Date:         Tue, 25 May 2004 11:12:52 -0700
Reply-To:     Martin Haggblom-Payne <martinhp@PIPELINE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Martin Haggblom-Payne <martinhp@PIPELINE.COM>
Subject:      Re: vanagon Digest - 25 May 2004 - Special issue (#2004-492)
In-Reply-To:  <200405251241.1bsEZs7Nu3Nl3oX0@new.mail.atl.earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Starting at ~50K with a pop top option.......  for that amount of $$$
I could make every possible wild dream improvement to my
Westy.........TWICE.

They are nice looking, though lack some of the charm that makes the
vanagon special.

Martin Haggblom-Payne
'84 Westy
NORCAL



Date:    Tue, 25 May 2004 09:18:53 -0600
From:    Andrew Fox <afox@CNR.COLOSTATE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Vanagon vs Alternative Vehicles

have you checked out the american van poptop conversions with interior
layouts identical to the vanagon westy?

www.gtrv.com
www.parnado.com
www.sportsmobile.com

The major disadvantage of these is that they are bigger than the
vanagon, which may be an advantage to some.  They typically get about
the same gas mileage (sometimes better) as a 2.1 L Vanagon westy with
the smallest engines available being half the size of a 2.1L
waterboxer.  Of course there are immense advantages to driving a
vehicle that is still in production, is easy to get parts/service for,
and has a reputation for durability and reliablity etc...