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Date:         Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:56:51 -0800
Reply-To:     Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
In-Reply-To:  <A6E1A9B6CCDC45AAAA1EC7ADE16170CB@customerPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I traveled a lot on business to Hong Kong and China in the late 1990's; typically the factory would have a Toyota Hiace to shuttle folks around.  They'd really pack us in.  But as a Vanagon owner, I was looking at the vehicle in a whole different light....was drooling how I'd convert it into a camper van.  With a nice diesel 6-cylinder and ice-cold A/C even during Hong Kong summers, that van would fly down the road, fully loaded, I think once we had 17 guys in there with fold-down jump seats utilized.  Alas, with California smog rules and all the USA import rules, I know that will probably never happen for me....  On the other hand, I'm reading more and more about the Mercedes Sprinter....seems like that is going to be my next roadtrip vehicle....would get a stripped one and transform it with all the goodies and comforts.  Talked with a delivery driver the other day who drove a Sprinter....says it FLIES!, great handling, plenty of power, sips diesel, reliable as all get out, and they are ALL over the place these days, so I guess plenty of service and repair facilities for the future.

Still....like the way my 85 Vanagon fits into my garage...guess I will need to get a bigger one someday to match the vehicle!

Rich San Diego

--- On Tue, 1/18/11, HotelWestfalia <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET> wrote:

From: HotelWestfalia <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET> Subject: Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern.. To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 5:27 PM

When I lived in South Africa, that Hiace was the most preferred taxi for the locals.  More than twenty of them fit in at a time.  I would not be surprised if it was thirty guys.  But it was well loved by all the businesses for it's dependability, only it got stolen more often.  Many drivers got killed in the process and it has not stopped yet.  I'm not sure, the Vanagon would be as much sought after ever for it's dependability. BTW there was no VW camper introduced in South Africa of the Vanagon kind. Zoltan

----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 4:35 PM Subject: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..

>I know it is not Friday but I saw a Nissan Hiace today, driving through >town > and it went past my parked Vanagon.   They could be Clones.   Same size > and > shape and this Nissan had a cool awning and it looked like a camping > interior.  Right hand drive and diesel.   Good looking modern beastie. > Didn't see the plates.  It looked to me like a modern Vanagon, but > Japanese.   I suppose the US forbids them being owned and registered here, > or we would all have them, I suppose. > >  I am going to do some research about those thingys...I owned a Nissan one > time and it was so dependable I never even knew what kinda motor was in > it...Gas and drive...change the oil...and a couple of hundered thousand > miles later, it got smooshed without ever giving me one single problem. > If > I could have a Vanagon-like Nissan...I certainly would be all over it. > >   The Nissan Hiace drivers were checking out my Vanagon as they drove > past.....wonder what they were saying to each other? > >  Don Hanson >


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