Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2013 23:19:22 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Beyond Vanagon-Keeping older vehicles!
In-Reply-To: <CAHTkEuLh4JEud=nvb3cHiJD9iGvjVGcrXhQTxxMvKNDoce-b1A@mail.gmail.com>
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I would really like one of those Bluebird Wanderlodges.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Don Hanson
Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2013 11:59 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Beyond Vanagon-Keeping older vehicles!
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
>