Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:29:03 -0500
Reply-To: Derek Drew <derekdrew@DEREKMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Derek Drew <derekdrew@DEREKMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: The Price We Pay For Being "Cool"
In-Reply-To: <1494966072.119147.1325175941756.JavaMail.root@sz0063a.west
chester.pa.mail.comcast.net>
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Anyone who has a van because everyone thinks its cool should think
about selling their van (unless they are single, in which there are
advantages that make the matter less clear, at least until after
they've thrown the right person down on the camper bed after said
person is drawn in innocently by the itty bitty sink and refrigerator
and the whole novelty of the thing.).
Anyone who has a van because its in their blood and THEY think its
cool should keep their van.
I know of many people who sold their vans and regretted having done
at a very deep level and they did not realize how much the vans meant to them.
Here is a picture of my dashboard, so you can see that I am in the
midst of this exact job right along with you guys, so you are not alone:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-SW-fdOP_6nE/TvzHXjifK9I/AAAAAAAAACg/6OBli2UqA-U/s800/year-end-2011%252520049.JPG
There are auxiliary fuseboxes, relays, and such over to the right but
you can just barely seem them.
The zip tie idea is a great one, I'd say, and using the OEM metal
clips. I use $$ Panduit $$ zip ties. I ordered the OEM clips two
weeks ago and have them.
When somebody asks me if I think they should get one of these vans, I
tell them no, that they shouldn't. Then, if they get one anyway, then
I know that they should have.
The case for the vans is stronger for syncro campers since there are
more alternatives in non-syncros and non-campers than there are for
syncro campers.
Every single accessory and capability that you add to the vehicle
multiplies the value of the whole. So, if you add a $400 device to
your van, you are not only adding $400 of direct benefit to it, but
there is also a multiplier effect upon the value of the whole that
becomes transcendent as you progress ever deeper into the rapture?
madness? expense?
The most important thing is to 1) defend the van against the
instinctual preelections of some spouses to want to stamp the van
thing out; DON'T let her, and 2) defend your life with your
significant other against the van activities ruthlessly..... for
example.... no van parts should be allowed to encroach on the common
living areas of the house, no motors under the bed, no smells of oil
in the house, and limit van artifacts in the regular part of the
household to no more than two toys. In other words, SHE needs to be
protected from your inner van person and YOU are the only one who can
really police this.
WTF is with this list anyway. Somebody posts that they would rather
shoot themselves than have put a Meyle fan blower motor in there, and
everybody is like, wa???????...... the only other choice at $150 for
AEG is 3X the price.
The list came back with NO advice or commentary upon this issue of
the purported horribleness of Meyle fans.
At 11:25 AM 12/29/2011, you wrote:
>Just the other day my 18 yr old daughter was pleading with me,
>"Don't sell the Vanagon, everyone thinks its so cool. You know
>you'll regret it." So, now my Vanagon sits in the garage with the
>dash completely ripped out and I'm trying to figure out how to pry
>this stinkin' case apart to access the locked up blower motor. Right
>now I hate this van more than anything on earth! I just watched
>Bryan's video, and he's right-it may just be better to sell the van!
>I wished I'd watched it before I began this job....
>
>
>
>
>Jeff Stewart
_______________________________________________
Derek Drew
Washington DC / New York
derekdrew@derekmail.com
Email is best normally but...
PHONE: 202-966-7907 (Call the number at left normally)
(alt/cell for diligent calling only): 703-408-1532
