Date:         Tue, 22 Mar 2005 10:40:50 -0800
Reply-To:     Markus Mumper <mumper@USA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Markus Mumper <mumper@USA.NET>
Subject:      Recent Trip - FWIW
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

We just got back from a 10 day trip to Baja, Mexico in our '87 West GL
automatic - original engine with about 200,000 miles of use and a head job was
done about 30,000 miles ago. We try to do a good job maintaining her.

Before we left there was a discussion on the List regarding the Vanagon's

reliability - it got me worried since we were going with friend's who were
driving another vehicle (new Ford 150 pickup) and I did not want to let them
down if our Westy could not keep up.

Results:

Day 1 - 350 miles to Sand Diego, rarely exceeding 65mph, about 17mpg, no
problems.
Day 2 - 550 miles to San Ignacio on narrow Baja roads, lots of curves and some
good hills, speeds around 50 to 60mph, about 18mpg, no problems, long day

though. In Mexico we try to drive only during daylight hours - it's just too
dangerous at night with the iffy roads and crazy drivers.
Days 3 through 7 - Little drives to and around towns to get beer and such. We
took our freind's truck or rented taxis to drive the really bad dirt roads
when going whale touching (yes, touching) and cave painting looking (DO NOT,
DO NOT, DO NOT plan on driving an older vehicle, especially one with cabinets,
kitchen, etc.......... on dirt roads in Mexico - they will literally rattle
your vehicle apart, even our freinds Ford now makes funny power steering
noises and exhibits some new rattles).
Days 8 through 10 - Driving home, another 900 miles, no problems.

1,850 successful miles, most using questionable Mexican gas.

We did not need to add one drop of oil or coolant or any other fluid (except
lots of gas) to our Westy during the whole trip and we never experienced any
Vanagon Syndrome or any other mechanical probles. She went like a dream. The
only hiccup was the front windshield washer pump which stopped working on the
way back up - I haven't yet checked why.

Conclusion - although all went really, really well and we had a great time I
don't think we'll take our Vanagon on a trip like that again. It's asking alot
of a 90 some horsepower 18 year old vehicle to put all those miles on the road
in such short times. We'll stick to trips closer to home and on safer roads.

Again - this is FWIW - it shows what a well maintained 18 year old Vanagon can
still do.

Markus and Maggie with our '87 Westy GL "The Girl" in rainy Pismo Beach.