Date:         Fri, 28 Dec 2001 11:05:36 -0500
Reply-To:     wvveedub@NETSCAPE.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Brian Atkins <wvveedub@NETSCAPE.NET>
Subject:      Owner's Survey
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

1. 1985
2. b
3. i
4. b
5. a
6. a
7. a,c,i,m,s (I was looking for the one that said, "ability to be repaired and maintained by home mechanic", but I suppose if you read dtuff like Road and Track, you MUST take your car to the dealer for oil changes ;)
8. a,c,i,j,m
9. e,h,o,q,w (who designed the heater controls anyway? A cryptologist?)
10. a. Better mileage/performance (does that mean I'm a Tiico candidate?)
    b. Cheaper sources for parts ($600 - 700 for seals?! I can buy all
       the seals for my bug for less than $200).
    c. Dual-sliding doors (OK, so I'm a little hung up on the euro model
       I saw this weekend).
    d. Quieter (Plan on solving that one myself this coming Spring).
    e. ability to tow something larger than a breadbox.
11. N/A
12. N/A
13. N/A
14. b.
15. N/A
16. a
17. c
18. a (If someone would convince my wife that we need 5 vehicles)
19. a (see above)
20. I don't think my answers would be of much use.  I've only had the
    Van since September and put about 3,000 miles on it so far.

Comments:
    I really enjoy my vanagon.  We got it for a steal from a college kid who lost his license.  I have been slowly getting things back up to snuff after the van sat for almost a year (plugs, plug wires, cap & rotor, belts, shocks (KYB), CV joints (Lobro), tires (Michelin Agilis 61), etc, etc...), with still a lot more to do.  The van will eventually need some rust repair followed by a repaint, but otherwise is in really nice shape.
    My wife gets it during the week and I drive our subaru to work.  Despite it's shortcomings, namely performance and mileage, I really enjoy the driving experience.  I'm rather tall (6'5") and it is one of a very few vehicles that I can sit in comfortably and actually see out the windshield without hunching down, not to mention comfortable (despite it's sparse appearance) on long trips.  My son and daughter like it because they can actually see things other than the undersides of tractor-trailers.
    If I can convince my wife, I want to drive it out to Montana early next year (she wants to fly).

Brian
--




__________________________________________________________________
Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/

Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/