Hans - common questions, all of them good ones.  Here are my (non-technical
and unscientific) opinions:

>Are Vanagons considerably more comfortable or powerful than Type IIs?

Ahh yes, I battled with this one too, especially after having a '72
7-passenger in college.  Main differences?  Better suspension and brakes,
much more interior room, and you won't get blown into the next lane on a
windy day. Parts are more expensive, and there seem to be more parts to
break on Vanagons.

>If I did decide to get a Vanagon, how would I go about finding one >that is
>technically sound?

There are many checks to undertake - there is a good list of things to start
with on vanagon.com
go to the Info section, then go to articles/essays
(or bypass the frames and go to http://www.vanagon.com/info/articles/#buying
)

>Do I need to be more careful with the aircooled ones or with the
>water->cooled ones?

That seems to be like the Ford vs. Chevy debate - both sides are passionate.
  I for one cannot understand why anyone would want either a 1.6L diesel or
aircooled Vanagon, but obviously not everyone agrees with me.  I would steer
towards a '86.5 to '91 Vanagon if you have the budget - the amenities tend
to be nicer (power windows, brakes, steering, etc) and the '88-'91s have
cooler looking bumpers.  :-)

>Are there any shops or used VW dealers in the Bay Area that specialize >in
>Vanagons and buses?

Absolutely - there are also a lot of Listmembers in the Bay Area.  Again
check out the vendors-->recommended shops area of www.vanagon.com for some
specific recommendations.

Cheers,

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA

>Is there any reason not to get an older Eurovan instead?  (I've seen 93s
>and 94s that are not much more expensive than the newer Vanagons).  Are
>there things to watch out for when looking at Eurovans?  If you had $10k,
>would you rather buy an excellent Vanagon or a good Eurovan?
>

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