Dennis,
We didn't get the V6's til the first update came out a couple of years after mine. We only had the 2.0L 4cyl and 2.5L 5 cyl in petrol models to choose from and I haven't driven a V6 (although there are plenty of them about down here). I've heard good stuff about them - wouldn't consider an auto trans with any smaller engine displacement that's for sure. Had good reports from someone I knew who had a Caravelle (and all the kids to fill it) with a V6 auto of the era you're talking about...she loved it and had no problems.
As long as whatever you're looking at has been well maintained and hasn't done too much really heavy work I can't see how you could wrong. They drive like a car and behave like a car...and the vision in them is amazing. There's a lot in these vans for the money you spend...
The only thing that freaks me out a little about mine is that with 20 valves to worry about and such high compression I hit the panic button on the timing belt change about 10,000kms before it is due - Mike is used to me now whining about it and always has one is stock at the ready
. That and the cost of a gearbox repair....widely recognised that the pinion is really too small and the one weakness in the box should you do a lot of heavy work with it (hence I try to be very kind to the gearbox)....the trade repair bill down here on one of these boxes is north of $8,000...I don't intend on breaking the pinion in mine!
If my girl lays down and dies on me before I can downsize the daily driver (to an R32 Golf); I'll be in the market for a new/near new TDI Multivan....just keep hearing so much good stuff about the new diesels and how much grunt they have (but it better come with a manual gearbox option for me)...