Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:27:46 +1100
Reply-To: Stephen Overmyer <S.OVERMYER@UWS.EDU.AU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stephen Overmyer <S.OVERMYER@UWS.EDU.AU>
Subject: The cost of VW Waterboxer ownership - a 15 year summary
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi Guys,
We did something last Sunday I may well live to regret.... sold our '92
WBX Transporter after some months of deliberation, soul searching and
much gnashing of teeth.
The ongoing cost of privately owning 4 vehicles is not insignificant and
the Kombi is just not getting enough use anymore and when fully
considered with one's head and not one's heart, we had to consider
letting her go.
A tough decision as this van has been with us since it was brand new,
first purchased in May 1992 and was indeed one of the last batch of T3s
imported to Australia.
The van was actually built in Graz, Austria at the Steyr Puch factory
along side the Syncros as I believe, Hanover was commencing tooling up
for the beginning of T4 production.
In the 15 years we have had her, it has travelled 305,000kms on the
original engine (other than the heads of course) and gearbox and still
runs well, uses minimal oil and still gets 10L/100kms...just like when
she was new.
The van has been used as an (almost) daily driver, and for camping trips
when surfing, skiing and playing at music festivals. It has also been
used on a number of occasions as a tow vehicle for railway track
machines and even a '76 Double Cab was towed by her for approx 400kms
with no problems whatsoever.
Also picked up a couple of prizes at VW shows a few years back....just
because we have kept her in good condition and always garaged which is
important.
But....I don't play the festivals much anymore, and don't need to go on
surf trips now since we bought a property on the NSW south coast, just a
couple of kms from some beautiful,unspoilt and uncrowded beaches with
good surf breaks and with the NSW alps only about 2.5hrs from our place,
a day trip can be had when the snow is good.On top of that, we've run
out of garage spaces and we are keen to get the new Passat TDI wagon
under cover...especially with the season here for hailstorms already
under way.
The van never made it to any advertisement for sale.....the treasurer of
our VW club , Club Vee Dub Sydney Inc (www.clubvw.org.au) got wind of
our intent to sell, saw some pics and came up last Sunday to see the van
and agreed to buy it on the spot for the asking price. He comes back
next Saturday to pick it up and hand over the cheque. He & his wife are
VW people and with a second kiddie on the way, are looking forward to
doing some camping with something a bit newer than their current '72
Transporter. So the van is going to someone we can trust (otherwise I
wouldn't have sold it to them) and if a nice gentleman named Martin Fox
turns up on the Vanagon list (I have told him how important the list is
and what a great resource it is....and far more entertaining than the
EuroVan list IMO) I am sure you will all make him welcome.
Anyway, sorry for the long winded story above......the main purpose of
this post was that in preparing the van to pass on, I have collated all
the service records ( I have kept every receipt) and expenses that have
gone with the vehicle since new in '92 and thought that before the
opportunity is lost to me I'd add it all up and see exactly what we've
spent over the years. This van has been serviced by a (now) independent
VW business (http://mullerandmuller.com/)
The good thing about these guys is that if they know (& trust) you, you
can help work on your van in the workshop ...which I have never missed
an opportunity to be involved :-)
It was originally purchased from these guys when they were a Transporter
dealership and whilst I may have spent more on servicing , this van has
never broken down on a trip or left me stranded anywhere in 15
years....so what I have spent on servicing I guess I have potentially
saved on tow fees, emergency accommodation and general inconvenience. I
am sure not all will agree with my choice but I have no regrets...I have
enjoyed the reliability on this van on the road.
So...if you are still with me, here goes...(Note prices are in $ Aus)
WS1= minor service
W10= major service
1992 : Purchase VW Transporter incl. extras Bull Bar, sliding windows,
rear bed/seat, front mudflaps & headlight guards : $28,000
First Service : $49.75
Roof Bars & 50ml touch up paint ( just in case) $368.90
WS1: 7500km : $98.65
W10 : 15,000kms (incl replace leaking master cyl. under
warranty) : $218.55
Supply & fit rear protection bar, incl tow bar & wiring :
$380.00
Quick shift kit (supply & fit) $100.00
Flyscreen kit for windows : $20.00
Total 1992 : $29,235.85
1993 : WS1 : 22,500km : $103.35
Supply & fit arm rests to front doors : $228.40
W10 : 30,000kms : $448.60
(incl replace front left wheel bearing - probably due to salt air
getting past speedo cable on ship to Australia. I siliconed around the
cable end after that and never had another problem. All other bearings
are still original.
Total 1993 : $780.35
1994 : WS1 : 37,500km : $132.65
W10 : 45,000km : $327.70
Total 1994 : $460.35
1995 : WS1 : 52,500km : $101.95
W10 : 60,000km : $277.15 (incl brake fluid change & injectors
replaced under VW recall - not that there was anything wrong with
ours...)
WS1 : 67,500km : $162.40
Replace leaking feed pipe to radiator (one of the long plastic
ones) & coolant change $373.10
Total 1995 : $914.60
1996 : Purchase 5 15"x 7" alloy wheels to suit transporter : $1050.00
W10 : 75,000kms : $270.05
WS1 : 82,500kms : $80.55
W10 : 90,000kms (incl replace gearbox oil with synthetic &
driver's window channel) : $408.40
Total 1996 : $1809.00
1997 : WS1 : 97,500km : $102.45
W10 : 105,000km : $232.30
WS1 : 112,500km (incl.coolant change) $196.65
W10 : 120,000km : $300.65
Total 1997 : $832.05
1998 : WS1 : 127,500km (incl new front brake discs & pads and repack
front wheel bearings) $539.05
W10 : 133,975km (incl R&R both cylinder heads - 1 leaking
[cracked] other inspected & not far off. Heads replaced with new AMC
brand) $2340.60
WS1 : 139,500km (incl. replace gear shift guide plate) :
$221.05
Total 1998 : $3101.15
1999 : W10 : 148,000km $345.80
R&R alternator and overhaul $230.00
Headlight Switch $73.40
WS1 : 156,000kms (incl replace rear drums & brake linings)
$466.00
W10 : 163,500kms (incl coolant change and replace coolant
reservoir,switch & cap. Also radio antennae) $757.05
WS1 : 170,000kms $116.00
Total : $1988.25
2000 : W10 : 177,500km (incl. clean throttle body & vacuum lines)
$328.95
WS1 : 185,000km (incl replace bleeder hose RH side & bleed
system) $313.50
W10 : 192,500km $319.90
R&R LH side head (internal crack due to fault in
manufacture-possibly head stud drilled too deep. Unfortunately beyond
warranty period)
Also replace water pump & pipes etc. Also partial coolant
change. $1574.80
Total 2000 : $2537.15
2001 : WS1 200,500km $154.00
W10 208,500km (incl gearshift boot at gearbox) $380.70
WS1 216,500km (incl replace pedal pad rubbers) $199.55
W10 225,000km $514.15
Total 2001 : $1284.40
2002 : WS1 232,000km (incl brake fluid change & replace gearbox flange
seal) $260.90
W10 240,000km $432.90
WS1 247,500km (incl. coolant change) $217.95
Total 2002 : $911.75
2003 : W10 255,500km (incl. coolant change - forgot to check records
and remember it was done in the past 12 months -duh!) $443.50
Total 2003 $443.50
2004 : WS1 263,000km (incl replace all 4 CV joints, replace front disc
pads & replace leaking clutch master cylinder) $973.35
Water hose & clamps $52.00
Total 2004 : $1025.35
2005 : W10 271,500km $499.90
Replace radiator, Replace oil cooler O-ring seal, replace oil
cooler hoses. $981.45
WS1 279,500km $190.95
Total 2005 : $1672.30
2006 : W10 287,000km (incl replace synth.gear box oil) $507.90
WS1 294,000km $239.40
Total 2006 : $747.30
2007 : W10 301,000km (incl replace original muffler with S/S high flow
replacement @ $550.00) $1153.45
Total 2007 : $1153.45
So......not including tyres (I'm on the third set I have purchased),
wheel alignments, fuel, registration and insurance, that comes to the
grand total of <insert drum roll here>...$48,898.80 !
If I deduct the purchase price, I have spent in the past 15 yrs an
average of $1393 on maintenance, parts replacement and accessories.
Is that expensive ? I dunno...I cannot compare these figures to any
other vehicle over the equivalent time.
Was it worth it ? Every bit of it ! ...errr except maybe the heads issue
that was mildly disappointing. I mean, it has been the most fun and
versatile vehicle we have ever owned and it is not easy to put a price
on that. Camping in beautiful places all alone...right be y the beach
ready to hit the waves at first light....transporting my MTB (and
keeping it secure when not riding it)...avoiding the costs of
alternative accommodation, being able to carry almost anything I wanted
to....keeping my instruments dry at music festivals when it inevitably
poured with rain....the smiles and waves of other Kombi drivers...being
involved in a few shows and VW displays for the Transporter's 50th
Birthday and later 5o years of VW in Australia. Yea... it's been well
and truly worth it and I wouldn't change a thing....not even the engine
to another power source....I'm just one of those who was generally quite
happy with the T3 just as it is.
Sorry for the long post...I guess it's been my catharsis with the
prospect of losing our beloved '92 Transporter that we've kept for the
past 15 years and also being Kombi-less as of this coming Saturday for
the first time since the 1970s.
This list has been great and it has been fun seeing the evolution...from
the original Type 2 list, vanagon@lenti and through to where it is
today. It really is the best email list I have ever had the privilege to
be part of... and it's been great conversing with many of you over the
years.
If ever any of you are planning a trip to Australia, feel free to
contact me as I am still gonna be around VWs and can most likely help
with finding a van, or even accommodation for VW volk either in the
mountains or by the sea...
Cheers and all the best,
Steve O
'92 Transporter WBX Kombi (only until Saturday :-( )
'00 Transporter Double Cab
'03 Transporter Double Cab (work truck)
'07 Passat Variant TDI
'78 Land Rover Series 3 soft top ute
| 
