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Sat Nov 09, 2013 11:01 pm

Have my Vanagon in my driveway and love it to pieces! :D

On top of the fact that it is cool, has sole and an online support group, it also comes with camping friends! Just an added bonus I picked up along the way! My dh who doesn't like camping was great about joining us most of the summer, but when the weather got cold he flat out refused to join us. He might also have asked me if I started doing drugs when I got my Vanagon. :shock: I told him I had not and I wasn't the only one crazy enough to go camping in October! It really was a bit colder than I'd expected, but for our first winter camping solo, it was great and I'd just pack more clothes next time for the wet weather!

tam

Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:53 am

Tam,

Next upgrade?

http://westyventures.com/propex.html

Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:17 am

Thank you so much!

I'm actually thinking I'm just going to get one of the Mr. Buddy heaters for now. $80 vs $1,000.
http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F232000-Indoor-Saf...ddy+heater

My next upgrade is wheels, then a pop top, then bumpers. All about the same price! It's hard to wait for pretty things! LOL

tam
dobryan wrote: Tam,

Next upgrade?

http://westyventures.com/propex.html

Sun Nov 10, 2013 12:25 pm

I was doing the Vanagon vs Delica dance for a while before we got our Westy. It was a trip to Germany that sealed the deal. Driving around the autobahn for a few weeks I couldn't help but notice that Germans just know how cars should work, probably a little more than everyone else.
It was with this faith that I bought a thirty year old VW and am still impressed with their ability to balance form and function. I mean Vanagons have some real feng shui going on!
Besides Delica's are for poor people :lol:

Sun Nov 10, 2013 1:01 pm

tam_shops wrote: has sole

That might start to smell after a while.

Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:26 pm

Tam,

Get the Big Buddy. A bit larger, because it holds dual propane bottles which means it will run all night - 11 hours I think. It also has a fan in it powered by a couple batteries so it won't suck power from your van. On a really cold night such as one you'd have the heater on, you won't believe how stratified the cold air is in the van without a fan on. Left still, the cold air remains about halfway up the walls where you are sleeping while you can raise your hand and feel the warm air. Above you. That's based on a fully custom insulated tintop, so a non insulated Vanagon might be worse. Anyhow the smaller Buddy only lasts half a night before running out of propane. We like the fact that the Big Buddy is powerful enough to be used as backup heat in our house in the event of a winter power outage.
Cabela's usually has some refurbished Big Buddies for $45 off on line.
Rgds DougM

Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:39 pm

I've owned an old 89 Toyota Vanwagon and a Previa.

The Vanwagon rode like a Toyota truck, because mostly it was. It was pretty reliable and parts were cheap. Kinda neat that you would remove a hatch and work on the van while sitting in the middle seat or floor. It's pretty small, like half the size of a vanagon inside. It also had rear wheel drive and a front engine so traction was poor. 4wd models are around. Everyone I've seen recently had a ton of miles (like 300k) and were really worn out.

The Previa was an entirely different rig. Larger but with a much more carlike of a ride. More quiet. Power everything. Parts weren't off the shelf stuff from other vehicles. Sometimes they were hard to find.Reliable except for problems with the shaft that ran from the engine up to run all the accessories which were mounted in front instead of on the engine (midship). Huge double sunroofs available. They too tend to have a crapload of miles on them. AWD and Supercharger available. You can easily sleep in a Previa but it's not really big enough for cabinetry or other stuff.

IMO neither makes a good camper. Neither have souls.... or soles. Or smelled like sole. Both Toyotas made a better daily driver. Of course, Siennas, Odysseys, Mazdas, Nissan/Mercury and plenty of other vans are available that are even better daily drivers.

Sun Nov 10, 2013 8:34 pm

I'm always guaranteed to give you a laugh! Mine does have sole, but I try to keep it frozen in the cooler and the shoes are in a bucket! LOL The Vanagon has soul! :P
photogdave wrote: tam_shops wrote: has sole
That might start to smell after a while.

The Big Buddy it will be. Thank you. They're $120 on Amazon. Cabella's only has the little one refurbished right now. And, it's still $100, more than Amazon for a new one. Though, I didn't think you could run it inside and/or while sleeping. Will read up some more on it...
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Mr-Heater-Reconditi...l+Products

But, they do have a bag, which is cool![url]
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Mr-Heater-Buddy-and...ucts[/url]

IdahoDoug wrote: Tam,
Get the Big Buddy. A bit larger, because it holds dual propane bottles which means it will run all night - 11 hours I think. It also has a fan in it powered by a couple batteries so it won't suck power from your van. On a really cold night such as one you'd have the heater on, you won't believe how stratified the cold air is in the van without a fan on. Left still, the cold air remains about halfway up the walls where you are sleeping while you can raise your hand and feel the warm air. Above you. That's based on a fully custom insulated tintop, so a non insulated Vanagon might be worse. Anyhow the smaller Buddy only lasts half a night before running out of propane. We like the fact that the Big Buddy is powerful enough to be used as backup heat in our house in the event of a winter power outage.
Cabela's usually has some refurbished Big Buddies for $45 off on line.
Rgds DougM

Mon Nov 11, 2013 6:51 am

Tam,

Yep, please be careful on any hydrocarbon based heater that does not exhaust to the outside....they need good ventilation to not have bad results for you. That being said there are plenty of folks who use that style heater and they have ventilation. I've never felt comfortable with them but that is my personal choice... YMMV. :D

Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:59 am

tam_shops wrote: I'm always guaranteed to give you a laugh! Mine does have sole, but I try to keep it frozen in the cooler and the shoes are in a bucket! LOL The Vanagon has soul! :P
photogdave wrote: tam_shops wrote: has sole
That might start to smell after a while.

