thought i'd chirp in my thoughts......i agree with rob (and others) completely

my wife and i just returned from 7 months on the road , 15,020 miles, 3
months in the western US followed by 4 months in mexico....in our '89 westy gl
auto...(camped with Rob and Larry Chase in tucson...hey Rob nice to see you here)

problems: 1. CV joints on drivers side replaced in utah, most of the work i
did at the mechanics garage (bugs and bunnies, slt lake city) with my work
checked by mike the owner.
                2. P/S belt came off in mexico city....replaced with the
spare i carried (in hotel parking lot)...easy

that's it....
changed oil every 3000 miles with proper filters we brought with us and 20/50
oil

be patient, enjoy the view and don't drive over 65mph

make sure you have the best tires you can afford with serious sidewall and
rated for max weight loads (many discussions in the archives)
be sure your trusted mechanic/tech person knows you are going on a long
journey and spend the money now to have it gone through
read the list! so many volks know so much more than we do and have no problem
share'n their expertise....check out the different yahoo groups
too...VWFULLTIMERS...WESTFALIA etc...attend VW group campouts, so much fun!

we love our van (wendy) and can't wait to hit the road again whether it's for
a long trip or just close by...

enjoy your van...use your van...they love to run

God Bless
cheez