Date:         Wed, 15 May 2002 21:15:52 +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: Safety of the Vanagon
In-Reply-To:  <B906DE6D.8CF4%eric@seniornet.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

>I hope this isn't a tired thread, and if this has been done a ton of times
>and is archived, just let me know where I can look at them, and I will.

It has been a thread on 2 occasions since I joined the list, the last
very recently. My own feeling is that these are very safe vehicles. A
number of listees report accidents, some at speed with heavier
vehicles, and the VW always seems to come off by far the best. BUT
this means more shock, not being absorbed by the VW's
almost-nonexistent crushzones, being transmitted to 1) the other car
2) the VW's passengers. The van itself seems to be a real survivor
type.

>But I kept looking and found the Volvo/Van crash photos where the van
>demolished the volvo.

It did a really GOOD job, didn't it?

>That was comforting.  Then I drove them and I
>actually feel quite safe since I'm so high up.  It's a joy to drive, and I
>feel like I've been a safer, more defensive driver, since I started, but I'm
>still wondering how these things do in real life crashes.

Always best to AVOID having an accident in the first place. Fit
bigger wheels with lower-profile performance tires (costly, and you'd
better find wheels & tires designed to cope with a loaded van eg
designed for S-Class Mercedes), upgrade the brakes, fit an Addco rear
swaybar (from JC Whitness), decent dampers (Koni; avoid Bilsteins as
they seem to break).

These things all cost, but they add to the enjoyability of a vehicle
which already handles extremely well (as long as yours doesn't suffer
the understeer mine does), and what price do you put on your life?
Those light truck tires or KYB dampers could end up killing you.
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut