Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:52:56 -0400
Reply-To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Living the Compleat Vanagon Experience.
In-Reply-To: <4d1b79350808131711y79365334qc0cf9de50b0e8c14@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
As far as "what can go wrong", we all know they're plagued with issues.
In the short time i've owned my vanagon, starting at age 16, i have had the
following note worthy issues:
Exhaust getting louder (And drill bit broken off in head)
Headgaskets fail catastrophically
Oil Pressure Light
Hot Foot problems
Accelerator cable break
Coolant lines rusting through
Gas Tank leaking/fuel lines
Odometer self destructing
Wiper arms sagging
Clutch "Issues" (To say the least)
Vanagon Intermettent Syndrom (Airflow meter problems)
Brake "Issues"
Battery Charge system Issues
Parts Availability issues
Tires (Deciding what's best, and sourcing them)
The list would go on and on.
I've run it on 3 cylinders and used it as such to get me to and from
highschool with no ill effects, i've repaired it on the side of a road after
it died on the way home from the opening day of "Little Miss Sunshine",
repairing it with only a quarter. I've lost my brakes, driven it with kite
string as an accelerator, and I still feel that if you love them enough, and
you have a good relationship going with your bus......it can be a
pleasureable experience. I've put a TON of work into my bus. At this point,
i'll see less than 1/100th of a return on that work, but i do plan to use it
as a daily driver for as much as 5 years (I have an agreement with the
rust), year round, and i do believe there is NOTHING insane about using one
as your daily driver.
If you just hauled it out of a field and spent $16 on it, and expect to be
able to put gas in it and go flawlessly for many miles, then you're insane.
Fix your problems though, and you can come out on top.
-Craig
'85 WESTY
On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 8:11 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
> A vanagon Carat has been my only means of transportation since August
> 1990 and my wife cooked the heads about a year ago at 227,000. Then my
> diesel westy became my DD. They've been remarkably good cars for me
> and are easy to maintain, which other family cars are not.
>
> Jim
>
> On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 6:49 PM, John Bange <jbange@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> It's something I've considered doing too. Making my Westy a DD. Can't
> >> imagine. Even with a "more reliable" engine installed, it would be a
> >> brave move.
> >
> > I've been driving my non-GL under heavy load as a work van (30mi
> > commute + 20-40 miles city driving each day) for a few months now, and
> > it was a daily commuter for a couple years before that. Easily as
> > reliable as my wife's Honda Civic, at this point. I did put about $10K
> > in engine, tranny, and other parts into it 6 months after I got it
> > after the original engine snapped a head stud. It's remarkable how
> > reliable machines are when you start from a known, good condition
> > baseline and then maintain them accordingly. All it has needed has
> > been fluid and wear part changes since. My coworkers laugh at me for
> > driving such a weird vehicle, but they're all driving giant domestic
> > trucks and vans that get 10-12 MPG. At 38 cents a mile reimbursement,
> > who's laughing now...
> >
> > --
> > John Bange
> > '90 Vanagon - "Lastwagen"
> > '90 Vanagon GL - "Wiesel"
> >
>
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