Am I a Vanagon or Eurovan Person?

The following write-up is a short head-to-head comparison outlining the major differences between the Vanagon and Eurovan (with a little bit of personal opinion tossed in for fun). Opinions subject to change without notice.

Some quick facts
The VW Bus and Vanagon Westfalia and VW Eurovan Winnebago campers are technically "van conversions". At GoWesty, we only buy and sell 1986-1991 Vanagons. We do not buy and sell any pre 1985 Vanagons or Busses.

The Vanagon campers was converted to a camper in Germany by the Wesfalia company. The Westfalia camper conversion was offered in the USA up to and including the 1991 year-model. Vanagons are rear engine, rear wheel (or four wheel) drive vehicles with lots of ground clearance.

The Eurovan Winnebago camper van conversion was was built on an extended chassis version of the Eurovan. It is 15-1/2 inches longer than the regular CL, MV, and GLS Eurovan models. The Eurovan Winnebago camper was offered in the USA in 1995. 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. The Eurovan is a front engine, front wheel drive vehicle with very little ground clearance. It is a completely different animal. The Eurovan is superior to the Vanagon in ALL respects, except for these:

1) Ground clearance: Must be lifted and leveled to even consider off-roading and even then, see #2 below. For more information on our GoWesty Eurovan Lift Kit click here.

2) Turning radius: Vanagons turn as tight as a forklift. Eurovan campers, with their considerably longer wheelbase (132" versus 96 inches), have a very large turning radius by comparison making them much less maneuverable, especially in tight off-road types of conditions and for everyday parallel parking.

3) Quality: The Eurovan was converted in the USA by Winnebago. The quality provided by Westfalia is simply superior to the quality offered by Winnebago, hands down.

But let's be clear: Other than those four things, the Eurovan Winnebago camper is superior in all respects: It is newer, safer (dual air bags on 97-newer models, ABS, traction control), quieter, more powerful, less problematic mechanically (and you're more likely to find a VW dealer more than willing to handle repairs), has better ventilation with AWESOME AC, are fully equipped with power everything and cruise control, and has a much more thoroughly equipped camper section: a larger frig that WORKS GREAT, built-in furnace, gray water tank, more cabinet space, more fresh water and LP gas capacity. If one were to compare the top 30 attributes of the Vanagon Westfalia full camper to the Eurovan Winnebago full camper on paper, the Eurovan would win 26 to 4. But, those four things are pretty important to some people... So much so that they are willing to put up with....well, WITH ANYTHING!

So, are you a Vanagon or a Eurovan person? If you have had VW Buses in the past, you will probably think an 86-91 Vanagon is pure heaven. They are just like the Bus, but fixed. Roomier, quieter, more power, more amenities (like a heater that WORKS), more reliable, easier to work on, and longer lasting. Simply put: a better Bus. The Eurovan, as I stated before, IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL. Typically, folks with VW Bus memories HATE IT. If you want to do ANY REAL off-roading, you are definitely NOT a Eurovan person. On the other hand, if you are an open road, mountain-pass-at-highway-speed, intolerant-of-high-ambient-temperatures kind of person, Eurovans are THE BOMB! If you don't know for sure, you should find a Eurovan Winnebago camper or Eurovan Westfalia Weekender to test-drive and compare it for yourself to see if it is your bag. We usually have both Westy’s and Winne’s to compare here at GoWesty. As far as price is concerned, a trouble-free 86-91, thoroughly gone-through Vanagon Westy will be HARDER to find and can cost MORE to purchase than a run-of-the-mill Eurovan Winnebago camper. If you don't believe me, just look at our “VEHICLES SOLD" list and see for yourself.

Now, I own a 1979 Bus and a 1987 Westy myself. But the last time I had to drive across the desert to Utah and back in the middle of July, you better believe I took one of the Eurovans we had here for sale. It was 122 degrees on the road and we had little bits of ice spitting out of the dashboard vents. Now, THAT’S A/C! Would I want to drive a EV everyday? No, I don’t think so. But then again, I happen to be in the unique position to be able drive one anytime I want without actually having to own one exclusively. So I'm probably not the guy to ask. You just have to touch and feel and drive both to find out:

Am I a Vanagon or a Eurovan person?

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