I don't have an auto-tranny, but from all the reading I have done on
this list, one of the advantages of the auto tranny is it's suitability
  for rebuilding by the owner at home in the family garage if one is
sufficiently handy with tools. A standard toolbox will have most
everything you need. The manual tranny on the other hand is a more
complicated beast, and requires special jigs to re-assemble properly.

I would sure consider this as opposed to buying a used auto-tranny. For
one, you never know what you are getting, even under the best of
circumstances, and two, for the price of the used tranny, that cost
applied to your own tranny would give you one that would have new parts
and is well surviced. You would know what you have, and could expect ong
life from it.

Good luck, which ever way you chose to go.

John Rodgers
88 Gl Driver

LC wrote:
> Anyone in the Toronto area has a used automatic transmission for an 87
> vanagon?
> Mine died and rebuilding it will cost too much.  Or I am going to have
> to sell it for parts or to someone that would be able to fix it, the
> engine runs great no problems at all.
> Everything in the van works, except for the front heater fan and the air
> conditioning that needs recharge..a little rust.
> If anyone has a transmission or wants to buy the van, let me know.
>
> Thanks
>