Are Westfalia's really that reliable?

[xxtra_strength]

Cheli, get you a good old chevy van. Case closed!

 

[Cheli]

Hi Cheli, As so many have already shared... Westies are NOT reliable!! We had a 1980 WESTY that burned nearly to the ground thanks to a mechanic/shop error after an overhaul (they didn't tighten up the fuel line clamp from tank to carb). As we were talking to the fire chief that was on scene at the burn he said;
"I wish I could stand outside every VW lot and tell ppl how many of these calls we get! None of my family or friends will ever own one if I have my say in the matter."
Thom

Wow, thankfully that fire didn't happen on the road.

Cheli, get you a good old chevy van. Case closed!

Yes, I have moved on from the Westy and I'm definitely getting a chevy van.  Thank you.  

 

[accrete]

Wow, thankfully that fire didn't happen on the road.

For sure. My wife had taken it to the local market and decided to balance the checkbook before exiting the van to shop. She heard a "Pop" like an old cap gun, looked around and didn't notice anyone near the van. A minute later she is smelling smoke, looks in the rear view mirror and sees flames shooting out of the upper air intake vents. By the time the fire brigade showed the pop top had begun to deform and melt into the cabin , (

 

[highdesertranger]

yep German engineering at it's best. lets put a rubber fuel line 2 inches away from the distributer. old Fords did this too. highdesertranger

 

[flying kurbmaster]

what heater?

 

[highdesertranger]

they had heaters. run of the exhaust(brilliant). 99% of them didn't work. highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Outside air was ducted over the exhaust manifold and into the passenger compartment.  They worked 'kind of, sort of'.  You got heat very quickly, BUT if you had an oil leak or an exhaust leak you got sick very quickly.  Most of us in Northern Minnesota would put a gas heater in.  Dangerous but you got instant heat and could run the heater even when the vehicle was not running.

 -- Spiff

 

[highdesertranger]

yep forgot about those gasoline heaters, a buddy of mine has a VW Thing with a gasoline heater. highdesertranger