Dunno. I just bought a '90 (also an ebay auction) from a guy who
said pretty much the same thing to me. Actually, his warning was
"watch the temp gauge. WHEN (emphasis mine) it get up to 3/4,
pull over and let it cool off." It never did go beyond 2/3, but I was
driving very gently. Had it inspected when I got home, and the only
thing wrong with it was a gunky, clogged radiator that needed replacing.
That plus an oil change and it runs like a dream and the gauge stays
dead center even in the hottest weather. It seems to me that there are
a lot of "slacker" Vanagon owners out there who practice "gentle driving"
rather than fixing things. You never know, though. How did he find out
that it could only go 2 hours? did he run it up to the flashing gauge light
a bunch of times before realizing that it could only go 2 hours? You're
probably better off looking for something better maintained unless you
are getting it at an incredible steal.

John Bange
'90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"

Does this sound as bad as I think it does?  I don't have to let my
>Vanagon "rest" every two hours.  I've backed out of the trade.  Grrr.