To Eurovan or not to Eurovan is the ?

[vanjoe]

I would like some input please. I have a 1990 Vanagon Carat which I absolutely love and am not getting rid of. Now my question is should I get a 1993 Eurovan 5 cylinder 5 speed manual transmission with 169,000 miles. This van would be used for my Heating & Air conditioning company and will be driven daily 100 to 200 miles a day. I do all my own work on my Vanagon and with help from the Samba members it makes it fairly simple to maintain. So would I be happy with a Eurovan? Thoughts please.
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1990 VW Vanagon tin top weekender Carat
1998 Mercedes S420

"Why is there never time to do it right the first time, but there is always time to do it twice?"

"Back to the basics!"

[Zeitgeist 13]

Seems perfectly plausible. Do you have pics of the van in question?
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Casey--

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

[Joshwa]

A 93 5cyl, 5spd, yes. Can change the timing belt without engine disassembly, on a pretty reliable engine. 5spd transmission is nearly bullet proof, and the electronics are not too complicated. Tons of cargo space with the rear seats out. Don’t pay too much. Still has its own batch of common issues to learn.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=661014
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93 Weekender TDI conversion (AHU)
93 MV TDI conversion (1Z)
Weekender rear cot
Late model cabin air filter on 93
Euro spec bumper install on 93

[Joshwa]

If those miles are freeway mostly, it’s easy to change out 5th gear to a taller ratio. Can do it with the transmission in place. Either a .756 or .710. Stock is 4th gear 50mph at 3000rpm and 5th gear 60mph at 3000rpm. .710 is 70mph at 3000rpm.
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93 Weekender TDI conversion (AHU)
93 MV TDI conversion (1Z)
Weekender rear cot
Late model cabin air filter on 93
Euro spec bumper install on 93

[pinetreeporsche]

[Joshwa]

5spd manual is not known for tranny issues. Once in long whiles someone will break a 5th or reverse gear. 5th due to power mods and torquing it at low rpms. Reverse for obvious reasons. You can fit 4x8 sheets of plywood vertical and horizontal. Low bed height.

People mistaken the 93 to have the problems the later models have with the drivetrain, but it’s very different.
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93 Weekender TDI conversion (AHU)
93 MV TDI conversion (1Z)
Weekender rear cot
Late model cabin air filter on 93
Euro spec bumper install on 93

[Zeitgeist 13]

I can say as someone who has primarily used my seven VW vans as stuff haulers, the T4 is far and a way the most versatile interior of any for that purpose. The early models with manual trans are probably the most reliable vans VW ever brought over here. I wish they had stuck with the five cylinder (albeit with incrementally more power over the years) throughout the model run. A turbo AAN or AEL would be a nice powerplant for these rigs.
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Casey--

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

[Stripped66]

No.

You're proposing putting 25-50K miles per year on a 25 year old vehicle, that is already creeping up in mileage, as a work vehicle, and relying on this forum as a knowledge-base?

Hell no.


Buy a domestic van, Transit or a Sprinter...something where parts, or service and repair can be obtained/completed on the same/next day.
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[vanjoe]

Thanks for the input. I test drove the van today that I was looking at. The Eurovan is definitely not for me. There is no comparing it even close to a Vanagon. I will stick to getting another Vanagon as soon as I find the right deal on another Carat.
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1990 VW Vanagon tin top weekender Carat
1998 Mercedes S420

"Why is there never time to do it right the first time, but there is always time to do it twice?"

"Back to the basics!"

[CdnVWJunkie]

Well isn`t that interesting. I own both. I enjoy both but they`re both very different machines. While I thoroughly enjoy the T3s, my own daily is a T4 DoKa. I would drive it across the continent in a heart beat.

[Abscate]

[Zeitgeist 13]

You can lead a lamb to slaughter, but you can't make 'em squeal like a pig...wait, what?

Ok, try this...


“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”

― John Lydgate
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Casey--

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