Date:         Sat, 16 Jun 2001 20:31:53 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: ?? SA Engine Conversion ??
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>Sure the manufactures make plenty of money selling new models.

A manufacturer would love to keep one model going as long as possible. Why?
Think how much a new model costs to develop. Doing a totally (or almost
totally) new model every 4 years costs a bit. And that's for every model a
manufacturer makes. This is why they try to reuse the old-model floorpan in
the new car in many cases, reducing development costs.

Seems only vans can get away now with long model-cycles. People want
something visually really new (as opposed to yearly facelifts) as often as
possible, and the manufacturers have to compete with one another to keep
buyers happy.


Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin, New Zealand
ph   64 (3) 473-8863
fax 64 (3) 479-7527
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
www.goingplatinum.com/member/vw1
www.highyieldcrusaders.ws/ref.html?ref=vw
www.aciimoney.com/index.shtml?vw1
VW & Toyota vans, Toyota diesels and Macintoshes rule