The Big Buddy it will be. Thank you. They're $120 on Amazon. Cabella's only has the little one refurbished right now. And, it's still $100, more than Amazon for a new one. Though, I didn't think you could run it inside and/or while sleeping. Will read up some more on it...
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Mr-Heater-Reconditi...l+Products

But, they do have a bag, which is cool![url]
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Mr-Heater-Buddy-and...ucts[/url]

Tam,

I hate to be a spoilsport, but I've been a member of a volunteer fire department for a number of years in my tiny home town. Three times over that time span I (we) have been called out to a van/camper with a free standing stove like the one pictured above and had the extremely unpleasant task of removing bodies of those who had been asphyxiated by the heater either losing its flame or CO2 build up.

If you choose to use such a device make sure that you always leave windows/doors open so that fresh air can get in and exhaust out. Personally, I spent the time and money on a Propex because it is inherently safer (it both draws air and exhausts from/to the outside), plus it works dramatically better. I've camped in sub zero (Fº) temps with my Westy and the only bad thing was getting out of the van to make a dash for the trees early in the morning :D

Heaters like the Cabella model are for tents that by definition aren't air tight. Most Vanagons are fairly tight and of course I've done all sorts of things to insulate and tighten mine up.

Again, your choice and likely nothing would go wrong, but not a chance I'd take with anyone's life but my own.

Robert

Mon Nov 11, 2013 9:35 am

When I bought my Westy back in 1986, I considered the Toyota Van Wagon but it was way too small. Not only that, I didn't like the fact that the motor was under the drivers seat and I heard stories that it was very difficult to replace spark plugs.

I was looking for a camper van and the VW was just the right size, plus you could stand up in it.

Mon Nov 11, 2013 10:27 am

Thank you and thank you! My *plan* for Mr Buddy, is to turn it on to heat up the space before going to bed and/or dressing in the morning w/ window open. I'm way too paranoid and safety crazy to sleep with it on, nor do I want to be that warm when I sleep! LOL

I've yet to do anything to make ours more airtight and w/ the top up, don't see the difference between a tent and the top of a westy, plus window open? I also do not like the idea of the condensation all over the inside of my windows from it running all night!

I'd love a Propex one day, but have a long list of things first...

tam

dobryan wrote: Tam,

Yep, please be careful on any hydrocarbon based heater that does not exhaust to the outside....they need good ventilation to not have bad results for you. That being said there are plenty of folks who use that style heater and they have ventilation. I've never felt comfortable with them but that is my personal choice... YMMV. :D

[quote="bizbebl"][quote="tam_shops"]I'm always guaranteed to give you a laugh! Mine does have sole, but I try to keep it frozen in the cooler and the shoes are in a bucket! LOL The Vanagon has soul! :P
photogdave wrote:
Tam,

I hate to be a spoilsport, but I've been a member of a volunteer fire department for a number of years in my tiny home town. Three times over that time span I (we) have been called out to a van/camper with a free standing stove like the one pictured above and had the extremely unpleasant task of removing bodies of those who had been asphyxiated by the heater either losing its flame or CO2 build up.

Heaters like the Cabella model are for tents that by definition aren't air tight. Most Vanagons are fairly tight and of course I've done all sorts of things to insulate and tighten mine up.

Again, your choice and likely nothing would go wrong, but not a chance I'd take with anyone's life but my own.

Robert

Mon Nov 11, 2013 10:30 am

is it true what ive heard that in japan, they give you a ticket for your car breaking down? that could sway people away from vanagons for sure

Mon Nov 11, 2013 10:41 am

in Japan they have very strict guidlines as to the manufacturing and the fixed life span of an engine and its not decades either. That's why they can export in the masses. When the Pacific Rim Trade goes thru in several years, we should be able to get them over here even newer. I've now been close to 6 that are in the 1980's/90's and they are in good shape generally speaking. Because of being taken off the road at an earlier stage you don't see the rust as we do. RHD are big in BC and are now becoming more popular in Ontario. There are about 6 Insurance Companys who will insure them and I haven't heard of any problems with Clean Air passage as well. Well Quebec Insurance Companies are boycotting RHD. Lot easier to learn RHD on our North American highways than in countries where they drive on left side.

I have an automatic furnace that vents outside and even tho it is not on all night I still leave a window open. It's great for getting into and out of bed!

