Date:         Sat, 18 Dec 2004 22:54:58 +0100
Reply-To:     Calle <vw.vanagon@TELIA.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Calle <vw.vanagon@TELIA.COM>
Subject:       Re: Vanagon name - whereīs the HiAceīs
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

Jeff

Itīs a bit different between countries, f.i. Germany has their own VW,
Mercedes and Ford industry to support, France has Citroen, Renault and
Peugeot, Italy Fiat and so on  and just the later years the european trend
has gone towards even smaller vehicles like VW Caddy (Golf panel truck)
along with the other VAG group Skoda and Seat siblings, Citroen Berlingo/
Peugeot Partner, Renault Kangoo and Fiat Doblo.
( names mentioned if someone wants to have a look ;-))
Itīs more politically correct when the gas is around 6$ US a gallon and if
larger transport vehicles are neccesary there is always some truckcompany
that can deliver.....
Andother thing is the EU import taxes

Buying a Van for family transportation has been down too, there are smaller
families now than a few years ago and if you donīt want a SUV many of the
smallsize "trucks" mentioned in the beginning have a "Family" version with
windows all around and up to 7 seats
There are also lots of  other familycars around, MPV like VW Sharan and
Touran, Opel Meriva, Renault Scenic and the Verso versions of Toyota Yaris
and Avensis just to mention a few of the mor popular

Wait, I lost it somewhere there, this was to be about HiAces :)
They were regarded the best buy Van for many years in Sweden - maybe a bit
overpriced compared to the other Japanese brands - and was sold in large
quantitys to plumbers, carpenters and others who wanted something smaller
than the Chevy Starcraft gas guzzler they had bought when their Vanagons was
worn down !
But as so often with company cars nobody bothered to put any real attention
to their rustproofing and since Toyota left it to the customer to put that
stuff on, many of them has rapidly rusted away on the Swedish salted roads
which is a shame since the drivetrain was almost bulletproof.
Itīs too bad it doesnīt fit in the Vanagon since there was a really nice 4x4
diesel sold  :-)

Calle

Jeffrey Schwaia wrote

>I go to Europe quite frequently, and I rarely see any Toyota Hiace's
> tootling around.
>
> Jeff