Water Cooled Bus

1996 Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi

- Imported From Mexico
- Passed US Customs/Clean MI Title
- Water Cooled 1.8L Fuel Injected 4 Cylinder
- 4 Speed Manual Transmission
- Numbers Matching Drivetrain
- Clean and Fun Example

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1996 Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi 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 van due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 180 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.) Note: The accompanying Carfax link does not function; the VW's Mexico origin means there is no Carfax data on it.

“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 1996 VW Type 2 Komi imported to the U.S. from Mexico. The painted front grilles are the most obvious visual difference. This water-cooled minibus features a classic white exterior over a two-tone gray interior. The odometer shows a very conservative 70,605 miles, fewer than 2,800 miles per-year on average since new. The excellent condition of the van is the result of both pride of ownership and the low mileage.

The van's exterior paint has been maintained well. The finish is smooth and properly glossy, and the exterior steel and fiberglass panels (including the front grille for the radiator cooling the engine) are free of dings, dents, or other significant damage. Some scratches are noted on the roof. Body-panel alignment is perfectly straight in keeping with VW's acknowledged worldwide manufacturing expertise. Even the black-painted bumpers show no noteworthy flaws. (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: center-located VW logo badges front and rear. Original, painted 14-inch wheels with VW-embossed chrome hubcaps (some showing light patina) are mounted with Maxtrek®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 very light wear from regular use and carpeting shows light wear while front rubber mats have slight cracking on the passenger side. The rear-cabin black-painted wood floor has been well-maintained. In the rear passenger compartment (entered through the sliding side door), the black-upholstered forward-facing rear bench-seat and custom wood cabinetry is in excellent condition. The bench seat extends and folds flat for sleeping. Rear-area cabinetry includes storage cubbies. Black-and-white checked fabric curtains are in place on all cabin 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. An upgraded audio head unit replaces the factory radio. The shift lever for the 4-speed manual transmission is floor-mounted. (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, undamaged, and very clean. The full-length coolant hoses from the front radiator to the rear engine are properly installed and free of damage.

The van's original identification and information tags remain in place. It passed U.S. Customs, was imported from Mexico, and issued a clean Michigan title. The drivetrain is numbers-matching.

While the more than 180 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '96 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, nicely outfitted, very well-maintained Type 2 Kombi is right now contemplating the many road-trip destinations that lie in its future.