Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 15:07:45 +0000
Reply-To: Hermann the German <urlauber10@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Hermann the German <urlauber10@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon Mania
Content-Type: text/html
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV class=RTE>
<P>We have this discussion every time the vans are in the shop. However,here's our strategy to cope with the issue:</P>
<P>We add up the annual repair bills for our two vans and our ' 92 Honda Civic . It is never more than 4000$ for all three vehicles and we drive the heck out of them. I don't do any maintenance work myself, just have a trusted mechanic with reasonable prices. It is my philosophy to spend my freetime with my kids rather than under my vans.</P>
<P><BR>Here are several things I have learned since 1996, the year I bought my Westy, 150 000 miles ago:</P>
<P>- vanagons need to be driven daily. If you don't drive the van every day something will go wrong.</P>
<P>- you should own a second van/westy so one can be in the shop at all times.</P>
<P>-owning a vanagon/westy is a matter of lifestyle and/or life philosophy. </P>
<P>-there is no reasonable alternative available in the US at the moment.</P>
<P>-owning a vanagon/westy is an emotional, not a checkbook issue.</P>
<P>-SWMBO has to be a vanagon enthusiast, otherwise you're heading for a marital catastrophe.</P>
<P>-brand new cars break down too and cost a whole lot more to fix than old vanagons.</P>
<P>-I love my low insurance and property tax bills for my vans.</P>
<P>-the kids at my high school, in my neighborhood, and in my town think I am cool because I drive vw vans.</P>
<P>-my mother- in- law thinks I am nuts.</P>
<P>Recently I went on a trip to Moab (2500 miles roundtrip) in my 89 syncro, 186000 miles, 15 years old, crossing the Rockies twice, and all that it needed was new brake fluid. I abused that poor thing offroading in Moab, and still no problems. Now, that is what I call reliability.</P>
<P>My 2 cents.</P>
<P>Cheers,<BR>Hermann de Boer </P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Kansas City,Missouri
<DIV></DIV>87 Westy "Eurospec"
<DIV></DIV>89 Syncro GL
<DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr> <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMBENUS/2755??PS=">Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfeeŽ Security.</a> </html>
|