My experience of going from an 180hp Lyc to a Rotax has been very positive. The engine is much more modern, no mags to go wrong and £18 of oil a year are just two of the advantages. The bits seem very inexpensive compared to Lyc and props are modern and a fraction of the cost, with a VP coming in at £2000 ish.
The Vans range is very good, but it is an American design with 98% flying in the US. Vans have experienced a sharp downturn following the LSA launch which is dominated by European designs. The new Rotax powered version is an attempt to stop the rot, but it will be interesting to see if the traditional Vans can match the best Europe has to offer.
The fuel burn difference will cause a huge difference in costs as the new green tax comes in and Avgas becomes more expensive and eventually disappears completely. I cost justified my VLA over 10 years, and firmly believe the VLA category is the one with the future in Europe.
Rod1