My Vanagon was my only vehicle from =
November 1994
until May of 2000 when I purchased a (used) 1996 VW Passat VR6 =
Wagon. In
early 1996 I did put a new factory rebuilt engine my Vanagon, but I knew =
it was
going to need that done when I bought the Van in '94. Since =
putting the
engine in, I've had to replace the distributor, the fuel pump, the =
radiator, a
rear heater core, shocks, half shaft axles, and a couple of sets of =
tires. Seeing as I paid $2400 for my van used, the engine was the =
biggest
expense at $3500 installed. The rest of the repairs I've made over =
the
years were pretty routine, and for the most part not terribly =
expensive.
When I got the Van it had 125,000 miles and now it has 211,000 =
miles. I've
hardly done a thing to it in the past 18 months.
I think the Vanagon has been one of the =
best
transportation deals I've ever gotten, especially compared to the price =
of new
cars and the things that go wrong with them. My '96 Passat at =
35,000 miles
could probably use around $1,000 worth of work now, already. I can =
at
least work on the Vanagon, I don't even want to do my own tune up on the =
Passat. I'm happier driving the Passat in the snow, with its front =
wheel
drive, antilock brakes and traction control. I don't much try to =
drive the
Vanagon in the winters up here in Iowa, it handles badly in snow and ice =
and
besides, it's a southern car and I'd rather try to keep it from
rusting.
I will say that I think the later model =
vans, (86
and up) while they are a bit nicer in terms of creature comforts, and =
they do
have a smidge more power, are less reliable from a power train =
standpoint.
The 2.1 engines just don't seem as durable as the 1.9s.
_____
"I'm a Southern writer, from Tennessee, but I'm also an Iowan, and =
I hope
to never live anywhere else."
--Neal Bowers
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2001 =
5:30
PM
Subject: is your Vanagon your =
main/only
vehicle?
I'm wondering for how many of you your Vanagon is your main =
means
of
transportation, and you drive it 20,000+ miles per year. =
In
the 2.5
years I've had my 91 Westy, I've had to put an awful lot
of money =
into
repairs, and am beginning to wonder if this vehicle
just isn't =
suited for
continual use and frequent long trips. I
take pretty good =
care of my
VW, but it is currently in the shop
with a broken crankshaft on a =
engine
that was rebuilt only 30k
miles ago.
Are there Vanagon =
owners
out there who log a lot of miles and don't
have many =
problems?
-
Greg