Date:         Sat, 12 Jul 2003 23:28:55 -0500
Reply-To:     John Doherty <jwdoher@APNI.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Doherty <jwdoher@APNI.NET>
Subject:      Re: thinking of buying a '93 Eurovan.. any words of wisdom?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I own a 93 Eurovan and have been soundly dissatisfied with it.  I also own
an 85 Vanagon which I love.  I have owned several VWs and the Eurovan has
soured me on purchasing VWs in the future - I'll stick with taking care of
my Vanagon for as long as I can.

I don't have the ability, desire, tools, or time to work on the car so have
relied on the dealer (wasn't able to find a less expensive non-dealer
mechanic that was reasonably convenient to me).  I have probably spent more
in non-routine maintenance on this vehicle than the purchase price - more if
I include the cost of rental cars while my Eurovan sat in the dealer's lot
waiting to be worked on.  I have had to tow it into the garage at least four
times in the last 12 months.  In the 10 years I have owned it the air
conditioner has quit in 5 of them - and since no one will look at the air
conditioner other than the dealer I have had to wait each time 10-15 days to
get the air worked on.  (Right now fan only runs on the highest setting.)
My general take has been that it is not a quality vehicle, the cost of
replacement parts is exorbitant, and there aren't many shops that can work
on them.

I also think it has some basic design flaws inside.  With the rear facing
seats installed, the driver and front passenger seats can't be reclined far
enough for me to be comfortable.  (I'm 6 feet) - and that's with the rear
facing seats in their full upright position - pretty uncomfortable for my
kids who have had to ride in them.  There really isn't enough room to go
between the front seats into the passenger space behind (plenty of room in
the Vanagon).  The trim and other fittings in the passenger compartment have
mostly fallen apart or off. I have replaced the seat belts on the rear
facing seats twice because the take up reels quit - and that was at $100 a
crack - and the covers for the reels keep falling off with normal use.  The
clock quit, and the dealer quoted me $300 or thereabouts for the replacement
dash unit - clock itself can't be replaced without replacing the entire dash
unit.

The car has always been a shaky starter (not good in MN) and I've taken it
in and had a variety of things done to it to solve the problem over a three
year period.

I may have been unlucky with a unique lemon, but I've had it with this car.

John Doherty





Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2003 05:41:56 EDT

From: JordanVw@AOL.COM

Subject: thinking of buying a '93 Eurovan.. any words of wisdom?

hey all, im thinking of buying a '93 Eurovan MV. any words of wisdom? ive

looked at a few and all the automatic ones seem to have the 2nd gear slam

problem... but i need an auto. anyone own one? or know of one for sale?

any info appreciated..

thanks

chris