Mon Nov 11, 2013 6:27 pm

Love My Westy wrote: When I bought my Westy back in 1986, I considered the Toyota Van Wagon but it was way too small. Not only that, I didn't like the fact that the motor was under the drivers seat and I heard stories that it was very difficult to replace spark plugs. .
The 80s Toyota vanwagon is definitely small and due to the hump behind the front seats it's not a flat floor. Hard to sleep in it without building a platform but it has a low roof also making the platform a problem. Despite the name and forward control, there really isn't much similar on between the Toyotas and the vanagon.

But whoever told you it's hard to remove the plugs you that didn't know the secret. There are are two hatches, one small one for checking fluids and I forget what else and one larger under the passenger seat. When you remove the larger hatch/sheetmetal (it's bolted down) the entire engine is right there. Just sit on the carpet and change the plugs or anything else. Previa was similar.

Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:20 am

NavyVW wrote: is it true what ive heard that in japan, they give you a ticket for your car breaking down? that could sway people away from vanagons for sure

Ha! Funny that. I've not heard the ticket story, but it may be true in some parts of Japan. I live in the Okinawa Prefecture and have not heard of such a thing.

On another note, I've now seen two Vanagons on island, both LHD. I've also seen one Westfalia hightop T5 here as well. Many more split window busses here, though the salty air takes a toll.

Tue Nov 12, 2013 7:36 am

Looks, style, size, availability of parts and knowledge, plus culture.

Primarily looks and culture, baaaa. lol

Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:12 pm

The L300 Delicas hold a special place in my heart, as they indirectly led us to our beloved '82 Westy.

We took a lot of trips up to Vancouver B.C. where there are quite a few of them rolling around. First time I saw one I thought it was the coolest thing! And my wife and I were both into ditching the tent and getting something we could camp in (we'd only owned passenger cars up until then). After looking into the near-impossibility of importing them into the states, we started searching for alternatives which (being in Seattle) almost immediately led to the Westy. :lol:

We have seen some pretty sweet looking poptop/camper versions, but the interior layout falls flat compared to the Westy:

http://www.silkroadautos.com/mitsubishi/95p3561.pur/95p3561.pop.htm

I still really like the looks of the Delicas as well as the 4WD and the (assumed) reliability, but what can I say... there's just something about the Westy that I simply wouldn't trade.

Tue Nov 12, 2013 7:04 pm

Tam,

It will say in the literature, but I think the Big Buddy calls for 18 square inches of vent. I cracked the passenger window 2" and as I know air moves through the Vanagon body via the dash vents, and other leakage it made me comfortable. The window cracked was larger than whatever the literature called for. It has CO and low OX shutdown built in. I was comfortable sleeping with it all night but the insulation I installed must have been effective because even in the 20s we didn't need it all night. Nice to know you have the power to heat though because if you're parked in the woods and someone's cold then it would be a miserable experience. With this thing you just turn the knob and smile.

I made brackets to hang it from overhead grab handles in a couple other vehicles we have. That's a nice spot because you know you won't drop a pillow onto the heater and ruin something, etc. It's a simple sturdy bracket that will work on any grab handle, though I take it down when we are under way simply because I don't want the heater swaying and banging on rough roads or 4WD trails.

It also kept our boat warm - running all night with 4 of us sleeping in it and a lot of heat loss through the camper canvas, but that was in the low 40s. It's powerful enough we've also used it out on a frozen lake for a skating party where people would stop to sit around it and warm up. The larger power makes this a versatile item to have. Be safe.

DougM

Tue Nov 12, 2013 7:40 pm

I've owned several Westys and likely will again, but right now I'm running a L300 Delica, for several reasons:

Much more modern construction/details compared to the Vanagon chassis. Lots of handy power accessories that are stock. The Vanagon is built more like a older generation truck, the Delica more like a passenger vehicle, which makes it more comfortable.
Four wheel drive. I can go almost anywhere.
Turbodiesel engine, which I have converted to run on waste vegetable oil. My fuel is free, which is a huge benefit if you like to travel a lot.
Reliable. Since I've had it, the only thing that went wrong is a loose wire to the injection pump shut-off solenoid. It's very nice to know it will start every time.
It's a very strong, beefy truck, weighing in at about 5,000 lbs.
It comes stock with a ball-and-bank indicator and altimeter; how cool is that?

The only thing I really miss about a Westy is greater interior volume. I've camperized my Delica with the fridge/stove cabinet and table out of a Westy, and for sleeping I installed a rooftop tent, which works very well.
With that little 2.5 TD in such a heavy truck, driving one is similar to driving an aircooled Westy; you don't go fast up big hills, and when you do, you have to watch your exhaust temps so you don't overstress the head. They aren't really great highway vehicles. The right hand drive thing you forget all about after a few months.

Every vehicle is a compromise, and both the Delica and Vanagon have their own as well. But in terms of pure utility, a customized Delica can do more and is more certain to get you there than a Vanagon. But you'll go slower and be more cramped while doing it.