Tunajuice,

On a budget, the way to go is *used* - either Yakima or Thule.  There are
others of course, but these are the most popular so you can get more
attachements later on more easily.

"Bare" racks for rain gutter systems are cheap used, because so few
vechicles have rain gutters today - essentially only full-size American
vans.  It might make sense to buy the best deal you find on a rack with
the bike attachments that you want, not worrying if it non-rain gutter
system, and then search out a set of cross bars with gutter mounts.  I
think you will need 5' cross bars, but you will have to determine that.

For real cheap - you can buy just the fork mount piece and avoid
expensive bike holding systems.  Look at a few websites and you can make
your own, like a friend did for a Tandem. P-mail for more details.

Yakima have round cross bars - which I like, you can flip the attachments
down and the bars are quite strong.  I do find the Thule "feet'" that
mount to the car to be better quality than Yakima, but the square cross
bars are weaker - you see a lot more bent Thule bars than Yakima ones.

You did not say whether you had a hard top or a westy top.  With a Westy,
the quick and fairly cheap way tot go is"fake rain gutter brackets",
Thule or Yakima sell them.  www.rackattack.com is one place that I have
had good luck with.

John

>>>>>>>>>
Is there a list consensus (like there's ever been consensus on anything)
on
how and which bike rack works well on a vanagon?    Ideally I'd like top
transport 4 bikes but understand that maybe unreasonable - specially on a
limited budget.  Appreciate your thoughts,

Tunajuice