http://www.csaa.com/global/faqdetail/0,,1004010401%257c220,00.html

There are those of you who will tend to dispute anything if it disagrees with your thinking.

I am guilty of that I know.

This article from AAA on "which is better..."  is a high level overview on the subject we have been hashing out,  but it pretty well sums it up from both sides.

You are perfectly well, fine, and sane, and supported running either oil,  dino or synthetics in your vanagon.

It would be wrong to say either is better in the vanagon. 

Everybody knows quite well by now how firmly and where I stand. 
Frankly, I don't buy some of the "facts" stated by others, that adding synthetic oil by itself will keep your engine oil cleaner and thereby allow you to drop your change intervals.
I would like to see any hard data or facts or .pdf that prove otherwise because logic and many many resources like the one above from AAA state otherwise.

Those of you in the Synthetic camp - yes, we agree to disagree
Those of you in the Dino camp - you are welcome for the help in defending that which is simple, cheap and adequate.

Happy motoring
Save the vanagons!

Doug