Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:59:15 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Beyond Vanagon-Keeping older vehicles!
In-Reply-To: <20130323145214.61H23.704587.imail@eastrmwml208>
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On Sat, Mar 23, 2013 at 7:52 AM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> And for those of us to whom a vehicle is simply a utilitarian device, ...
Wait, you guys and gals with motorhomes, in addition to vanagons?....
The motorhome is a vehicle but it isn't simply a utilitarian device.....not
when it contains systems to wash your clothes, watch TV, run your electric
blankets and the microwave, give you a hot bath in the whirlpool tub and do
everything a house would do......
I chatted recently with a lady from a Prevost million dollar 'vehicle' who
was bemoaning the fact that her washer and drier were "Too Small" and she
had to bring her laundry to the cleaners.....If she wanted 'simple' and
utilitarian, she probably should have her limo driver drop her at a hotel
and had her maid take out the laundry... forget that RV stuff....grin.
>
> One thing I definitely have learned on this list. What some like about
> the Vanagon is constantly working on it. For them, what other reason is
> there to have a vehicle?
>
There are certainly lots of folks on the list who seem to enjoy the
hobby of working on their Vanagons as their main focus. The Vanagon is
probably one of the more straightforward vehicles around to work on.
.But some peoples' (here on the list) Vanagons are far from "Utilitarian",
what with all complex systems they have from the factory and the additions
that some owners install...
Now my basic tin top with 'power nothing'....that is pretty basic and
utilitarian. (Read: Cheap?)
But start adding 'convenience and comfort' options and you begin to up the
frequency and the complexity of the maintenance required.. AC, cruise
control, power options, extra heaters, etc etc......those certainly reduce
the utilitarianism and add to the number of things that will have to be
worked on...
Simple vehicles won't wash your clothes...(We used to do our laundry in
Baja using a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a snap on lid. Fill it with
soapy water, put in the dirty clothes and drive on a Baja road all
day...clothes washed up just fine, no moving parts in that washer) They
don't cool you off or let you drive down the freeway without your foot on
the gas pedal. They don't show what is behind you on a remote video, you
have to turn around and look, or sometimes even get out and check...You
can't zap your pop tarts or record your favorite reality show....but you
can usually just get in and go where you want to camp, take some stuff
along and keep it all dry....all without much fuss...
Don Hanson
> mcneely
>
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