Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 12:52:25 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Traveller in distress (near Chicago) - UPDATE TWO
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I nearly bought a 93 Euro Van with a dead 5 cylinder front Audi Engine
sporting only 66k miles.
Everybody on the Wet Westies, Type 2 and Vanagon list told me to run from it
because the 5 cylinder Audi engine can be a $4000.00 overhaul.
I could have had the EV for about $1500.00 and it was near perfect in every
way except a burnt valve.
I liked the heated seats heated automatic mirrors, good fabric upholstery,
two rear facing jump seats with folding table and split rear seat.
It had a fold down rear seat with a big pad that would make a bed like a
Westy lower bed.
I think that the A/C systems are death prone like other VWs though.
I justified passing it by because it didn't have a pop top.
Stan Wilder
Engine Ceramics
214-352-4931
www.engineceramics.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Loren Busch" <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 12:20 PM
Subject: Re: Traveller in distress (near Chicago) - UPDATE TWO
RE: EVC's and owners attitudes
I think we have several elements coming into play here. Let me
explain it this way.
When I went to my first WetWesties camp out I was
amazed/puzzled/pleased to see a lot of people much younger than
myself, in fact puzzled was the best word. Why the number of 18 to 25
year olds driving vintage Splitties and Bay Windows? At a recent camp
out, I finally asked two of the youngest in the group "Why?". Their
answer was a combination of things, but what stuck with me the most,
and what they emphasized, was "I can work on it myself, parts are
readily available, and it's fun". The Vanagon is a logical extension
of the original VW 'Bus'. Same general configuration just with an
upgrade to the size and modernization of the suspension, steering,
etc. The Vanagon provides the same utility and to a lesser degree the
same ability to "Work on it myself and parts are available". And for
those that are real VW affectionados (I'm not) the lineage to the Bus
is obvious.
Our Vanagons and Vanagon based camper conversions (Westfalias, AW.s,
ASI's, etc.) are still unique in the market place, for all the reasons
we drive them. And one of the big reasons is the cost to acquire one.
This is a major point of departure with the EVC owners. We trade a
little worry, some pampering and close attention to maintenance, and
future dollars for the big bite it takes out of the pocket book to
acquire an EVC vs. a Vanagon or Bus based camper. I expect that most
of the EVC owners want to be able to get in and go, park when not in
use, and not worry about the things we agonize over. When VW came up
with the EV design, for whatever reason, they broke so far from the
lineage of the Bus and Vanagon that the link was broken in peoples
minds. You can't "Work on it myself and parts are available" with the
EV. Few custom accessories are available as opposed to the Vanagon
and Bus. The EVC, especially in the later years, comes with all the
bells and whistles we add (Furnace, inverter, cruise control, front
AC, etc.) When was the last time you saw an EVC with custom roof
rack, Big Bumpers, etc ?
And because of the low volume of sales on the EVC it is unlikely that
an 'after market' will develop for these vehicles. We'd like to think
that 10 or 15 years down the line the EVC owners will be asking the
same questions on the Internet lists that we are asking now. I doubt
it, I don't think that will happen.
And all the above sums up that the average EVC owner/driver doesn't
see themselves as part of the tradition/history/lineage that the Bus
and Vanagon driver/owner/caretaker does. They just don't connect
their EVC with the past history of VW campers or vehicles.
I have to think that it is their loss, not ours. The sense of
community among those driving Vanagons and Buses is lost to most of
the EVC crowd.
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