[ckissick]

The weekender refers to a pop-top but no kitchen. You can recognize one by the lack of hookups on the driver's side. It's a good way to go, because its cheaper than a full camper but still has the pop-top for good headroom and 2 beds. You can mount a rack for kayaks on a pop-top.

As for the engine, the 83.5 to 85s have a water-cooled 1.9 L, and the 86 to 91s have a 2.1L. Both are pretty durable, as long as you renew the coolant every 2 years with phosphate free coolant. You also need to change the oil every 3K to keep the hydraulic lifters in good shape. A well-maintained engine can go 150K easy.

The newest vanagon is 18 years old, so expect to spend some time with a wrench. They're real easy to work on, though.

Best thing; the engine is in back, where ol' Ferdy likes it.