Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 10:56:22 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Organization: The Cobalt Group
Subject: Re: purchase advice sought
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I have an '84 Westy I bought in 1986. It now has 200k miles with two
head replacements and one transmission rebuild at 100k. Still going
strong, but I am planning to put a 2.1 in when it goes.
You don't say if the van you are looking at is a Westy, all of which had
the three way refrigerator.
Regarding the engine, it has the 1.9 Digijet engine as opposed to the
2.1 Digifant in 86 and newer Vanagons. I have not been dissatisfied
with this, and since it is not running A/C or power steering it has less
work to do. The Digijet is a simpler fuel injection system with an air
flow meter design that has been reliable for me, absolutely no problems
with this system so far. The 2.1 Digifant uses a "hot wire" airflow
monitoring system. Outside of better accuracy for pollution control I
see no real advantage, and it is a much more expensive system to
repair/replace.
Headlights are single round, but you can update to the square style from
vendors on the list.
Captain's chairs were installed starting in '85, and they can be
installed in your '84, which I have done. The original seats were very
poor.
Advantages for the '84 Westy: Folding seat is flat foam rubber pads,
more comfortable for sleeping than the later models with contoured
seats; chrome bumpers are cheaper to replace than the newer plastic
ones; and since it is a simpler vehicle there is less to go wrong--no
power door locks or windows, electric mirrors, P/S, or A/C.
Check http://kbb.com for pricing guidelines, and find out what work has
been done, particularly head replacement and transmission work if it has
over 100k on it.
Good luck!
Ken Baldwin wrote:
>
> I'm looking at an '84 Vanagon Camper tonight. Perhaps some of you experts
> out there could help me with a couple of quick questions:
>
> (1) What are the drawbacks of that model year? I know that things changed a
> bit 1986...bigger engine (2.1L vs 1.9L), different
> headlights/grill...anything else I should be aware of about early Vanagons?
>
> (2) The owner said that the frig was electric. I asked if it would run on
> the LP, and she wasn't sure (no manual). Did they make refrigerators (Westy
> conversion) that only ran on electricty? Wouldn't that drain the battery
> pretty fast when you weren't running?
>
> Thanks,
> Ken
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext 208
Getting your share of the Net yet?
http://www.cobaltgroup.com
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