Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2019 15:20:30 -0400
Reply-To: "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Moving our aging bodies on from Vanagon (sniff!)
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2019080513313591@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
We used to sell these a while back for another company. I had several her
over the years. The nice part about them is that they drive like a much
smaller vehicle and even with the 5-cylinder version, it didn't feel like
you were driving a large vehicle. I am thinking that if you could find the
5-cylinder Eurovan version (93) that might be the least trouble prone.
They sold quite a few 95s which are also 5-cylinders but the engine was
changed and it is hard to get parts for that year because they barely sold
any in 95 besides Rialtas, apparently.
After 97 they went to the VR6 is when you run into the issues with the
engine (timing chain, defective timing chain gears (97)) and automatic
transmissions that randomly blow under 100k miles. Ironically, if they
last over 100k miles they usually last another 100k miles. That is the
legend. Maybe it is just the way the person drives.
So if you really need one I would look for a 93. Or just not care about
how much it costs to fix it. The transmission and timing chain job on the
later models can be around $10k. So maybe factor that into the final price
of the vehicle. Class C motorhomes are super expensive right now. Can you
easily spend $125k on a new one. Maybe a Rialta isn't such a bad deal once
you compare it to what these things cost new.
Ken
On Mon, Aug 5, 2019 at 1:31 PM fonman4277 <fonman4277@comcast.net> wrote:
> Probably had to pay for a transmission replacement or timing chain
> replacement or both! Not cheap to maintain. I've been told Winnebago
> stopped using them because of the transmission failures, and that's on all
> Eurovans.Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
> -------- Original message --------From: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
> Date: 8/5/19 1:19 PM (GMT-05:00) To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject:
> Re: Moving our aging bodies on from Vanagon (sniff!) Second respo0nse RE:
> RialtaI just remembered this tidbit. There has been two instances, one
> couple Iknow are on this list, where they sold their Westfalia and bought
> aRialta. And in both cases, within a year, they sold the Rialta and
> foundanother Westfalia. Maybe one of them will chime in here with their
> reasons.
--
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
