Date:         Mon, 02 Dec 1996 10:08:28 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Ian Webb <ian_webb@virginia.edu>
Subject:      Test Drive: 97 Camper

FWIW...

This weekend I was up in Columbus, Ohio visiting my sister.  My nephew
was itchin' to go look at a new Jetta GLX, so I tagged along to see if
they had any campers in stock.  We went over to the Midwestern Auto
Group in Dublin, OH and sure enough, they had two in stock (they had
three, but it left the lot the day they got 'em).  

It was a very dreary, rainy, cold day out, so noone was really in there
buying anything--just a bunch of families and kids looking at really
NICE cars (they also sell BMW, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Bentley, Porsche,
Lotus, Land Rovers, Audi, & Hummers).  No serious buyers in there, so
the salesman didn't mind chatting with me.  He was the one who suggested
test drive, admitting he hadn't been in one and didn't know anything
about it.

The one on the showroom floor was priced at $24,940 for the van, with
another $9,607 for the conversion for a total sticker price of $34,547. 
Without really trying, and being honest about not being a serious buyer,
they knocked $1000 off the top, making it $33,547.   The one I drove was
about $700 more because it had the optional middle seat (which rattled
thru the whole test drive...it either wasn't installed properly, or was
of very poor design: we even tried twice to quiet it).

The first thing we did was get on the interstate, and the V6 140
horsepower motor easily took it to 75 without a problem and we had
plenty more power to go.  I didn't get to push it too far, because the
day-after-turkey day shopping traffic was heavy.  It was extremely quiet
and smooth.  It was a windy day, and while on the interstate for about
15 miles there wasn't any of the wind buffeting that I experience in my
90 camper.  The visablility was very good to the front and out the rear
it was improved with the placement of the AC unit in the dash.

then we headed over to some "S" curves.  Why I don't know, but I guess
it was because this guy was used to selling high-dollar sports cars. 
The first set of curves we took at about 40 mph (he told me a Ferrari
spyder takes these curves at about 70, and an Audi A4 quattro at 63. 
The second set (slightly tighter) we took at 35 (Ferrari spyder took it
at 60, and the A4 at 55).  He was convinced we could have done both
about 10 mph faster, but I was satisfied with the way it handled in the
curves.  

All in all, I was pleased at the way it drove, its power, the layout of
the dash, etc.  I was impressed at the VW part and some of the Winnabego
stuff, but saw a few disappointing details in the camper part. 
Dissapointing stuff included the low ground clearance (probably about 5
or 6 inches with the propane fixtures), the new table systems, and the
comfort of the beds (both beds had about an inch and a half of padding,
if that much) and of course, the price tag.

the funny part was that they offered me $9000 trade in on my 90 camper
if I wanted to talk turkey.  ha.

ian

-- 


Ian Webb, Assistant Director
University of Virginia Roanoke Center 
Phone: (540) 857-7922
Fax: (540) 857-7936
ian_webb@virginia.edu