Would you recommend a four-year-old VW camper? What can you tell me about the VW 2.5-litre diesel engine and Tiptronic automatic gearbox? I'm looking at a four-year-old California camper thus equipped. It has done 13,500 miles. They're not bad. This is a gear-train diesel engine, so doesn't have timing belt or chain, but it can suffer water pump failures. The Tiptronic is a traditional, reliable torque converter autobox. You'll be hit with high CO2 tax, though, if it's classed as a car.