Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 20:41:52 -0500
Reply-To: wilden1@JUNO.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: Diesel Power
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Gentlemen and Ladies I have been blessed.
I have been driving automobiles since 1956 (jeeps since 1952) and I've
never owned or driven a vehicle that would not comfortably reach and
maintain 70 mph on Interstate highways.
My current 83 Air Cooled Westy will cruise at 70 mph. I admit I loose a
few rpms fighting head winds and climbing hills but I still manage to run
at the 70 mph 90% of my Interstate Highway driving.
An acquaintance in Austin drives a 1.6 Diesel Vanagon and he tells me
that there are times he tops out local hills on the Interstate at 38 mph.
I can't believe that 10 more miles per gallon is worth the frustration of
being eternally under powered and becoming a genuine traffic hazard. He's
got to be as popular with other drivers as a one lane construction zone.
When I have to drive through mountains as I did recently when I went to
Albuquerque from Dallas TX
I was fighting head winds and cross winds as well as some pretty steep
grades, I'm in fear of blowing an engine.
The trip went off without a hitch but it was totally frustrating to know
that I was working my engine at 100% capacity much of the time even when
I reduced my speed (gravity and wind reduced my speed).
I often tapped the accelerator pedal and went back at full throttle
again, same old slug.
Around town and on local freeways I don't have any problems maintaining
speed and I like the way the Westy handles.
In all the years of abusing automobiles I've never blown an engine until
I broke a piston on this Westy.
I find that driving one of my other vehicles (one GM and one Ford) on
long trips is more desirable than taking the Westy. There is just more
comfort to me knowing that I've got twice the power that I need rather
than only 50% that I deal with in my Westy.
Also thrown in A/C, Cruise, No Wind Noise, 24 mpg at 70 mph and an
automatic tranny along with the capacity to tow a trailer without the
prayers from 100 list members.
There is no getting around taking the Westy when I go camping and I
mostly stick to lakes within 125 miles of home. A longer drive is very
tiring and I speak from experience because I've been on many 500-800
round trips out of Dallas. That 2000 mile round trip to Albuquerque as a
spontaneous thing that I'll never do again.
If I ever take another 2000 mile trip in this Westy slug, it will be to
deliver it to the purchaser when I sell it.
The Waser Boxer guys have it some better with more power and if they're
driving a Vanagon at 3200 pounds they're getting decent performance
................ but I see rods sticking out of Waser Boxer cases in
every wrecking yard I buy parts from.
I'll brag about my Westy because it has been dependable for over 150,000
miles but my 78 Olds 98 was dependable for 270,000, my 86 Olds Custom
Cruise for 165,000 miles and so goes the story.
The quirk is that I have never had to nurse, pamper or drive with
premeditated caution to get the dependability that a motor vehicle is
just expected to deliver as common place.
I like my Westy for the camping features and the few other unique
features but driving it as a long distance traveler is frustrating to me.
I've spent my whole life trying to "Get Ahead" and my relationship with
this VW slug just often makes me feel like I've accepted less than I
deserve out of life (in the vehicle area).
I've brainwashed myself with the help of several list into tolerating all
of the frailties and faults of the Westy simply because it has that stove
and fridge.
I know that when I close that Westy door and it sounds like "Boing", I'm
entering a different world.
There are cities like Los Angeles and expressways that I will forever
avoid in my Westy ............. I just can't see blowing an engine to
just keep the average freeway speed.
Stan Wilder
83 Air Cooled Westfalia
On Wed, 26 Jun 2002 21:05:04 -0400 Bradley Flubacher <flub@ADELPHIA.NET>
writes:
> In my opinion, running your diesel much over 60 is stressing the
> engine
> quite a bit. Don't expect to run it at those speeds for too long.
>
> Brad
>
>
> Shaggy wrote:
>
> >I have an 82' Diesel Westy right now, and I keep up
> >with the traffic fine. Sure going 68mph is sometimes
> >slower than others, but you're driving a VW, so what
> >is the hurry?
> >
> >Shaggy
> >
> >=====
> >Shaggy
> >
> >__________________________________________________
> >Do You Yahoo!?
> >Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup
> >http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
> >
>
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