Multi-Van Weekend camper

1993 Volkswagen Eurovan MV - 2.5L 5 cylinder engine; 5 speed manual transmission; FWD

After 42 years of the "bus" VW finally redesigned their van and launched the Eurovan in most markets for 1992. This new platform changed the van from rear engine, rear wheel drive to a more modern front engine, front wheel drive setup. Like its predecessor, the Eurovan was a spacious, sturdy, durable vehicle that came in a variety of body configurations. This example is the '93 Multivan with the Westfalia camper top, and is a rare, one year only model. It is designed to be both a comfortable passenger van and a weekend camper. The MV is a well equipped vehicle with features such as power windows, locks & mirrors, front & rear heat, air conditioning and the camper components in the rear. This includes privacy curtains, insect screens, interior lighting, a 12V cooler, rear seat that pulls out to form a bed with storage underneath, cup holders, a folding table, and in this case the elevating roof which allows for standing up inside the van as well as an additional bunk.

This Eurovan has been thoroughly serviced and reconditioned. It is clean and ready to go for the next owner, which is why it is priced higher than most others on the market. While this one isn't perfect, when we reviewed the listings for other early Eurovans we found very few that were comparable.

This was a solid van when we got it. Having been in Georgia and Colorado, it was not rusty. It was also running & driving, but ready for service, cleaning and general reconditioning. Once our first round of service was complete, we sent the van out for paint as it was a little faded and had some dents. The body shop did a thorough job and the van looks great. Unfortunately, the on the way back across town, the automatic transmission began to fail - which is the common failure point for a Eurovan. Having just spent nearly $4,000 on paint, plus the service and of course buying the van, the only thing to do was keep going. While considering the solutions to the transmission issue, we had the camper tent replaced, upgraded the stereo and got the interior complete, clean and looking good. After considering the choices for fixing the transmission, all of which were expensive, we finally decided on a more radical solution - upgrade to a 5 speed manual. This should be a more permanent fix and really gives the Eurovan more of the feel and experience of an old bus.

Round 2 of service began with purchasing a well maintained, low mileage, one owner '93 passenger van to be the donor vehicle. It ran well, and with having only 118k miles, ultimately we decided to use both the engine and transmission. The swap was time consuming but went well. It wouldn't have been possible without a donor vehicle, but in the end it worked out. Now the van runs just as well as it did before but drives better and is arguably more fun and should be more manageable to own.

Our VW technician ended up with over 128 hours over the span of this project. We didn't track anyone else's time for trim and interior work. In no particular order, items we replaced/addressed included: Thorough inspection; new CV joints, new lower front ball joints; new brake master cylinder, brake fluid flush; vacuum hoses replaced, thorough a/c service including new compressor; new exhaust system, gear oil changed in manual transmission; new battery, new wiper blades; new rear brake pads and wheel cylinders; air filter, fuel filter; service 2nd engine - new plugs, v/c gasket, serpentine belt, switch new parts from other engine; oil change; Plus of course all of the effort involved in removing 2 engines, replacing one and completing the conversion. And finally, NC safety inspection. The end result is a van that runs and drives well, functions correctly, everything works and it looks fresh. For folks who want to experience a bus, but want a vehicle that is safer and has good air conditioning, the Eurovan could be a good choice.

Imperfections/items to disclose: The passenger inside door handle broke after we had sold the parts car. The only one we had to replace it was tan so it does not match. The plastic speaker covers in the rear were broken and are now attached with screws. The rear seat head rests were missing, but we had some from another EV. They are close, but not an exact match. The Michelin tires have excellent tread but are 5 years old and have 12,400 miles on them. The rear facing jump seat that would fit behind the passenger seat is missing.The owner’s books, some records and extra keys are present.

We will gladly answer any questions about this vehicle or these vehicles in general. Additional photos and the Carfax report can be found on our website www.myautofocus.com. Due to the age, we do not have financing available.