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Acquired Westy 2000mi away... Advice???
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, just got into the office and 1st thing I checked was this thread.
Happy to see you took some time off to do some sighting along the way.

As the say the journey is the experience. Glad that you listened to your own counsel and did the trip!

Coming up on 1-1/2 years with mine and still can't open the slider with a key, never thought it was important enough since the passenger door is right there to reach around and unlock it. I will be reversing the sliding windows next month to put the open glass more then an arm's length away from the lock.

Of course the biggest problem is now in front of you...you taught your girlfriend how to drive it! Hope you do not fight over the keys!
All the best.
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desertrefugee
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like Steve, my first check at the office was not the tester farm...(luckily all were humming right along). It was this thread!

This trip was a lot of fun to follow. And your van passed the acid test.

Congratulations! Now get back to work so you can fund upgrades and repair/overhauls. Both are inevitable. Resistance is futile. You HAVE BEEN assimilated.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I too am glad you made it. I am not a naysayer, but a realist. While breaking down is an adventure for many of you. That is an adventure, I like to take a pass on.

I also have seen on many occasions, vehicles towed in, for repair. Owner states comments like this. "It never ran so good before it broke", "I thought I could make it", etc. What could have been something as simple as a belt change, now requires an overhaul and that is assuming the tow truck driver towed it properly, not to mention the safety concerns of being stranded on the side of the road.

You gambled and won. Congratulations.
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations! You must have chosen the right van. Wink

Nice pix from Hwy 30 - we drive that every time we go down the Columbia in Oregon.
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slobrewer
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rsxsr wrote:
You gambled and won. Congratulations.


I tell myself this after just about every long trip in the Westy. Sometimes the odds are better and sometimes the odds are worse. But if you value certainty over gambling then the Westy (or any 25-30 year old vehicle) really isn't a good choice.

I'm not really trying to get you guys wound up but I'm just calling out that if someone is well prepared and willing to fail then I don't think the negativity seen here is helpful.
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kamzcab86
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ahwahnee wrote:
For every grand adventure & happy ending like this there are several 'buy & drive' efforts that end in disaster.


Drove 300 miles, looked at and test drove van, bought it, drove it home the next day without a single issue (the bad tires, new oil leak thanks to PO taking it to Jiffy Lube that morning, and lousy headlights notwithstanding). The scariest, most nerve-wracking part of that little adventure: Driving my newly acquired van in Los Angeles rush-hour traffic! Shocked

Every time we drive these things we're gambling with a break down, be it to the corner store or to a National Park 1500 miles away. Those who buy old cars not understanding or being prepared for that are in for a world of hurt. The OP came into ownership with the right attitude: Life is an adventure; sit back and enjoy the ride, hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. Green Vanagon
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Ahwahnee
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In my misspent youth I made a lot of money playing poker with optimists.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The poster's asked for input. I attempt to help people with broken Vanagons everyday here on the Samba. The reality is, they break down and often the owner's understanding of their vehicle or the systems is very limited.

Our vanagon has made many cross country trips. The mechanicals are not the gamble for me. It is the yahoos out there sharing the road, weather, etc that are the uncertainty. I would not drive any vehicle on a trip that I did not expect to make it there and back. Does that make me less entitled to enjoy my Vanagon? I don't believe so.

And as I said, I am glad they made it.

Oh, and I should mention, I dropped a valve on my 68 camper many years ago and rebuilt it over a weekend in a carport . We were on our way for 3 weeks in the canyonlands. It flat out sucked, being on the shoulder of the tpk at 11pm, leaving our stuff, walking to the exit, calling a tow truck to meet us and walking back to the bus, having it towed way too fast for my taste, waking up the next morning, finding a bug house with heads and jugs, hitching a ride there, renting a jack and stands from Taylor rental, hitching a ride back, dropping the engine, splitting the case, taking the parts to the car wash, putting the engine back together, driving around town to borrow a timing light and then getting on the road two days later. Some adventure.
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The way I look at it there are two things I am certain of on each trip.

1) I am certain I am going to leave.
2) I am certain I am going to get home.

What happens in between is the journey. Enjoy all it brings. Very Happy
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madspaniard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bought my Westy in August 2008, changed the brake master cylinder and put on bigger wheels and a couple weeks later I was in Baja California with the van. Never thought for a second what could go wrong and I didn't do a full crazy inspection. Took the van offroadiong for hours there too. The adventure begins when your leave home not when you get to your destination. With the right attitude breakdowns are the funnest part of your trip.

