Elite Dealer

1987 Volkswagen Vanagon

$17,500

Vehicle Details

Make

Volkswagen

Model

Vanagon

Year

1987

Body Type

Other

Transmission

Manual

Description

1987 Volkswagen Vanagon – Excellent Condition – Custom Adventure Van Beautiful 1987 VW Vanagon in excellent condition with custom red paint, a Southwestern-themed interior, and extensive mechanical upgrades. This Vanagon has been carefully maintained and upgraded with major components replaced or rebuilt. A fun, distinctive classic van that's ready for new adventures! Engine & Mechanical Rebuilt stock 2.1L engine with approximately 25,000 miles New transmission rebuilt by Rancho Transmission, with less than 1,000 miles High-performance LAT racing oil, as recommended by Rancho Added oil pressure gauge New gas tank and fuel lines New battery New radiator and stainless-steel coolant lines MagnaFlow exhaust system Regular use of Chevron 91-octane fuel with Techron Exterior & Upgrades Custom red paint job Lifted suspension with extra-wide tires for a comfortable ride South African front grille KC fog light kit Rear bumper backup lighting Tinted windows with new window seals and rubber Zero rust-through Custom Interior Southwestern-themed custom upholstery Full blackout curtains Comfortable interior perfect for road trips and weekend adventures Additional Details 190,000 miles indicated on the odometer Rear-wheel drive 4-cylinder gas engine Manual transmission Clean title This Vanagon has had a tremendous amount of work invested in it, with major mechanical components replaced or rebuilt.

It's a fantastic classic VW for cruising the coast, exploring scenic highways, or enjoying your next road-trip adventure. As the saying goes, it's all about the ride! Highway 1 from Mendocino to Malibu is hard to beat in a Vanagon like this. Sad to let her go after all the time and effort put into making her special.

Looking for a great new home for this fun and unique classic VW!

Classic Volkswagen Vanagon Buyer's Guide (T3, 1980–1991)

Full guide

Emily Chen

JDM Classics

1980–1991

~4 min read

Updated Apr 2026

The Vanagon is not a Bus, it's a smarter, more capable vehicle that happens to carry the same counterculture credibility. The Syncro 4WD and Westfalia camper variants are the most sought-after configurations, and values have tripled in a decade.

This guide covers

✓ 12-point inspection checklist

✓ Common issues & what to avoid

✓ In-person inspection guide

✓ Market pricing by year & condition

✓ 5 FAQs answered

✓ History & fun facts

Read the Full Vanagon Buyer's Guide

Volkswagen Vanagon Market Overview

Based on 28 Volkswagen Vanagon listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

Listed Now

$18,322

Avg. Asking Price

1968–1990

Year Range

Price Position on Our Site - Average Range

This car: $17,500

Low: $8,495 High: $45,895

Transmission Distribution

Automatic 21%

Manual 57% ◄

Condition Distribution

Excellent 7%

Good 21%

Fair 7%

Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 28 listings →

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Classic Volkswagen Vanagon Buyer's Guide (T3, 1980–1991)

People who haven't driven a Vanagon often assume it's just a newer Bus. It isn't. The T3 Vanagon is a fundamentally different vehicle, water-cooled from 1983 onward, wider track, more rigid body, dramatically better handling, and genuinely livable as a daily driver. The Westfalia camper conversion and the Syncro 4WD variant have built dedicated followings that have pushed prices to levels that would have seemed absurd a decade ago. The buying challenges are real (the early water-cooled engines have specific failure modes, and rust is still present) but a properly sorted Vanagon is one of the most genuinely useful and characterful vehicles in the classic segment.

What to Check Before Buying

✓

Oil cooler check , Coolant reservoir for oil (brown/milky) and dipstick for emulsification (immediate deal factor

✓

Floor rust inspection , Pull all mats) check under front seats and rear cargo corners for rust

✓

Cooling system , Verify thermostat, hose condition, coolant color, overheating kills these engines

✓

4WD function (Syncro) , Test all 4WD modes and rear diff lock engagement specifically

✓

Westfalia furniture inventory , Verify all original cabinets, refrigerator, stove, sink, and pop-top components

✓

Pop-top seal , Inspect fabric for tears and seal for leaks, leads to floor damage

✓

Lower rear body corners , Inspect for rust at lower rear corners and rocker panels

✓

Gearbox shifting , All gears should engage cleanly (grinding on 1st or reverse is synchro wear

✓

Temperature stability , Drive 20+ minutes) should stabilize and hold steady at operating temp

✓

Door seals , Check all door rubber (leaking seals cause floor rust

✓

Fuel system , Check for rough idle or stumbling) vacuum leaks or sensor issues

✓

CV joints (Syncro) , Listen for clicking on full lock turns, worn CV joints need replacement

Common Issues

Oil cooler failure on 1983+ engines is the most serious mechanical issue, cooler sits in the coolant circuit and when it fails, oil and coolant mix, leading to accelerated engine wear. The 1.9L is more prone than the 2.1L. Cooling system maintenance must be current. Floor rust from water intrusion is common in wet-climate cars. Pop-top seal leaks on Westfalia models cause floor rust if unaddressed. CV joints on Syncro models wear with off-road use and require periodic inspection. Fuel injection on later models can develop vacuum leaks causing rough running.

What to Look For

Check coolant reservoir for oil contamination and oil dipstick for emulsification, oil cooler failure is common and expensive, deduct full repair cost from any car showing symptoms. Inspect all floor areas under mats, especially under front seats and rear cargo corners. Check lower rear body corners and rockers for rust. On Syncro, test all 4WD modes including rear diff lock, confirm functionality. On Westfalia, inventory all original furniture, refrigerator function, pop-top mechanism, and all seals. Test pop-top fabric for tears and leaks. Verify gearbox for clean shifts and absence of grinding. Monitor temperature on a 20-minute drive, must stabilize and hold. Check all door seals for integrity.

Price Guide

Syncro: driver $35,000–$55,000; show $60,000–$80,000+. Westfalia non-Syncro: driver $18,000–$32,000; show $38,000–$55,000. Westfalia Syncro: $55,000–$90,000+. Standard 2WD: driver $10,000–$18,000; excellent $22,000–$32,000. Air-cooled 1980–1982: $8,000–$14,000 driver. Always deduct full cost of oil cooler replacement ($1,500–$2,500 all-in) from any car showing contamination symptoms. Westfalia completeness adds meaningful value, stripped or partial Westi worth considerably less.

Did You Know?

Only about 9,000 Syncro Vanagons were ever produced for the North American market, making them genuinely rare. The Syncro's 4WD system was engineered by Steyr-Daimler-Puch, the same Austrian firm behind the Mercedes G-Wagen drivetrain. The Vanagon was sold in South Africa as the "Microbus" in updated form beyond European production end. The Westfalia camper layout was designed to convert from daily driver to self-contained camping unit with sleeping for four adults in under one minute.

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1987 Volkswagen Vanagon

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Model History

How the Volkswagen Vanagon evolved (1980–1991) across 2 generations.

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