The allure of a vehicle that combines the utility of a van with the convenience of your family room is still a tantalizing combination for many of us. If you’re a “van person”, you undoubtedly understand things that others don’t, foremost among them that a motorized vehicle with a giant open space in the middle that’s protected from the weather is pretty darn great. This is partially why the Volkswagen Vanagon has ensured as a popular escape pod for many individuals and even families who use these rigs to the full extent of their usefulness. The 1980 Vanagon shown here on eBay is said to be a rust-free example recently revived after a few years off the road.

I will admit: I’m a van person. I owned a pretty slick 2003 VW Eurovan that was converted to a manual transmission. I sold it out of fear due to a quickly dwindling parts supply and also shrinking pool of mechanics who wanted to work on it. However, I recently re-entered the van world with the purchase of a 2018 Mercedes-Benz Metris, and I’m already up to my eyeballs in camping accessories and other modifications to make it something we can all live in. It reminded me why people still love vehicles like the Vanagon, especially ones like this with the pop-top roof that makes it possible to sleep inside when you become too road-weary to keep driving. Looking at the exterior of this VW (which I believe is known as Guinea Blue), I see little reason to doubt the seller’s claims that this is a pleasingly solid example, right down to its shiny chrome bumpers.

Of course, a Vanagon with the Westfalia package is all about the interior. You have to have the complete kit with the kitchenette, the sink, the fridge, and the fold-out sofa bed, all of which is present and accounted for here. Even better, it doesn’t look terribly funky, so hopefully you and yours won’t mind spending a few days and nights inside making full use of the equipment that Westfalia installed way back in the early 80s. Because there is a massive aftermarket for these, you can usually improve what was already a well-executed interior with some modern touches, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to add some Bluetooth functionality and charging ports if you’re traveling with the kiddos.

I love seeing the matching paint on the exposed metal surfaces inside, suggesting the exterior of this Vanagon has been well-preserved. The crack-free dash also suggests years’ of indoor storage. Now, here’s the curious thing: the seller pulled and refreshed the 2.0L flat-four engine but notes that the valves are “…still loud.” He’s also only put about 5 miles on the VW since performing this refresh. If it were me, I’d want to add some more miles to see if the valves quieted down, and/or if I’ve got an unresolved problem that should really be addressed before selling it on. Work during this phase of the refresh included “…new front/rear main seals,  new starter motor,  new clutch, and a few new air intake hoses,” so it certainly got some love. Hopefully, the noisy valves are a simple issue to remedy, as the $9,500 or best offer price seems more than a fair for a clean camper van.