So I'm buying a van...

[Shocker]

My favorite post over on Samba is how we are all full of BS over here. We make recommendations on a choice based on our personal experience and we are full of BS. Cracks me up!

It sounds to me that you have found your van. Hopefully you can make a deal and it won't kill your budget on maintenance and repairs.

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

For just a few dollars more than the Vanagon you're looking at, you could have this Vanagon Westphalia...that's attached to a Unimog!

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/4348741535.html

 

[Belltownbikes]

so the transmission is still the original and it has an oil leak at the large oring where the tranny comes loose from the drive gear housing. estimate of $1475 to remove and install and overhaul differential assembly. he says it simply needs fixed and should be a $300 servicing (replace fluid and gasket). i say, it's still the original tranny. thoughts on the tranny?

Hold out for a rebuild on the tranny. The only time our subie-Vanagon broke down was due to a failure in the original transaxle. And it's not a cheap repair - your shop's quote seems about right. While the transaxle is being rebuilt, you might as well put a freeway 4th gear in there.

That said - don't over spend. You have a number for all of the repairs it needs - deduct that from the sellers price and hold. And walk away if you can't get to it.

If mine was a poptop - I'd be sending you pics. But it's just a tintop Wolfy, so not great for what you want.

B

 

[Belltownbikes]

Vanagon transmissions aren't known to be overly stout.

Not so! They are used as the basis for a lot of souped-up sandrails and such. B

 

[draaronr]

forum [ fawr-uhm, fohr-uhm ] noun [plural fo·rums, fo·ra]- an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.

She has every right to ask questions and glean information. Thats what the portal is for. $16k is a lot of money. She's trying not to make a mistake. She's doing everything right, in my opinion.

And yes, you do sound like an ***, in case you were wondering (i'm sure you're probably a nice person, tho.)

If you don't like the discussion, don't click on the thread, maybe?

while I certainly can't recant the entire 42 pages, in the past few she was about to buy a sprinter and a vanagon. apples and oranges even according to the ever opinionated Cole which with his agreeance I see the pot calling the kettle, as in many threads he comes off as one too. I love forums and see no problem in asking for ideas and directions. It's just obvious she doesnt have one at all. Her budget has more than doubled, the size of the vehicle has doubled then shrunk again. This has turned into less of a thread about Jen and more of a thread about our ideas of our vans or the vans we wish we had.

 

[Cole]

according to the ever opinionated Cole.

:Wow1:


Guess I wasn't helpful here at all. :drool: Just trying to offer the advice and answer the questions Jen asked for! She even thanked me at many points! :victory:

Obviously I was only tossing out my overly opinionated view and not facts based on building cars and traveling with them for 30 years!!! Just trying to help someone, that asked, make a wise choice for herself. Funny how my "ever opinionated view" has been backed up so many times by others with experience here, just a few of the quotes below.


Also funny that the attacks start when trying to advise some one that this particular Vanagon (not Vanagons as a whole) might not be a great idea. Funny, cause I also gave an opinion that several of the old Fords and Dodges she liked at one point might not be a good idea for the same reasons....yet there was no irrational pushback there!


But, thanks for taking the time to single me out for trying to help!:smilies27

i never thanked you for this post... thanks. it's helpful!

.

all good things to think about above.

This I completely agree with based on the direction you're going.

oh man. stop making such good points.

...of course i still appreciate the advice

Cole, those some great thoughts and I agree .....

Cole is making a pretty good point if your feeling the Vee Dub love......

Problem is, like Cole says
B

 

[draaronr]

Cole don't take this as an attack on you. That's not what I meant at all. I'd say I agree with you 99% and I have nothing negative of your advice especially since I find it aligns with my ideas and beliefs. I just think this thread is an opinion for each, that help can't be focused when the original poster has no direction.

 

[Cole]

Cole don't take this as an attack on you. That's not what I meant at all. I'd say I agree with you 99% and I have nothing negative of your advice especially since I find it aligns with my ideas and beliefs. I just think this thread is an opinion for each, that help can't be focused when the original poster has no direction.

This is why I've only tried to give the pros/cons and advice for each path she has chosen to go down. The only "opinion" I've tried to really make is that "based on Jens stated goals, needs and skills" a newer or better example of a van is a better choice.

Which I really got attacked for on the Samba! :coffeedrink: I'm apparently being sexist and somehow misguided by trying to help make a wise choice on the van! I'm evil because I've suggest that AC might be good!:Wow1:....and now even Jen thinks I'm trying to ruin her party because "this van just feels right to here". Despite all the experienced people with knowledge on cars saying that this particular van is probably a bad choice. (Again, not that Vanagons are a bad choice!

