Date:         Mon, 12 Feb 2001 12:29:22 -1000
Reply-To:     Mick Kalber <hotlava@INTERPAC.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mick Kalber <hotlava@INTERPAC.NET>
Subject:      Re: SUV was road rage
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

>It is  chic to be against every SUV on the road these days, especially if you drive a vanagon.<

Hey... I own an 89 Syncro Westy and a 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee.  I don't have any problem admitting it.  We used to use the Jeep for all our four wheeling needs... camping in tough to get over the radical lava locations... now we can take the syncro... but often when we camp with family and friends we take both and pull a trailer full of camping gear behind the Jeep.  It's actually a great combo.  All the conveniences of home in the westy that can go almost anywhere, plus the towing capacity of the Jeep (V-8).  We disconnect the Jeep at the campsite and use it if we need to go anywhere for supplies while camping.  The hotel on wheels gets to stay put.

And the bus gets slightly better gas mileage than the jeep.  Best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned.  No apologies offered.

Mick Kalber
89 Syncro Westy "Daddeo"
Tropical Visions Video, Inc.
62 Halaulani Place
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
808-935-5557
808-935-0066 (fax)
hotlava@interpac.net
www.volcanoscapes.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Schmidt 
  To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
  Sent: Monday, February 12, 2001 10:48 AM
  Subject: SUV was road rage


  It is  chic to be against every SUV on the road these days, especially if you drive a vanagon. You are even cooler if you talk about the "mentality" and the testosterone high, the mpg, etc. For some these vehicles make sense. My Suburban hauls my four kids, wife, groceries, toys, car seats, and what-nots every time we turn the key. It does so dependably.  It does so safely. It goes anywhere in any weather. 
      Sure, my outback AWD did the same thing when we were a family of four. It was small, trendy, chic, and granola enough that we did not have complete strangers harassing us for owning one.
  I own a Suburban for some of the same reasons as I own my vanagon westy 6 passenger.  It comfortably seats my family and hauls "family stuff."   I also own a suburban BECAUSE I own old vw vans.  It tows or pushes anything anywhere. Towing and pushing is inevitable when you insist on owning "cool" vehicles like busses. 
  Hopefully my wife does not get too big of a testosterone boost when she takes the kids to school.  Hopefully the vanagon owners she passes don't secretly despise her for driving the suburban.  Even if they do, she or I will still stop when you need a tow, jump, push, or just moral support. Sorry for the minimal VC in this post.
  Jay Schmidt
  97 Suburban 4X4
  90 Buick Full size Brady wagen with third seat
  84 westy 6 passenger
  77 westy deluxe-garaged...seats only four
  71 highroof camper lawn-ornament/ playhouse
  70 wife
  93 girl
  96 boy
  98 girl
  '00 boy
  No apologies- the vanagon does NOT get better mileage than the 'burban!

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