Air Cooled or Water Cooled that is the question?

I am planning to buy a second hand Brazilian Bay in the 2002 to 2007 range. I am planning a couple of long touring trips this summer. I want it to be as reliable a vehicle as possible. Would an air cooled vehicle be OK or should I spend a little more to get a more modern water cooled vehicle? My question is, are the Water cooled brazilians significantly more reliable mechanically than the air cooled? Can anyone help please!

If you're going on 'long' trips I'd go for a water cooled Kombi purely to take advantage of the mpg. A BraziBay's reliability is entirely down to how well it's been maintained.

The majority of the age range you have indicated is for Air Cooled
The Water Cooled models came in around late 2006 to early 2007
(Scooby is a late 2006 Air Cooled - we like the spare wheel on the front look )
Price and your available budget may therefore play its part!
As Tim says - MPG is greater with the Water Cooled
How you plan to use your Kombi will also influence your choice
We looked for a one previous owner, with a full service history and not high mileage
In addition of course to the condition of the Kombi
Strangely colour did not have a major influence
All things being equal, in our opinion each is as reliable as the other
There is plenty on here about what to look for etc.
Final tip, go for what you can afford and have fun looking
Rooby Roo

We laugh with you Peps not at you
It's just that not everyone can carry off this look
Man Pink does not match all
Rooby Roo

Peppa - what do you mean 'often open to ridicule?'

Surely not.

Hi Pat
We purchased a Danbury watercooled van for the same reasons -- reliability. We've travelled Europe and the UK for 30years in various vehicles without a breakdown. The van failed the first weekend due to "fried cables" fitted too close to the exhaust by Danbury. To be fair the previous owner had never been on a journey over a hundred miles. Secondly the next voyage to Cornwall resulted in overheating in a traffic jam due to air locks in lengthy pipe runs. Fortunately we managed to coast to a carwash where the Polish lads were only too happy to loan us their pressure hose. Hopefully these are just teething problems as we are off to France in May and Greece later on. What a learning curve but great fun. Great to be back to hands on motoring . (Mrs L loves the van)

Hi all,
Thanks all for taking the trouble to reply. Good to know the watercooled is much more fuel effecient TimV, I wasn't aware of that. From Andyl s post it sound like water cooled is no 'silver bullet' in terms of maintainance and be prepared to deal with the occasional problem. The Colour of your T2 is definately not to be overlooked!

Anyone out there any idea what the difference in terms of average mpg between say a 2007 water cooled and a 2002 to 2004 air cooled?

Pat

We've been tracking MPG for Tallulah (2011 aquabay) using www.fuelly.com and averaged 32.2mpg in the first year with a couple of trips around the 35mpg mark.

The best was the return jouney from VanFest (Three Counties Showground, Malvern to Reading), nice and steady due to windy conditions (50-60mph) on the motorway almost all of the way home so also nice and flat. The wind direction that day gave us a tail wind heading East on the M4 which was fun!

Other more challenging trips in terms of terrain and usage - short trips, steep hills, traffic and road junctions - have taken us as low as 29mpg.

Pat. Watercooled models also have a different gearbox. There is also an LPG option available to bring the cost of running down. Long term a watercooled model is far cheaper to run...

Thanks for the info on different gearboxes for Aircooled and Watercooled Jason. Can you let us know some techy stuff, like what type they are, and what type and grade of oil should be used in each. Thanks in anticipation.