I'd say you can't really generalize.  There are alot of dealers out there who
know alot about Vanagons and whose mech are top notch (mostly on West Coast I
fear), and there are alot of dealers who have never seen a Vanagon before and
who know less about it than you do.  Same goes for independant shops which are
generally cheaper (my dealer charges almost $60/hr!).  You just have to check
around to see who is the most knowedgeable/best place to work on your van in
your area.  One way I like to do that is to talk to others who have had work
done there and what their experiences have been.
Ken Wilford
Van-Again
John 3:16