With proper planning, the risks the trip and the vanagon pose can be minimized.  the
hardest part may be finding a competent mechanic to do a thorough pre-trip inspection
of the van....especially the cooling system and some judgment on the head gaskets.
A new water pump would be a good idea if it has not been replaced yet.  So would an
expansion tank.  New belts a must.  (remember...a breakdown along the road presents
potentially dangerous risks that justify investing in preventative maitenance).  hoses
and fuel lines should be carefully inspected, too, along with the typical pre-travel
stuff applicable to any vehicle.

A cell phone and AAA card make a lot of sense.  Pepper spray isn't a bad idea, either.

steve

Kari Williams wrote:

> hi everyone,
> i'm a new subscriber to the list and am hoping for some advice. i recently
> purchased a '90 vanagon (not camper, but back folds into a bed), and am
> planning to drive from california to new york and back again with my 2 teenage
> daughters for our annual girls trip. (i know what you are thinking: glutton
> for punishment. but they are the ones who really want to go!) anyway, my
> vanagon has low miles (60,000) and runs great, but is there something i should
> do to it before making the journey? like, i don't know, replacing the fuel
> lines and belts or something? the only thing i know how to do is add coolant
> and oil and call AAA. we have 2 months to make the trip and plan to take it
> slow and easy and spend a few days in corpus christi, miami, washington d.c.
> etc. should i be changing the oil every 2,000 miles or so? anything else?
>         my brother is a vw mechanic and always keeps my vws in shape, but he isn't
> being helpful about this trip, as he thinks 3 women alone on the road are
> headed for disaster. anyone out there make a similar long distance trip?
> advice? warnings?
> kari (karibel@aol.com)