Thoughts on adding 100k miles to a Syncro Westy

[ranchero]

Hi folks - I used to be more active, but have been a lurker for awhile. I'm having a hard time making a decision and I'm looking for some input.

I accepted a job last year where I have to commute 8 months of the year one round trip per week of about 400 miles. I currently rent a room that I stay in two nights per week. I've been giving serious thought to ditching the room and camping those two nights.

Mind you, this is camping in and around Steamboat Springs, CO from September through April, including the really cold (as low as -15F and typically 0F) from December through March. The commute is all central Colorado rockies over two passes about 10k and 11k feet. There is no option to not go when it snows. It snows most weeks in the winter.

With the $600-700/mo I pay in rent I could purchase a decent 4x4 truck+camper, Sportsmobile, Chevy AWD van, or most of a Sprinter 4x4, etc. I had sort of discounted using the Westy because I would be adding about 80k miles in the next 4-5 years until retirement. At that point the nice subie-converted syncro would have about 300k miles. I do all my own maintenance and repairs, but don't relish *having* to do a repair just to get to work the next week.

So I'm kind of thinking that even factoring in a rebuilt tranny (doesn't need one, but who knows with that kind of additional mileage), CVs, etc and depreciation for wear and higher mileage, my existing car might be the best option.

I don't particularly like Sportsmobiles, but I think one could add 80k miles to a well-maintained diesel Ford 4x4 (even with 6.0 issues) and not lose too much in depreciation. That is seeming like the second best option.

Thoughts?

TIA - Steve
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'90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver.

[davevickery]

Get a front wheel drive car with good snow tires. Leave the van at work and commute with the car and camp out in the van.

Long daily driving with a syncro westy is dumb to me. It is best utilized for vacation trips and costs a lot more per mile than pretty much any other vehicle. I much prefer my automatic camry commuting. 30 mpg is great and nothing ever breaks. Much more comfortable on long trips.

[ranchero]

Hi Dave - unfortunately I don't have the option of leaving the van at work and I also use it for weekend ski and camping trips back home in Salida. I do have a golf with snow tires that I've been commuting in.

My initial thought was that using a Syncro as a daily is a silly idea too. I've been scheming for months and none of those plans included the Syncro. I'm thinking I can put around $35k in rent savings by camping two nights per week into a a different camper or my pocket. $35k will pay for about half of the camper options I mentioned before. Or it would pay for a metric shit-ton of maintenance on the Syncro.

I completely know where you're coming from - a reliable commuter and paying someone else's mortgage is the easiest option, and maybe even the most cost effective one. THat's the decision I made about two years ago. Just rethinking it now.
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'90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver.

[IdahoDoug]

Someone else here did this, but I would have recommended it without that. The GMC Safari/Chevrolet Astro vans in AWD would be a cost effective way to do this. They're bog stock reliable and powerful and dare I say as well as the Syncro for mobility on a snowy road. I'd buy one for $4000 with moderate miles, strip the interior, insulate it, build a comfy bed platform and rudimentary storage shelves for food and personal gear and drive the heck out of it. A simple cooking arrangement and a simple heating arrangment and you're rolling for $5500 for 80,000 miles.

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[boroko]

Maybe I'm thinking about this all wrong, every Vanagon out there has a butt-ton of miles on it, and we have already extended them well past their first life time. For 35k, I would put a little extra in up front for reliability, and drive the wheels off it, replace them, and do it again. Depending on the state of it now, $5-$10k should make it very reliable, and the rest is just cream. Also, you'll be in an area that has decent Vanagon presence, so you aren't too likely to have trouble finding mechanical skill. Big "stranding" items are motor, trans, axles, and bearings, and they sure don't add up to 35k. If you had to drop it off at a reputable shop for a month and drive/hotel for a bit, you'd still be money ahead and you'd be enjoying your van.

It's not like you're going to wear out the body, and the running gear is replaceable.

A lot of the vans that I have owned were before I was smarter and had the knowledge to visualize every failure and worry about every squeak. I just drove them, enjoyed them, and fixed what broke. You're way ahead of that curve.

Anyway, my 2 cents, which is exactly what its worth. Good luck on your decision.
Mark
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'87 SyncroWesty: Smokey the Turtle, '85 SubiWesty: Chappie, '84 GTI, '86 GTI in full Rally trim,
previous: 2 Syncro tin tops, 2 Vanagons, 3 busses, 3 Ghias, 2 Jettas, a 411, a gas and a diesel Bunny and about 25 Beetles, one that only drove left.

