Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:23:04 -0600
Reply-To: Mike South <msouth@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike South <msouth@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon, my love ...
In-Reply-To: <79B25B696C6849709F3F722E116E763D@ZoltanPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 1:14 PM, Zolly <zolo@foxinternet.net> wrote:
> Well Don, in a nutshell that's it. Those are some of the main reason why
> we
> keep on owning them. They are lovable for those reasons. They serve you
> very well. It is not a fancy vehicle, not something what a woman would
> like
> to park front of her house to brag with.
Proof you are apparently hanging out with the wrong women!
:)
mike
> It is a practical vehicle with
> it's multi pupose use, giving you all the options to enjoy life with. My
> father always said; "son you must have a vehicle where you can sit down,
> you
> can put your foot up, you can open a full size newspaper, have a fridge
> with
> all the drink and food you need, you can keep a change of clothes, etc". I
> never found out what from him what the "etc" was, but later I did when I
> owned my Westy and had different girlfriends travel with me.
> This is the vehicle that serves all aspects of your life. And if you care
> to learn how it works, you can fix it yourself, unlike any other vehicles
> that come on the market lately. This community will be around forever
> with
> new, young members filling in the spots that Boston Bob and the other
> greats
> left open. And they will be the old ones later for those new young ones
> that will follow them.
> We are blessed to be owners of these much loved vehicles. Your writing
> shows the love and respect for it.
> At the time of its design, the Germans were still in the mode of designing
> something that is practical, long lasting, repairable, cheap to run. Two
> years ago there was a great party in Europe for the 60th year of the VW
> Van.
> In Germany they call it "Bully" also.
> Some Germans are importing them back from here, because they can't find any
> more rust free ones there.
> And for us, the constant puzzle of solving of the electrical system, the
> leaking heads and all the other stuff, is something that keeps us busy
> fighting demons.
>
> Let's have a drink for the 62nd year of the VW Van. I think, it is about
> this time when the anyversary supposed to be.
> Best regards from Zoltan
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 10:04 AM
> Subject: Vanagon !Si! (good features) little long
>
>
> After a few years owning my 84 van with a westie interior I've come to
>> appreciate it's uniqueness. Vanagons are special.
>>
>> Here's a few of my 'plusses', reasons why I'm glad to have my Vanagon,
>> why
>> I wouldn't trade it for another vehicle: In no particular order
>>
>> 1/ Size and shape. Vanagons are short-ish in length, fit into most
>> garages, are car-width and you can 'walk around inside' if you stay bent
>> over. The cargo area is at a convenient height to load things into or to
>> step into, even with something in your arms. The rear 'deck' inside the
>> hatch is a good height for luggage and tools.
>>
>> 2/ They are remarkably agile and have good ground clearance. The turning
>> radius is better than many small cars, certainly better than most other
>> vans
>> or trucks. You can see out of them easily, parallel park, even. Dirt
>> roads
>> aren't cause for special care...if other vehicles have made it, a vanagon
>> should get through also. They are relativly light so soft ground is
>> negotiable (within reason) Rear wheel drive is a big plus for me. Front
>> drive vehicles aren't fun downhill in low traction situations. I'm simply
>> more at home with RWD vehicles handling behavior..especially a vehicle
>> without fancy computer traction control.
>>
>> 3/ They are sturdy. Look how many are still on the roads. Blasting down
>> a
>> washboard road to the tip of Baja or commuting daily doesn't seem to send
>> them to the scrap yard very quickly. Hanging a rack on the roof or
>> jacking
>> up one corner of my van I often notice it's 'substance'..Not "tinny or
>> Plastic".
>>
>> 4/ They are assembled so that they can be 'worked on' fairly easily.
>> Things
>> in Vanagons can be removed and replaced, repaired and restored without
>> tons
>> of special tools, without complex factory diagnostic consoles, etc etc
>> .
>> 5/ There is a good support system for the Vanagon. This list, our own
>> specialty 'suppliers', many enthusiasts who'll give knowledgable advice.
>> Most known 'issues' have surfaced and the best "fixes" have long been
>> worked-out.
>>
>> 6/ Reasonably economical. For a larger vehicle they have reasonable fuel
>> consumption. The Westies do well compared to other campmobiles and the
>> regular hardtop vans compare favorably to bigger vans and even come close
>> to
>> the low passenger mini-vans.. Maintence, once caught up, isn't a problem
>> for most.
>>
>> 7/...Special Features of my particular Vanagon: I looked for the simplest
>> van I could get without "Power anything". I have no options, no extra
>> anything and I love that simplicity. No AC, cruise control, power
>> windows,
>> auto tranny..etc etc. Not a lot of "stuff", extra stuff that I need to
>> keep
>> operating in order to have my van working right. I hate having stuff that
>> doesn't work...so if I had air conditioning and it broke...I would have to
>> fix it or it would bug me! I don't have it, so I just lean across when I
>> get hot driving down the road and roll down the passenger window...
>> I also like my inline gas 1.8liter rabbit/golf/jetta motor. Simpler than
>> a WBX or a Subaru motor and gets better gas mileage with decent power.
>> Seems very dependable and low maintence in the ~40k miles I have on it
>> since
>> I got the van.
>>
>> So there is my positive post about what is fine about Vanagons...anyone
>> else?
>> Don Hanson
>>
>
>
>
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