Date:         Sat, 15 Feb 2020 03:24:26 +0000
Reply-To:     Richard Smith <smirby@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Smith <smirby@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Friday subject - are we on the list just old farts?
Comments: To: Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Being an old fart myself (60), I feel like I can weigh in. My vanagon experience dates back only to 2013. Back in the 80s I had a bus (a '73) but I was ignorant of it being a community or cultural object (we didn't have the internet to give us hashtags), and other than giving the peace sign to other VW drivers, I just drove it. Across Canada. Twice. In the winter, in Manitoba. Oh my god, it was cold.

When it broke, I borrowed the John Muir book, complete with hand-drawn instructions, and pulled the engine to fix the transmission. I had NO CLUE what I was doing, no advice from anyone, other than one very unreliable buddy. I would have loved to have had a community of people to help. Even stranger, this was in Vancouver. The place was thick with (weed smoking) bus drivers... how did I not find them. Again, pre-internet it was harder to do...

Anyway, nowadays I fix what I can and get a mechanic to do the more complicated stuff. I love the list (and the facebook groups) and have gone to a few PNW meet ups in Washington State and British Colombia. Most of the people at those events are 50+, with some exceptions. Some young families, the occasional single guy or gal. None are what you'd call #hashtag people. Perhaps those people don't go to meetups?

I am really glad to have the list, and the facebook groups, even if it sometimes makes me paranoid (what with regularly posting their flatbed photos). Lately I've added another layer of paranoia: the postings about stolen vans. 

To Alistair's original point, that old farts are less likely to buy (expensive) add-ons, I have to semi-agree. I try to keep my van (more or less) original, and I hesitate to add too much extra stuff. But when something really good comes along (like those pop-top lift assist struts!), then I am willing to make the investment. A couple of years ago, after a tire store guy backed the van into a bollard I added some nice tough bumpers. In those situations I am inclined to go for quality, and I'm willing to pay what it costs to get that quality.

My two cents (even though we don't have pennies in Canada any more).

...r