Date:         Mon, 11 Jan 1999 12:07:23 -0500
Reply-To:     L&A Johnson <larry_avery.johnson@SYMPATICO.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         L&A Johnson <larry_avery.johnson@SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject:      Re: Westfalias are Motor Homes
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Blake Thornton wrote:

> I looked into this when i got insurance on my westy.  i have insurance
> with USAA and since it is my only car, it couldn't be considered a moter
> home, but as i recall, if i had had another vehicle then the there was a
> chance it have it considered a moterhome.

So use a bicycle/moped/motorcycle as your primary vehicle.

> The fact that a motor home can be a legal place of residence is interesting
> too.  would that mean that if you're sleeping on some street and the cops
> wake you up, there is nothing they can do?, or if the
> neighborhood complains about a "shaddy van" parked for days on end that you
> have a legal right to live there?

I figure that if our van is on public roads, then we're on public turf (i.e.
its a motor vehicle) but if our van is not on public land, then its our turf
(i.e. its a motor home). We sleep/drink/whatever accordingly. This includes
stealth camping in W*L M**T parking lots.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Modl wrote:

> While on the motor home subject, I thought that it would be interesting to
> let
> you all know that you can also get a 30 years loan on new VW Eurovan
> Winnie's.

I love it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Canadian government's infernal revenue service (Revenue Canada) makes a BIG
thing about your place of residence when it comes to income tax time. We pay
both Federal and Provincial taxes and which province is determined by where
your "place of residence" was on Dec 31. Some provinces have lower tax rates
than others. I have always wondered what if we took a winter vacation in our
van to one of the favoured provinces.

The advantages of having our Vanagon Camper rated as a Motor Home are
apparently endless: lower insurance costs, increased insurance coverage, long
term financing, protection by laws covering the privacy of your home,
residency, income taxes, ...

-Larry
'86 Syncro Westfalia