> My question is that since I doubt that most of the Vanagons have had all
> their hoses replaced ever, is there certain hoses that tend to fail more
> than others in the system?

Their has not been a trend that I have seen (based on sales) toward just one
or two particular hoses failing, although the ones to the front heater core
seem to be the least commonly requested ones.  I made the mistake of
replacing only those hoses that looked "suspect" when my new engine went in
last year, and the result was a coolant hose failure that cost me $$$$$$$ in
consequential damage (horror story in the archives).  I have since replaced
all of my hoses except for the aforementioned front heater core hoses.  I
just don't want to be stuck on the side of the road at midnight again with
my wife and 2-year-old in the van.  It's a relatively expensive (but not
exhorbitant) proposition to replace everything, but I have now learned the
hard way how expensive it can be _not_ to do so.  Remember, these vans (and
their hoses) are 10-20 years old, and rubber with hot water running through
it does not last forever.

By the way, I do have very competitive prices on complete coolant hose kits.
They are on the website, and in my catalog.  I am able to achieve cost
savings by importing some of the hoses directly from Volkswagen/Germany,
rather than sourcing the "dealer only" ones from VW/America, hence the lower
prices.  (Although still admittedly too much for a bunch of hoses.  Not my
fault, I buy them as cheap as I can, but stick with only OEM hoses for
reliability's sake.)  While I do try to keep one of each kit in stock at all
times, I do not always succeed (particularly on diesel hose kits).  Delivery
time can range from right away to a 2-3 weeks, but if you're doing it as a
preventative measure the delay may not be too much of a problem. If you need
just one particular hose in an emergency there is a good chance that I will
have it in stock; I would pull it out of one of the kits and then replace it
later.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  http://www.busdepot.com
  (215) 234-VWVW