If the van a 1.9 diesel removing the gearbox is a complete B******, I recently removed this box and it nearly killed me cause the box is huge and is a two man lift, better removing gearbox and engine together slightly easier job but not much.
VW for the spares for my box eg bearings and seals were a joke over £200 and i didn't need anything else eg syncro etc.
if only everything in life was as reliable
July 2008