Well, you haven't bought it yet, so maybe you're not nuts.

Seriously, the thing that's scary about this, as you've guessed, is that you
don't know what kind of maintenance it has received in the past.  If you
have time for a few trial runs (up and down hills and idling for a while in
traffic, etc.), and the availability of a good VW mechanic to give it a
thorough going over before you take off, and the purchase price is
reasonable enough that you can afford to do a bit of preventative
maintenance, I'd say go for it.

Karl Wolz

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Whitby" <rpwhitby@MINDSPRING.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 8:49 PM
Subject: Am I crazy?

Delurking here to get a bit of advice. I am considering the purchase of a
1987 Westy, A/C auto. The body is in very nice shape, interior is squeaky
clean. Original engine. 155,000 miles. Some head work done, I'm not exactly
sure what. And now the question:
Am I crazy to be buying this thing with the expectation that it will take
me, the wife, and two kids on a 8,000-mile plus tour of the east coast and
Canada? I've owned many VWs in the past, but never a WBX. I am mechanically
inclined, as all VW owners either are or will be at some point. I don't mind
doing the work, in fact I enjoy it. However I'm too old to see much romance
in being stuck by the side of the road, wife cursing and kids screaming,
while the Westy boils over. I know a lot depends on condition and prior
maintenance blah blah blah. Just tell me if indeed a trip like this is some
kind of flashback and I should get a F*rd, or indeed if this is still doable
in this day and age.
With much anxiety over joining the WBX crowd,
Bob W