Date:         Wed, 20 Nov 1996 23:57:23 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         TStone8359@aol.com
Subject:      Re: Mexican buses

Just returned from 10 days in Puerto Vallarta, Mex.  Busses (they call them
combis) and several varieties of bug were for rent at almost every car rental
booth.  We picked a bug that had been modified to be a convertable with a
rollbar/sun roof combination.   The top had been cut off from the windshield
back to just above the engine cover.  The back seat area was left open, but
the from seat area was covered by a fiberglass piece that made up the rollbar
at the door pillars and had an openong about the size of the later bug metal
sunroofs.  It was covered with a removeable piece of vinyl material.

It was a lot of fun driving around in the crazy traffic in PV with all the
other bugs and busses.   The engine was fuel injected and left a bit to be
desired in the power department.  We had several problems with the vehicle
while we had it but fixed ourselves as part of the adventure.  We had to push
the car several times to get it started.  The locals enjoyed seeing the
tourists sweat.

We put 1200 km on the car.  It got good mileage with the FI despite the open
top.  If you need a bug fix, or bus fix, Mexico is the place to go.  

Stopped in to the VW dealer in PV.  About a dozen new bugs on the lot.  A new
model, called the City, was on display.  Came in red, blue, white and maybe
other colors.  Bumpers and headlight trim were same color as the car.  No
chrome moulding on doors or hood or running boards.  City designation was a
sticker on engine cover.  Came with nice cloth seats and a fire extinguisher.
 Cost was something like $2400 down and $179 a month for 24 months, dealer
financed.

They also had Golf and Jettas on the lot.  Didn't recognize any differences
from US models.  Also had a single example of a Derby model.  Looks like a
shorter version of the Golf with a more rounded rear roofline.  Not exactly
handsome.  It looks like the Polo that is sold in Europe.

Saw lots of older bugs and busses, splits window busses, bubble windows, and
vanagons.  Most interesting was a model of VW I had heard about but never
seen.  It was a rear engined air-cooled VW with a nose that looked like a
411/412 as a rear that didn't look like anything VW.  Has louvers on the side
like a squareback.fastback.  Most examples were pretty ragged, so I would
guess these were the same vintage as the 411/412.

A few interesting accessories seen on busses.  Lots of roof racks.  A few sun
visors over the front windshield on bubble windows.  A few customized campers
with poptops, but not Westys.  One had a sticker identifying it as a Bonanza.
 Some special side window/screen combinations for bubble windows.

Tom

'77 bus
'85 Westy
'87 GL