Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 01:08:29 +0000
Reply-To: joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon & Eurovan - community helping community
In-Reply-To: <000c01c5a909$7963ca70$8f9fd646@t41>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
About two weeks ago, one of my very best friends was out looking for
minivans, and saw an '82 Westy at a used lot in Golden. He had been looking
for Siennas, Hondas, etc. and happened upon this one. He and his wife were
immediately bitten by the bug. They decided against the '82 due to the age
and the fact that the lot wanted $8900 for it!
Over the next few days, they looked at several Vanagons. He liked them a
lot but was a bit iffy on the whole thing. He is not mechanically inclined
and was looking for something to cart the family around in as a primary
vehicle, so I suggested that he check out Eurovans as well. I did tell him,
though, that Eurovan people suck, i.e. they never wave back and seem to ooze
condescension over their sloped hoods. He noted my comment and went about
looking at Eurovans, and fell in love.
He found an absolutely perfect '93 Weekender, completely gone through, no
rust, no stains, no nothing, and bought it. He has also promised that he
will ALWAYS wave to other VW Transporter owners. (His wife had a '72 loaf
many years back, so I think he's good for it.)
Strange that this conversation came up, since it's been discussed several
times among our friends recently...
Joe T.
>From: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
>Reply-To: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Vanagon & Eurovan - community helping community
>Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 17:10:22 -0700
>
>Cross list post ... Vanagon.com & EV_update
>
>To: EV-Update folks,
>
>I recently posted a "distress call" for a stranded "Eurovan Traveller"
>to the Vanagon & EV lists.
>
>Several responses and offers of help came back from Vanagon folks, but
> very little from EV folks.
>
>I was a surprised and disappointed at the lack of help for one of your
>own.
>
>BTW .... current list membership count is:
>
>Vanagon.com = 904 members
>ev_update = 3627 members
>
>Those results prompted a discussion thread on the Vanagon list as to why
>EV owners don't seem to feel the same sense of Community (helping ea other)
>as perhaps Bus & Vanagon owners do.
>
>I don't intent this as a flame or put down to EV owners.
>
>I would like to understand your perspective.
>
>Why do you think EuroVan owners don't seem to be as motivated as other vw
>bus/van
>folks to help one another.
>
>Or am I off base and drawing the wrong conclusion?
>
>To me ... A VW VAN IS A VW VAN IS A VW VAN.
>
>I don't care if its air cooled, water cooled or beer cooled.
>
>We are all stuck with beautiful, but problematic vehicles.
>
>If someone is in need I'll try and help.
>
>I "clipped" a few of the comments from the vanagon group's discussion.
>
>- - -
>
>Personally I will help a "camper" regardless if splittie, bay, vanagon, or
>euro. However I have found that the vast majority of the euro crowd looks
>upon us all as "other" people.
>
>- - -
>
>To hell with those people, Larry. They won't even help one of their own,
>yet
>they act like a Vanagon was the result of a drunken night spent with a
>hooker
>from the wharfs.
>
>- - -
>
>I think the split is a result of the change in design philosophy. The
>Vanagon
>was still the same basic design from '80-- it was the last of the
>"traditional"
>Volkswagen designs. The EuroVan was just another minivan. It just doesn't
>have
>that same "thinking outside the box" look or feel that came with the old
>rear
>engine VWs, so it doesn't attract the same class of nuts.
>
>- - -
>
>Several of us approached the EV folks and started a general VW oriented
>conversation. They were not the least friendly. Would I help one of them if
>they had a problem? Yes. Would any of them help a Vanagon, Splittie or Bay
>bus
>owner in trouble? I seriously doubt they'd give us a second look or
>thought.
>
>- - -
>
>The average EVC owner/driver doesn't see themselves as part of the
>tradition,
>history or 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.
>
>- - -
>
>I've met vanagon & bus folks like this too and I've met people in Ford
>campers
>who were nice folks. It's the people and not the van.
>
>- - -
>
>
>good road, good adventure
>
>larry chase
>
>www.roadhaus.com
>www.roadhaus.com/shops.html
>www.roadhaus.com/tires.html
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