Should I keep this vehicle? I'm about to retire and my already paltry, public school teacher income will be halved. We're planning on wandering about the Western US.
Cons- It's become hard to find anyone to work on it. It has a tiico engine conversion, so even my old VW mechanic won't touch it. I do know an old Audi guy who will, but both guys are...old... and about to retire. Bad mpg- about 16 city 20 highway, and requires premium gas. Top speed 70-75mph but I really only like to hold that speed when passing, otherwise highway cruising speed is 65. It's kind of noisy at that speed. And it's in the truck lane going up the Grapevine. Crawls up Tioga Pass.
Pros- seats 4 very comfortably. With seat folded down it can swallow up boards and can keep them locked up. We (wife and teen daughter) sleep in it comfortably. Will probably hold value (current estimate $25,000). It's my third Vanagon and my others sold for more than I paid. It has a certain cool factor. I always get people coming up to me to talk about it, sometimes offering to buy it. No rust. Only a couple very tiny dents and scratches.