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onemat Samba Member
Joined: November 17, 2011 Posts: 418 Location: Ashland City, TN
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 2:51 pm Post subject: Newbie with Questions- Weekender Vrs. Westy |
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OK, I'm a newbie with zero owner experience. I plan to purchase a Vanagon in Spring, in the April or May time frame. I know I want a water cooled, 4 speed. I plan to travel and camp, but also use it to haul my drums for weekend gigs. What I don't know is whether I want a Westy or not. Do they leak? Can they fit height-wise in a standard garage? There's just two of us, to the upper bunk isn't a necessity, but something tells me there are more Westys out there than Weekenders. Please give me pros and cons or a some compairison info. to help me nail down what I will buy.
Thanks much,
Matt |
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shadetreetim Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 1994 Location: Riverside, California
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome Matt.
This topic has been beaten to death, use the search for many opinions. Which one is better is a personal decision. Everyone's usage is different. The wife and I don't like to cook or wash dishes inside the Van, nor would we use the upper bunk, so a tintop has been fine for us. Although the Weekender would be my preference since the poptop would allow me to stand up. What I wouldn't like is the rear cabinet cutting into the sleeping area.
If you don't have a preference, it may boil down to what you find available and what shape it's in. There's no bad choice here. Good luck with your search. _________________ Tim Potts
Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!
'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5 |
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WestyBob Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2004 Posts: 2346 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: Newbie with Questions- Weekender Vrs. Westy |
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onemat wrote: |
OK, I'm a newbie with zero owner experience. I plan to purchase a Vanagon in Spring, in the April or May time frame. I know I want a water cooled, 4 speed. I plan to travel and camp, but also use it to haul my drums for weekend gigs. What I don't know is whether I want a Westy or not. Do they leak? Can they fit height-wise in a standard garage? There's just two of us, to the upper bunk isn't a necessity, but something tells me there are more Westys out there than Weekenders. Please give me pros and cons or a some compairison info. to help me nail down what I will buy.
Thanks much,
Matt |
They don't leak if the seals are replaced. If it has a skylight it may leak but easily repaired.
Westies come in many different heights now due to changes/upgrades with suspensions, tires/wheels, roof racks, etc. So the only way to answer is measure the one your interested in and compare to your garage clearance.
There are currently more full westies than weekenders. There are also westy and tin-top weekenders (usually carats).
It may boil down to the kitchen unit. Do you want that or not inside ? Pros are having the convenience of a range, sink and fridge. Cons include extra weight and operational issues. Many with weekenders prefer using a portable Coleman range and a ice chest or power thermo chest. Some remove the upper bunk for extra storage.
The westies allow stand up room inside as do the high-tops, the tin-tops allow for storage with cargo boxes and racks. Many have added racks on their pop-tops as well but may require stronger replacement shocks to open/close. |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7924 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Westy: Has cabinets and a kitchenette w/ pop-top.
Weekender: One cabinet, no kitchenette but fold-out table w/ pop-top.
More space in a Weekender for hauling stuff. If you don't care about the kitchenette, a Weekender would probably be better suited to your needs. I see them for sale all the time, so they aren't exactly hard to come by.
I was torn between the two as well, but I finally came to the conclusion that I wanted an all-encompassing camper... I wanted the kitchenette and I use every one of those appliances. I would've been disappointed with just the Weekender.
Go take a look at a few different ones... you'll get a better idea of which one you'd prefer. _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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WestyBob Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2004 Posts: 2346 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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kamzcab86 wrote: |
Weekender: One cabinet, no kitchenette but fold-out table w/ pop-top. |
The original westy weekenders of years 85-87 had a rear corner closet/shelves cabinet and a overhead rear cabinet. In addition to storage under the bench, also has storage under the jumpseat behind the driver's seat. Came with a dometic ac/dc cooler that sat behind the passenger seat with a lighter outlet on the inside seat base.
The later year multivans had the cabinetry and carats just the fold out table but usually neither the jump seat storage nor cooler.
These days many westy/weekenders have been reworked to owner preference. |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9810 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:09 pm Post subject: Re: Newbie with Questions- Weekender Vrs. Westy |
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onemat wrote: |
...Can they fit height-wise in a standard garage? |
As noted, their height varies as does the height of 'standard' garages -- even the slope of the driveway can affect the height requirement.
Carefully measure your garage door opening height, some doors can be adjusted to open a bit more if an extra inch will do it.
When you measure a prospective van know that the skylight (if it has one) is likely the highest point.
Ballpark is that you need about 7' of clearance. |
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mtwrench540 Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2009 Posts: 351 Location: monterey,va
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:10 pm Post subject: westy or not |
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we have found a wolfsberg to work very nicely,rear seat folds to gueen size bed,center jump seats are removable,just camp where h2o and electric are available and improvise on cooking and coffee and heat if needed!! and wlii fit in garage,6'2" tall! _________________ 87 wolfsberg,74 181w/1915 and lots of patina! learned to fix vw's from hot vw mag in 1964,VWOA instructor,DSM,69 to73,service mgr at different porsche-audi dealers etc,etc,now retired!!! first vw new 64,transplanted 356 eng in 65,400characters are not enough space!! |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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Careful here. The terms, camper and weekender take on different specs depending on year. Plus those are not the only models. Examp[e: Some Weekenders have a pop top and some not depending on the model year. It is not exactly straight forward. Somewhere, and I forget where, the model names and features are listed. _________________ "Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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onemat Samba Member
Joined: November 17, 2011 Posts: 418 Location: Ashland City, TN
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Guys
Thanks for all the answers. I have been searching the forum a lot and reading random posts and have gained a lot of info. Someone said to go look at a few which makes a lot of sense. I didn't want to kick a lot of tires until I scraped my cash together. Thanks again for answering my questions.
