Everything under the moon - very expensive, supposedly these vans run well and get great gas mileage but not mine, very upset with the amount of problems.
Running right now, not well, but it moves. I guess these can be good vans after thousands of dollars sunk in and some may say it's worth it.
Although it has been running horrible and its a piece of junk, I still love it and cannot sell it.
There's something about driving one of these vans that can't be beat. Maybe cause you're in constant terror of flipping over (don't buy one if you live in a windy area) or else the fact that if you're in a head on collision you can kiss your legs good-bye.
Still they're fun to drive and you'll find yourself singing and dancing when it's running good.
Vanagons actually do quite well in head-on crash tests, better even than Eurovans.
Concur with the first comment -- VW learned from the Microbus which is soft in front. With the Vanagon they were of course unable to provide crush space, so they made the front very hard instead. The result is that the Vgon gives surprisingly good protection to front-seat occupants, unfortunately at the expense of whatever it hits. This is much more evident in European crash tests against other vehicles than in US crash tests against an unyielding mass.
Results of a European-style offset frontal crash test between a Vanagon and a Volvo wagon are frankly shocking. Each vehicle was traveling at 35 mph. The Volvo dummy was "killed" several times over and the Vanagon dummy was lightly "injured." Some pictures and injury numbers from the test are available at http://www.251.org/volvocrash.html.
You have to treat these with tender loving care! I am the second owner of a 1985 VW Vanagon GL. Yes some times you have to put some cash into it, but you also need to have the correct person to work diagnostics/understand these great german machines & then to know how to fix it right in the first place!!! My van is in perfect condition with only 41,500 miles. It has been stored every winter since new. Over the years that I have had it (15 yrs), I have been asked to sell it but I don't know that I will ever find a more fun vehicle to drive.
There's something to old VWs, they're so ugly and beautiful at the same time. I have a 1985 VW Westfalia Camper and it has been a money pit since day 1, however I can't see myself ever parting with it. When people see you driving one they can't help but smile, and you really feel like the center of attention when you're out and about. I have people ask me for a "tour" at least once a week, and no matter how many times I pop the top or show off the mini ice trays in the fridge, it never gets old.
I have had to spend quite a bit of money maintaining it since they are fussy, and my mechanic sighs every time I bring it in, but I can honestly say it's never left me stranded or given me a lack of confidence in taking it places. And the functionality and engineering of its many, many features is absolutely brilliant. Camping weekends, concert festivals and road trips are a suggestion and a turn of the key away. There's not a person that's owned one that hasn't named their Westy. Mines "The Toaster".
I highly suggest to anyone interested in these wonderful machines, to buy one, do your research but don't be afraid. You're not buying just another car, you're joining a community.
Welcome aboard!
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site