Date:         Thu, 7 Dec 2000 08:29:02 -0800
Reply-To:     t <vbob@PRIMENET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         t <vbob@PRIMENET.COM>
Subject:      Re: nothing to laugh about
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Ah... no.
While I am continually amazed at how little people know about the
mechanics of the vehicles they drive in, it doesn't seem to me to be the
issue of the day. For the majority of them average drivers (most of whom
are below average drivers), it doesn't and shouldn't matter. If
something happens, you pick up the cell phone and call AAA. While I can
and do  perform all the maintenance on my vehicles, I am sure glad I
don't have to on my Toyota PU. I could but it's real nice to know that
it will continue running till a 1/4 million miles without pulling the
heads, replacing any timing chains, barely a tuneup.It gets it's oil
changes, it gets the rest of the fluids looked at and occasionally
replaced. But the bottom line is, it just runs. and runs. and runs. The
vanagons... well, I still like to putter around with mechanical things
as long as I don't have to rely on them.

Not everybody was blessed with the opportunities I had to work next to
my dad on freezing January nights trying to figure out why the damned 59
Rambler wouldn't start, helping to rebuild the transmission on the 63
Tempest, or replacing a head gasket on the 65 Rambler (the last one he
bought).

Look at it like this... I write software for a living. Yet, if Netscape
crashes.... I could care less why. Life is too short to expend
braincells in that direction. So I reload it and if it happens too
often, I will find a different browser to use. I don't need to know how
it works. Odds are, you have no clue either, yet you use your browser,
mail software, or spreadsheet without regards to the operating
functionality.

Life is too short.


tim o'brien

Flat Four wrote:
>
> ~Vintage Volkswagen vrs. Geo Metro~
>
> Would the average licensed driver be better of with the modern
> econobox over an older Volkswagen?  Maybe yes since with the Geo metro
> has no points to replace, no valves to adjust.  Instead of 7 Bolts to
> take on and off during an oil change there's only 1 + a filter.  The
> Toyota Prius could do 70 all day long up and down hills without a
> whimper but the VW would struggle to even make it there, not too good
> for the engine and tranny right?  After all that Focus is so much more
> comfortable to drive with a quieter interior.  Why not all of us VW
> gurus bit the dust and agree that we should toss our VW's aside and go
> buy a car that is far more advanced in just about every respect?
>
> Absolutely not, on the contrary.  The average licensed driver is
> always better off with the 60's VW because all maintenance can be done
> him/herself.  With that ugly looking Toyota Echo the wheel bearings
> are sealed, there is no maintenance in that "BUT" what happens if it
> does break?  True, a "lot" of parts on the modern econobox can only be
> serviced by the dealers you buy them from.  There are no replacing
> those bearings on the Echo, it wasn't designed to be removed since
> it's expected to go on for 500,000+mi more then the expected life of
> the car.
>
> With that in mind simplicity is bliss.  Say the average driver is on a
> long trip in the middle of nowhere.  If something goes wrong, that
> simple VW can be easily fixed on the spot, that civic cannot.
>
> The problem here is the average licensed driver has never picked up a
> wrench before.  The truth is the licensed driver that has no clue what
> happens to the gas after every time you fill er up at the gas station
> has absolutely no business behind the wheel.  All drivers should know,
> should understand the typical automobile through and through so that
> in emergency situations he/she would know exactly what to do.
>
> If that were so there would be no more excuses for all the deaths
> associated with the automobile.  Everyone should have a good
> understanding of mechanics, of vehicle maintenance, of highway safety
> and of the laws of physics.  The Automobile is no miracle.  There are
> explanations to how a car works, there is absolutely "no" magic
> involved.
>
> So yes, absolutely.  By all means, every licensed driver across the
> world should know that, Forget about the other car brands out there
> (Mitsubishi, Ford, Subaru, Hyundai, Chevy, etc...).  "EVERYONE"
> Everyone should be driving an aircooled Volkswagen.  All the rest of
> the cars on the planet that are not, including water cooled
> Volkswagens should be torn apart and recycled so more better far more
> advanced aircooled Volkswagens can be made reusing the same material.
> More Aircooled VW's being made everywhere today still utilizing that
> all too familiar elegant simplicity theme of course.  Yes, the ACVW
> could still use some more development beyond Y2K  But advancements
> that "maintain" the original simplicity and long lasting durability.
>
> That's the beauty with simplicity.  Why make things more complicated
> then they need to be?  A most wonderful place this world would be
> indeed if everyone drove ACVW's.
>
> Another reason why a world of only ACVW's would be the best solution
> is that the typical all stock ACVW driver is none aggressive.  The
> world doesn't need aggressive drivers to terrorize our streets killing
> not only themselves but other innocent people.
>
> Think about it - how many old Ladies driving Yacht sized Caddilacs
> know how to change the oil?
>
> And so YES, that Ford Factory needs to be converted so it can assemble
> ACVW's instead.
>
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