Date: Wed, 30 Oct 1996 17:27:43 -0500 (EST)
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Z <killian@mnsinc.com>
Subject: Re: Vanagon Realities
> The driver of every beetle or bus you would meet on the road
> would smile and wave back as you passed each other. Much of
> that is lost now, since VW is marketing to yuppees and
> yuppee-wanabees. Old time VW owners could barely afford the
> car. They could only dream of expensive mountain bikes or fancy
> skis tied to the top of the car.
Not all VW owners. My family was never on that tight a budget. My
father just bought a beetle in 1956 (about) and always liked the
simplicity. We've had the Beetle, Westies, a Rabbit, a Jettas and the EV
in the family.
I'm actually bit annoyed at being lumped with yuppies because I have a
recent VW and plan on getting another within a few years - new Beetle.
The Beetle was the "nice" German car in the early fifties. Compare it to
the BMW Isetta for example.
Marketting of new VWs is toward the people that buy new cars. At least
who VW thinks will buy new cars. The Jetta Trek w/ bicycle is a gimmick.
Whether VWoA is right or not is a different issue. With their sales in
Europe compared to their sales in the US one would think bad marketting.
The Europeans and most of the world still buys VWs for all the same
reasons they did thirty years ago. mericans don't seem to buy as many
VWs as they used to. Though I believe the Jetta is the top selling
European car model in the US.
> So why do we "bare all" on this list and tell all about our
> leaking heads and stalling engines? Can't speak for everyone,
> but for me keeping 'em running is the fun part. (Another way of
> saying, if you can't work on 'em maybe you shouldn't own 'em.)
I'm a bit concerned about "anti-snob". I have an EV MV because I honestly
believe it is the single most functional van on the market. I don't have
nor want to make the time to do all the work on it. Economic realiaites
are it would cost me more to do all of the work. BUT I also have some
Things I'm slowly bringing around. It would be too expensive to pay
someone so I do the work on them. The EV is the primary family vehicle.
The Things are "fun".
I'm not knocking your ideals on VWs. Just pointing out that it isn;t a
fully uniform group of us. Nor are the new VWs that different from the
old ones. Which end the engine is in is rather minor compared to the VW
design ethos in general.
> Anyway VWs are just as reliable as any other vehicle. It's just
> that we have a forum to talk about the problems.
You get the same impression on any single vendor car list. People need
to talk about their problems. They don't need advice on what isn't
broken so you don't hear about the EV or Vanagon that has never had
engine trouble as much.
VWs are as reliable as most. More reliable than many. Fully agree.
> Being an artist and writer are two points in your favor. Sounds
> like you guys may have the right mental attitude to own a VW.
> You may be receptive enough to pick up on the VW karma. Sorry,
> no lawyers allowed. :-)
Now you've gone and picked on poor Ric... <g>