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Date:         Wed, 23 Feb 2000 15:49:43 -0500
Reply-To:     "Wagner, James W., , SAF/AQPS" <WagnerJW@PENTAGON.AF.MIL>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Wagner, James W., , SAF/AQPS" <WagnerJW@PENTAGON.AF.MIL>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon safety and design?
Comments: To: Jennifer Jones <jj1@MAIL.TDS.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

I've grown up only knowing VW Buses and Vanagons, and have to say that the deficiencies the vehicles have in terms of safety are easily minimized by driver behavior. The low engine and braking power means lower speeds, greater distances between vehicles on the road, and generally more foresight. And the high, forward seating position gives the driver a much better view of his/her surroundings than the standard car. As an added curb on a drivers behavior, the VW buses and vans I've ridden in and driven, always seem to have things inside that tend to move around (water bottles, tools, books, what-ever-I-left-on-the-back-seat, etc.). And the Whack-Whack-Whack of a bottle rolling around does wonders to minimize hard accelerations, braking, and turning.:)

James Wagner 1985 GL Westphalia, 170K

> -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf > Of Jennifer Jones > Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000 3:22 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Vanagon safety and design? > > > 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! > > 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 > 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. > > 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. > > 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 :)). > > 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... > > Thanks, JJ > > (soon to be : '85 Westy!) >


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