All I can say is that from my experience and what I've heard, the 80 vanagon is one of the worse years.  I still have nightmares about mine and when I tell the story to the guys, they've all confirmed my suspicions- that's just my 2centavos too

On Fri, 11 Feb 2000 14:33:45   BILL wrote:
>> 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
>

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