VW Vanagon as a 2nd vehicle?

[landcruiserjunky]

I'm looking for a 2nd car because my 60 series is eating me alive with the MPG. I have always loved VWs. The idea of having a Vanagon as a 2nd car has really stuck to me. I have read that the stock engines are pretty gutless and are unreliable. Is this true? Would I get more MPG and reliability by swapping a vw engine?
I have found a couple within a couple hundred miles for around 2k. One has 108k and the other 110k. Both have very little rust and no body damage. Would this be worth it?

Does anyone have any experience with them? Experienced input would be very appreciated !!

Landcruiserjunky

 

[D'Animal]

Yes it is true. They are gutless and require maintenance that would make an FJ embarrassed.



My neighbor is looking for a diesel one. He is a VW tech and said they are the only ones worth getting.

 

[landcruiserjunky]

I was planning on buying a gasser, and sticking a 1600 turbo diesel in. I was curious as to how complicated it was, I imagine it simple

 

[Martin White]

You are a brave man to rely on a vanagon for anything other than breakdowns. If you want MPG I'd go with a small Japanese car. If you need a van buy an older Previa or Quest.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

chek this OUT!

This is COOL! I'm a VW guy in my 'other life' - '70 Ghia.

http://www.subdriven.com/news/publish/Features/article_339.shtml

 

[CardinalFJ60]

more...

http://smallcar.com/index.php?act=viewDoc&docId=1


and...


http://www.vanaru.com/

 

[Martin White]

They make LOOK cool, but is that enough to counteract the fact that they will spend most of their time LOOKING cool behind a tow truck?

 

[expat]

Used to have one. Horrible mileage and reliability. A subaru conversion might be OK.

 

[landcruiserjunky]

Maybe I'll look into an 80s toyota van ( I dig the square look)


I heard somewhere that toyota is super reliable

 

[Martin White]

Don't get me wrong - I really like the look of the new Jettas. I just don't trust VW. I'm waiting for the Honda Accord diesel before I get a sedan - and I wish Toyota would sell something like it because I prefer Toyota.

 

[JasonH]

I've had several water cooled VW's and they've all been pretty much bullet proof. Probably my best car was an 85 Scirocco that I beat the hell out of in high school and college - then gave it to my little brother for his first car and he did the same. I think the only thing we had to replace was the AC compressor. No telling how many times that thing was jumped.
I don't know if any of that relates to a Vanagon though...

 

[redcorn]

I know a Porsche flat 6 is a bolt in................

 

[calamaridog]

I know a Porsche flat 6 is a bolt in................

They are totally gutless unless you do this

 

[Whistler74]

I had an 89 Vanagon cargo van for a couple of years. Completely empty inside, so as light as they come. Handled great for a van, could carry a pretty heavy load without going much slower. Fuel economy not great though - about 17mpg US or 20mpg Imp. Way too noisy on the highway with no 5 spd. The main issue with reliablity I think is the cylinder heads leaking - mostly due to improper antifreeze. Very pricey repair. My mechanic said that the bottom ends are quite strong and easily good for 300,000km +.
One of the Syncros in town here has a South African GTI engine in it - owner loves it, but he likes his Land Cruiser LJ78 better!

 

[light_duty]

There are kits that are commercially available for swapping in a 1600 diesel or TDI, if that interests you. It doesn't sound like a huge job. I'm selling my '90 Westy due to the fact that it is expensive to maintain, and I, too, like my LJ78 better.

Anyway, if you're interested, send me a PM. The van is in good shape - I just had the cylinder heads redone last summer.

 

[cruiser88]

i had a Porsche motor in my 80 vanagon that burn the tires off. but in its entirely a vw/Porsche tech is who i bought it from. Only s***ty thing about it was the transmission,nevertheless, you could not keep a reverse gear in it.

 

[sogafarm]

I just got an 84 vanagon gl with the 1.9l water cooled wasserboxer. The exterior could use a paint job, but the interior is in great shape and the engine seems in good shape.

It's my first vanagon after many years of wanting one. First impressions are that it's probably the simplest vehicle I've ever owned and it gets 23 mpg easy. I can't wait to take it on a weekend roadtrip. It's very quiet on the road and dispite what I've always heard, it can cruise at 65 no problem. Still getting used to parking it, since your sitting over the front wheels, but the turning radius is great.

I'm looking forward to a subaru conversion sometime in the future, but for now, I'm going to run the stocker as it seems to be in good shape and very quiet and smooth. There is the usual head gasket leak, but no mixing of antifreeze and oil yet.

I've had an 87 8v GTI and an 89 16v GLI in the past and loved them. Great mpg, great handling, and lots of miles on both(170k and 275k). Wish I hadn't sold them now as they both got over 30 mpg.

 

[WristPin]

i have owned may busses and one vanagon I sold all of them and the vanagon was the worst. I like the busses, they are cool, but any schwagen built before 90 is a POS. thats why I sold all except one of mine.

 

[jonesy54]

A Subaru swap would definitely be the way to go. In college, me and my buddy built a buggy with a VW tranny mated to a Sooby EJ22. The thing would do power wheelies in 3rd gear.

I didnt get a picture but this weekend in the Highlands/Cashiers NC area, I saw a Vanagon on 31" BFG ATs. Pretty BA if you ask me.

 

[jerseyfzj80]

try this Bostig Engineering - Vanagon Zetec Conversion - Engine Systems Voodoo uses ford zetec 4 cyl and with forced induction the thing will actually move and get low 20's for fuel mileage.