[Wildthings]

I think the extra space of a full sized American van would be a definite plus. Parts and service are going to be more available for American iron as well. I drive old VW's as my daily drivers, but even though I have seldom not gotten where I need to go on time I have had minor breakdowns that threatened to leave me stranded for days due to lack of available parts, parts which I could have gotten in virtually any town of sufficient size in the country were they for a Ford or a Chevy.

[danfromsyr]

I also vote save the syncro (it's a hobby car) for fun and abuse some other mode of transportation.
since you put camping on the table, how about one of those RV communities where you leave a trailer, any open year round up there (probably not)
there has to be cheaper (occasional) living in the area.. I do understand that cheap living and Colorado don't really go together. else every parent's hippy would be living there.. heck they already do.

with each trip you stand a chance of a accident, either with other less prepared vehicles, wildlife or just plain conditions.. so a sacrificial vehicle is best. if you wreck a $3k astro you still have your syncro till you can buy another $3k astro
the 2wd are still decent and many came with the G80 limited slip rear diff.. so toss 400#s in the back and still good to go with proper snow tires.
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[ranchero]

Interesting thoughts. I had looked into Chevy Express (full size awd vans) but hadn't even thought about an Astro AWD. Those are cheap. EPA mileage rate for one of those is 19 highway. For the Express it is 17 for the 5.3 V8. I wonder whether those figures are reasonable or not. Most of the drive is 60-65mph

I could build an astro for 10-12k with heater, bed etc. Use it for 4-5 years and then give it away and I would likely still be ahead. I'll have to go drive one and see what they're like.
_________________
'90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver.

[dobryan]

[noganav]

Buy a honda civic or whatever is cheap reliable and comfortable and drive that. Leave the van at work and live in it while you're there. Get a propex with the gas money you save.

Edit: Oops, sorry davevickery, I just saw that you posted the same advice. Put another vote on the table for dave's idea.

[photogdave]

Hey Steve!

Here is your solution right here:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1884557



- Dave
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89 Syncro GL Westfalia 2.1 WBX/WBXaustSS

My Westy Movies:
photogdave On Vimeo
photogdave On YouTube

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

[davevickery]

Yep, there has to be a place in Breck where you could park it and probably have a 110 extension cord out to the van. I stayed at a ski club/hostel where they let members camp in the parking lot, hook up to electric, use the showers for $10/day. That won't work for you because you have to be a member, but you might find a place to park at a rental house. Or skip the electric and plan to use a lot of propane.

Besides, I think you would do that the first season, and figure out something better the next year. I camped in my Westy full time one summer while working away from home. It was awesome and memorable camping on BLM land near work, but after 3 months I'd had enough, and that was during the summer.

If you need the van for an occassional camping trip or ski weekend, drive it back home that week. But racking up miles on an irreplaceable Syncro Westy just to get from point A to point B is just plain wrong. Maybe if you lived in California and took it 10 miles to the beach and around town, it would be an ok daily, but 200 miles each way, every week. Ugghh.

[danfromsyr]

I think the real answer is get a girlfriend in Steamboat springs
might not be the cheapest option but saves miles on the syncro and that's what we really care about here in vanagon land
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[ranchero]

Dave - that LT is awesome. We have been thinking about one of those long term. Alas, it is a 96 and it isn't in the US already. I don't think that is legal to import for another 5 years for us.

And Dave V. Yes, I'm convinced that I can find a place to park a truck for a reasonable fee at someone's house during the Winter and I'll dry camp near town in Fall and late Spring.

I've thought about what it would be like living out of my van for *work.* Will I enjoy doing it for 4-5 years (just 2 days per week for 8 months per year)? I have done extended trips up to six weeks out of the van and that has been fine. I stayed a week up here in January with sub-zero temps. I wouldn't say that it was super-comfortable even with a Propex, but unlike a true van-dweller, I will get to drive home and spoon Mrs. Ranchero in a warm bed after two nights.

Which brings me to Dan's point. Getting a girlfriend in Steamboat would certainly be the most expensive of all possible options! And Mrs. Ranchero would probably walk away with the Syncro.
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'90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver.

[Steelhead]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/rvs/5478591283.html

me want
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'77 Bay Window / '89 Caratsburg (aka. the Stormtrooper)