Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2001 17:35:38 +1200
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: What to buy? Many "buying guide" questions
In-Reply-To: <sbe2c010.081@smtp2.mdrcsf.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>Aesthetically and emotionally, I think I would prefer a Bay Window
>Type II (bus) instead of a Vanagon.
The Vanagon is a minibus too. Personally, I prefer the looks of the
T3 Type 2 (Vanagon), so long as it has South African grills, to the
T2 Type 2 (Bay). But why not try to get a T1 Type 2 (Split) with
sliding door? The T1 beats everthing else hands-down esthetically...
a beautiful machine. The T1/2 is big but the T3 is even bigger
(wider).
>What are the advantages of getting an aircooled Vanagon instead? (I
>live in California, so I'm assuming I can find a 70s Type II with a
>decent body.) Are Vanagons considerably more comfortable or
>powerful than Type IIs?
T3s are less bare-bones than T2s or T1s, though a visit to an good
upholstery shop could cure much of that. A good T2 can perform well
if it's a 1.8 or 2.0... avoid the 1.6 like the plague (but the 1.6 T2
wasn't sold in North America). Aircooled T3s are known for
sluggishness, even more so than watercooled T3s. Watercoolers sold in
most of the world performed much better, with 115 or so hp, but the
stock wateboxer is all too often unreliable.
>If I did decide to get a Vanagon, how would I go about finding one
>that is technically sound?
Buy one fitted with a Subaru EG or EJ engine. Or buy a good (cheap)
watercooler with dud engine and repower it. And join the
subaruvanagon Yahoo Group too. you could Subaru a T1 or T2 too.
>Do I need to be more careful with the aircooled ones or with the
>water-cooled ones?
The other way around...
>Are there any shops or used VW dealers in the Bay Area that
>specialize in Vanagons and buses?
BenT will no doubt step in here, if not before.
>Is there any reason not to get an older Eurovan instead? (I've seen
>93s and 94s that are not much more expensive than the newer
>Vanagons). Are there things to watch out for when looking at
>Eurovans? If you had $10k, would you rather buy an excellent
>Vanagon or a good Eurovan?
T3!!! The T4 Type 2 ("Eurovan") is an FWD generic piece of ****. Too
long for its cargo capacity, unreliable 5-cylinder engine, ugly,
could be a Ford... also the rear-engined beast will handle better, in
theory without the terminal understeer of the T4. This may however
not matter to you, but in an accident-producing situation the T4
could kill you by understeering into an obstruction or over that
cliff...
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 EvansSt, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Ph: 0064 (3) 473-8863 fax: 0064 (3) 479-7527
1986 Toyota Corolla 1.8DX CE80 diesel sedan
1989 Toyota Corolla 1.8DX CE96 diesel van
1989 Toyota Corona 2.0D Select CT170 diesel sedan
1992 Toyota Estima Lucida 2.2 turbodiesel MPV (=narrow "Previa")
1984 VW Caravelle GL (to be fitted with 260hp Subaru SVX flat-6 &
Porsche G50 trans)
Seashell, Macintosh, VW & Toyota van nut
