Date:         Mon, 29 Sep 2003 07:24:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
Subject:      Re: RoadHaus - Incredible Vanagon Reliability Story
In-Reply-To:  <005c01c38511$c1fe90d0$bb6d9aa6@laptop>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Thanks for sharing this Larry. I too feel the Vanagon platform is quite reliable, given
mileage on mine, and the type of use (abuse?) it gets (intermittent use, lots of very
rough roads, lots of heavy loads). Of course I feel much better now that my long-
lingering (5 years+) VS problems are gone, thanks to new solder joints on my ECU.
Just returned from a weekend trip to Francis Lake, an idyllic spot about 2 hours
away, which requires crossing a creek 12" deep, and following a dry creek bed for
1/2km. Last time we did this on Labour Day, I had to drive it much faster than I liked
for fear of the van stalling at a critical point and leaving us stuck. This time, I could
idle the van in 1st and gently squeeze the throttle when going over the roughest
sections of boulders. What a difference!

Anyway, in 8 years of driving, albeit only about 55k kms in that time, my Westy with
378k kms on the clock, has needed the following, which is not bad I think:
-2 CV boots
-water pump
-2 belts
-clutch disc/rear main seal
-J section of exhaust into cat
-P/S line rusted out
-new shocks
-trans rebuild, including new R&P
-steering knuckle
-a few other items not needed but replaced in search for the VS cure...

The last item was by far the most expensive, but should last ~200k kms or more.

The van has only stranded me once, and that was 2km from home when the fuel line
came loose above the trans.

I wonder how many of us would feel much, much better if only their VS problems
would disappear? Ours now drives like it did 8 years ago, and I'm looking forward to
our road trip to Idaho next week!



On 27 Sep 2003 at 9:08, Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM> wrote:

> Volks,
>
> With all the focus on my current engine problems, I think something
> important is getting lost
> concerning "Reliability of the VW Vanagon Platform".
>
> If I remove the engine problems from the analysis ... here's the story.
>
> "North American Road Trip" - Current Summary
>
> Time: 7 months
> Mileage: 28,000 miles
>
> Trip Repairs:
>
> - Water Pump failed / was replaced with a new pump before the trip
> - 3 fan belts /  stone chip roads of the Yukon just ate them up
> - Drive shaft u joint / still had the original 160k mile u joints.
> - Distributor O ring / may or may not have been replaced prior to the
> trip
> - A/C compressor failed / complete system rebuild prior to the trip
>
> Comments:
>
> - Most Major components were replaced or rebuilt prior to the trip
>
> - I don't abuse my equipment ... but I don't baby it either. I cruise on
> flats at 70-72 and
> have traveled hundreds of miles on washboard dirt / gravel roads. And
> some dam rough
> paved roads.
>
> - I've done a fairly large amount of off roading ... logging access
> roads and 4x4 trials.
>
> - So when you remove the "Experimental Engine" issues .... it's really a
> pretty amazing
> story of reliability.
>
> I didn't want this "Remarkable" fact to get lost in the muck of the
> engine failure issues.
>
> So my friends .... have faith / Hit the ROAD
>
>
> Larry Chase
>
> Email: RoadGuy@RoadHaus.com
> Web:  <http://www.roadhaus.com/> www.RoadHaus.com
> Cell: 480 620 8966
> What: North American Road Trip
> How: RoadHaus - 1990 White VW Westfalia Syncro
> Today: Arizona
>

--
Shawn Wright
http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright
'88 Westy 375k
'85 Jetta D 263k
'85 Jetta TD 482k (retired)
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