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brokevwguy
Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2012
Posts: 269
Location: Upstate New York
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 Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:11 pm Post subject: Odometer question |
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Very stupid question here guys  . How many miles are on this odometer in this 1981 Vanagon? It has been sitting since 1993. Is it 103,840 and 5 tenths or 38,405? Thanks.
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vanis13
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2010
Posts: 3092
Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:38 pm Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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| brokevwguy wrote: |
Very stupid question here guys . How many miles are on this odometer in this 1981 Vanagon? It has been sitting since 1993. Is it 103,840 and 5 tenths or 38,405? Thanks.
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no tenths on the ODO. in order of likelihood
1 - likely neither, often the ODOs fail
2 - they are easily re-settable to any number
3 - 38,405
4 - 1,038,405 (or any multiple of any number of millions)
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83.5 Westy with Subaru 2.5, 4 spd manual, center seat, COLD A/C on 134a!, Winter camp heated with an Espar B4 gasoline furnace
www.SuperVanagon.com - some stuff I make |
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4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3019
Location: MD
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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38k.
They didn't make million mile Vanagons.
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'87 Syncro
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Red Ryder
Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2021
Posts: 951
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:03 pm Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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238000 miles with likely a broken odo! 
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“Scarlett” — 1990 Vanagon Carat Wolfsburg Edition
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50337
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
38k.
They didn't make million mile Vanagons. |
Working on it, but still have a ways to go  |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50337
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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| brokevwguy wrote: |
| Very stupid question here guys . How many miles are on this odometer in this 1981 Vanagon? It has been sitting since 1993. Is it 103,840 and 5 tenths or 38,405? Thanks. |
Look for things like wear on the carpets and seats. The grip on the steering wheel will also get polished with age. |
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campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4491
Location: Richmond VA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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When you buy it and want the odometer to work, the fix is doable my mere mortals.
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32584
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Butcher
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2015
Posts: 1285
Location: Right Here
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 7:19 am Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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| Better question is how many times it was 'fixed' and rolled back. |
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jimf909 
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7466
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 7:39 am Post subject: Re: Odometer question |
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38K is a reasonable possibility for a van parked in 1993. As mentioned, post photos of the brake pedal, gas pedal and other wear areas. I'm not Vanagon forensic scientist, but the wear on the headlight switch seems like more than would happen in 38K miles.
That said, no matter how you slice it, a 38K mile van parked in 1993 probably needs a heckuva lot more work than a 380K mile van carefully maintained for the past five years. Low miles are virtually meaningless unless the van is mint and you're flipping it in a BaT auction.
| Wildthings wrote: |
| brokevwguy wrote: |
| Very stupid question here guys . How many miles are on this odometer in this 1981 Vanagon? It has been sitting since 1993. Is it 103,840 and 5 tenths or 38,405? Thanks. |
Look for things like wear on the carpets and seats. The grip on the steering wheel will also get polished with age. |
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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