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Date:         Sat, 5 Jul 2014 04:44:26 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Friday OT...my Poor Man's Syncro...(AWD GM Safari)
Comments: To: J Stewart <fonman4277@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To:  <434893000.512618.1404558598976.JavaMail.root@sz0063a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

My Vanagon content is that driving the Safari one may be prone to 'forget' that there is actually a 'nose' on them, unlike the vanagon that ends just ahead of your toes....Sitting behind the wheel (adjustable) you can not actually see that nose but it sticks out a foot or two beyond the bottom of the windshield, making tight spot parking and maneuvering slightly embarrassing if you drive it and forget you aren't in your Vanagon. And of course, the Vanagon has it beat for turning circle...

Other than having the protruding 'front end'..... size-wise these match up to Vanagons. Being heavier and lower and wider, they're much easier to steer, in my area (Columbia River Gorge) with it's frequent high winds...They still get pushed around some, but so do semi trucks and sleek aerodynamic supercars here.

Friday OT...my Poor Man's Syncro...(AWD GM Safari)

> > I filled the thing up after my first tank of fuel.(holds 27 gallons) > > and I got just 15mpg. (A 97 AWD (with a viscous coupling just like a > > Sycnro) Van that I bought recently for two grand because I can't > > afford $20 grand for a Syncro) Driving it without a "lead foot" and at > > 65mph average highway....though it's easy to find yourself moving 75 > > or 80 in that > > van. Not exactly stellar gas mileage, but this one has 237 thousand > > miles on the original Vortec V-6 and it doesn't burn a drop of oil or > > sound > > or feel worn out at all. And I did hook up my 10 Wells Cargo utility > > trailer with two motorcycles and pull it...Hardly slows the 4.3 liter > > lil' > > truck down. > > I will say I very much dislike driving an automatic vehicle now, this > > being the first automatic shifting vehicle I have had real day to day > > experience with...The auto tranny just seems like it's working at > > 'cross-purposes' to what I am trying to do with the van/truck...It > > wants to keep going fast when I want to slow down, it shifts when it > > doesn't really have to, there is no anticipation really allowed...It > > bothers me, I'd rather be selecting all my rpms as I need them, not > > just "accepting" what this device gives me...I think the auto tranny > > is one of the major reasons the fuel economy is lower, but they > > stopped offering manual shifting Astro/Safari vans in 89, I think. > > The tranny is a GM certified rebuild also and it IS working as well as > > it should... Gimme my Vanagon 5sp any time.... > > Anyhow, as a Friday topic...there you go.. >


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