Date:         Sun, 23 Feb 2003 01:02:58 -0500
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: '99 SA Vanagon pics
In-Reply-To:  <3E57BB0F.71B29AB6@execpc.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

It's very wishful thinking. It isn't a matter of getting them crash
tested or emissions tested. Frankly they simply won't pass current
safety requirements. A lot of new safety requirments have been
instituted since 1992. Among them are air bags (they ain't in the SA
ones from the pictures I've seen), 5 mph bumpers on "cars" (I'm not
sure the Vanagon's are even 2.5mph approved ones.) I believe the
engines would also have to be OBD compliant (probably OBD II since
1997). While the inline 4 and 5 cylinder engines could meet this last
with little effort by VW, it is highly unlikely (due to expense) that
VW would ever see a profit in making the Wasserboxer OBD compliant.


On Saturday, February 22, 2003, at 01:01 PM, Jerry wrote:

> They say money talks. With somewhere around 1,000 people on this list
> alone, and 100's
> of them spending thousands of dollars to maintain or upgrade our old
> vans, and a large
> enough number of them (me included) were willing to put down a sizable
> deposit, that
> VWOA could be persuaded to convert some to left-hand drive in SA where
> labor costs are
> lower and then import them? Wishful thinking, I guess.