Blown heads 3 times. EXPENSIVE to fix.
Cooling system problems.
You have to literally burp the cooling system if you open it up; requires positioning vehicle at very steep angle.
This is AWD water cooled model.
This thing is DANGEROUS.
Lousy brakes.
Totally inadequate power.
Wind sensitive; SCARY in crosswind.
Unreliable.
Wouldn't shift easily until warmed up.
Wouldn't idle properly.
Parts hard to get, always expensive.
Accelerator and trans shifter mushy.
Heater and defroster inadequate.
Harsh ride.
AWD makes scary grinding noises in tight turn.
I HATED this thing and was glad to finally get rid of it.
Hard to work on, especially cooling system.
Ignition system vulnerable to rain.
It's funny to read your review because there was a guy in San Francisco who owned a EuroVan (the replacement for the Vanagon).
Anyway, he hated his vehicle so much he put signs all over it saying how much he hated it, it was his worst mistake, etc. and left it parked at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge in a tourist area for everyone to see. It was there for years, even though he had to pay for parking every time.
Then there was a court case in which a judge ruled a Corrado owner could get damages from VW for psychological damage as his car was so unreliable.
Sounds like virtually ever VW, regardless of type, is a crapshoot.
Well truth be told, most VW afficionados are well aware and accepting of the vehicle flaws. These types of vehicles are owned for the love of vehicle period, not for reliability or low cost of operation.
Buying one of these vehicles for their reliability or low cost is like buying a Ferrari F50 because repairs are cheap or maybe a Hummer for the inexpensive tires. Perhaps an '89 Chevy Suburban would be the right choice for fuel economy. Catch my drift?
These VW's sell due to a more cult type following, not dependability or inexpensive operation.
Wow...
Wind? it's a tall van, of course its not very stable
mushy tranny? what do you want? a sports car's transmission?
Hard shifting? wait for the fluid to warm up and then it'll shift easier, its like that on all cars
vw does have crappy brakes, I know, I own a jetta, but otherwise it's an amazing car.
Oh wait
harsh ride? it's a van! not some cushy luxo barge!
Awd makes noise around turns? you need cv joints!
You really can't complain about a car this old needing parts, it honestly also sounds as if you never test drove it either. So maybe next time, you might want to, um, actually own the car.
Three quarters of your problems are engine problems. Do an engine swap. There are several good gas engine swaps that are more reliable, or, you could get an ultra reliable diesel TDI.
Use Redline oil in your transmission and change often. Install an un-locker in your front differential so that it can free-wheel in the summer.
Go to 15 in., wider, tires for more stability in windy conditions.
Let see, that should cover most of the problems.
My syncro vanagon is slow & does not like side winds, but as far as handling, it is the MOST agile & surefooted "TRUCK" I have ever been in. the syncro system is also a grip enhancer by design of the viscous clutch system, not to mention the additional weight of the front differential making all the weight LOW in the vehicle therefore improving handling. It is more or less a cousin to the Audi Quattro system.
The best part of this "bad Vanagon story" (especially regarding a SYNCRO) is that you probably will NEVER have trouble unloading this thing, dude!!
The heads going out on Vanagons are due to using the wrong type of coolant. It must be phosphate free to get the reliability from these enginges. I bought mine that just had the heads replaced and what did I find in it? The wrong coolant again. I flushed the system put the correct coolant in it and no problems.
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