Date:         Wed, 3 Dec 2008 02:40:32 +0000
Reply-To:     Richard Golen <rgolen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Golen <rgolen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Making of a Vanagon - Now New T3
In-Reply-To:  <993502.96816.qm@web51510.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

It would be great to have a new Vanagon, however it boils down to simple economics. Ten years ago I managed to get a VIP tour of the Type II assembly plant in Hannover where they were producing the T4. My guide had mentioned that the number of man-hours that went into producing the T4 were 40% of those used for the T3,and that the T3 was still being produced (1998) in South Africa because the labor costs there were low enough to make it feasible.

VW, as well as most car manufacturers design and build their cars to utilize the minimum of man-hours. For example the Golf II used 35 man-hours of labor. The succeeding Golf III used 18 man-hours. Now, rather than building whole cars (the original Beetle in the 1950s was 90% VW content), companies now assemble groups of sub-assemblies. The total content of VW made parts in the Golf V is down to 38%. The rest of the Golf is assembled from parts (seats, dash/control assemblies, etc) from sub-contractors that are located no more than 20 miles from the Wolfsburg plant. All parts arriving within 45 minutes of then they are needed.

Porsche, which was once famous for its hand assembly of cars, almost went out of business in the mid nineties because they "built great cars at a loss". They hired consultants from Toyota and Nissan in 1997 and within three years cut the number of man-hours in the 911 by 60%.

Bottom line, it would be nice to have a new,updated Vanagon, however a 1970s design does not lend itself to the demands of modern production, etc. 


Ric 





> Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 17:32:02 -0800
> From: regnsuzanne@YAHOO.COM
> Subject: Re: Making of a Vanagon - Now New T3
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> 
> I've brought the idea to the list before, that is to create a website dedicated to convincing VW to re-open the T3 assembly line, albeit with updated electronics and power train.  
> 
> Folks voiced their skepticism with objections that Andrew has debunked below, i.e. that the vehicle COULD be brought up to current USA & Canadian safety standards.
> 
> I would love to have a new T3 TDI Syncro.......I think that a lot of people would......
> 
> Anthony
> '89 Syncro GL (Hidalgo)
> 
> 
> --- On Tue, 12/2/08, Andrew Grebneff <goose1047@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> From: Andrew Grebneff <goose1047@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Re: video: Making of a Vanagon
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 6:23 PM
> 
> >> You're not forgetting about air bags, and ABS brakes and such
> things ,
> >> right
> 
> T3s were available with ABS. Airbags are easily added. Stability
> control likewise (but this is no guarantee of safety... "Wheels" in
> Australia recently tested a Toyota Kluger (=Highlander) and the
> stability control did NOT step in when it should have... and the
> vehicle rolled several times (and the Aussie market demands much
> better suspension than US).
> 
> >> since the only 'people sit right in front' vehicles sold in
> north America
> >> are trucks.  ( I'm thinking those Isuzu cab-over diesel delivery
> trucks and
> >> similar cab-over trucks  )
> >> In all cars , mini-vans, and people haulers, the occupants are
> mid-mounted
> >> these days.
> 
> Well, the Japanese have continued with forward-control vans (and
> likewise the 2nd-generation Mitsubishi Delica made by Hyundai as the
> H100). These must be passing Euro NCAP offset-head-on crashtests,
> which the T3 would pass with flying colors.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> +    To unsubscribe from the Vanagon List send an e-mail to
> +    listserv@gerry.vanagon.com with SIGNOFF VANAGON
> +    in the body of the message.
> ------------------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________________________________
Send e-mail faster without improving your typing skills.
http://windowslive.com/Explore/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_speed_122008

------------------------------------------------------------
+    To unsubscribe from the Vanagon List send an e-mail to
+    listserv@gerry.vanagon.com with SIGNOFF VANAGON
+    in the body of the message.
------------------------------------------------------------