Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 09:10:22 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: WBX bashing
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
This never started off to be Waser Boxer bashing.
John just took it personal and changed the subject line.
It was about collecting multiples of basically the same vehicle.
All of the vehicles he listed are just people haulers and he makes no
mention of a Westy which would along with the one double cab might be the
only potential collectors item.
I consider my Westy to ba a piece of useful machinery I hold it in the
same esteem that I hold my air compressor, my lawn mower or any other
vehicle that I own.
The difference is that when I leave on a 1000 mile trip in my Ford
Victoria or my Oldsmobile wagon I don't feel compelled to pack in a bunch
of spare parts and tools. A single quart of oil has been the maximum
requirement on a 1000 mile trip over the last ten years.
I see no extraordinary qualities in any VW I've ever seen or driven other
than the fact that a Westy is by far the best poor mans camper I've ever
seen.
After recently driving my nieces new Passat V6 on a 170 mile round trip
to a family event; I say nice car. I can say exactly the same about my
son's ford pickup truck or my neighbors Jeep Cherokee. I have no desire
to own one of these vehicles though and a second Westy or "God Forbid"
just a Vanagon people hauler is out of the question.
I'm content with the one that "I bought Cheap, spent at least the
purchase price within one year after buying it". I didn't buy it to work
on it and I didn't buy it as a possible collectors car. I just bought it
because of the neat camping stuff and felt the rest would work out and it
has; I'm ok with a slow, weak, problem prone, gas sucking, top heavy
vehicle that camps well.
Stan Wilder
83 Westfalia Air Cooled
On Wed, 31 Jul 2002 09:32:23 -0400 David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
writes:
> On Wed, 31 Jul 2002, Fredrich Hesterberg wrote:
>
> > My 49 Chevy truck has 325,000 miles on it and I only have done to
> the
> > valves, and fuel pump, and starter.
> > I do not think the Van would do this to easy.
>
> This is unusual for *any* vehicle. Let's look at another American
> car for
> comparison. My parents bought a 1985 Ford Crown Victoria, with a
> trailer
> towing package, in 1985. Here's what I recall them replacing or
> repairing
> on it, during its 114,000 mile life (leaving out normal, expected
> maintenance items):
>
> - Catalytic converters (both of them, replaced under EPA-mandated
> recall)
> - Fuel injection module (left me stranded)
> - Transmission (blew its guts out on US-27, at 90,000 miles)
> - EGR valve (required frequent cleaning, was always plugging up
> with
> carbon)
> - Rear main seal
> - Water pump
>
> By the time we got rid of it it was due for several other repairs.
> The
> engine was running on 7 cylinders from time to time. It pinged on
> anything less than premium gas due to carbon build-up. The
> radiator
> leaked in several places. The engine raced when cold and stalled
> when
> warm. The transmission wasn't shifting right. And the frame
> rusted
> through behind the right front wheel. About all I can say in its
> favor is
> that the engine didn't use any oil.
>
> Compare this list to a Vanagon at that milage, and the Vanagon
> doesn't
> look so bad.
>
> _ _
> __ _ _ _| | | | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)
> Ypsilanti, MI
> / _` | | | | | |
> +-----------------------------------------------------
> | (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
> \__, |\__,_|_|_| "Geekdom is fantastic at being AGAINST something,
> and
> |___/ it's hopeless at being FOR something."
> -- Andrew Orlowski in The
> Register.
>
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