| For a similar looking van in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, see Camper. |
- "If you're looking to bang freshmen, haul surfboards, or run weed across the border, this is the camper for you. Membership to an elite group of dropouts, degenerates and dudes stuck in the past is only a few thousand bucks away."
- ―Southern San Andreas Super Autos description.
The BF Surfer is a vintage camper van that appears in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Design
Grand Theft Auto V
The van's design is heavily inspired by the styling of the VW T1 (Type 2) Bay Window and Splitscreen vans. The front section (front end and front doors) resembles the VW T1 Splitscreen van, the second section (sliding doors) resembles the VW T1 Bay Window van, the third section (square window and flat metal behind) resembles the VW T1 Splitscreen (excluding the runners for the sliding doors) and the fourth section (rear end) resembles the VW T1 Bay Window van.
In-game, the Surfer is available in two variants:
- A clean variant named
surfer, which comes with small wheels with five-spoke aftermarket wheels, roof racks and, sometimes, a surf table mounted on the same. It has tellow turning signals and a license plate mounted on the rear end, above the rear bumper. - A beater variant named
surfer2, which has a rusty color, rusty bumpers and uses medium-size wheels with centercaps. It has white turning signals (possibly worn-out) and a license plate mounted on the rear bumper.
Both models are available in a two-tone paintjob, with stripes of both colors on the middle section, where it starts in a chevron form on the front end of the vehicle. Interestingly, the beater variant seems to have an inverted color scheme.
Current Design Gallery
Front Quarter View
Top View
Rear Quarter View
Front View
Side View
Rear View
Engine View
Underside View
Inside View
Front Quarter View
Top View
Rear Quarter View
Front View
Side View
Rear View
Engine View
Underside View
Inside View
Performance
Grand Theft Auto V
The Surfer is very slow due to its small engine. However, acceleration is not that bad, and handling is average, but overall, it is sluggish and is not a good choice for pursuits due to its weak resistance against heavy collisions and struggles to evade cars that gets in the way.
The beater variant has higher suspension compared to the clean one, making it a good vehicle on bumpy, flat terrain. However, it is significantly inferior in terms of overall performance.
GTA V Overview
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) | Top Speed (mph / kmh) | Gears | Engine | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) | Mass (kg / lbs) | Fuel Tank Size (litres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 62 / 100 | 4 | N/A | RWD | 2500 / 5512 | 65 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Cannot reach | 59 / 95 | 4 | RR | RWD | Cannot be observed | Cannot be observed |
 | Speed | 53.655136% | ||||
| Acceleration | 25% | |||||
| Braking | 10% | |||||
| Traction | 46.969696% | |||||
Modifications
Grand Theft Auto V
| Category | Modification | Cost (GTA V) | Cost (GTA Online) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor | No Armor | $100 | $200 | |
| Armor Upgrade 20% | $500 | $4,500 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 40% | $1,250 | $7,500 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 60% | $2,000 | $12,000 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 80% | $3,500 | $21,000 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 100% | $5,000 | $30,000 | ||
| Brakes | Stock Brakes | $100 | $200 | |
| Street Brakes | $2,000 | $4,000 | ||
| Sport Brakes | $2,700 | $5,400 | ||
| Race Brakes | $3,500 | $7,000 | ||
| Engine | EMS Upgrade, Level 1 | $900 | $1,800 | |
| EMS Upgrade, Level 2 | $1,250 | $2,500 | ||
| EMS Upgrade, Level 3 | $1,800 | $3,600 | ||
| EMS Upgrade, Level 4 | $3,350 | $6,700 | ||
| Explosives | Ignition Bomb | N/A | $5,000 | |
| Remote Bomb | N/A | $7,500 | ||
| Horns | Main article: Los Santos Customs/Horns | - | - | |
| Lights | Headlights | Stock Lights | $100 | $200 |
| Xenon Lights | $300 | $3,000 | ||
| Neon Kits | Main article: Los Santos Customs/Lights | - | - | |
| Loss/Theft Prevention | Tracker | N/A | $2,000 | |
| Full Coverage | N/A | $1,375 | ||
| Respray | Main article: Los Santos Customs/Respray Colors | - | - | |
| Sell | Sell Vehicle | N/A | $1,100 | |
| Suspension | Stock Suspension | $100 | $200 | |
| Lowered Suspension | $500 | $1,000 | ||
| Street Suspension | $1,000 | $2,000 | ||
| Sport Suspension | $1,700 | $3,400 | ||
| Competition Suspension | $2,200 | $4,400 | ||
| Transmission | Stock Transmission | $100 | $200 | |
| Street Transmission | $2,950 | $5,900 | ||
| Sports Transmission | $3,250 | $6,500 | ||
| Race Transmission | $4,000 | $8,000 | ||
| Turbo | None | $500 | $1,000 | |
| Turbo Tuning | $2,500 | $30,000 | ||
| Wheels | Main article: Los Santos Customs/Wheels | - | - | |
| Windows | None | $100 | $500 | |
| Light Smoke | $200 | $1,500 | ||
| Dark Smoke | $450 | $3,500 | ||
| Limo | $700 | $5,000 | ||
Image Gallery
Clean version (Rear quarter view).
