Date:         Wed, 13 Sep 1995 14:23:15 -0500 (CDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joerg Rieger <jrieger@sun.cis.smu.edu>
Subject:      Diesels


I'm just curious why many people are so nervous about the speed of their 
vans or buses? I live in Dallas (horrible traffic) and I am usually able 
to keep up with traffic in my 82 Westy diesel, except for those freeway 
ramps of course. But most "real" trucks are even slower.

Obviously, the fellow in the 200+ hp SUV is faster, but those things 
are becoming more and more like cars anyway, so why bother? When I left 
Germany in the 80s, a 90 hp vanagon (such as we have in this country) was 
considered a really fast van. It may not be the same now but the whining 
of the press in this country about underpowered vanagons was kind of strange.

The real problem with the diesel is that you can't really install 
air-conditioning. But that depends on where you're living. Otherwise it's 
much more economic (just think of the availability of parts for VW 
diesels). Compare the price difference between exhausts systems ... 
BTW, diesels still have a "real" cooler, made out of metal. Nice.

Joerg
82 Westy diesel (slowly giving up the idea of buying a newer Westy)