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.

My '89 Westy is my daily driver, although when we travel as a family we
sometimes take my wife's '99 Beetle. (better on gas, easier to drive when
you don't need the room/flexibility of a Westy).  I, too, have had to put a
lot of money into repairs on my Westy, but consider it a very worthwhile
tradeoff for the convenience of having a home-on-wheels wherever I go (or
fail to go, as the case may be :-).   What is an issue to me is not the cost
of repairs (which, even for major repairs, is negligable compared to the
cost of buying anything remotely like my Westy new), but the risk of
breaking down at inopportune times such as far from home or late at night.
This has happened once or twice, but not enough to make me want to sell my
Westy. Besides, I have to admit it's more reliable than my "second car" (a
'68 VW Crew Cab).

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