Alistair, I understand.  I am willing for now to put up with what it takes to be able to have and use the camper.  When it isn't worth it any more, I'll do something else.  I just thought this ought to be clear to any naive person.

Dave

---- Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> Dave,
>
> Think about it, the "newest" Vanagon is now almost 20 years old. It is
> unreasonable to expect the van to be trouble free, especially compared
> to "things like Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, that never break."
>
> And westies need more maintenance. I look at them as if they were
> boats. Try buying a 20 year old boat that sleeps 2, has a galley, and
> and expect then to do no work on it. :)
>
> Vanagons in all there forms are not for everyone. I'm one of those who
> love mucking around fixing things on mine, I know other owners who
> don't and have pro. mechs. do the work. I do wince a little when
> someone that I suspect don't want to take either path asks me about
> vanagon ownership.
>
> alistair
>
>
>
> On 18-Jan-11, at 10:47 AM, Dave Mcneely wrote:
>
> > I guess I'll have to say at this point that the following post from
> > Matt illustrates something that any prospective Vanagon buyer
> > without Vanagon experience should consider.  The folks who seem to
> > enjoy Vanagons the most are those who are either mechanics or want
> > to be mechnics, and who just enjoy getting their hands greasy and
> > barked up for the sake of working on a vehicle themselves.  This
> > even extends to the point of some (though not most) of them
> > resorting to ridicule towards those of us who just want to have a
> > vehicle that works to do what we want it to do.  For them, it is all
> > about the opportunity to work (and redesign and rework even) a van
> > that some of us would just like to be able to reliably used, having
> > been spoiled by things like Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, that
> > never break.
> >
> > I have grown to like my camper a lot, and my wife likes it even more
> > than I do.  But the things can be a real trial, and only someone
> > willing to put up with that, or even better, to love it, should
> > consider one.  It is not for the sake of the trials and tribulations
> > that we like the camper, but for what it can do for us.  But a good
> > many others seem to love the trouble, and to love constant dickering
> > with the beast.  And though some will say, particularly in response
> > to anyone stating otherwise, that the vehicle is easy to maintain
> > and easy to diagnose, and easy to work on, there are probably very
> > few people for whom that is true.
> >
> > McNeely
>

--
David McNeely