Date: Sat, 30 May 1998 12:55:12 EDT
Reply-To: Benjita@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Cory Zumbrennen <Benjita@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Newbie has Westie & Vanagon Questions.
Content-type: multipart/mixed;
In a message dated 98-05-30 12:53:32 EDT, Benjita writes:
<< Cory Zumbrennen <Benjita@AOL.COM>
>2.1L engine. Smaller improvements include improved braking, Digifant (is
this
>an improvement??), re-routed coolant hoses, Syncro available, PW, PL, PM,
>square headlights, skylight in the Westfalias......
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Why are square headlights an improvement?
I have never experienced the lighting on '85 or earlier van, but could only
assume that the lighting is better using the low beams. But are they better
on high beams as well? Regardless, my original comment was based on
appearance. I think that the square headlights _look_ a lot better, even if
they are not as efficient. I would say the same thing about the fiberglass
bumpers. In a practical sense they are terrible, they crack easily and cost a
fortune to replace. But they _look_ much better and I consider them an
improvement over the steel ones. Just my opinion....your opinion may vary:-)
>IMHO, all Vanagon's require a lot of attention, no matter whether it's a 7
>passenger or a Syncro Westfalia. So buy something that excites you and
I disagree, I have not had to give my '91 Camper that much attention that
I would consider it excessive at all. Unless you consider washing it
frequently 'excessive attention'. It's true that the heads eventually
need new gaskets, but that's not a frequent task.
I change the oil every 2,500 miles and every 30K do the tune-up thing.
At 108K miles, I'm still waiting for my first head gasket leak. I drive
mine daily and don't really understand why you say they 'all' need
alot of attention?
>>
In this case I am biased towards my personal experience. I have owned 3
Vanagons and they have all had over 100K miles on them. Perhaps I have just
bought previously neglected vans. But they all had Digifant problems due to
some sort of corrosion or a bad sensor or a faulty design(AFM needs a $100
harness). By that mileage head gasket leaks are emminent(sp?), power steering
rack and pump are getting pretty used, coolant hoses are begining to rot, CV's
start to click. It seems as though some Vanagons have a tough year or two in
their life where all sorts of things are going bad and need attention. Give
them the attention and they will me happy once more for several years. I buy
the vans that need attention, because the ones that don't cost a fortune
around here. So it seems that in a broad sense there are three catagories of
Vanagons. Those that have not needed attention yet, those that are in
desperate need of attention, and those that have gotten the attention that
they needed. Considering the fact that the newest Vanagon is 7 years old,
*most* Vanagon's are going to fall into the latter two categories, and you are
going to have to pay them more mind than say a Golf with the same mileage.
Then there is the whole consideration of how much more difficult it is to
find a competent mechanic who knows Vanagons, finding parts for Vanagons,
paying for parts for Vanagons. All of this takes more dedication from the
owner than your comprable Golf.
I like this state of affairs. It means that in the future the only ones that
will have Syncro Westfalias (okay so I'm a big Syncro Westfalia booster) are
the ones who are willing to spend time and money on them. The only people who
will do this are the people who really enjoy using them. And I won't have to
see anymore ads about the '91 Syncro Westfalia with 60K miles with the plastic
still over the sink and refrigerator. Not that I wouldn't like to buy one,
like if I won the lottery or something;-)
bye,
Cory
>>
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