Date:         Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:16:25 -0700
Reply-To:     Jim Arnott <jrasite@EONI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Arnott <jrasite@EONI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Living the Compleat Vanagon Experience.
In-Reply-To:  <4d1b79350808131711y79365334qc0cf9de50b0e8c14@mail.gmail.com>
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Daily driving Type 2s for the past twenty years.

'83 GL w/ 281k miles and currently awaiting a reseal.
'77 ASI Riviera with something over 200k miles currently awaiting the
new used hydraulic motor install.
'82 Diesel Westy with about 40k on the Overland 1.9 currently being
straightened after Jim & KP's excellent roll 'em both adventure.
'84 Adventurewagen commuting 29.4 miles daily M-F since new used
motor a couple weeks ago.

In other words, for the past 20 years, I've driven nothing but buses.
(Except the three weeks that I had to borrow the TD Merc between the
roll over and the running motor in the A'wagen.)

Problems? There've been a few.  But a whole lot fewer than Lisa's
Nissan Pathfinder. Whole lot cheaper too.

'83.5 GL: Reseal one head at 149k. Clutch at 180k. Trans 3-4 slider
at 195k. Radiator at 250k.
'77 ASI: Gearbox. Blew the plug outta the oil galley behind the
flywheel. Fuel pump.
'82 diesel: Coolant header tanks.  Usually when it's 20 below
outside. 2 so far. Throttle cable. Slipped cam sprocket. Starter
solenoid.
'84 A'wagen: came with a motor needing a reseal.

The only ones that have left me stranded are the oil galley plug and
the silly starter solenoid. All the others got home under their own
power. If I coulda got a push, the solenoid trip would've made it
too.  Ever try to hand push start a diesel Westy? On dead flat
ground? Alone? Didn't work. Drug it home.

As always, YMMV

Jim