> I have wanted one of these van's for years and looked around 
> for 2 months to get one in good condition in my price range 
> (87westy) I would love to take this thing across country but 
> now after reading this list I am unsure if it will make it 
> without me crossing my fingers the whole time. Am I hearing 
> the worst of the worst? 

Congratulations on your new Westy!  It's important to realize that what is
posted here is generally the problems. Nobody writes in to say, "I drove my
Vanagon and nothing went wrong;" they only post when something _does_ go
wrong!  I have driven VW campers across country and across Europe without
any breakdowns. On other occasions I have driven 100 miles and needed to be
towed home. These are 25 year old vehicles, and any 25 year old vehicle will
tend to be less reliable than a new or practlcally-new car. Also, they do
have their own quirks (as do many vehicles of their vintage). It will be
very important for you to have your Westy thoroughly inspected by someone
experienced with Vanagons prior to its cross-country trip (in your hands).
Vanagon.com, the list archives, and the Links/Resources section of
BusDepot.com will give you some direction as to common failure issues. You
will also want to keep a repair manual (which we sell) with you in case you
need it on your trip. (Even if you don't work on the van yourself, it can be
very useful to have one if you break down in the middle of nowhere and the
only mechanic in the area never worked on a Vanagon before.)  With proper
"care and feeding" a Vanagon in good condition can be an excellent and
reliable traveling vehicle, but it will almost certainly require more
preventative maintenance than, say, a late model minivan.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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