Date:         Fri, 5 Apr 2002 22:51:41 -0500
Reply-To:     Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.NET>
Subject:      Re: Am I crazy?
Comments: To: Bob Whitby <rpwhitby@MINDSPRING.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <005801c1db8b$c636c5e0$a8dbfea9@oemcomputer>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

No your not.  A well treated car/van/camper this 200k miles will last
longer than an abused vehicle with only 50k miles.  I've got 250k miles on
my Cherokee, 310k miles on the '82 Westy and traded in my Mazda 626 with
285k miles.  I would bring my AAA plus card with, as well as a box of tools
and spares, but I would still take the trip.  I wouldn't even think about
failure with those few miles on the clock.

Murphy has a strange sense of humor.  If you plan on the worst, the worst
won't happen.  Do the obvious and take good care of her before you
go.  Replace the parts that need replacing, check everything, read the list
for advise and drive a wonderful drive.

Oh yeah, as if you hadn't seen it before, check compression, check the
heads, check, check, check.

Enjoy your vacation

Chris Smith

The only car I own with less than 200k miles is 28 years old, orange, and
made in Mexico.

'82 Westy (300k+ original miles)
'74 Thing (32k original miles)

At 07:49 PM 4/3/02 -0800, Bob Whitby wrote:
>Delurking here to get a bit of advice. I am considering the purchase of a
>1987 Westy, A/C auto. The body is in very nice shape, interior is squeaky
>clean. Original engine. 155,000 miles. Some head work done, I'm not
>exactly sure what. And now the question:
>Am I crazy to be buying this thing with the expectation that it will take
>me, the wife, and two kids on a 8,000-mile plus tour of the east coast and
>Canada? I've owned many VWs in the past, but never a WBX. I am
>mechanically inclined, as all VW owners either are or will be at some
>point. I don't mind doing the work, in fact I enjoy it. However I'm too
>old to see much romance in being stuck by the side of the road, wife
>cursing and kids screaming, while the Westy boils over. I know a lot
>depends on condition and prior maintenance blah blah blah. Just tell me if
>indeed a trip like this is some kind of flashback and I should get a F*rd,
>or indeed if this is still doable in this day and age.
>With much anxiety over joining the WBX crowd,
>Bob W