Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2005 19:23:14 -0800
Reply-To: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: '86 full Westy for sale...$2000...
In-Reply-To: 6667
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Andrew Fox wrote:
"Disclaimer:
Vanagons are not reliable, they are hard to find parts
for, hard to find people to work on them, they get
horrible gas mileage, they are bad for the
enviornement, and they aren't safe. In short they are
for car collectors and not people serious about
travelling or transportation."
How could such a great member say such a awful thing
about one of the best VW's VW ever made?
Why even be a Vanagon list member if you disdain them
so much?
I don't like old Furd Escorts either but I sure am not
a member of an Escort club, neither would I email
their list to make such anecdotal claims.
I can understand a temporary doldrum over blown head
gaskets ( IMHO you should have done a engine
conversion like my '95 Golf engine etc).
Or having to do your front bearings twice, or have the
trans go out after you rebuilt the engine.
Yo- I don't get the "bad for enviroment"-not if
properly tuned and maintained. Functioning properly
fuel injection is very environment friendly, if there
is such a thing. I have to pass emissions or I don't
drive.
Certainly none of us have bashed Furd vans, have we?
But to say the Vanagon is unreliable is the fact that
the one in the driveway won't run after years of abuse
and neglect.
I converted my Vanagon before I ever used it, and some
start at the other end with sattelite dishes and
laptops. Eventually we may meet in the middle with
something useful.
Or stuff it all into a Furd van.
In order to make the power plant reliable, you have to
change the engine in my opinion to one that is proven
reliable.
With my present inline-4 of six years no cooling
system problems. No front end service needed. All
bearings still good. Brakes perfect, just changing
fluid, pads and shoes.
There's a few of us around.
Oh, I did have a transmission problem after 8 years of
service -broken diff housing. Got it fixed by original
rebuilder who says the rest of the 4-speed trans is
OK.
Minor stuff-had a plastic coolant adapter break when I
should have used steel-even still, it lasted ten
years.
The WBX engine is another story.
I have no argument with anyone that it isn't reliable.
Only a few have never had problems- I think they are
in the Guiness book.
My '82 runs like new. It has a '95 engine. A new five
speed transmission.
Oh yes, power steering and AC.
Im restoring a '89 Wolfsburg and what I'm finding is
that the PO just let so many little things pile up
without fixing them, and when the central locking went
wacko ,he bailed out.
You may have bought such a neglected Vanagon , and
without the time, money , or merchanical aptitude you
bailed out too.
I have owned my Westfalia for ten years.
WIth a Motronic engine same as a mid-nineties VW,
It has the On-Board Diagnostics like the '98 Furd.
The only thing I don't have is airbags and ABS.
If we are all the ignorant little Vanagon people , why
can't we be left alone with our ignorant bliss?
Robert
1982 Westfalia, daily driver
(With over 300,000 miles-shows I got a lot of serious
travel upt to 24 mpg in my hobby inline four powered
Westfalia starting at 139,000 .)
--- Andrew Fox <afox@CNR.COLOSTATE.EDU> wrote:
> There is one catch, anyone who wants to buy my van
> has to agree to
> acknoledge my "vanagon disclaimer" which will be
> printed on the bill of
> sale. You can read the disclaimer on the ad at
> thesamba.com:
>
>
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=157107
>
> Andrew
>
>
> On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 JordanVw@aol.com wrote:
>
> > In a message dated 3/8/05 6:19:15 PM Eastern
> Standard Time,
> > afox@CNR.COLOSTATE.EDU writes:
> >
> >
> > > Gold, Automatic, approx 175K miles.
> > >
> > > The Good:
> > > 30K on new heads, dual propane tanks, plat cat
> heater, dennis haynes
> > > custom bumper/hitch, headlight relay upgrade,
> dual batteries, much more...
> > >
> > > The Bad:
> > > Rear end is sagging, minor oil leak, has had
> some exterior body panel
> > > repairs (a few small dents) very little rust.
> > >
> > > Priced for quick sale: $2000, $1600 without the
> plat cat heater or less if
> > > nobody takes it at this price.
> > >
> > > Located in Fort Collins Colorado
> > >
> > > Andrew Fox
> > > 98 Ford Westfalia
> > >
> >
> > at this price, im sure it wont last long...
> >
> > chris
> >
>
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