Date: Tue, 6 Sep 94 11:28:41 CDT
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: mcb@mach.eng.hou.compaq.com (Mike Busby)
Subject: Re: EuroVan Winnebago Test Drive
We looked at one in the showroom. We currently own a Eurovan MV with the
Weekender package.
>
> Last saturday we test drove the new 95 EuroVan Winnebago Camper with an
> automatic transmission (my wife does not want to drive a car with manual
> shift!). Had all the power stuff (power windows, locks, mirrors, cruise).
> Layout is pretty similar to a Vanagon Camper. A large auxiliary battery is
> under the rear seat (bed) for all the camping gear.
>
> Things I liked
> --------------
> * Lots of room.
> * Built-in furnace
> * Easy to open pop-up.
> * Pop-up has its own light and openings on the sides also.
> * Much larger propane tank.
> * Engine seemed powerful enough.
> * Handles nicely and was very quiet inside.
Ditto although we did not drive it. The 5 cyl. audi engine in the
Eurovan we do own has more than adequate power. I cannot say much
for the gas milage, though.
>
> Things I did not like
> ----------------------
> * Price sticker (around 31K; 22K for VW and 9K for Winnebago)
I don't think this is unreasonable. A friend of mine paid more than this
for a Suburban and he can't camp in it. :-) This is a lot less than
typical motor homes.
>
> * Gas pedal seemed too close to the center. I assume that is the case for
> all EVs.
The pedals in my Eurovan are OK as far I am concerned. What
I don't like is the lack of a tilt steering wheel.
>
> * Roof top luggage rack is smaller than Vanagon's (may be a problem for
> Martha's shower scheme!)
>
> * Miniblinds on windows instead of curtains.
I prefer miniblinds myself. The curtains are hard for kids to manage and
can be damaged easily.
>
> * There is no glass on the left rear (where the closets are). From drivers
> side it makes it look like a cargo van (and ugly IMHO).
>
> * From the outside the pop-up looks as if it does not belongs there. Again
> this may be my personal taste but I like the much narrower Westfalia one on
> the EuroVan MV with Weekender package.
>
> * Without the optional middle seat there is room for only two people to sit
> in the back.
So get the middle seat. The middle seat would be installed when using the
van as a people mover. I would take it out when camping.
>
> * The optional middle seat blocks the refrigerator and storage cabinets.
I don't see having the middle seat in when camping as there would be no
room to set up the tables or move around inside the camper. Since we
are a family of four people, this would not be a problem.
>
> * Folding tables are stored behind the drivers seat and in front of the
> refrigerator. They were rattling and making too much noise in the van that
> we drove.
>
> Bottomline:
> -----------
> EV Winnebago is not for us. We'll hold for a EuroVan MV Weekender. There is
> one problem though. The salesman told me that VW may not bring new EV into
> the US market until 1996 model year. I would hate to wait that long (a
> Previa is NOT a replacement for our totalled 85 Westfalia!!!). Can anybody
> else confirm this?
>
> Asghar Bhatti
> (mabhatti@uiowa.edu)
>
I would consider waiting until 96 as we were told that VW will be coming
out with 6 cyl. versions of the Eurovan. This should provide even more
power and much better gas milage. Even though the 5 cyl. engine has more
pep that the 4 cyl., I still feel that the Eurovan is under-powered.
Also, the current Weekender only has a small refrigerator under a seat
and a pop-up. Are you saying that the '96 Weekenders are going to be
full campers?
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael C. Busby | Unix System Support
System Engineer, Sr. | Design Environment/Automation
Compaq Computer Corporation | Internet: mcb@twisto.compaq.com
P.O. Box 692000 m/s 050701 | Uunet: uunet!cpqhou!michaelb
Houston, Texas, USA 77269-2000 | Phone: 713-374-5638
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Armadillos.... Texas speed bumps." Views/opinions are mine alone.
