Date:         Tue, 11 Jun 2019 13:07:14 -0700
Reply-To:     Mark Belanger <mbelanger@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Belanger <mbelanger@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: For Ben T - Where has everyone gone?
In-Reply-To:  <3f0101d52061$d48721c0$7d956540$@busdepot.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Got my '91 Westy Full Camper in 2000 after coveting one since '91 and
joined this list soon after. As a result, I discovered Bus Depot, Vanagain,
GoWesty and just about every other vendor I've used. Frankly, I'm not sure
old POKSWGN would still be running without this list and the wisdom
surfaced.

Thank you all for you varied contributions.

I'm not going anywhere.


-MB

On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 7:28 AM The Bus Depot <vanagon@busdepot.com> wrote:

> > We’ve had a good run.
>
> I can literally say that the Vanagon List changed my life completely.
> When I joined the list 25 years ago shortly after it started, I was "just"
> a Vanagon owner hoping to learn/share tips on maintaining and enjoying my
> Westy.   I was astounded by the internet's power to bring like-minded
> people together all over the world and made many friends in no time.  We
> had a real community!  Of course today with social media that's nothing,
> but 25 years ago it was not as common. In the process, I learned pretty
> quickly that I wasn't the only one who was frustrated with the scarcity of
> parts for my Westy and the prices/quality when I could find them.  Before
> long I was leveraging my experience as a buyer (in a different field,
> high-end audio) to facilitate group buys for list members (poptop seals,
> Bentley manuals), and it kind of snowballed from there.  The Vanagon List
> was a game changer. Until then the few retailers selling Vanagon parts
> marked them up 200 or 300% because they could.  Having a large community
> under one roof gave us instant clout. There were no advertising expenses
> and enough volume to negotiate with suppliers, so prices dropped
> tremendously. This in turn pressured existing parts suppliers to compete,
> resulting in better prices and quality throughout all channels.  Today
> Vanagons are affordable to keep on the road due in large part to the fact
> that the Vanagon List existed decades ago.  Even more instrumental, to me,
> was the tremendous support and encouragement that I got from the List
> Members (some of whom are still here today), without which I might not have
> made the decision to give up a safe paycheck and take the plunge in the
> first place.
>
> If on the day I joined the Vanagon List I could have looked ahead 25
> years, I would not believe how such a seemingly inconsequential act could
> impact my life. Of course no one thing determines the path you take, but
> the Vanagon List certainly played a large part. My family has seen much of
> this country and Europe from the windows and poptops of VW campers.  My
> children are more worldly for it and have a deep rooted love of travel and
> exploration.  I have met so many incredible people along the way and made
> many friends, both through my business and my travels.   I spend my days
> doing something I love, having turned my hobby into my livelihood - not to
> mention a dozen or so employees' families (some of whom have been with me
> for 20+ years) which are sustained by a business that might not have
> existed or succeeded were it not for the Vanagon List.
>
> I am also active on the Samba, the Vanagon Owners Group on Facebook, etc.
> But none of them will ever have the impact on my life that the Vanagon List
> did.  If the day comes that the Vanagon List has whittled down to just one
> remaining member, it will be me.  :-)
>
> Ron Salmon
> The Bus Depot, Inc.
> www.busdepot.com
>


-- 
________________________________________________________________________
Mark Belanger - mbelanger@gmail.com