Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002 13:43:03 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jhrodgers@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <jhrodgers@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject: Re: WBX reliability - is it held in low regard in Europe?
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I have found that my vans perform well and are simply subject to the facts
of their age and mileage, just like my bod. Requires more maintenance than
when it was new, but still functions well with some TLC.
My '85 GL gave me over 200,000 miles with minimal maintenance headaches ...
the two largest pains being the power steering rack when I first bought it (
never any more problems after repair) and the rebuild of the manual tranny
at about 200,000 miles. Never had any engine problems per se.
My '88 GL on the other hand has been a PITA ever since I bought it with 80
odd thousand miles on it. I bought it off a car lot, and it was obvious the
PO - from Georgia - never did anything to it except drive it, and hard at
that.
First, not long after purchase the tranny suddenly stop shifting into first.
A thorough investigation showed that a tear down was necessary. So it was
overhauled. At about 95 thousand miles the engine burned a hole in a piston.
Again, time for a complete rebuild. In the process all new hoses, temp
sensors, pressure switches, pints, plugs, ete,etc, were installed Wanted no
future troubles in the engine compartment. New clutch was installed at the
same time.
One year and 15,000 miles later the tranny had to be pulled to replace a
leaking rear seal that dumped sufficient oil to ruin the clutch disc. So, I
simply opted to do another complete clutch replacement along with the rear
seal and refacing of the fly wheel. I simply did not want to have to go back
into the thing again for a very long time.
With all the work that has been done it performs well, and I am happy. It is
my daily driver, and although my kids rag me about driving such an old
vehicle and having put out so much money on the thing, I am quite satisfied.
Over time, I have about $6000 into the vehicle, what with transmission and
engine rebuild and some other stuff. But if I did that repeatedly - $6000
per van - I could own 5 vans good for about 150,000 to 200,000 miles each
for the price of ONE 4x4 pick-um-up truck like that which my kids drive.
That would be 1,000,000 miles for 30 G's. For their $30,000 per truck (they
have all the whistles and bells - and that's ok if that's what they want)
they will be lucky to get 200,000 miles. The vans will last me the rest of
my life. So I guess it's all in what you want.
I'm 62, live in a cabin in the woods by a creek, got the deer, raccoons and
squirrels in my yard. The 88 GL is paid for, so's the cabin. My kids are 32
and 35 respectively, drive big fine 4X4' trucks, live in fine subdivisions
with fine restrictions and covenants, in big fine homes.... all with big
fine mortgages - the American dream.
The van does for me what I want it to do within the framework of my
lifestyle .I can haul 1000 or so pounds of blocks or bricks inside, or 4x8
plywood or, to my son's surprise, a 12 ft ladder -- completely inside with
the hatch closed. When I want to go camping, the back seat folds down into
my bed, and with a good "egg carton" rubber pad is quite comfortable. Plenty
of room for my gear, and I use for privacy curtains that attach in place
with velcro. Biggest camping problem is in warmer weather when the bugs are
out. Ventilation gets to be a problem. I don't yet have a good system of
keeping the bugs out with the windows and the rear hatch open. I'm open to
suggestions on that.
I don't really anticipate ever changing out from driving a Vanagon as long
as I can get parts to maintain it. Given my age, why bother. Especially
since it makes me happy and I'm very comfortable with the features of the
van. The only change that I anticipate is upgrading to a later machine ...
maybe a '90-91 model with an automatic tranny - perhaps a Multi Van. But I
think I will keep the one I have even if I get another. That auto tranny is
a definite requirement, however. Aging knees, you know. The constant
clutching is taking it's toll.
As far as the WBX engine goes, it's getting to be old technology. The newer
engines are better built, have better systems, have better metallurgy, and
have the advantage of application of the newer technologies. An engine
upgrade would be a very cool thing to do if cost is no object. But for me, I
think I will stick to the WBX. Mine is stock, runs fine. And importantly, it
fits the vehicle. Nothing cobbled together. A few changes during an overhaul
will improve performance, and good maintenance will extend life. What more
could one ask.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Chuck Hill wrote:
> I used to live in Wolfsburg, Germany, and have freinds there. When I
> was there 3 years ago, I asked about their opinion of the Vanagon
> engine. They replied that it was normal, not perfect, but not a bad
> engine, cerainly. However, if you read the Ebay.de auction
> descriptions, or some of the German Vanagon interest websites and
> discussion groups, you get the idea that they have pretty much the same
> problems as we do.
>
> Having said that, I have to add my 2 cents. I don't think the problem
> is so much the Vanagon as it is the service we can typically get from
> dealerships and private garages. I think the reporter who did the piece
> for NPR a while back had it right when she said you probably have to
> learn about your vehicle and do it yourself or, I would suggest, tell
> someone specifically in very certain terms, what to do.
>
> My experience with auto service in Germany, is that the garages are
> honest and competent. The system of service writers and mechanics paid
> on commission that we have here in dealership garages is designed to
> make money for the owners, not to fix cars. It invites abuse. Women
> get to pay more to have their cars fixed than men do. Problems which
> don't exist are "repaired" and charged for. Things are more often
> replaced, not repaired, when repair would do just fine. And on, and
> on. Some of you probably have some stories to tell. I know someone who
> bought a complete engine overhaul for a Golf, and finally had the low
> oil pressure problem fixed, when the oil pressure sender (high one) was
> replaced. I have a Vanagon I bought which had a 3000 mile VW rebuilt
> engine ruined by the shop when they changed the oil and drove it off to
> park it with no oil in it. The owner just walked away from it in
> frustration and anger.
>
> I have or have had more than 20 Vanagons over a 20 year period, have had
> NO leaking head sealing gaskets, and have only been stranded on the road
> once--by a pilot bearing failure. The VW garage in Davenport, Iowa,
> screwed me by about $250 fixing it, by the way.
>
> Chuck Hill
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