Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 22:06:28 -0500
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: '93 Westy checked out ...
In-Reply-To: <011901c74a60$88ff7f70$2f01a8c0@FirstLaptop>
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> The other day I went to check out a '93 Westy.
> I was surprised how small the space is inside. Cramped.
> This was not a long model that would have had an extra length
> of foot and a half in the "lounge" area, so the door where we
> have the fridge, could not open. I was surprised that the
> height was about four inches less. The lifter of the top was
> in the front and not very practical there. It also felt like
> it is also narrower than the Vanagon inside. The engine was
> 2.5 five cylinder but did not pull better than our 2.1L. All
> that plastic in front was putting me off. Too syntetic all over.
> I was surprised how much lesser the interior space was.
> Otherwise it had the same cabinets and things we do. There
> was not one feature that would stick out as a positive, a
> good reason to get it for. Maybe the five cylinder engine
> only and the front wheel drive factor and the ABS brakes.
> The rest would rather make me not to buy it. Plus, the
> sliding door does not open from the inside. Maybe that was
> possible on the later years.
> So, all in all, it was a great disappointment.
> Just in case one would like to gravitate towards one.
I checked out a Canadian '93 Westy whose owner stopped by the shop for parts
some time ago, and had the same overall reaction. Compared to a Vanagon
Westy, the short-wheelbase EV Westy just seemed cramped. (The EV Winnebago,
incidentally, is based on a longer wheelbase.) Someone once claimed that
the actually interior volume is not significantly lower, but empirically it
definitely felt that way! Another drawback is that as a rule, Eurovan parts
are considerably more expensive than similar Vanagon parts, due to the much
lower U.S. sales volume (hence less economy of scale). My reaction was that
if I were to buy a Eurovan camper at any time down the road, it would have
to be a Winnebago version, just because of the longer wheelbase.
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
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