Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2000 14:57:34 -0600
Reply-To: Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon safety and design?
In-Reply-To: <01BF7E09.5C5CE320.jj1@mail.tds.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
At 02:22 PM 2/23/00 -0600, Jennifer Jones wrote:
>Hello - I will update further on this in another message, but I am just on
>the brink of buying an '85 Westy with 75K original miles, in excellent
>condition (haven't seen it in person, but was sent about 5 pictures and it
>looks immaculate), for $6500. I'm planning on having the owner take it in
>for a compression test, leak-down test, and maint. inspection. Anyway...
> was just on the phone with my insurance agent to see about rates for the
>Westy. He spent about 20 minutes trying to talk me out of buying it!
Maybe it's time to find another insurance agent?
>His main issue (along with lack of power and crappy gas mileage) was safety
>and design. He said Vanagons just fold up like an accordion when hit. He
B.S.
>basically said the design was terrible and that it was analogous to he and
>I went going into a garage and building a car. He specifically mentioned
>the how everything was run by cables that run underneath the car, and that
>these are susceptible to corrosion, etc.
I don't have the URL handy right now, but there were some interesting tests
done where a Volvo wagon and an '85 Vanagon were run into each
other. Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted to be in the Volvo. The Vanagon
looked to be in pretty decent shape, it ran up into the Volvo, crushing the
front seat and windshield. As far as rust goes, ask any mocrap owner
(myself being a former owner) about rust and you'll find they rust rather
quickly themselves.
>Anyway, given that eventually I want to use the camper for touring (as in,
>musical) and want to tow a small trailer with equipment behind, he tried to
>talk me into getting an early '90s Dodge Caravan with a 3.0 L engine. Said
>the they got great gas mileage, were very safe, and had a lot of power.
> And, that I could convert the inside into some kind of camper.
Since you live in Wisconsin, remember that there is a "buy American"
prejudice. I've seen it all over, but the more rural the area, the more
you'll see it.
>Now, it must be said, he didn't change my mind - I want this Westy ! I
>also think Dodge Caravans have about as much character as a cardboard box.
> But, he did give me an interesting perspective. It must also be said that
>he's just the agent, not the underwriter, he so isn't in charge of whether
>they'll insure the van or not. It's possible they won't (guess they're
>afraid of people living in 'em - he he :)).
He'll still write the business, but don't expect him to offer any
discounts. He may just overlook any discounts you have coming, ie multiple
car, limited use, RV, home/auto, fire extinguisher, alarm, etc..
>I hadn't heard that about the safety, or about Vanagons being poorly
>designed. Obviously, since we're all on this list, we don't have the same
>opinion., but I was curious as to people's response to his views...
In 10 years you'll still have a decent Vanagon, although probably with new
heads, whereas your agent will have scrapped his early '90s Caravan a few
years prior. I have an '82 with over 250,000 miles. It was not perfectly
maintained, driven in winter, and just over all well used. It took some
work last year to get it road worthy again, and the body still shows some
signs of rough use, but the van is still safe, and still my 2nd favorite
set of wheels (after the '74 thing, but I just like being stared at)
Get the van and enjoy
Chris Smith
'82 Westy
'74 Thing
Some cars that even run
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