Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 20:35:18 -0400
Reply-To: Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject: Re: Ladies and Vanagons
In-Reply-To: <eccfedcc0804071724t58a9b4c4v363423bf0cc982a5@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi Michael,
I think it's just a matter of how you approach the situation.
See, when my wife and I were dating, I used to drive a 1972 westy. It
was a 14 year old vehicle at the time, and not at all reliable. Colleen
will fondly remember those days with comments like "you never got too
dressed up if you were going on a date with Greg, because it's pretty
hard to push a bus in high heels."
Fast forward 12 years, we buy a 1973 westy as a second car; the bug
bites deep and we're spending lots of time in the westy with our three
kids. We've had that aircooled westy for the last 10 years now,
sometimes as a primary vehicle and sometimes as a second car.
Last winter my dad loaned us his 1985 sunroof vanagon while he and mom
were in FL for a winter vacation. Colleen had just started a new job and
needed a vehicle to get around; and the aircooled westy didn't offer
much in the way of heat. Colleen found the vanagon to be quite modern...
it has power steering, auto transmission, and even heat. Heck, this
particular vanagon even has a BA-6 furnace underneath.
So fast forward now to February... I landed a new job and we're needing
another vehicle. I showed Colleen an ad online for a 1987 Wolfsburg Van
and got immediate approval for the purchase.
How to justify it?
- It's better for the environment to take one car rather than two.
- Camping in a westy is cheaper than motels and rental cars.
- A properly maintained vanagon can last virtually forever, and is a
much more cost-effective platform than a modern disposable automobile.
ie, a car costing $500/month is basically used up and done in 6 years.
But after four years, a westy with $300/month invested into it will have
a new engine, new interior, new paint, new sound system, etc, etc....
(Just don't pay gowesty to install it all)
Happy Trails,
Greg Potts
1973/74/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
www.busesofthecorn.com
www.pottsfamily.ca
Michael Sullivan wrote:
> Would like to endear my wife to my Vanagon and she seems to think that it's
> prehistoric! ???? Any points of view that would coax her into more $$ and
> more trips for 'Gringo' would be appreciated. :-) I'm NOT whippped, Scott!!
> hehehehehe
>
> --
> Michael in San Antonio
> 91GL AT 'Gringo'
>
