Date:         Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:08:03 -0600
Reply-To:     James Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         James Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Friday Philosophy: On the nature of Repair
Comments: To: "Joe T." <vanagon85@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CANrF1zhdeo-rf3roqy1xyXa4yLMHriRMdDqNL+8JUA1yr1DSGg@mail.gmail.com>
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Joe,

You've hit upon a very valuable insight into the American psyche with your barbecue grill comment, and it has everything to do with older cars. 

How the grill functions has nothing to do with its value. What makes it valuable is its ability to impress other people. There is a big industry at work to make us ashamed of what we have (just watch any weekend home show) and long for the next new thing which gets people excited, however crappy it might actually be. 

Vanagons are an example of something that has stayed around long enough, because of people like us who refuse to be ashamed of them, until they got people excited again. 

Jim

On Jan 18, 2013, at 6:46 PM, "Joe T." <vanagon85@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> I think that Vanagons are starting to become like the 1950's American cars

> that the Cubans are even still continuing to fix and use.  Creativity,
> ambition, and mechanical skills go a long way.  Just another reason why
> making old stuff continue to work is better in so many ways than giving up

> and buying new stuff.
> 
> I get especially disgusted when I see perfectly good BBQ grills out for
> garbage pickup, when I've rebuilt my trusty Kenmore gas grill twice in
> thirteen years and it still makes a badass steak....
> 
> Cheers,
> Joe T.
> Denver
> '85 Wolfsburg Westy Subie 2.2
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 5:06 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>>     I'm guessing we only have a few more years of being "Vanagon Fixers"
>> before they become too valuable as collector's vehicles to be used and
>> broken, then repaired....except by the Silver Spoon set.   Oh, there will

>> be the odd 'deal' vanagon left around, but they'll probably become valuable
>> and too "good" to drive everyday.    Or, they'll be legislated off the road
>> somehow...
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Joe T.
> '85 Wolfsburg Westy Subie 2.2