Date:         Tue, 9 Jul 1996 21:39:25 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         mholser@mv.us.adobe.com (Malcolm Holser)
Subject:      Re: VW Customer Relations & reality check


Ok.  I'm new to this list, so everybody feel free to flame me.

I, too dispair that VW was not successful in selling more Vans, so that 
the neat ones would be there for me to pick up in a few years when I can
afford them (I actually could afford one now, but *refuse*).  If VW made
a nice 1996 Syncro Westy and sold it for $20k, I'd be there.  For $50k?
Sorry, but I'm not going to pony up the $15k folks want for a seven-year-old
one.

There are some 670 folks on this list, but only a handful own EV's.  I
suspect that only a very few of us have bought much new from VW in decades.
If VW *did* offer to bring in 1996 Westy Syncros, how many of us would line
up?  The old VW program where you buy a vehicle in Germany, and bring it
back is still ongoing.  They might be talked into allowing you to order
whatever model you wanted, all for a price.

VW did bring in the EV for several years of poor sales.  I didn't spring 
for the big bucks they want.  I go for the "cheapo" used veedub.  I think
that most of us are in the same boat.  Double-cab EV Pickups might have
a market, even single-cabs might, but they'll be expensive, and they, like
all the EV's are dogs (like our Vanagons aren't (^;).  I might buy such a
thing if it were in the $20k range.  to get it, though, I'd need bank 
financing, and *they* aren't always daring.

VW has done real well this year -- I think only Rover has done better in
sales growth in the US.  I think VW is up 15% or so, while Mazda led the
decline with 30% loss.

What we need is a whole passle o' rich stupid folk that want to spend $50k
on new Westies, so that we can pick'em up at the fire sale in ten years.
A friend just bought a Trek -- he's *real* happy, and thinks it is the best
value among cars out there, but he did not like the EV.  The Trek is fast.

Enough.

I just recently bought a 1986 Kombi Syncro.  No interior. Zippo, and never
has been -- a genuine Kombi.  Is this thing odd?  It came from Canada --
I got it in Toronto, drove it across the US to California with my son.
If you know anything about this model I'd love to hear.  As far as anyone
I have found can tell it is unique here.  Did many of these get brought
into Canada?

malcolm