Does your Westy attract attention?

[Farfrumwork]

Yeah, it would be VERY tempting. But I don't really want to do it all again even if it leaves some money in my pocket. It's been a LOT of effort, and it all works so damn well now.

btw - I started locking the van after so many unsolicited 'buyers' at my door.
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sold -> '85 Wolfsburg Syncro / 'Built' DOHC EJ25 (a great machine!)
'07 Legacy spec.B, road tuned stgII
'17 4x4 Sprinter, stone grey, SMB pop-top, on 33"s

"Blood stains, speed kills - Fast cars, cheap thrills - Rich girls, fine wine - I've lost my sense, I've lost control, I've lost my mind"

[travelteam]

A couple times I've gotten "Is that new?"... which just goes to show how timeless the design is. Kinda fun to respond - "No, it's 25 years old."

I've also gotten a few unsolicited offers at our door... I usually at least chat a bit. But the last person that came, my wife answered. He asked "would you ever be interested in selling it?" and she just said "Never" and closed the door. Okay, I guess we're more invested than I thought!

[Merian]

It attracts no attention at all. Half the people in town already have one, and there is at least one parked on every block - 2 on my block.

[SCM]

[dobryan]

[j_dirge]

[Captjon1959]

In my part of Michigan they are a rarity indeed... lots of looks, offers, questions, tours. When I come home late from getting gas my wife knows it was because of Westy-lust.

A guy from Switzerland just opened an ice cream shop down the road from me. Ice cream cones and Westies go togther (wait... anything and ice cream cones go together!) so we stop by every chance we get (and can afford). He loves the van, says it reminds him of home in the Alps where they've been popular for years. Everytime I drive by he waves with a big smile and I honk my pathetic horn. Never a dull moment driving her.
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1984 Westfalia Wolfsburg Edition
Former 1.9 L now Bostig Ford Zetec

[MsTaboo]

[DAIZEE]

Well mine is a Riviera Vanagon and I attract LOTS of attention almost all the time. Daily driver 3 seasons of the year. Two attractions: one the van itself and two is the Scooby Blu finishing on windows. It's fun too.
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[yiucycle]

I get more attention once im closer to the beach. I had couple ladies taking pic with my van while im changing out of my wetsuit. They were pretty embarrassed once they find out i was in there. I also stop correcting people that tells me i have a nice Westy even though mine is a Riviera.

I got a guy ask how much I paid for it then offer $500 more if i sell it now, like he is doing me a favor . I just laugh and drove away.
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1980 2.8LV6 Fiero ASI/Riviera Vanagon
"there is no point in being embarrassed of all the stupid shit i done and will continue to do"

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Yellow Rabbit]

I was fishing this week. I looked toward my van and there was a group of teenagers taking selfies with it. I also see people taking photos of it in traffic all the time.

[sea_sick]

Mine attracts a lot of attention, especially from people driving behind me... they seem to want to get *really* close. Another similar type of attention is from my neighbors who breath a collective sigh of relief when I *finally* pull it back in the garage for the winter.

[Reventlos]

It seems like any nice T3 draws attention these days. But, I was wholly unprepared for the level of scrutiny my Doka has generated. It's been my daily driver for the last year, and I can't go anywhere without folks just falling all over themselves about the car. It's gotten so bad that I have to direct them to a note I taped to a window when I'm in a hurry:

It’s a 1988 Volkswagen T3 Transporter Syncro 16 Jagdwagen

This is a European version of the Vanagon, which was offered in tons of cool versions that never made it to the USA. (All we got were passenger vans and Westfalia Campers, a few with the highly prized Syncro option).

Same basic motor as the Vanagon, and the Syncro package includes 4WD, optional front and rear diff locks w/decoupler, 4-speed + granny gear.

This vehicle is unmodified with original paint, exactly as it came off the line at Steyr-Puch in Graz, Austria.

43,648 Syncros (4WD Vanagons) were manufactured between 1985-92. Of this total, only 2138 of the “Syncro 16” variation were produced. (The Syncro 16 has bigger brakes, slightly longer wheelbase and bigger wheel wells to accommodate the 16” rims and tires, beefier axles and CV’s, extra body reinforcement).

