Date:         Wed, 10 Jul 1996 18:42:49 EST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "William R. Kennedy, NJIT CIAT, 201-596-5648" <kennedy@admin.njit.edu>
Subject:      RE: Go with the split

-Bob makes good points about the typical characteristics of water- vs. air-
cooled owners.  Altho the list has some members who have one (or more) of
each, it does seem that people's expectations of the two generations are
different.  I attribute this not to air- vs. water- but to the invention
and implementation of fuel injection and black-box ignitions.  Auto
maintenance is much less a craft and much more a chore if repair means
taking off the broken one, paying $482 for a new one, and plugging it
in.  And it remains a chore even if it has to be done 1/10th as often as
the craft.  This hasn't just affected van owners:  What are the cars from
the late 80s and early 90s that people are messing with for fun?  Are
there any?  Today's cars are mechanically bipolar -- either running
perfectly or for sale, not worth the aggravation.  We see this on the
list from time to time:  "My 87 Westy has a habit of stalling every time
I go 54mph on a humid day; seven dealers have looked at it and can't fix
it."

Maybe the Splitting of the List is the End of History as far as hobbyist
cars.  From here on the cars-with-points last forever, until their owners
sand them to death prepping them for their 10th repaint.  The cars-with-
Hall-Effect remain as appliances, their enthusiast owners reduced to 
debating round vs square headlights and how high to lift which end to
bleed the radiator.

And I?  With my aircooled BUT fuel injected AND Hall-Effected Vanagon?
I'm trapped on the cusp, neither shopping for stolen barn-door corners,
nor driving my appliance to the northern-most magnesium fire on the
continent.  I know:  a THIRD list, for aircooled Vanagons only!
Breadloaves reluctantly tolerated, if they can prove by their automatic
transmissions or their airconditioning that they are similarly between
two worlds.

B.
Wm Kennedy
kennedy@admin.njit.edu