kevin <ironfly@HOME.COM>  wrote:
Subject: daily driver

 Sometimes I wonder why anyone would even
consider a 83 or newer with the water cooled, from the sound of this
list they don't sound like a financially attractive way to go.
Air-cooled and happy in CA.

-----------------------------
Thats a good question.  But for all their shortcomings and weaknesses, IMHO
the later models offer features and body/interior improvements the early
vanagons did not have.
>From my bad memory:
85 got a better sliding door latch requiring much less effort to close and
Power steering!
86 got more attractive interior fabric, seats with arm rests and syncro
87 got PW, PL, Cruise, more modern paint colors
And a few more things up through the years.

The water cooled engines are more expensive to fix and  have cooling system
problems.  But the WBX also has more power, is quieter,  lower overall
emissions and have better heating systems.
A trade off maybe, but I personally prefer the later versions.

Gary Lee
1987 syncro westy, propane/gasoline