Oh, I also own a Toyota Sienna Laughing
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
With the right attitude breakdowns are the funnest part of your trip.


Guess rather than working on the Van prior to a road trip, I should just work on my attitude. I did not know I have been missing out on all the fun.
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desertrefugee
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well...this "was" a fun thread. It has moved now beyond fun.

Next.
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Dampcamper
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ahwahnee wrote:

I'm still here and delighted that he chose to ignore my doubts, but...

For every grand adventure & happy ending like this there are several 'buy & drive' efforts that end in disaster. Usually they appeal here for help but some are simply never heard from again (the EV that blew a head gasket in Denver, the plastic wrap Westy that was going from FL to UT, etc)



The classic Fleabay / cross-country drive story is on the Bay Window forum:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=84419&highlight=three+hippy+dudes

Bottomend (the author and guardian angel for the hippy dudes) wrote an entertaining narrative of the whole story. He gets my vote for the Heart Of Gold award for helping these guys out. In AA we call people like him "Enablers", how do we classify all the helpful souls on TheSamba? It really is a cool community. Razz

Welcome home, you're in a great part of the World to own (and use) a Westy
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highaltidude
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations!!!!!

The people that stay home don't have good stories to tell around the campfire!!!

Chuck
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photonanc6
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dampcamper wrote:
Ahwahnee wrote:

I'm still here and delighted that he chose to ignore my doubts, but...

For every grand adventure & happy ending like this there are several 'buy & drive' efforts that end in disaster. Usually they appeal here for help but some are simply never heard from again (the EV that blew a head gasket in Denver, the plastic wrap Westy that was going from FL to UT, etc)



The classic Fleabay / cross-country drive story is on the Bay Window forum:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=84419&highlight=three+hippy+dudes

Bottomend (the author and guardian angel for the hippy dudes) wrote an entertaining narrative of the whole story. He gets my vote for the Heart Of Gold award for helping these guys out. In AA we call people like him "Enablers", how do we classify all the helpful souls on TheSamba? It really is a cool community. Razz

Welcome home, you're in a great part of the World to own (and use) a Westy


Thanks for the link. I understand little of the technical discussion, but understand enough to appreciate the humor.
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Merian
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congrats!

Now you can perform all the safety related maintenance these Vans need in the comfort of your home.

I'm with Ahwanee & rxrs re the risks.
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madspaniard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rsxsr wrote:
Quote:
With the right attitude breakdowns are the funnest part of your trip.


Guess rather than working on the Van prior to a road trip, I should just work on my attitude. I did not know I have been missing out on all the fun.


No need to get sensitive about this, different strides. You can work all you want on your van prior to a trip and still have a breakdown. These are old vans with old parts. No way to tell if that one piece of coolant hose is going to give up the ghost on the road, so I don't worry about it. I'll deal with it the best I can. I'm not saying you need to be negligent. To me the OP had the right attitude, how many cars on the road everyday? How many breakdowns? How many don't make it home in a reasonable time or manner? Just my opinion, worth as much as yours.

Oh, I met one of my ex-girlfriends dealing with a breakdown, lived together for two years so yes it can be fun.
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All good in the 'hood.

Welcome home!

Cool
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I knew he'd make all along and didn't feel the need to offer advice Very Happy Very Happy

These vans never break down............... Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes

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imdbui
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everyone!

Just about to finish up my Monday - really feeling the lack of sleep from the all night drive. I guess after all the adrenaline and caffeine wore off, I just slammed into the wall. I haven't even unloaded the van yet. I've been daydreaming of the highest priority maintenances that I'd need to have finished before my first REAL road trip Smile.

Sounds like there's quite a bit of animosity about these types of runs. Which I can understand. I don't categorize myself as one of those surfer dudes who had a brilliant idea about buying a camper to chase the waves, but this was still spontaneous and risky. This wasn't my ideal intro into vanagon ownership - (I originally had it booked for shipment) but I'm stoked about the outcome and couldn't be happier that I stumbled upon a community of knowledgeable fanatics that would even take the time to try to educate me on what I was getting myself into. Some of you will defend your stance on the issue, and thats awesome, thats what a forum is for. My reason for making the trip was because the opportunity was presented for me, and I thought it was a good enough risk to take - and I'm happy I took it.

More risk = more fun? - Maybe not, but I'm certain that it would not have been as exciting if I were picking up a 2014 Toyota Sienna. Razz
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