Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 10:18:12 -0400
Reply-To: Duane Fahey <dfahey@VISUALAUTOMATION.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Duane Fahey <dfahey@VISUALAUTOMATION.COM>
Organization: Visual Automation, Inc.
Subject: Re: Fix Engine or Get New One?
In-Reply-To: <200307110024.h6B0Oj912004@patrosa.canishe.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
Wow, lots of different input and answers.
OK, I'm leaning toward buying an engine and having it put in (I'm not
very mechanical).
So, it looks like my choices are Boston Bob, AVP, or Tiico for
re-builts. And Tiico has a brand new engine that I could buy (no pricing?).
What's the vote out there?
My Vanagon has rust, but it's kept in the garage now. No holes yet
(maybe a couple of really really small ones). If I spend the money for
an engine, I might go ahead get some body work done too. The interior
is great, all camping parts are awesome (no mold on camper top or
anything).
I'm trying to justify the money. I bought my 89 Vanagon about 3 years
ago for $7,000 with hundred thousand miles on it or so. I put a hundred
thousand on it. If I can get another hundred thousand out of it, over
the next 3 years for 3 or 4 grand, I think I'm doing pretty good. Am I
being realistic? And maybe it will go 150 or even 200 thousand more
miles...
Thanks for any and all input! - Duane
Douglas L. Urner wrote:
>>So, with about 200,000 miles on the engine, what should I do? Should I
>>fix the engine that I have, or put something new or rebuilt in?
>>
>>
>
>Rebuild it, or convert it. At 200K miles, your engine has earned a
>rest. If you were to put new heads on it, you'd still have a (most
>likely) worn out bottom end. You got really good life out of the
>engine.
>
>
>
>>The body is rusting now, no holes yet, but coming soon, I think.
>>
>>
>
>This is where it gets hard. We have an '83 with a pretty questionable
>body and interior -- though it drove really nicely. When the engine
>failed, it didn't seem worth it to us to invest the money in repairing
>it since we just didn't feel that good about the car. The money that it
>would cost us to repair the body and interior would buy us a much nicer
>car and then some -- so we decided to go looking for a "new" Vanagon.
>
>
>
>>I've been looking for a 2nd vehicle anyway, so I'm wondering if I should
>>just look for a Eurovan Camper...
>>
>>
>
>I had a '93 Eurovan, it was too hard to work on. I'm much happier with
>my '84 Vanagon (though there are a couple of months every summer when
>A/C seems like it wouldn't be a bad thing).
>
>Doug
>--
>Douglas L. Urner <dlu@canishe.com> Port Orchard, WA +1 360 769 5565
>
>
>
--
Duane Fahey
Visual Automation, Inc.
http://www.VisualAutomation.com
517.622.1850 517.622.1761 fax
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