1992 Volkswagen Type 2 Bus Kombi

- Imported From Mexico
- Water Cooled 1.8L 4 Cylinder
- 4 Speed Manual Transmission
- Fully Serviced at German Auto Services
- Beautiful Two Tone Bus

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1992 Volkswagen Type 2 Bus on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the VW due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 145 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“Peace, Love, & the VW Bus” – Popular Mechanics, April 2017

Popular Mechanics provided an authoritative look at the VW Bus: “The microbus was so new and so original when it burst upon the scene that more than a decade would pass before any real competitor showed up. This was the original minivan, a dedicated people-mover, but the bus was much more than a pedestrian family hauler, of course. It was embraced by surfers, hippies, campers and anyone that appreciated simplicity, efficiency, and adventure. One of the world's most recognizable and beloved vehicles, the slab-sided VW was sold in America for 41 years and over three generations until the very last ones—the more modern water-cooled Vanagon—left our shores in 1991.”

Car and Driver once even called it “The Porsche 911 of vans.”

Offered here is a 1992 VW Type 2 Bus imported to the U.S. from Mexico as a VW “Caravelle” rather than the “Vanagon” moniker more familiar to Americans. The painted front grilles are the most obvious visual difference. This water-cooled minibus features very handsome white-and-metallic-light-blue two-tone paint over gray. The odometer shows 169,249 miles, fewer than 5,900 miles per-year on average since new.

The van's exterior paint has been maintained well. The finish is smooth and properly glossy, and the exterior steel and fiberglass panels are free of dings, dents, or other damage. Body-panel alignment is perfectly straight in keeping with VW's acknowledged worldwide manufacturing expertise. Even the white-painted bumpers show no noteworthy flaws. Only light patina from use is present, notably on the rear engine-access door. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, please be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) Extensive cabin glass and all lighting lenses (including the front, high-mounted turn-indicator lights and the rear tri-color taillights) are clear and undamaged; factory badging remains correctly mounted. Original painted 14-inch wheels with VW-embossed chrome hubcaps (some showing light patina) are mounted with 185-series tires.

Inside, the color theme is gray with soft fabric in the color covering the door trim panels, as well as gray carpeting on the cabin floors, and gray fabric on the front, high-back bucket seats. Front seat cushions show light expected wear from regular use and carpeting shows light wear and faint staining. In the rear passenger compartment (entered through the sliding side door), the high-back bench-seat upholstery matches the front buckets while gray shag carpeting covers the floors, including in the far-rear cargo area where the spare tire is located. Rear-area cabinetry includes lockable storage with gray seat cushions on top as well as a separate storage box for additional seat cushions. Gray fabric curtains are in place on all rear side windows. The headliner is clean and free of sagging. The black, VW-branded steering wheel frames the black dash. The simple instruments and intuitive dash controls are VW trademarks. A Kenwood® audio head unit (with door and ceiling-mounted speakers) replaces the factory radio, and Velcro® strips have been added to the dash for quick mounting of cellphones and the like. The shift lever for the 4-speed manual transmission is floor-mounted topped with a VW-logo wood shift knob. (Please view the close-up photography in the gallery to fully assess the microbus' interior condition.)

The rear-mounted, 1.8-liter, water-cooled, horizontal-four-cylinder engine occupies a clean, complete, and properly fitted-out engine bay. There are no indications of aftermarket performance modifications. Viewed from below, the chassis is straight and undamaged. Expected light surface rust is present, but no evident body-panel rust. The full-length coolant hoses from the front radiator to the rear engine are properly installed and free of damage. Signs of routine maintenance include newer shock absorbers and CV-bearing servicing.

The van's original identification and information tags remain in place.

While the more than 145 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '92 VW Type 2 Bus in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

As Popular Mechanics noted, a sense of adventure is one of the strongest appeals of these venerable vans. We're pretty sure the next owner of this Mexican-born Type 2 is right now contemplating the many road-trip destinations that lie in its future.