Vanagon Westfalia

1985 Volkswagen Bus/Vanagon Description

We are re-listing this van with a lower price.

This Westy is in excellent condition with over $13,000 of mechanical upgrades with a well-maintained, original interior and an exterior that is in decent shape (good shape for a 30 yr-old vehicle, actually). If you are new to Westfalias, you will be very happy that all the needed work has been completed by VW-friendly, certified mechanics and this van is ready for road trips with all the bells and whistles in working order.

It starts right up and idles well with an upgraded GoWesty 2.3L engine (with rebuilt transmission too) that will get you up hills and travel at interstate speeds with ease. We have treated the engine well with using 93-octane gas and synthetic oil. We’ve put about 59K on the new engine since it was installed in 2010. It handles well with the new GoWesty 16” wheels (the original 14” skinny wheels were no fun on corners or in the wind). And with the upgraded 2” GoWesty lifter springs, you can take those back roads to remote places without worrying about your clearance. The new GoWesty high-powered headlights are super bright and are a huge improvement over the originals, which were quite dim with poor visibility. And along the lines of normal maintenance, we put in a new GoWesty stainless exhaust kit (still has the classic VW sound, but not all the noise), new CV joints all around, a new clutch, a new starter, updated radiator, GoWesty stock steel bumpers for improved safety, and a Pioneer Stereo and speakers with CD player and USB port for listening to tunes. The sink and stove are in good working order, but the fridge has a problem with the electrical connection. All the outlets are in working order. It comes withchains for all four tires.

We’ve taken this vanagon all over Washington and Oregon and down to Moab. The comfy front two captains chairs swivel to make seating for 5 around a removable table. Included with the van is a brand-new EZ awning that attaches above the sliding door, making for an additional area for eating or storing gear out of the rain.

The VW sleeps a cozy four (two below with the seat folded flat and two above with the top popped). We installed a new GoWesty pop-top seal kit and durable water-repellant fabric tent with 3 zippered (separately replaceable, if ever needed) windows with screens. The original camper curtain set is in excellent condition and includes a detachable curtain that covers the front windshield and the side/rear curtains that snap close to give you 360 degrees of privacy. If it’s hot, you can open the back hatch and put up the screen. We put in GoWesty rubber floor mats to protect the carpet and make for easy cleaning.

Other minor upgrades that make using the van much more enjoyable: a brand-new sky-light and seals (no leaks or cracks!), new pop-top seals, carpet dash protector, new rear hatch struts (that actually keep the hatch back open), new mirrors, and a GoWesty black bra to protect the front.

This van has been well cared for it’s whole life with only 2 owners prior to us. The original owner was a professor from Eugene, and we bought it from one of his grad students. Camping in a vanagon is down-right fun. We kept it fully stocked and ready to roll. We also used this VW as a reliable commuter for a number of years.

The list of things you might consider repairing (or not- none of them are critical): The original paint is in decent condition. The only rust is over the left wheel well near the trim. The left headlight has a crack. There’s a 1” tear in the back of the passenger seat fabric. There’s some irregular wear on the tires from not rotating them for a while (but they’ve since been rotated). Another common thing to go out on vanagons is the light on the instrument cluster. We’ve had this repaired a few times (and it currently works), but it shorts out and our mechanic recommended purchasing a little battery operated light. GoWesty sells these for $10 or so.

And the recommended disclaimer: Buyer assumes responsibility for picking up/shipping. No returns. Sold as is with no implied warranty.Deposit is non-refundable.