Date:         Mon, 23 Apr 2001 13:34:51 -0230
Reply-To:     Karl Dawe <kdawe@mun.ca>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Karl Dawe <kdawe@mun.ca>
Subject:      Re: Why do you like your Vanagon?
In-Reply-To:  <002d01c0cac6$3d107d00$669a0a40@sasha>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I've been driving a '90 Dodge Spirit since I got my license, and finally
bought it from my mother when she bought her new(er) car three years ago.
Every day, as I drove the POS from my home to work, I passed a parked
Blue/White Passenger Van.  As the POS continued to crumble around me, I was
spending about $200+ a month on repairs for it, and I decided that it was
time to get something that was in better shape.  Out of curiosity, I stopped
in to ask who owned the Van, and if he'd consider selling it, and if I could
take it for a spin.

That's all it took.  The ride was better than my car.  It was HUGE inside -
the perfect thing for those summer weekend road trips around the Irish Loop.
:)  Ok, so it didn't exactly take off the line, but hey, I got my first
speeding ticket the week before, for doing 175km/h in a 100 zone, so a
slower vehicle was appealing.  And it's a VW.  I've wanted a VW since I was
a little kid, either a Bug of a Bus, and here was a real possibility for me
to own that Bus.
I asked the owner how much he wanted for it, and he said that he'd let it go
for $3000 (Canadian).  I offered him $2450, and the Bus was mine.  Only
~35,000km on the clock!

A $1500 repair job latter (break job.  The only remaining original piece is
the fluid reservoir and the pedal) the Van was on the road.

Then it caught fire.

I threatened to sue the mechanic who did the inspection who missed the
problem with the aux gas heater that caused the fire, and he repaired the
damage for $500.

So I decide to drop another $1000 or so later for a stereo.  When I go to
pick it up at the installer, he informs me that I have a serious leak of
transmission fluid, and proceeded to show me the little piles of sawdust
that was soaking up the spills from every spot the van had been parked
during the day.

That was about a month ago.  It took me forever to find the Transmission
Dipstick Tube (it was leaking through a pin-hole), and now that I've found
one (thanks to Ken at Vanagain.com) we're just waiting for it to arrive.

Reading this over - I'm not sure why I love my van.  :)  I'm broke, I'm
STILL not driving my van, and I'm trying to give myself a Crash Course in VW
mechanics, but when she runs, I've got a damn cool ride.  And I think that's
why I love my Van.  Nothing else on the road today turns heads like a shiny
VW Van.  It's unique.  I can pack myself and my camera gear, friends, and
their gear and take off for a weekend without having to worry or be too
picky packing.  It just fits my life.

Karl.
St. John's, NF

----- Original Message -----
From: CHRIS STANN <cstann3@HOME.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2001 6:53 PM
Subject: Why do you like your Vanagon?


> Why do you like your Vanagon?  What made you consider one?  What was you
> first experience of one?
>
> I like mine because it oozes coolness from every panel seam.  My first
> experience was in Austria in '81.  The owner reached a speed of 145 KM/h
> with six adults, five children and their luggage crammed inside -- Yup,
> that's an air-cooled Vanagon.  Now that's what I call adventure!  When it
> came time to buy a versatile vehicle, the '85 Westfalia I now have was a
> natural choice.
>
> Chris.
> '85 Westy.