Of the 2138 Syncro 16’s, probably less than a third were “dokas”, i.e. doppel kabines (double cab pickups).

Jagdwagen (“hunter’s vehicle”) refers to an extremely rare variation available in mostly in the standard 14” version. A handful were produced in the uber-rare 16” version. They came standard in Escorial Green with the full brush cage, and could be ordered with all kinds of cool options like a winch, sliding gun locker in the treasure chest, a gun rack in the cab, a small cooler, heated seats, etc. While no production totals for Jagdwagens exists, estimates range from less than a hundred, with perhaps only 15-20 with the 16” package.

This car is one of 4 or 5 known to be in the US, and the only 16” version, AFAIK.

(Apologies if I got any of the details wrong!)

[vanagonjr]

I'd have to say, it does;t get that much attention in these parts. In a campground, someone will likely notice it. Once, when I was away and I had the side tent set-up, my wife said it was all a guy could do to not walk through the tent into the van-LOL.

But, I'd say if I take the van to work, no one really seems to notice it. I think to most, it's just another mini-van.
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John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

[hans j]

Maybe I look like a jerk, or maybe it's because my van is rusty and usually dirty on the outside, but I rarely get noticed.

Sometimes a honk or wave on the freeway and sometimes a comment at the gas station, but mostly wondering why I am putting diesel in it...

It's ok, I don't want to draw attention to myself or the van. If someone wants to talk about it, I can talk their ear off about my van!

I did meet a German guy in Escelante Utah who had one. He was from Hannover and had a T3. He was excited to tell me that they were built in his town and he really liked my van (but noticed how rusty it is )
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1986 Canadian Syncro Westy TDI - 1989 Syncro Single Cab - 2001 Audi S4 - 1981 VW Caddy ABA - 1980 VW Caddy EV - 1973 VW T-181

[Vinzanto]

When I was passing through Yellowstone a couple months back I was cooking lunch with the top up while my friend was taking pics along one of the boardwalks and before I knew it 5-10 tourists (asians) were taking pictures of me cook, waving at me, giving me the thumbs up, I felt like a bigger attraction than the thermal features .

On a regular basis, daily, people talk to me about the van. I love showing it off and usually break seamlessly into .10 cent tour mode.

Folks of any age, gender, background, ethnicity can't help but grin ear to ear when I'm swinging around a corner in downtown KC, once again all waves, smiles, thumbs up, peace signs. People always want to buy it. I've come to expect it but the only times it gets old is when I'm in a hurry and sometimes my polite nature has trouble cutting people off...

#VanagonProblems
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1984 Vanagon Westfalia Wolfsberg

[Merian]

Not sure why the lack of attention here would be odd. Bays are all over the place too, and I sometimes see Splitties or 21 window Buses used just to pick up groceries or for camping.

Lack of rarity means lack of attention.

Maybe the attention in the Outer Sunset is from the "Bridge & Tunnel" crowd who have commuted in to see the sights in Yerba Buena??

This town is also ground zero for destroying the things and sticking them on top of converted school buses.

[nacradriver]

Have these conversations all the time... Kind of hard if I am in a hurry and don't want to be rude...

Had one gent asked me if I was interested in selling it.... to which I said sure for $30K.... He came back with $26K, I said nothing less than $29K and gave him my number.....
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Güdrun -1989 Westfalia - 2013 - 2018
Petra - 1985 Vanagon - 1985 to 1991
Zisa - 1974 VW Van "Bus" - 1974 to 1985

[shepherdsond]

[oldhuldy67]

Hey, Reventio, I saw lots of Dokas in Germany in the 1980s..courtesy of my service in the US Army. Many in the Bundeswehr and other civil organizations. But, I'm not sure how many were like your double-cab model, very special indeed.
My 1980 Westy is a tourist delivery vehicle, German Esso oil change sticker and all..Bosch fog light dealer installed. I get lots of smiles, questions at gas stops and friendly inquirers who always get the tour..as long as they don't take pics of my Liscence plate I'm happy to oblige.