I agree that this list is more like a hospital. You hear the bad way more
than the good. Today I sold my 86 Syncro Westy to Adam Reed from Atlanta. He flew
all the way out here to southern Cal to pick it up and will drive it all the
way home. I've driven the van all over the damn place -- Baja, Mammoth, Pismo
Dunes, America's loneliest highway thru Nevada and many other places and only
had to have it towed once. Adam couldn't believe how many Vanagons and
Microbusses we saw between LA and Laguna. On the east coast, you're lucky to see one
a day. I take one every few blocks for granted.
I've done enuf and had enuf done to the van to feel that Adam will make it
safely. I just bought another Syncro and was talking to the mech who's putting a
new engine in it. He made this point about folks with Vanagons -- nothing in
life's free. either you make a new car payment and have a reliable car, or you
make close to the equivalent of a car payment a month to ensure that your
vanagon will keep running reliably. (or buy a cheap used honda and really have it
cheap) This means preventative maintenance and spending money for some peace
of mind. Westy's ain't cheap. But they sure are fun. Oh, AAA PLUS doesn't hurt
either.
Chris Dixon