Beater version (Rear quarter view).
The Surfer, as it is seen in Righteous Slaughter 7.
The Surfer on Southern San Andreas Super Autos.
The Surfer on Rockstar Games Social Club.
The Surfer on the updated Rockstar Games Social Club.
The Surfer in the cinematic preview on Rockstar Games Social Club.
The beater Surfer on Rockstar Games Social Club.
The beater Surfer on the updated Rockstar Games Social Club.
The beater Surfer in the cinematic preview on Rockstar Games Social Club.
A Surfer Graphic for a tee in Grand Theft Auto Online.
Special Variants
Grand Theft Auto Online
| This section contains insufficient information and is considered as a Section stub. You can help the GTA Wiki by expanding it as much as you can. Requiring improvement: Details of the NPC-modified Surfer. |
- NPC-modified clean Surfers may randomly spawn on the city (usually near beaches).
An NPC-modified Surfer near the Del Perro Beach.
An NPC-modified Surfer in North Chumash.
- A uniquely colored Surfer is scripted to spawn in Setup: Signal Intercepts, once at least one player has reached the first objective. It is unobtainable. (See Trivia)
The unique Surfer. (Rear quarter view)
Locations
Grand Theft Auto V
- Standard
- Spawns on the side of a road, along with a Radius in Blaine County.
- A uniquely colored Surfer is seen abandoned near the Sandy Shores Airfield on Smoke Tree Road in the Grand Senora Desert, near Harmony and Sandy Shores during the abandoned vehicle Random Event. When approaching on foot, an unknown man will hit the protagonist with a Stun Gun. The player can obtain this by either towing the van, or as Trevor only, can use the special ability so the Stun Gun has no effect, and then the enemy can be killed.
- The Surfer's clean version can also be found randomly near the first bridge north of Fort Zancudo. Coming up from the south side of the map, drive through the tunnel under the fort, and the player will come to a right-left series of turns in the highway; after these turns will be the bridge. A dirt trail branches off the eastern side of the road, marked by a roadside parking lot and a shack. Turn down it, and follow the trail as it wraps around back under the bridge. The dirt path lets out onto a beach with a party going on. If no cars appear at first, keep driving and they should spawn. If the Surfer does not spawn, get back on the road and drive a good distance before returning. Repeat as many times as needed and one will show up. This is also a good way to get the Journey, the Sandking SWB and the Regina, which all spawn here more commonly than the Surfer.
- Beater
- Can be found parked on the east-side of Dignity Village. A Sadler can also be found nearby.
- In the parking place of the abandoned motel in Sandy Shores.
- Parked behind Ursula's house near the El Gordo Lighthouse.
Grand Theft Auto Online
- Standard
- Can be bought at Southern San Andreas Super Autos for $11,000.
- Can be found near the Del Perro Beach, outside Burton's Los Santos Customs or at the beach in North Chumash, usually pre-modified (enhanced version only).
Rewards
Grand Theft Auto Online
- In the enhanced version, the NPC-modified Surfer nets the player a very small value of $2,850 in Los Santos Customs.
Trivia
General
- This vehicle is named "Surfer" because its inspiration, the Volkswagen T1, is famous for its association with the 1960s surf culture. In reference to this, it often spawns with a surfboard on the roof.
- The default radio station for the Surfer is Non-Stop-Pop FM.
Grand Theft Auto V
- When damaged enough, the sliding doors open outwards like normal doors. Even though there are door railings on the sides.
- A red Surfer appears in the game play video for Righteous Slaughter 7.
- The clean Surfer has five-spoke aftermarket wheels and a lowered suspension compared to the beater Surfer. This causes the license plate to clip through the geometry on rough terrain.
- Similar to the Journey and Youga Classic, the Surfer has an anachronistically modern interior, fitted with a plastic steering wheel and dash, even though it is a '60s van.
- The modified Surfer vans in lime green are likely a reference to the "chartreuse Microbus" mentioned in the C.W. McCall song "Convoy", which can be heard on Rebel Radio.
- During Signal Intercepts, after reaching the Deluxos a blue-and-white Surfer will drive past. This is a reference to the first Back to the Future film, as in that film shortly after the DeLorean time machine is revealed the two main characters are attacked by terrorists driving a blue-and-white VW van.
- Curiously, despite the van and its driver not being marked as hostile, it is a valid target for homing missile lock-ons.
See Also
- Camper - A similar vehicle which was previously a camper van.
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