Would Anyone Be Willing To Help A Girl Find A Nice Vanagon?

[katstan]

Hi there,

I've been lurking on the site for about two years and have had my heart set on a Vanagon so that my six-year-old daughter, husband, and I can go on family camping trips around the Northeast and a longer road trip each year as well. I grew up on a sailboat so there is just something about the small space and idea of taking your home with you wherever you go that I simply can't shake. I want my daughter to know that experience. We already do a ton of camping and she loves it. The idea of sleeping in a pop up is just about the best thing she can imagine.

We're looking to spend about $15k to get started with the expectation of needing to put another $3-5k in every year to keep it running and in good shape. We have a good Volkswagen mechanic a few miles away who does work on them and it sounds like there are some super mechanics within an hour of us based on the reviews I've read from other Vanagon owners. I am mechanically inclined (was a physics major in college) but my husband is not and I do work full time and have a kid so don't realistically expect to be doing much work on the van ourselves. We would be garaging the van when we're not out on an adventure.

Am I kidding myself that we can make this happen on this budget? Can anyone help us narrow down our search if I were to share a few vans that look interesting to me. Would be willing to travel up to 500 miles for the right van though I'm not sure I can work a cross country trip in this year.

I can't really get excited about the Eurovan so I'm hoping to find an 86-91 Vanagon. I'm open to a weekender instead of the full camper though I think I would prefer the latter. Any tips or advice are welcome. Thanks!

[dobryan]

Welcome to posting on the samba!

That is a good budget. You should be able to make it happen.

I would put (NY) in your title so it narrows down where you need help from.

If you have not done it yet I would start looking at any Vanagons for sale in your area just to get a feel for what is out there. There are samba memebers near you that could help but the more your educate yourself the better they can help.

In general be very leery of rust coming from your area of the country and do not worry too much about distance from home as long as someone from the samba has seen it and you had a PPI done.

If you have not seen the FAQ's this is a good place to start as well.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6236040#6236040

Enjoy the search and in general do not buy the first (or second or third...) one you see.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[katstan]

Here is a pretty exhaustive list of the vans currently in the area in order of proximity and what I perceive (perhaps inaccurately) to be worth the look. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Edited to delete all of the pre-1986 air cooled vans.


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1926528 - Going to see this one this weekend. How serious is the seam rust and does anyone have any idea how much would it likely cost to get it fixed? Is that a deal breaker? Otherwise sounds like it would be in good shape mechanically.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/5999150366.html

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1968873

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1927401

https://nh.craigslist.org/cto/5996124804.html

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2006042

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2008603

https://westmd.craigslist.org/cto/5992107986.html

https://columbus.craigslist.org/ctd/5961130407.html

[katstan]

[Steve M.]

Air fare from New York to Los Angeles is as low as $120.00
similar fares can maybe be found for the other "DRY" states out west.

Just saying ya know if ya want a vehicle that might not have the rust on it that the north east seems to have!
You could do a road trip out of that... of course now just waiting for the naysayers to say how terrible an idea it is to do that in a just bought 30 yr. old vehicle that you do not know.
I actually do happen to agree with that sentiment, but I also think you can drive it for a week locally where you bought it to get a feel for it's condition and make preparations for a road trip...AAA membership, critical spares and thinking of route to take back with sights along the way. You could even time it for one of the annual get togethers and really meet some great people.

If ya been lurking on here for 2 yrs. then you have an idea the fun or calamity you could have.
Owning one is going to be an adventure anyway!
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[katstan]

[mikemtnbike]

That first van, the mechanicals do look well-sorted but that'd be too rusty for me at that price. The vanaru conversion looks like a good deal.
The van-again vans...worth looking at, IMO.
I'd skip all the air-cooled's for your stated purpose(s) but that's just me.
_________________
1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[dobryan]

BTW, I bought my current bus on Craigslist in Denver and drove it home to Maryland. I had my brother put eyes on it for me before I bought it. I flew out and bought some tools at a local hardware store then did a full tune up, fuel lines and filter, belts, oil change, then babied it home (62mph max) and made it fine. YMMV. (I brought all the tune up and other parts with me in my luggage).
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[Zeitgeist 13]

That Multivan from Columbus would be my choice, but I'd want the flipper to knock a few thou off the price.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[dobryan]

[Syncro Jael]

I too would recommend looking westward or south for a somewhat rust free van. Too many vans in the salt belts have damage that is hidden by repaint, undercoating, etc. Surface rust can be repaired pretty easily, just more money, but structural rust is costly to repair/replace.

Take your time and do some homework at this beginning stage of Vanagon ownership. Most everything mechanical can be repaired by the owner if you take the time to learn about the components, and are willing to turn a wrench. It is an almost required skill set if you want to travel in these antique vehicles very much. Being able to repair and understand the systems in your van will also make you feel better about taking your vehicle to the far away and isolated places the world has to offer.

You should be able to find a van within your budget. I too would shy away from the air cooled era. Having good heat will open up many opportunities for year round use and comfort for the whole family.

Use this samba resource, there are many great people willing to help you discover the Vanagon lifestyle.

Cheers...
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

[takeiteasy]

liking this one

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1968873
_________________
'85 Weekender 1.9L

"With your past and your future precisely divided.
Am I at that moment? I haven't decided."

[dobryan]

[Abscate]

Wecome Katstan - Im either working just South of you in Tribeca, driving by, or weekending in ALbany.

You might want to look at Eurovan campers if you can stretch the budget a bit more - stronger engine, more parts, and a nicer chassis

On edit - apologies - you ruled those out in your post.

Even in upstate NY, Ive found these cars very resistant to rust, but finding one in CA and shipping back for 1000 is a good option.

Its refreshing to have an enquiry from someone with a realistic budget for a change.

As a physicist, you can conquer most anything on this car with some basic tools and help here.
_________________
.ssS!

[katstan]

[davevickery]

That one you are going to look at, looks like a nice van except for the seam and window rust spots. It depends what you plan to do about that that would make me receommend or not recommend it.

If you have to have it perfect, then pass. Beccause the cost to clean all that up correctly, would be 10,000 or so to remove the windows, fix those little spots which always are a little worse than they look. The seam rust has to be completely removed of it will come back and that is a lot of hours at a body shop, then they will need to repaint the whole van. But that is only if you need it perfect.

If you just want to encapsulate the rust and touch it up so it doesn't get out of control, it could be a good van. All the mechanicals look good and so you won't have to spend money there (and you shouldn't put too much money into a van that has rust issues anyway as you can see the seller is loosing money on that one). But as rust goes and east coast vans, that one is fine. You can sandblast the seams, do the best you can to coat them and the rust will come back through slowly over time, but it would be a long time before it looks like it does now. You could do that yourself on the cheap and buy color matching spray paint and get it to look decent without going crazy. It won't match perfect but if you can live with that, it coiuld be a nice troublefree van for many years to come.

Keep askng questions on specific vans, and you will start to pick up on what's importatn from people who have had vans a long time. And don't listen to people that have too strong an opinion or think everything is over priced or evey nut and bolt has to be replaced. They will drive you away with their thinking.

[katstan]

[Abscate]

My EV Weekender is the only car I have ever bought new...

and 18 years later - on a business trip to Mount Desert Island, ME - I claim the per diem and use the car as hotel.....

Transporting a car across America is really easy, lots of ways.

I found a nice NYC girl, married her, and moved her out of the city 30 years ago


_________________
.ssS!

[katstan]

[dobryan]