FWIW,
I think I qualify as 'expert' on vanagons, having worked on hundreds and
hundreds of them, and doing engine conversions full time professionally.

AND - I have never ever yet seen a chewed up engine case from a loose
waterboxer waterpump impeller, although obviously it must have happened.

The water pumps on a 2.1 wbxr last about  70K miles , sometimes longer, but
often, just about 70K.
Changing the water pump with the engine in the van - you want to kill the
engineers that designed it.  It's about 6 times harder than they might have
made it, had they cared.

Cooling system, overall - is vanagon's main challenge.
The joke head gaskets, yes, of course. 
And...........a cooling system with about a hundred parts in it, spread from
one end of the vehicle to the other - it's just inherently more challenged
than any front engine, front radiator car or van.  There is just no way
around that. 

With 'proper care and understanding they can be quite good though.  Not a
good vehicle to just drive into the ground - I just cringe when I hear of
someone operating a vanagon for a hundred K miles, or ten years, and all
they every 'had to do' was a water pump and a tune up say ......i cringe
because all the other systems that are being neglect during that time, while
not having completely failed, they'll surely be very warn and getting very
due, for the poor next owner.
So naturally ......you'd want to get a vanagon that's been properly cared
for.  
Many people have a terrible tendency to think that if it seems to be working
fine, it must be fine.  Which of course has nothing to do with
..........since............oh.................changing or at least checking
the transmission oil, replacing worn shocks, lubing CV joints once in a
great while, changing brake fluid, etc. etc. etc.  

They can be fine vehicles, and they take more care and understanding than
most vans or cars. 
Many, many parts of them are quite well made, and easy to work on. 
They also can really use upgrades throughout - better engine, stiffer
springs, better wheels/tires, bigger brakes etc.  Better lighting ...etc.
..the list goes on and on.  

But overall.....there is a LOT to love and appreciate about vanagons. Just
gotta understand them.
They ain't no Volvo, or Ford, or Mercedes Benz - just a 'people's car' ...a
VW ......and 'some' of the stuff vw does is questionable for sure, like the
infamous waterboxer joke head gaskets.  All fixable however.  And they for
sure hold value, and some of them go up in value. 
Scott
www.turbovans.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jake de Villiers
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 9:05 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: What a real VW mech @ the dealer has to says about a vanagons

That's not unheard of.  When I was looking for a Vanagon in 1992 I went to
Blenheim Motors in Vancouver, which is where we used to get the hard stuff
fixed on our splits and he told me not to buy one. He himself had just
bought an Astro!

When I asked why, he said that when the water pump went the cast iron
impeller chewed up the alloy case and ruined it.

So when we found our '84 at Campbell/Nelson, the first thing I did was
change the water pump.  Still no problem.  :)

On 9/10/07, TC <trclark@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> http://www.914club.com/bbs2/lofiversion/index.php/t62250.html
> yah I know dont beleive all ya read
>
> I quote
>
> Who are the Vanagon experts here?
>
> I'm aware of some of the problems with the Wasserboxers, but I would like
> to
> hear from any experts.
>
> I don't need a Syncro or Westy. Luckie and I just need a practical vehicle
> that's bigger than our 914s.
>
> The Scirocco and GTI are going up for sale.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> I am a mechanic at a VW dealership, TRUST ME. you do not want a vanagon,
> we
> will not even take them in to work on!! I heartily recommend either buying
> an asian or domestic van, or holding out until "Project M"- our new
> minivan
> arrives next year as a 2008.
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com