Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:55:20 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: The Price We Pay For Being "Cool"
In-Reply-To: <0b6901ccc776$b514a840$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
I 95 is on the East Coast, from Maine down to South Florida. My mom lives in Barefoot Bay.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans [mailto:scottdaniel@turbovans.com]
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 11:43 PM
To: Dennis Haynes; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Re: The Price We Pay For Being "Cool"
22mpg is about right for a V6 eurovan. ( VR6 acutally I think ..which is not a traditional V-6 ) .
It's a big heavy vehicle.
you don't say what part of california ..
in So Cal especially ....85 mph can be normal sometimes.
this friend I had in Bakersfield..who drove into LA all the time..
we used to say for driving down there you needed a cat that will go 85 mph up any hill..
with AC on. ( ! ) .
in the very best circumstances and gentle driving I can see a VR6 eurovan touching 24mpg .
It's very hard to get anything that big and heavy, in gasoline, with decent performance, to get anything much higher than low 20's.
I have a 93 Eurvoan MV poptop ..it is a different animal compared to a vanagon in every possible way.
Not related at all.
The introduction of the Eurovan in 92/93 marks the very end of the entire progression from the beginning of VW Bus concept, which is .... ..rear oppossed four cylinder engine , people in front with their feet ahead of the front wheels...
one long series of continuous developement of the original concept ...and the 91/92 Vanagon is the end of that whole line. from early 50's or whatever ....to 1991. A good run for sure.
when you count aerodynamics, and crashworthiness ..
the vanagon had to go ...needed a whole re-think for modern standards.
and, vanagons are SO much easier to deal with in every way. Which is why
we love 'em.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 8:22 PM
Subject: Re: The Price We Pay For Being "Cool"
My mom has a 2003 Kia Sedona with the V6 and almost 100,000 miles. I
borrowed it yesterday for a 266 mile round trip. Yes I was doing ~70 on I 95
both ways and about 40 miles was in traffic but id barely did 21 mpg.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Dave Mcneely
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 5:17 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: The Price We Pay For Being "Cool"
We visited friends in California over Christmas. They have a Eurovan. I
had not realized how much more minivan and less van the vehicle is compared
to my Vanagon Campmobile. Theirs is the model with bed, poptop, but no
kitchen. But it really is a minivan. But, with the V-6, they get 22 mpg on
the road, and they stated that that was really too bad for a modern vehicle,
that it should be more.
mcneely
---- Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM> wrote:
> I agree, the Vanagon community is such a great resource for the vehicles.
> I keep meaning to call up Click & Clack and emphasize that point...
>
> Speaking of which, on one of their shows (I'm listening via podcasts) they
> talked about cars and souls. Vanagons (and splitties, and loafs) have
> Souls, IMHO. These modern mini-vans don't. Actually, the fun part of the
> show was...if doing an engine swap, does that affect the soul of the car?
> Relevant, as all of my Vanagons have had engine swaps (transplants in some
> cases).
>
>
> On Dec 30, 2011, at 11:53 AM, Joy Hecht wrote:
>
> > On Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 12:27 PM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> >
> >> I don't have a VW camper because others think it is "cool," or
> >> because I do. I have it because it is a tool to make camping
> >> practical for an aging, crusty old nut and a not always well wife.
> >> It is that simple, and if there were a comparable, but more
> >> reliable vehicle, I would have that. I also would not bother
> >> myself with whether it was a VW, a Ford, a Toyota, or whatever. In
> >> fact, being a long-time anti-cool curmudgeon, a Toyota would likely be
> >> more fitting to my tastes.
> >>
> >
> > Interesting. If there were an equivalent vehicle but more reliable,
> > available at the same price, I suppose might go with it too, just
> > because I am so useless at repairs.
> >
> > But frankly, one of the big reasons I wouldn't want to change brands
> > is because of all you folks out there. Being part of the vanagon
> > community made living in my van a totally different experience from
> > simply being on the road. I didn't know about the vanagon community
> > when I got my van, but realizing that I'd become part of this group
> > of people, and wanting to stay part of this group, is a big reason
> > why I stick with my van now despite all the problems.
> >
> > I don't mean to sound sappy - but it's true! So thanks, guys.
> >
> >
> >
> > Joy
--
David McNeely
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