Date:         Sun, 19 Nov 2000 11:06:28 +0100
Reply-To:     Calle Fallberg <calle.fallberg@SWIPNET.SE>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Calle Fallberg <calle.fallberg@SWIPNET.SE>
Subject:      Winter -was  NOT a Fryeday Funnie
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Ahh - winter driving !!!!

The Vanagon suffers from the same problem as the old Beetle, the position of the engine !
With all that weight hanging behind the rear wheels you get lots of traction but when it start to slide, itīs a pita to catch !
If you have a lot of load in the back, it's even worse (one problem the Beetle didnīt have )
The front wheel cars has the same problem but in their case the resultīs a bit different, they just slide on straight forward without steering :(
I personally prefer the rear end taking off but then I've been rallye driving in Opel and Volvo.
Too much power in a rwd car with a light rear end and poor handling isnīt funny at all though - well maybe at redlights :)
Some listees mentioned the Rabbit diesel, oh I had one of those too, unconfortable, slow and smelly, was only amusing when a little bit of snow ( lacked the power to crawl through bigger piles ) or at the gas station !
The SAAB is also considered to be a competent winter vehicle, and yes, the power is there allright but it also has the tendency of loosing the traction whenever the road isnīt straight - and what road is forever and ever ??
Nah, the only really fun fwd brand is the Citroën ( ouch I already feel the flames here ), heavy, not too much power and the hydraulic suspension that allow you to raise the car and make the "shockabsorbers" hard which will help getting the power down whenever you are stuck in the snow !
The ideal car ??
A Vanagon Synchro TD with chains and air adjustable suspension 
(No,no,  god forbid, no Citron parts :-P )
The ideal weather ?
Doesnīt matter !
The ideal driver ?
One that dare to go slow and are aware of the hazards !
BTW - a bit of practice on an empty parking lot or any other "safe" place when the first snowīs down doesn't hurt, freshens up the memory of last winters handling - and it's fun too ;)

Calle 
-88 Vanagon (gas,rwd, studded tires)
 Mullhyttan, Sweden