Date:         Sun, 3 Jan 2010 12:02:31 -0500
Reply-To:     Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: Phrydae Musings
Comments: To: "Peter T. Owsianowski" <pnoceanwesty@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <e30c845b1001011514t1b0b36eeo2d295298d5b907f8@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi Pete,

I don't know about production numbers, but the sales figures were
probably deeply affected by the price impact of the exchange rate.

The exchage rate between the Deutchmark and Dollar changed a lot in the
late 70s/early 80's. In 1968 the rate was 4:1, but by 1980 it had
changed to 1.7:1, increasing the cost of the vehicle on our side of the
pond by more than double, and it stayed there throughout the Vanagon
years that ended at 1.5:1 in 1992.

Exchange rate tables from here:
http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/projects/currency.htm#tables

You're also assuming that the vanagon community spends as much time on
TS as the Baywindow owners do, and I doubt that's true. Factor the sales
listings by forum post volume and I bet the statistics are a lot more
even, or possibly slanted back towards the vanagon.


Happy Trails,

Greg Potts
Toronto, Ontario Canada
1973/74/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop
www.busesofthecorn.com
www.pottsfamily.ca


Peter T. Owsianowski wrote:
> Watching the Rose Bowl and cruising the Samba.  (Favorite site while
> surfing!)
>
> Noticed there are 594 Bay Window buses for sale v.s. 392 Vanagons.
>
> So, Bay Windows were produced from 1967 to 1979 (12 years production) and
> Vanagons from 1979 to 1992 (13 years production)
>
> If the production years were about the same, were there that many more
> Baywindows produced than Vanagons, or are Volks just holding onto Vanagons
> more?
>