Date:         Tue, 4 Jun 1996 13:07:38 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Shawn Wright, SMUS Network Manager" <swright@smus.bc.ca>
Subject:      re: G60 in a Vanagon

    1.8 liter, G60 is the name for the supercharger that resides on
    the beast, stock 158hp at something about 5500 rpm, torque nearly
    to match but soft on the bottom. As I said would be right at the

I had a '90 Corrado for a while, and would agree that the bottom end 
is pretty soft. I found my 8V GTI much more suitable for usable 
torque and power, except above 80mph or so, but this wouldn't be an 
issue with the Vanagon of course... :)

    place to have a G60 strongly in its power range but unfortunately
    mileage would be to put it lightly CRAP. Does spin up quickly but
    cranking up a 2700 lb sport coupe is a bit different from getting
    4500 lb of Wanagon a movin. The 2 diesels I have seen with GTI
    engines both turned a bit too fast, mileage was under 20. With
    the supercharger increasing mileage (Corrado gets 32+ routinely)
The *best* mileage I ever got on my Corrado was 42mpg CDN, which is 
about 35 mpg US gallon, and this was a long stretch of flat highway 
doing 60 mph... Average mileage for city/hwy was around 24-26 mpg 
CDN, so I'd say you'd be luck to see 20mpg in the Vanagon. 
Crappy mileage was one of the reasons I sold the car... (along with 
too many tickets... ;)

Around here, good used G60s are pretty rare and big $$$, so I'd say a 2.0L 
8V would be a better choice - spend the extra money on cams, 
balancing, etc.

Shawn.