> From: Richard A. Jones
> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2000 1:49 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: '80 vanagon camper for $5000 - is it worth it?
>
>
> My 2 cents worth:
>
> Air-cooled Vanagon is the way to go--if it has
> the aux gas heater.  Since this one came from
> the south, it probably doesn't.
>
> I have an '81 (7-passenger), 4-speed, with aux
> gas heater that I bought new in 1/82, trading
> in a '76 with no gas heater.  The '81 is
> a keeper.       ;-)
>

ah yes, but with a westy, you are never homeless! My 82 doesn't have the gas
heater, but if you follow Bulley's example of "how to", you will get heat
out of an air-cooled. And you can do what I am in the process of doing now,
and that is, installing a 2nd propane tank for a vented propane heater.

The air-cooled has fewer problems and costs less to maintain. However, the
67 hp is not enough hp in the mountains. One tends to slow down and enjoy
the ride and see the animals.

I do miss the waterboxer hp. I don't miss the burping. The wasserboxer, was
the first vehicle I've owned that I had to burp. <grin> It was also one of
my most reliable vehicles I've ever owned. My wasserboxer was a daily
driver, my westy is not. My westy seems to be reliable also. A westy has
high maintenance. You have to keep in mine the age of the vehicle also.

I get cash offers for my westy, never had that with my 7-passenger GL.
Westies have a much higher resale value.

Bill                     "I'd Rather Be Hiking The
'82 CA Westy [FreeBird]       Greater Yellowstone"
"The Gem State"
http://pages.prodigy.net/billv2/web%20page/FreeBird.htm