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.

_____

Donald Baxter  Iowa City, Iowa
(319) 337-0494
www.mindspring.com/~onanov

"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 ----- 
  From: Greg Vaughn 
  To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
  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

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