Although I have had both air and water - I can't say either type has been
overly reliable - enjoyable however that is for sure.  I have been stranded
on roads, driveways and highways with all sorts of ailments...some fixable
and some not so much.  Those experiences certainly made me a wiser motorist
and a more resilient traveler.  I also have to say that the water boxer
coolant system with its 1400 hoses - (or so it seems) and brittle aged
plastic junctions and parts - has definitely scared the $%## out of me on
the eve of many a trip.  Of course I have done much to replace much of that
with new hoses, stainless pipes and aluminum parts where available and keep
an eye and ear on things as much as possible.

A slight power increase is likely part of it - I also think the newer
Vanagons are more comfortable with their seats - a little more modern and
roomier - and slightly newer - if that means anything for a 30 plus year
old vehicle.

BT

On Mon, Jul 8, 2019 at 7:25 PM Stacy Schneider <vwcrewman@gmail.com> wrote:

> Because people bought Air Cooled vans and dumped tons of Cash into them
> and realize that the WBX was way more reliable and had heat and are now
> taking a haircut. No one really sets out to buy an AC Vanagon on purpose.
> They just don’t realize the difference, the mechanics are happy to work on
> a van and let people spend 30K on a van that may be worth 10K with the wind
> at your back at best.
>           Of course this is my opinion and others may differ, but I am not
> far from the truth.
>
>                                     Stacy
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jul 8, 2019, at 5:10 PM, Jim. Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >
> > There are 18 Vanagons on FB Marketplace within driving distance of me.
> > Twelve of them are air-cooled. Overall, the air-cooled Vanagons are in
> > nicer shape, at least body-wise, than their later-model counterparts.
> >
> > Why would this be? Is it simply that they were off the road for so long
> > because of their reliability, or are there just more people around who
> can
> > work on an air-cooled VW van?
> >
> > Jim
>