Hi Brad,

First, welcome to the list and congratulation on asking the list experience
first before
you spend your hard earned $$$ before you make an informed decision.

I strongly suggest you heed the advise and yet read and gleen with a large
grain of salt.
You've got to know your limitations and financial restraint on these
vehicles along with
any other "used" vehicle you are considering.   If  you plan on purchasing a
vanagon of
any year, you must consider the age and know that you will most likely spend
a good 5 - 10
K  ( that's right 5 - 10 thounsand U.S. dollars) to get the van into  good
operating condition.
This all depends on the price and condition you purchase said vehicle for.

I strongly urge you to write down your current needs versus desires for said
vehicle and
make damn sure that this is the right vehicle for you.   That way, you
remove the "rose-colored"
looking glass you might see the vanagon through.

I've personally weight the pros and cons contantly and can find no other
vehicle that meets "my needs"
as well as my 91 Westfalia.   Every time I consider another vehicle, it
falls short of those
needs considerable and it's very disconcerting to me that there are no
vehicles that even come
close except maybe the Eurovan camper.  The cost versus need, though, are
quite huge.

But  maybe your needs versus desires are quite different from mine..    So
make a good list
and decide if thie vanagon fits your needs well.  If so, stay with us and if
not move on...

I hope this helps,

Steven
91 Westy

On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 9:27 AM, Brad Pauly <bpauly@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
>
> I think I'm finally ready to take the plunge. 10 years ago I was
> searching pretty seriously but never pulled the trigger. This time I
> think I'm ready. I was hoping to get some first time buyer advice.
> I've been looking for '86 and newer Westys. Originally I was set on a
> full camper, however, I think I'd be really happy with a weekender (at
> least at first).
>
> I'm not really a "car guy." I'm actually an engineer on paper so I can
> understand most of that stuff. I do like tinkering, but it's been with
> bicycles all my life which are decidedly less complex. I have two main
> questions.
>
> Should I avoid out-of-state vans? Not having experience working on
> cars it makes me a little nervous. If I could find a good local
> mechanic to make sure things are okay I'd feel much better though.
>
> What about older vans? Am I needlessly limiting myself with '86 and newer?
>
> Thanks for any advice or feedback!
>
> Cheers,
> Brad
>