Matt |
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onemat Samba Member
Joined: November 17, 2011 Posts: 418 Location: Ashland City, TN
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:09 am Post subject: |
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OK, I've got another question. I know they'll be a lot of laughter about this but I'm gonna ask anyway. What is the weight capacity of the upper bunk in a Westy? I am 280 lbs, my wife maybe 130 lbs. I'd hate to go Westy only to find we couldn't use the upper bunk cause we are big people.
Thanks,
Matt |
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SCM Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011 Posts: 3119 Location: Bozeman MT
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:30 am Post subject: |
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onemat wrote: |
OK, I've got another question. I know they'll be a lot of laughter about this but I'm gonna ask anyway. What is the weight capacity of the upper bunk in a Westy? I am 280 lbs, my wife maybe 130 lbs. I'd hate to go Westy only to find we couldn't use the upper bunk cause we are big people.
Thanks,
Matt |
Good question about the bunk capacity. I'm not sure but I know it didn't even flex the one time I slept up there (180 lbs). But that's just the thing - I slept up there ONCE and it was just to try it out. The lower bunk is more comfy and MUCH easier to get into, albeit a bit more narrow. We use the upper bunk as a place to store our clothing etc once we're in camp and I'd bet that's the case with many others. _________________ '91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7924 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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onemat wrote: |
What is the weight capacity of the upper bunk in a Westy? I am 280 lbs, my wife maybe 130 lbs. I'd hate to go Westy only to find we couldn't use the upper bunk cause we are big people.
Thanks,
Matt |
The upper bed is made out of 3/4" plywood, if I recall correctly. According to some armchair experts on the Web, a 2x4 piece of 3/4" can withstand 800-1500 pounds.
In this link http://www.westfalia.org/community/archive/index.php?t-619.html someone said s/he had 400 pounds up there, no problem. _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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carterzest Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2008 Posts: 3842 Location: Eagle, ID/Sun Valley, ID
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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r39o wrote: |
Somewhere, and I forget where, the model names and features are listed. |
maybe it was HERE?
_________________ Happiness=Portland, Oregon in the rearview mirror! |
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1971BugGuy Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2004 Posts: 426 Location: Ontario, CANADA
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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I've got approximately 6'4" to the top of my '86 Westy Weekender poptop (including skylight). Not to be confused with the tin-top Multivan. From what I have read, it's one of the tallest of the Westy's. It fits easily into my 7' garage door opening. My wife and I camp frequently. We've owned a Ford Econoline camper van with full cooker and refrigerator setup but found we never used them, preferring to cook outdoors. When we sought out a Westfalia we wanted the weekender since we wanted the extra space without hassle of the added kitchenette. Besides... Your van always smells of your cooking. _________________ Only a fool or a child would judge a project before it reaches its completion.
1971 Super Beetle
1986 Vanagon Westfalia Weekender |
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trihartsfield Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2010 Posts: 311 Location: Sheridan, MT
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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Onemat,
I live in Columbia, TN. If you want to take a look at my weekender just let me know.
PM if you are interested.
Chris _________________ 1971 Transporter-SOLD
1982 Westy Will grow up into a TDI |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9810 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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1971BugGuy wrote: |
I've got approximately 6'4" to the top of my '86 Westy Weekender poptop (including skylight)... one of the tallest of the Westy's... |
Huh? That surely isn't right. My Westy w/ stock 14" rims is 6' to the rain gutters -- has abouot 10" +/- above that. |
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1971BugGuy Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2004 Posts: 426 Location: Ontario, CANADA
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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Ahwahnee wrote: |
1971BugGuy wrote: |
I've got approximately 6'4" to the top of my '86 Westy Weekender poptop (including skylight)... one of the tallest of the Westy's... |
Huh? That surely isn't right. My Westy w/ stock 14" rims is 6' to the rain gutters -- has abouot 10" +/- above that. |
I have recently measured it since I was purchasing a portable garage for winter storage and I wanted one that would have a tall enough door to pull it in and out. The shelter I settled on had an opening of 6'6" and the van narrowly squeezed through.
_________________ Only a fool or a child would judge a project before it reaches its completion.
1971 Super Beetle
1986 Vanagon Westfalia Weekender |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9810 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Well there you have it -- must be a difference in ride height &/or wheels as mine would never clear a 6'6" overhead. |
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mwsnow Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2007 Posts: 266 Location: Alton, NH
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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There is a model with 8 ft. door opening, but it costs more than double. It does, however, shed snow from the roof without raking it off with a broom. I have one of each. If you can fit your van into the $300 tent, use it. |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7924 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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1971BugGuy wrote: |
Your van always smells of your cooking. |
Broad generalization... my van smells of old vinyl, rubber mats and cleaning products. It has not once smelled of cooking.
Ahwahnee wrote: |
1971BugGuy wrote: |
I've got approximately 6'4" to the top of my '86 Westy Weekender poptop (including skylight)... one of the tallest of the Westy's... |
Huh? That surely isn't right. My Westy w/ stock 14" rims is 6' to the rain gutters -- has abouot 10" +/- above that. |
For comparison: My '90 full-camper with 15" wheels/tires, original springs + Bilstein shocks is 80" (give or take a fraction) to the skylight; my garage door is 7' (84"). _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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