Date:         Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:24:40 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Yes!  It's working great!  All-time best MPG..
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

 I get 45mpg in my diesel Golf, but I would not put the engine into a
Vanagon, I think it would be too slow.
Zoltan

  Yes, the diesel vanagons are slow.  Excruciatingly slow!  And I doubt,
that with the weight difference between a Golf and a Vanagon,  you'd get
45mpg with a Golf/Vanagon diesel.

  When I first got interested in Vanagons again, it was after riding in a
Canadian pal's diesel Westy.  We put our bikes on the back and went up a
long steep pass to ride up Mount Palomar (home of a famous telescope) near
San Diego.
   I simply could not believe how slow that diesel van went, going up a 7-9%
grade for 11 miles.  At one point, my SO rode right past us, and slowed up
to taunt my driving friend.  Pedaling uphill on her bicycle....And this
vanagon was in perfect shape..it was just plain slow with that motor.
  I guess you have to be a certain type keep one of those...or live in
Kansas where there are NO hills.
  My pal  sold that van because it wasn't "Green" enough for him..He likes
to do his shopping on his mountain bike, takes the train now from Canada to
Borrego.  He is one of those ex-hippie draft dodgers expats who thinks about
carbon footprints, etc etc all the time..A little out there..but good
hearted..
  Don Hanson