Date:         Mon, 13 Jan 1997 22:32:36 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Rick Gordon <rickgo@halcyon.com>
Subject:      Re: 97 EV differences

>comment on messages by Rick Gordon and Kenyon Fairey 10.jan.97:
>
>- are both of you talking about a 97 EV VR6 Winnie with
>automatic transmission?  I had a chance to compare
>automatic vs. stick on two brand new 95 EV's last May:
>the stick shift on these two models appeared to behave
>significantly stronger when going uphill.
>

I've heard bad things about the '95 automatic, but I've only driven a stick.
Clearly the VR6 is going to perform differently, perhaps it has enough
spare horsepower/torque to accomodate an automatic. I don't know if the
automatic has the "drifting shifting" problem that was attributed to the
earlier years.

>- has anybody made the statement recently that the
>97 VR6 is available in the States only with automatic
>transmission?  If yes, I wonder why?
>

Beats me. Maybe they figure that people want it more. Maybe based upon
sales from the '95.
 (I note that in some cases
automatics can be significantly more robust that sticks - the Volvo 850
comes to mind - you can buy a chip which "upgrades" the performance but
they only recommend this upgrade if you have the automatic as the stick
wasn't engineered to handle the increased torque!)

>- passenger compartment heating:  I just got back from a
>winter trip to CA with my 95 EV Winnie.  Temperatures not
>lower than freezing at night, left the heater on while
>sleeping, no complaints.  When comparing notes with
>Dan Herbert's last winter, I guess he has do deal with
>lower temps.  Would be interested in a 97 camper owner's
>experiences with the heating.
>

Actually I was wondering about the heating while driving - its got plenty
while sleeping with that furnace in back! Mine seems fine, but then it
doesn't get *that* cold up here in grey wet northwest.

-rick

Rick Gordon
Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
-------------------------------------
rickgo@halcyon.com
http://www.halcyon.com/rickgo/
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