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Date:         Mon, 23 Aug 2004 17:02:52 -0400
Reply-To:     Greg Potts <Greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <Greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: swapping vanagon for Prius (was RE: license plate light bulbs
Comments: To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <E1BzL4m-0001cL-00@smtp02.mrf.mail.rcn.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Hi Joy,

I grew up tent camping. We had a tent trailer for years, and then I went into the boy scouts and learned the joys of backpacking and canoe tripping. Despite my infatuation (OK, obsession) with VW campers, I am still VERY familiar with other types of camping.... I didn't discover VW's until I was 16, and I didn't turn a wrench on one until I was 37.

The problem with other forms of camping is the time and space continuum... it takes a lot of space to store enough gear to camp comfortably. And the time to set up a tent is a lot more than the time it takes to recline the back seat of a Vanagon. Which is also a LOT more comfortable. Which means that the prius-based home cooked meal is being cooked outside on a picnic table in the rain. Ugh.

There's a common saying among long-term bus and vanagon owners... "the first year is hell". All the stuff the PO neglected comes down on you like a ton of bricks. And the usual stuff still needs to be attended to, which can make for an awkward and frustrating time getting to know your vehicle. But once you're past that first year the "overhead" is reduced, and your investment makes it worthwhile to stay on top of the continuing cost of ownership.

On the other hand... I consider the Prius as a disposable vehicle. In 8-10 years (or less) it will be worn out and the cost of repairs will exceed the replacement cost of the vehicle. And judging from current trends with most manufacturers, the parts simply won't be available to keep it running. Think about how many prius' there are in the world right now... how many of them will still be on the road in 10 years? Will a dealer bother to stock parts for your year and model. I wouldn't count on it. YMMV. So your investment in the Prius is non-recoverable. But if I continue to keep my 197x VW bus maintained at the rate of $2.5K per year I can drive it virtually forever... and that's a lot less than I'd be paying for a new disposable car like the Ford Focus that my employer provides me.

Look around for a "DIY garage" near urban centers where you can rent space to work on your own vehicle. Get the bentley, and get familiar with the minor mechanical systems on your vanagon. If you can tune a bicycle you can swap the fuel pump on a vanagon. The investment in tools and manuals will pay you back many many times over. And the personal satisfaction involved in acquiring a new skill is not to be discounted, either. You don't have to know how to tear down an engine or reprogram the fuel injection, but being able to look after the simple stuff will save you a lot of $$$ and will help keep you in touch with the condition of the vehicle.

Once you are caught up on the regular maintenance you can plan for preventative maintenance, and fix the problems before they happen. You don't have to be a mechanic, you just have to be willing to take ownership and turn a screwdriver.

Happy trails,

Greg Potts Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1973/74/79 Westfakia Conversion **Bob the Tomato** LY3H 1977 Sunroof Automatic L63H/L90D http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia http://www.busesofthecorn.com

On 23-Aug-04, at 4:05 PM, Joy Hecht wrote:

> Hey, Greg, > > Have you ever heard of a tent and a camp stove? Come on, I know you > grew up > in a household full of vanagons, but surely you've heard of car > camping! I > would leave the kayak behind, because I'm not using it that much and > the > rest of the paddling gear takes up a lot of space. But I'd take the > bike > with me, that's easy and essential. > > I'm mulling it over. Unlike you guys, I'm not a mechanic, so the > repairs > cost me a ton! And because I don't have any other housing, if my van > needs > to go in for repairs I'm rather stuck - homeless, to put it bluntly. > It's > not like I can put the repairs off till I have time, with the van out > in the > driveway or the garage and me inside the house. > > Anyone have any brilliant thoughts on this matter? I know asking the > mechanics on the Vanagon list isn't really the right people to get > ideas > from, but what the hell... > > > Joy > > **************************************************************** > Joy Hecht > and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon > > For musings about life and the vanadventures: > http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy > > ****************************************************************:::---- > -Orig > inal Message----- > :::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On > Behalf > :::Of Greg Potts > :::Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 3:15 PM > :::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > :::Subject: Re: license plate light bulbs > ::: > :::Hi Joy, > ::: > :::That's a lot of stuff you're going to need to unload... Bicycle, > Kayak, > :::dishes, food storage, bedding... > ::: > :::Once you factor in the cost of accomodation and restaurant meals to > :::touring in a Prius, the maintenance on your Vanagon will seem like > a > :::tremendous bargain. To maintain an older vehicle does require that > you > :::scale back your demands sometimes. But life in the slow lane can be > :::every bit as fulfilling... Think about it for a while... do you > really > :::prefer a drive-through menu to home cooking? > ::: > :::Happy trails, > ::: > :::Greg Potts > :::Toronto, Ontario, Canada > ::: > :::1973/74/79 Westfakia Conversion **Bob the Tomato** LY3H > :::1977 Sunroof Automatic L63H/L90D > :::http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia > :::http://www.busesofthecorn.com > ::: > ::: > :::On 23-Aug-04, at 11:41 AM, Joy Hecht wrote: > ::: > :::> I'm about ready to get rid of even more stuff and continue my > travels > :::> in my > :::> Prius, which never needs repairs and if I needed parts I could get > :::> them. > >


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