Date:         Mon, 8 Jul 2019 22:41:04 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Why the preponderance of air-cooled on Marketplace?
In-Reply-To:  <12B7DA91-630A-42A3-92E2-3E70D7A3E645@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

> Because people bought Air Cooled vans and dumped tons of Cash into them
> and realize that the WBX was way more reliable and had heat and are now
> taking a haircut. No one really sets out to buy an AC Vanagon on purpose.

I'd say that's a bit harsh. The 2.0L aircooled engine is underpowered for a Vanagon and especially for a Westy (albeit nowhere as anemic as the 1.6L diesel), but if you can live with a leisurely pace and no heat to speak of, it can last a long time and is a very easy to work on.  Both the air and water cooled engines have their Achilles heals and both relate to overheating. With the A/C engine it's dropped valve seats, with the wasserboxer it's the plumbing and head gaskets. Personally I find the A/C engine to be a bit too slow for my tastes in a Vanagon Westy (the wasserboxer, however, is peppy enough for my needs), but I had the identical engine in a slightly lighter weight '77 Westy and absolutely loved it.  Plus, as a backyard mechanic, I could do a lot more work on it myself than I can on my wasserboxer, without all that pesky plumbing getting in the way.

Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com