, who also works at Prodak. We wanted to see if there was a market for rentals”, and it turned out there was. The fleet of dream vans grew larger every year. The turnover of the Drachtster company is approximately €200,000.

“We are selling an experience,” De Jong explains. “Our customers vary from young to old. Elderly people want to reminisce about the past. Young people have a trip in the camper on their bucket list. The nice thing is that you always see thumbs up and smiling faces along the way.” The vans are rented complete with inventory.

Nostalgia

Dreambus has the necessary regular customers. De Jong points to a bright orange model from 1974, the T2b. “It is rented by people who take it to Cornwall in England for a month. The roads there are narrow, so very suitable for this compact model.”

You don’t have to get into the popular camper for comfort. There is no air conditioning (“the window can be opened”), nor power steering (“you don’t need it on the highway”). Not to mention cruise control. The fact that the vans are not too economical (1 in 7, on the highway 1 in 9 to 10, “normal for that time”) is also not an obstacle for tenants. “It’s pure nostalgia for them,” says De Jong. “You can’t go faster than 90 km with it. It’s a different way of driving. Most customers tour with it on provincial and quiet roads.”

Dreambus is one of the four companies in our country that offers the legendary campers for rent. During corona, when Dutch people went on holiday in their own country en masse, the company experienced golden times, says the manager. “We had seven vans in July 2020 that were rented out non-stop for six months. But if there had been twice as many, we could have gotten rid of them too.”

Stainless

The cars are mainly imported from the United States. Especially from warm states like California. “Then they are virtually rust-free,” says De Jong. But vehicles also came from Finland, France and England. “You build a network and people know where to find you. You don’t have to write it down. It is a safe investment. They have doubled in value in ten years.”

In the future, the company wants to focus more on the rental of wedding cars (with driver) and passenger vans. The company now has such a van on offer. A blue and white T2 from 1968, for 9 people. “It is mainly rented by Randstad residents who drive the Eleven Cities Route for a weekend,” says De Jong. “We are now restoring a second passenger bus. It can accommodate eight people. Suitable for days or a weekend away, company outings and weddings.