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New owner of a 1993 MV
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GenXer
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:41 pm    Post subject: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Well it's been a long time coming but I am finally a member of the VW Bus/Van club.

I grew up around VWs, we had a '74 Super Beetle and a '76 Beetle growing up. My grandparents owned a late 70s Westy Pop Top in lime green. My first car was supposed to be a '67 Squareback that my uncle was going to give me but my mother, worrying about safety, pushed me in another direction. I always assumed I would have a VW as I have had a love affair with them all my life, but somehow it took me to the age of 51 - yesterday - to own my first VW.

This wasn't done on a lark. I decided that I wanted a Bus close to ten years ago. I remember back in the '80s, buses were cheap. It was a bit surprising how much they were going for. They were no longer the vehicle that you could give someone a few hundred for and drive off in. After jonseing for one for a while, I found myself looking at Vanagons. I spent the next few years trying to figure out how to swing a Vanagon as a third vehicle. A couple of years ago I found a great deal on a GL. It had a small fuel issue but the owner was willing to sell it to me for $800. I was very close to pulling the plug but we were about to move to Florida and I thought what a hassle it would be to try and figure out how to get a non-working van from Alabama to Florida. I actually posted it here figuring someone else could grab a cheap Vanagon.

A few months back I started looking at the Eurovan. Particularly, the MV was attractive to me. I have three teenage kids and I don't see myself doing a lot of camping. The MV seems to hit the sweet spot that would allow me to camp in it if I want it but also make it a fun vehicle for the fam. I also realized that if I went with a Eurovan it would be possible to use it as a daily driver - something that I wasn't sold on with a Vanagon. Finally, a couple of months ago, I decided to put the wheels in motion. I listed my daily driver (MB SLK 350) for sale and while I was trying to find a buyer, I found myself looking for MVs. After about a month of mine being listed, I saw that someone was selling one in my town but I figured it would be gone by the time mine sold. When the SLK finally sold last week, the MV was still there and had been dropped down in price. The difference between the MV and the 350 was $500.

Needless to say, I'm like a kid on Christmas day. It's been a while since I've been excited about a car purchase. The Seller had put a lot of work into it before selling the MV including having the transmission rebuilt, belts changed etc. They gave it a good test run of driving it from California to Central Florida. Of course, I'm nervous after reading about all the auto trans horror stories but I figured it was truly now or never.

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IdeaNerd
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 7:22 pm    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Congrats! Looks like a nice ride. Smile
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GenXer
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 10:25 pm    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Thanks. It’s got its neglected bits but it will be fun trying to get it back in shape.

Last edited by GenXer on Thu Mar 04, 2021 8:37 am; edited 1 time in total
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Abscate Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 2:51 am    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

The fit finish on the T4 is excellent

The At threads are overpopulated with folks who scored a 5k van then found themselves to be the chump

If you keep fluid changes to schedule they are 250-300k units
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Joshwa
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 7:18 am    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

The auto transmission woes belong to owners of the T4b, which is years 97+. You should be good to go with the 93 auto. The 5cyl is better matched to the strength of the auto in that year. Not to say you can neglect maintenance though. It looks to be I good shape from the single picture. The fun is just beginning.
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93 Weekender TDI conversion (AHU)
93 MV TDI conversion (1Z)
Weekender rear cot
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Euro spec bumper install on 93
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Abscate Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 8:04 am    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

A tin top T4 is perfect for tent camping.

Partner and you get the comfy bed, plenty of room to carry the kids and gear

A good roof solution , and awning , maybe even a trailer hitch shelf
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Stripped66
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 9:15 am    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:

The At threads are overpopulated with folks who scored a 5k van then found themselves to be the chump

If you keep fluid changes to schedule they are 250-300k units


GenXer wrote:

The Seller had put a lot of work into it before selling the MV including having the transmission rebuilt


Confused
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Bodacious wrote:
Why not just make a custom set of wires with a Y splice in them. Then you could just run one distributor.

I don't think electrickery works that way
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GenXer
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 10:28 am    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Joshwa wrote:
The auto transmission woes belong to owners of the T4b, which is years 97+. You should be good to go with the 93 auto. The 5cyl is better matched to the strength of the auto in that year. Not to say you can neglect maintenance though. It looks to be I good shape from the single picture. The fun is just beginning.


I definitely took a picture from its best angle but overall for a 28 year old vehicle, it's not in horrible shape. I checked underneath and didn't really see any rust. Mileage is 150K which doesn't bother me - especially with the PO's statements about all the work that was done on it just a few months before. I figure I will keep the trips short until I start to develop some trust with it. Good news is that during the Covid times my previous daily driver went from about 12K miles per year to less than 5K so I have plenty of time to get comfortable and do some work on her.
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Zeitgeist 13
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:35 am    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Congrats on your score. Too bad you missed out on the '67 Square. I had the same year Fasty and Split, and I'm convinced that MY was possibly the best and most reliable aircooled lineup VW ever offered. Both those cars were rock solid dependable daily drivers and road trippers. Your new van should similarly be a solid daily.
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GenXer
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 4:30 pm    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Zeitgeist 13 wrote:
Congrats on your score. Too bad you missed out on the '67 Square. I had the same year Fasty and Split, and I'm convinced that MY was possibly the best and most reliable aircooled lineup VW ever offered. Both those cars were rock solid dependable daily drivers and road trippers. Your new van should similarly be a solid daily.


Yeah, I regret missing out on the SB. It was my uncle’s and he had had it since being a young navy man in the 60s. He either bought it new or it was only a year or two old when he got it. He was an engineer and had rebuilt the engine a couple of times but body wise it was in rough shape. More dents than not. It was affectionately known as The Blue Bomber and the joke was he wouldn’t park it by the curb on garbage days for fear of it being mistakenly hauled off. At the time, I was okay to miss out on it as it was 1986 and a beat to crap Squareback had zero cool factor for a high schooler hoping to have a girlfriend. I did drive it a bunch when I was fifteen and had my learner’s permit. Once my wife gets over the Eurovan purchase, (she definitely doesn’t get it), I’m thinking I want an air cooled for a fun project car. Heck, I’ve got my 1981 edition of Muir’s famous idiot’s guide to keeping your VW alive might as well get a vehicle that it applies to.
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volkybus
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 12:22 pm    Post subject: Re: New owner of a 1993 MV Reply with quote

Congrats on your first vw..Buses are the best . This 93 I have is my 15th van..Fun to drive and Practical..Good luck. I have always had one or more since mid sixties..I have two now on road .A 93 weekender.in PR and 76 Westy in Vt.One tip though You need a spare car w a EV. Bill
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