Date:         Mon, 21 Feb 2000 16:24:55 -0800
Reply-To:     Björn Ratjen <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Björn Ratjen <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Subject:      SUV and Vanagon (story)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Dear Volks,

Last week my wife's Passat was at the body shop. It had been the target
practice of an at least honest driver at a parking lot who had left an
apologetic note under the windshield wiper. When I came to pick up a
substitute rental car I was told that I could pick anything from a Toyota
Corolla to a $60000 (Canadian) GM Tahoe. Well I pick the Tahoe with bushbar
and everything else and can tell you about some comparative driving experience.

The vehicle had nice looking leather seats. Unfortunately they were not
really made for a tall driver like myself and offered little hold in
corners. Therefore I clutched the steering wheel a bit harder only to
notice that the seams of the leather were at a spot to - I guess - remind
you that there was something handmade there. The seat warmers fried
sensitive parts. They had no adjustment like my wife's Passat only one
position for frying your bottom and another one to fry bottom and back.
Maybe GM was attempting some type of population control since sperm do not
like to be overheated. This theory would be in line with the placement of
the exhaust pipe which blows fumes towards the passenger side at exactly
the height of small children - especially those in strollers. 

When using the turn signal I was reminded by an ergonomically questionable
bump at the lever that this vehicle had cruise control as well. Ergonomics
definitely did not play a big part in the conception of this vehicle. I
still don't know why I had this shade on top of the windshield which left
me with a view as if the road was ending pretty soon or a constant drive
into an abyss - except when I hit a bump in the road which enable me to get
glimpses of further vision. 

Despite 5 or 6 buttons on the side of the seat I had a difficult time to
find a comfortable adjustment. Mind you maybe I am spoiled through my
Recaro seat in my Syncro. Although my kids loved to ride the seat back and
forth and up and down. It is an entertaining possibility to drain the battery.

The Tahoe's handling felt like a truck. You get a somewhat dampened bounce
of the rear when you hit a bumpy road even though the car was new
(1200kms). It had four positions for the transmission 2WD HI, 4WD auto, 4WD
HI, 4WD low. The engine produced enough power albeit at a cost: 21L/100kms
or about 12mpg. My wife's TD Passat uses exactly a third and my syncro uses
about 60% of that amount. Can you imagine if you would really go off-road
with this beast where you may double your fuel consumption?

Another item worth mentioning is the GM Manual or should I call it the GM
Bible. It is full of GM's gospel and tells me wisdoms like: "No one sees as
well at night as during the day", or "the harder it rains the less you
see". Wow, I wonder if you are old enough to drive a car shouldn't have
enough experience to come to this conclusion yourself? The illustrations
remind me of pictures in a cheap gospel book from an entrepreneurial and
well meaning believer whose illustrations make kids turn to comics because
they appear to be works of art. Like a gospel the book is full of stories
and do's and don'ts but offers little technical detail.

Indeed I became a believer again in a different way. Imagine this thing
cost about three vanagons. Which would you choose? It makes a vanagon
Syncro look really affordable plus you get a better 4WD system and a
differential lock. I believe I had to have this experience to believe in VW
again.

Björn




Björn Ratjen
Mill Bay, B.C.

1987 Vanagon est alia (self camperized, TDI wannabe)
1978 VW Bulli (self camperized)
1995 Passat TD Wagon (hers)
1970 VW Beetle (son's)