Hi Anthony, Agreed. The most expensive auto repair I have ever paid for was to replace a cylinder head..... (Wait for it) ...on a 1986 Dodge Caravan.
That was in 1995, when the vehicle was not yet 10 years old. The mechanic had to order the replacement part from a wrecking yard way out in Wisconsin, because there were none to be had any closer. Here in rust-inflicted Ontario the first-generation dodge caravan is every bit as rare as a vanagon.... and worth a lot less when you do find one. Any "old car" is going to be maintenance intensive. But if you keep up with scheduled maintenance, the costs quickly swing to the owners favour. The hard part is getting past the first year where all the hidden costs of the PO's neglect come out and bite you in the @$$. But that's no different in the Vanagon than it is with any other used car. Wanna talk automotive disasters? Try discussing the 1989 Eagle Premiere. ....DON'T GET ME STARTED.... That vehicle is not even of interest to a "Collector".
Happy trails, Greg Potts Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1973/74/79 Westfakia Conversion **Bob the Tomato** LY3H 1977 Sunroof Automatic L63H/L90D http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia http://www.busesofthecorn.com
On 9-Mar-05, at 10:15 PM, Anthony Zygmunt wrote: > my 2 cents. > > Tel me that a 20 year old caravan runs problem free. > > All older cars require maintanance! > > Ask someone with a 20 year old 305 in their GMC van > about head gasket problems. > > Vanagons are far from perfect. They do require work. > That is why a users' group like this exists. > > Hey, if you don't like working on cars, then I would > not sugest that you buy a 20 year old one. They > require work, any thing that old does, not just > vangons. > > > Tony Zygmunt > > 81 Vanagon > --- "Chris S." <mrpolak@YAHOO.COM> wrote: >>> • COMPARED to a Dodge Caravan or any number of >> other >>> off-the-shelf transportation appliances, the >> Vanagon >>> is indeed a sinkhole of coins. >> >> Please, do compare the Vanagon and its reliability >> to anything >> else designed in the late 70's. Do compare it to >> other 20+year >> old vehicles. Let's draw relevant conclusions. >> >> >> >> >> >> Chris S. >> >> '84 Westy -> http://www.knology.net/~vw/vws/hershey/ >> '01 NB TDI -> http://www.knology.net/~vw/Beetle.jpg >> >> 1-888-VW-PARTS <- Recommended Expert Vanagon Part >> Source >> >> __________________________________________________ >> Do You Yahoo!? >> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam >> protection around >> http://mail.yahoo.com >> > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. > http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail > > |
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