Date:         Tue, 13 Mar 2001 11:04:44 -0800
Reply-To:     Donna Stewart <DStewart@CHRM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Donna Stewart <DStewart@CHRM.COM>
Subject:      Re: 10 Year Anniversary; A Vanagon Love Affair
Comments: To: macmillan@HOME.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

13th year with Lola (1987 Wolfsburg) - demonstrator I bought from VW dealer in May, 1988 (saved a little $$ - original price was over $17,00, I paid around $14,000).  

>>> Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@HOME.COM> 03/13/01 10:38AM >>>
This reminds me that May will be my 15th anniversary with the '84 Westy.
195,000 miles with two head replacements, one tranny rebuild, and now a
new engine really isn't bad.  It will also mark my 26th year as a Westy
owner!

I bought it from a VW dealer in 1986 for $12,500 with 30k on it. Not a
particularly good deal, but fair. The van had never been camped in and
was pristine.

It was a VW warranty buy back, which the dealer had to divulge to me
when I asked.  Fuel injection problem that cause bucking at moderate
speed cruising.  Would you believe that the closed throttle position
switch was about five turns out of adjustment right out of the factory?
(This vintage van had the two micro switches on top of the throttle
body.)  Even worse, neither the dealer in California who sold the van
originally nor the dealer I bought if from could fix it!  The owner made
VW buy it back under the lemon law!

I took it back in twice, and then bought a copy of the Bentley and
immediately found that the way you test this switch is to hold it closed
and open the throttle, where upon the engine should stumble.  Five turns
of the screw later I was back on the road and committed as usual to
doing my own maintenance and repair (except for heads).  I know it was
delivered this way because the screw was marked with paint, which had
not been broken.

As someone recently said on the list "it's the best utility vehicle out
there, period!"  So, we willingly put up with all its problems.

Stuart