Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 08:50:57 -0400
Reply-To: alan barber <barb2375@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: alan barber <barb2375@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: vanagon Digest - 6 Jun 2002 (#2002-713)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 03:08:56 +0000
From: Randy Charrette <rcharrette@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: 87 Syncro vs 02 eurovan camper
><html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>Well the wife and I are going
crazy trying to make a decision. So I thought I >would get thoughts from the
list. We currently have an 87' Syncro GL. I have installed a bed conversion,
curtains, aux batt, and >gauges among other things. I have had it for 4
years, it has 217K on the body and 85K on rebuilt 2.1L. It is very solid and
>dependable. We live in Colorado, and travel in the mountains A LOT.
Doing 30mph at the top of the passes out here is >getting old. Sooooooo. We
are trying to decide between putting a Tiico engine in it, with some other
cosmetic upgrades ($8->10K). Or get a new Eurovan ($$$$$). The biggest
concern is does the camping convienence of the Eurovan out weigh the 4x4 >of
the Syncro. We are the type of people that when it dumps we are heading to
the place the most snow is falling! We also go >places like Moab a lot and
camp in remote areas. We are actually planning a 6 month road trip in 2
years, this is were >the convienience of the Eurovan comes in. If we kept
the Syncro I suppose we could look into a side tent, anyone have one of
>these? Are they quick and easy to set up? So that is my delima in a nut
shell. Leaving the financial aspect out of it, what would >you do?</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>Randy Charrette</DIV>
><DIV>87 Syncro</DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Chat with friends online, try
MSN Messenger: <a >href='http://g.msn.com/1HM505401/43'>Click
Here</a><br></html>
First off, lose the html in your messages. You can see that it's very
distracting in the above quote from the digest.
Here's the scoop... the later model Eurovans have locking differentials.
With snow tires they are quite capable in the snow. Far better than the 2
wheel drive Vanagon.
That being said, 4 wheel drive is relatively easy to add to a Eurovan. They
are all set up for it with clearance for the driveshafts and everything. Why
they don't offer Syncro in the US is a mystery. I've heard that the 4 motion
setup from a Passat is a bolt on endeavor. As projects go, I would think
that this would be better than the TiiCo, since the TiiCo motor is still a 4
cylinder and although it's a lot more reliable really doesn't offer that
much power.
If it were me, I'd keep the Syncro and buy an EV. If the EV works out, you
can always sell the Syncro on down the road. (Or not) and if you really like
the EV but the traction is not quite what you need, look into the pricing of
adding the Syncro.
Az
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AH#56
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