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ProbablyNotIan
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2024
Posts: 40
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
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 Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2025 12:03 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| GoEverywhere wrote: |
Not the place you want to meet another Vanagon....
We both picked up bad tanks of gas and ran into each other at the Napa in Twin Falls Idaho, racing to see who could swap a filter the quickest (I won!)
I didn't catch his name, but his rig was sure nice!
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As someone who frequents that general area...where did you get the bad gas? |
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 857
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2025 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| ProbablyNotIan wrote: |
| GoEverywhere wrote: |
Not the place you want to meet another Vanagon....
We both picked up bad tanks of gas and ran into each other at the Napa in Twin Falls Idaho, racing to see who could swap a filter the quickest (I won!)
I didn't catch his name, but his rig was sure nice!
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As someone who frequents that general area...where did you get the bad gas? |
I believe it was from Treasure Valley Chevron at the intersection of I84 and Highway 21.
I gassed up there with premium with about 1/3 of a tank left(I'm running a turbo subie so I need premium...) and shortly after that started to have issues. I made it about 100 miles past that before I was so clogged up I was no longer able to limp it along. |
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MsTaboo
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 4546
Location: East Kootenay, British Columbia
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2025 1:25 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| GoEverywhere wrote: |
| ProbablyNotIan wrote: |
| GoEverywhere wrote: |
Not the place you want to meet another Vanagon....
We both picked up bad tanks of gas and ran into each other at the Napa in Twin Falls Idaho, racing to see who could swap a filter the quickest (I won!)
I didn't catch his name, but his rig was sure nice!
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As someone who frequents that general area...where did you get the bad gas? |
I believe it was from Treasure Valley Chevron at the intersection of I84 and Highway 21.
I gassed up there with premium with about 1/3 of a tank left(I'm running a turbo subie so I need premium...) and shortly after that started to have issues. I made it about 100 miles past that before I was so clogged up I was no longer able to limp it along. |
Chevron (and the other big stations) are usually pretty safe, however one thing to watch out for is buying gas from a station which just had their tanks refilled (I know, how can you tell if a tanker just left?). When the tanks get refilled it stirs up any sediment in the tank. Yes the pumps are supposed to have filters but who knows how well the owner keeps up with maintenance?
One thing I try to do is get gas from the pumps which are used most, like the ones closest to the store or easiest to drive in/out of. While these pumps usually get refilled more often they also tend to have the freshest fuel and less likely to have old sediment or water.
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec
The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
All that's needed for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.
Resist Kleptocratic Oligarchy (and Idiocracy)! |
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GoEverywhere
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020
Posts: 857
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2025 2:25 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| MsTaboo wrote: |
| GoEverywhere wrote: |
| ProbablyNotIan wrote: |
| GoEverywhere wrote: |
Not the place you want to meet another Vanagon....
We both picked up bad tanks of gas and ran into each other at the Napa in Twin Falls Idaho, racing to see who could swap a filter the quickest (I won!)
I didn't catch his name, but his rig was sure nice!
|
As someone who frequents that general area...where did you get the bad gas? |
I believe it was from Treasure Valley Chevron at the intersection of I84 and Highway 21.
I gassed up there with premium with about 1/3 of a tank left(I'm running a turbo subie so I need premium...) and shortly after that started to have issues. I made it about 100 miles past that before I was so clogged up I was no longer able to limp it along. |
Chevron (and the other big stations) are usually pretty safe, however one thing to watch out for is buying gas from a station which just had their tanks refilled (I know, how can you tell if a tanker just left?). When the tanks get refilled it stirs up any sediment in the tank. Yes the pumps are supposed to have filters but who knows how well the owner keeps up with maintenance?
One thing I try to do is get gas from the pumps which are used most, like the ones closest to the store or easiest to drive in/out of. While these pumps usually get refilled more often they also tend to have the freshest fuel and less likely to have old sediment or water. |
The station itself wasn't well maintained which shoulda been my first clue. Also pumping premium tends to be less used than the lower grades but ultimately it was just poor luck. Like you said, its hard to tell if a station is alright under the pumps or not! |
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SLOWoody
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2023
Posts: 120
Location: SLO, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2025 12:20 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Saw these two Vanagons the other day on Kauai. Saw a third blueish Vanagon in the Haena State Park parking lot but did not get a pic.
This van had a great storage for the guys 9 and 7 foot surf boards.
_________________
83.5 Westfalia, GW 2.3L w/ GW EFI, 4 speed |
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ProvoCyclist
Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2004
Posts: 633
Location: Murray, Utah
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| Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2025 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Ive been down at my dad’s house in Provo for the past week, and always see the same van parked on Timpview Drive. It’s a little tired looking, but changes position regularly, so it’s still alive and kicking.
_________________
Clark
Current: 1986 Tintop GL 2wd, stock 2.1L, manual trans, Savanna Beige Metallic LH1V.
Past: 1985 Sunroof GL, 2wd, Subaru 3.3L, manual trans, resprayed to Diamond Silver L97A |
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Abscate 
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 23743
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2025 4:01 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Saw quite a few T3 on a business trip in Innsbruck, T2 and T4s too.
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17123
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 23743
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2025 9:44 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Remember in EU there Are T4 T5 T 6 models
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SLOWoody
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2023
Posts: 120
Location: SLO, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Saw this van on Maui in the Kihei area.
_________________
83.5 Westfalia, GW 2.3L w/ GW EFI, 4 speed |
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THE KESZTHELY KID
Samba Member
Joined: August 24, 2022
Posts: 65
Location: West Yorkshire
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 11:54 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Hmm,
That Maui based Vanagon looks very much like Molly's of Vans on the Moon fame
https://www.youtube.com/@VanOnTheMoon
She would make for a wonderful daughter 
_________________
Current owner of 1980 T25 Westphalia Joker.
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Semi-automatic!!
1983 Trabant 601S Sedan
Daily Driver - 2024 Dacia Duster Journey - Automatic |
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Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 2016
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 11:19 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Saw this one parked on the street near my office in Downtown Vancouver the other day. Our office windows are covered with this institutional metal cladding so not a great picture.
Saw this beauty Downtown today!
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*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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SLOWoody
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2023
Posts: 120
Location: SLO, CA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 1:04 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Saw 3 more Vanagons here in the Kihei area on Maui today while driving with the family so couldn’t stop to get pics. There was a blue/silver Westy, a two tone blue tin top and a whiteish tin top. I have seen the blue/silver Westy a couple of times now, so might drive one street over and ask my better half to get a pic, if it is still there tomorrow.
_________________
83.5 Westfalia, GW 2.3L w/ GW EFI, 4 speed |
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campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4669
Location: Richmond VA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 4:53 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| SLOWoody wrote: |
| Saw 3 more Vanagons here in the Kihei area on Maui today while driving with the family so couldn’t stop to get pics.. |
You obviously have not established the importance of compliance when you yell "Photo op!" and brake to a halt for your pix.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic, tragically crushed by a falling hickory tree in my own driveway and now gone, leaving me Vanagonless and with no plans to replace it, alas. |
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BigPapaV
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2023
Posts: 74
Location: Long Beach, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 6:03 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Saw these two in Sibiu, Romania. The blue one today and the other a couple weeks ago.
_________________
1986 VW 3-knob Syncro Tintop w/ 1992? Suby Legacy 2.2L (KEP install) |
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SLOWoody
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2023
Posts: 120
Location: SLO, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| campism wrote: |
| SLOWoody wrote: |
| Saw 3 more Vanagons here in the Kihei area on Maui today while driving with the family so couldn’t stop to get pics.. |
You obviously have not established the importance of compliance when you yell "Photo op!" and brake to a halt for your pix. |
Establishing compliance is a work in progress but we did hit a milestone yesterday with my daughter snapping a pic of the blue tin top we saw the other day in Kihei, Maui.
My wife is in training and I had to drive around the block to give her a second chance to get a good pic of the blue/silver Westy we also saw previously here in Kihei.
We did see two more yesterday, one in Paia, which I was able to photograph,
But the other we passed on our way up Haleakala and no one had their phones out.
_________________
83.5 Westfalia, GW 2.3L w/ GW EFI, 4 speed |
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campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4669
Location: Richmond VA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 4:48 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Hooray!
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic, tragically crushed by a falling hickory tree in my own driveway and now gone, leaving me Vanagonless and with no plans to replace it, alas. |
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pnwkayaker
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2008
Posts: 973
Location: Sammamish, WA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 8:48 am Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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Every time I return from a camping or road trip (this time camping at Fort Ebey State Park, Whidbey Island), I check this thread to see if somebody spotted us, but so far, no luck (we even took the ferry twice, so it was easy to spot us!).
We only saw 2 vans on our way towards the campground both in the wrong direction, one white Syncro Westy waiting at the ferry line (they waved us) and one air cooled Westy (Asuan Brown?) going towards the ferry line (they didn’t see us). No pictures as I was driving.
On the positive side, the ferry attendant asked us about the van, and how cool it was 
_________________
87 Syncro Westy EJ25 ("Tardis")
Seattle Meetup at Marymoor (link)
A collection of Simple Useful Mods (SUM) (link) |
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Klister
Samba Member
Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 255
Location: Washington
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| pnwkayaker wrote: |
We only saw 2 vans on our way towards the campground both in the wrong direction, one white Syncro Westy waiting at the ferry line (they waved us) and one air cooled Westy (Asuan Brown?) going towards the ferry line (they didn’t see us). No pictures as I was driving.
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We were the white syncro westy. I posted a couple pics in "What did your van do lately". Next time I'll take a photo of yours! |
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Xevin
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2014
Posts: 8555
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 4:10 pm Post subject: Re: Have you SEEN ONE on the road lately? Vanagon Spotters Thread |
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| Klister wrote: |
| pnwkayaker wrote: |
We only saw 2 vans on our way towards the campground both in the wrong direction, one white Syncro Westy waiting at the ferry line (they waved us) and one air cooled Westy (Asuan Brown?) going towards the ferry line (they didn’t see us). No pictures as I was driving.
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We were the white syncro westy. I posted a couple pics in "What did your van do lately". Next time I'll take a photo of yours! |
Looks like we got a connection. 
_________________
Keep on Busin'
| 67rustavenger wrote: |
| GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
| Clatter wrote: |
| Damn that Xevin... |
| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
I respect Xevin and he's a turd  |
| SGKent wrote: |
My God! Xevin and I 100% agree  |
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