 

[draaronr]

This is why I've only tried to give the pros/cons and advice for each path she has chosen to go down. The only "opinion" I've tried to really make is that "based on Jens stated goals, needs and skills" a newer or better example of a van is a better choice.

Which I really got attacked for on the Samba! :coffeedrink: I'm apparently being sexist and somehow misguided by trying to help make a wise choice on the van! I'm evil because I've suggest that AC might be good!:Wow1:....and now even Jen thinks I'm trying to ruin her party because "this van just feels right to here". Despite all the experienced people with knowledge on cars saying that this particular van is probably a bad choice. (Again, not that Vanagons are a bad choice!

agreed on all counts.
i think she is underestimating the amount of work all old vehicles need especially vanagons. I think she has this romantic ideal of what it would be like, but no real world groundings of what its actually like. That's why my opinion is get something new or slightly used with a warranty, throw some **** in the back and go.
I love the eurovan but dammit they're expensive.

 

[Cole]

Cole don't take this as an attack on you. That's not what I meant at all. I'd say I agree with you 99% and I have nothing negative of your advice especially since I find it aligns with my ideas and beliefs. I just think this thread is an opinion for each, that help can't be focused when the original poster has no direction.

Sorry, if I did!:coffeedrink:

Guess I have my defenses up because of the Samba thread. Where I'm apparently being sexist and not helping because my advice is to shop for a better Vanagon!

 

[boardrider247]

Not so! They are used as the basis for a lot of souped-up sandrails and such. B

Generally speaking sandrails and hopped up vw's are using the earlier aircooled bus transmission. Not the later wasserboxxer tranny.

Either way as was pointed out this particular
Vanagon has a auto transmission so my point is moot.

 

[tanglefoot]

It looks like Seaview GMC has a clean 93 Chev G20 raised roof conversion with 51k miles for $8k. Really sharp...ready to sleep in... Even has the limo antenna and the car phone!

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/ctd/4336765477.html

 

[HoboJen]

This is why I've only tried to give the pros/cons and advice for each path she has chosen to go down. The only "opinion" I've tried to really make is that "based on Jens stated goals, needs and skills" a newer or better example of a van is a better choice.

Which I really got attacked for on the Samba! :coffeedrink: I'm apparently being sexist and somehow misguided by trying to help make a wise choice on the van! I'm evil because I've suggest that AC might be good!:Wow1:....and now even Jen thinks I'm trying to ruin her party because "this van just feels right to here". Despite all the experienced people with knowledge on cars saying that this particular van is probably a bad choice. (Again, not that Vanagons are a bad choice!

Hi cole, the only thing i found sexist was the "SHE wants to "shuttle" other kayakers around"... i mean really, how do you think that sounds? I actually never would have guessed that you were xtreemjpn or something like that.... you came off very differently over there.

anyway, i still continue to appreciate all the advice i've been given, so thanks.

as far as me lacking direction as stated by another poster... so what? i haven't agreed on anything. i'm allowed to change my mind. i'm allowed to go look at something different or hell, maybe i'll drop this vanagon so fast on monday and just end up buying something totally different. so what? judge me all you want, i'm going to do what i want and if i make a bad decision, well it's my bad decision.

unfortunately i don't have time for all this today and i'll be away from internet for the weekend, so you guys have fun.

 

[HoboJen]

while I certainly can't recant the entire 42 pages, in the past few she was about to buy a sprinter and a vanagon. apples and oranges even according to the ever opinionated Cole which with his agreeance I see the pot calling the kettle, as in many threads he comes off as one too. I love forums and see no problem in asking for ideas and directions. It's just obvious she doesnt have one at all. Her budget has more than doubled, the size of the vehicle has doubled then shrunk again. This has turned into less of a thread about Jen and more of a thread about our ideas of our vans or the vans we wish we had.

yes, i have a stack of money and decided to change my allocation on what was spent on the van.

yeah, the size of the vehicle has changed as I continue to look around and figure out what I want. i don't see how that's a bad thing.

thread drift happens. thread hijacking happens. things change. people are different and not everyone has the same decision making process. still, judge me all you want, don't care. only care about how i judge myself.

 

[mtnbike28]

I don't know Cole, I read only parts of a couple of pages on Samba, and I think they were agreeing with you - "the vans we love require work" and agreed with you the OP said "she wasn't a mechanic and wanting to do a road trip"
Just my 2 cents - I have enjoyed this thread and learned a lot...