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OT Westfalia Q



On Thu, 12 Aug 2004, [iso-8859-1] Marc_Scirocco_Qu=E9bec wrote:

> A buddy of mine is looking for an '80s Vanagon Westfalia. (I too would li=
ke
> one someday...)
>
> Any recommended web sites?

vanagon.com.  The Vanagon mailing list there and its copious archives are
also an excellent source of information, easily on par with the Scirocco
list, maybe even a bit better -- Vanagon owners are an interesting breed.

Caveat emptor, though.  Vanagons embody the traditional Volkswagen much
moreso than the Scirocco and related watercooled VWs, which are more or
less Audi design.  The gasoline models in particular are nothing like what
a typical A1 owner is used to -- flaky, horizontally-opposed engines with
difficult-to-diagnose EFI and a penchant for dropping valve seats and
blowing head gaskets.  Also three different engines over its run (2.0L
aircooled, 1.9L watercooled, then finally 2.1L watercooled, all with
different FI systems if I remember right.)

Don't get me wrong -- they're amazingly cool, and the syncro models will
go *anywhere* (personal experience), but you should be sure of what you're
getting into first.  If the term "Volkswagen reliability" makes a Scirocco
owner giggle, it'll make a Vanagon owner double over laughing ... just
something to think about. :)

ian Butler / ian@bluemoon.hplx.net
'88 Audi 5000S quattro
'88 VW Scirocco 16v
'77 Mercury Marquis (for sale)