Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:29:38 -0800
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: first time buyer
Comments: To: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

re I do wince a little when someone that I suspect don't want to take either path asks me about vanagon ownership.

of course. I just ask them if they've ever owned a VW before, to start with. Some background there helps. Then I tell them............water-cooled vanagons take special understanding and care. 'for sure'...they are not some older just-won't-die toyota ..... older Toyota's ...man if you barely change the oil every year or so ..the think will run nearly indefinitely.

on the other hand .....vanagons do a lot of wonderful things old totota's won't do .. they just take care and understanding.

I think there's even hope that people who own, or would own, water cooled vanagons recognize the need for regular service. 'the common standard' these days is .......as long as it runs fairly well, it must be OK. That can't really work long term on a water-cooled vanagon of course.. cooling system deterioration occurs silently ..with little evidence of corrosion building up etc... my saying on that is 'fixing a vanagon when it breaks is an awful way to take care of it.'

because.....if someone drives one until something breaks.. say brakes fail or shift linkage gets really bad .. or clutch hydraulics go south etc... if they just operate it until one system breaks... even though they got that one system fixed.. the other 10 systems they've been neglecting are still suffering badly and heading for failure !

so watch out for that. and ..the funny, funny thing is .. if every adjustment was kept in tune .... if everything that moves was kept lubed, if all fluids were changed on a regular basis.. and the van driven nicely .. not much really even wears out on them !

back to the original thought though .. I just let them know they take care and understanding .. they're excellent vehicles for sure.

the worst thing about the 86 and later ones are the headlights.. but that's fixable with round headlights and upgraded bulbs and euro style headlights. or an expensive SA kit. the front brakes are not actually 'larger' in 86 compared to previous front brakes.. they do work better.....but they actually have a smaller diameter disc than the early set up .. and a single piston sliding caliper rather than a fixed two piston caliper ........and they somewhat better than the early brakes. I don't even use brakes that much ....so, with the exception of towing .. I've found stock brakes to be adequate. And I don't usually race downhill...uphill perhaps, but I'm not diving into corners under heavy braking very often, and never downhill. I like to be easy on equipment. And to keep everything smoothly working and nicely lubed and adjusted.

how exciting ..an opportunity to find a good 'new used' vanagon ! Scott www.turbovans.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alistair Bell" <albell@SHAW.CA> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 11:12 AM Subject: Re: first time buyer

> Dave, > > Think about it, the "newest" Vanagon is now almost 20 years old. It is > unreasonable to expect the van to be trouble free, especially compared > to "things like Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, that never break." > > And westies need more maintenance. I look at them as if they were > boats. Try buying a 20 year old boat that sleeps 2, has a galley, and > and expect then to do no work on it. :) > > Vanagons in all there forms are not for everyone. I'm one of those who > love mucking around fixing things on mine, I know other owners who > don't and have pro. mechs. do the work. I do wince a little when > someone that I suspect don't want to take either path asks me about > vanagon ownership. > > alistair > > > > On 18-Jan-11, at 10:47 AM, Dave Mcneely wrote: > >> I guess I'll have to say at this point that the following post from >> Matt illustrates something that any prospective Vanagon buyer >> without Vanagon experience should consider. The folks who seem to >> enjoy Vanagons the most are those who are either mechanics or want >> to be mechnics, and who just enjoy getting their hands greasy and >> barked up for the sake of working on a vehicle themselves. This >> even extends to the point of some (though not most) of them >> resorting to ridicule towards those of us who just want to have a >> vehicle that works to do what we want it to do. For them, it is all >> about the opportunity to work (and redesign and rework even) a van >> that some of us would just like to be able to reliably used, having >> been spoiled by things like Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, that >> never break. >> >> I have grown to like my camper a lot, and my wife likes it even more >> than I do. But the things can be a real trial, and only someone >> willing to put up with that, or even better, to love it, should >> consider one. It is not for the sake of the trials and tribulations >> that we like the camper, but for what it can do for us. But a good >> many others seem to love the trouble, and to love constant dickering >> with the beast. And though some will say, particularly in response >> to anyone stating otherwise, that the vehicle is easy to maintain >> and easy to diagnose, and easy to work on, there are probably very >> few people for whom that is true. >> >> McNeely


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