Date:         Thu, 13 Oct 2005 10:03:15 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Williams <williams@FIRE.BIOL.WWU.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Williams <williams@FIRE.BIOL.WWU.EDU>
Subject:      moronic behavior and vanagons
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Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 09:17:55 -0700
To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
From: Don Williams <williams@fire.biol.wwu.edu>
Subject: I think it's really, really funny, and I use moron both as a
factual term and term of endearment. Look, no one has been more
moronic than me in their love of vanagons. Let me tell you my story.
I had a 78 bus whose engine exploded on a trip back to California.
Enormously pissed about it, I sold it, and I have regretted it every
day since. My wife encouraged to explore a new vehicle. I bought a
brand new 2002 Sienna, thinking that I would enjoy dependable
transportation for a change. But the problem was----there were no
breakdowns and no temporary fixes that I could apply----no limping
back to town wondering if I was going to make it. In short, it was a
disaster. I gave the Sienna to my wife, who is not fond of highway
emergencies. So I bought an 85 Westfia, having driven busses all my
life. I paid $5000 for a gashed up vehicle (it was driven into trees
by two 85 year-old-lesbians, who traveled everywhere together, bless
their hearts. The blue book was $3200 at the time, but I was so taken
by their story that I shelled out the money. I put $2500 into body
repair, overhauled the engine, brakes, CV joints, waterpump. I
pulled the engine twice (partially because of my stupidity and
partially because the waterboxer is a really crazy engine). I put in
a platcat for camping (which I love). I replaced the clutch master
and the brake master cylinder. I'm finished with it and I love it and
it is worth at max, realistically, $2500. I've paid my dues and done
enough moronic things (with vanaons and busses) that I am entitled to
recognize and comment upon moronic behavior without apology. If
people are offended by it they can scroll on by (in the same way that
I am going to scroll on by an advertisement for a $31,000 vanagon.
Don At 01:41 PM 10/12/2005 -0700, you wrote: I have to agree
with Malcolm. If you don't like what you see keep moving. Use your
delete key as I did with the no-subjectline posting that you must have
made. Lots of spam masquerade in much the same manner for curious
readers like Malcolm. Anyway, there must be more pleasant ways to
express your disapproval on one's opinion about the value of their
van. If it is priced too high, then it will not sell. It it sells,
then more power to them. If someone can afford to buy it because it
makes more sense for them to buy a van than do all the work, that's
great. A number of fellow I am well acquainted with on this list get
paid 10-15 times per hour than what a good reputable shop would charge
to work on their vans. For them it makes sense. The net price to them
is less than what their lost time is worth. -- BenT
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