Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 11:52:09 -0400
Reply-To: Max Fenner <max.fenner@BERLIN.DE>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Max Fenner <max.fenner@BERLIN.DE>
Subject: Re: vanagon speeds/ my .02 Pfennig-long
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>Hi All:
>I have a friend who needed to return to WI after busses by the arch, and
>made it back in about 6 hours or so in an 87 Syncro. He ran about 4300 rpm
>or so at about 85mph. No ill effects.
>
>My .02
>
>Danno
>
>Director of Electrons
>Der Busbesitzer Gruppe
>Http://www.ols-inc.com/~dbg
>
>>
Danno,
it is "Die Busbesitzer Gruppe", but "Der Busbesitzer", I finally wanted to
tell you this as my "2 Pfennig"
However, I agree that these Vanagons are really fast - wow.
That is probably the reason why the German police used it for many years as
the cruiser of preference,
and once they chased down the bankrobbers,speeders, - fill in the blank-
they booked them right at the table inside with that funny neon light above
it.
All this of course in the eighties.
Time has passed, and time took its toll on the engines.
Yes my 88 GL after being tuned-up to perfection can easily cruise at 85 mph,
but here is my .02
This kind of driving is abusing your car in all aspects, in particular since
the roads in the US are not made for it.Everytime in my life where I looked
at a burned out engine and tranny I came to wonder : Hey, thats what they
are made for - mine must be a monday product .. but it was me trying to get
more out of a used old car than it could possibly give to me.
Now coming to age I can only subscribe to driving within the limits, not to
race my engine and take it easy because after all these Vanagons by nature
are old outdated cars.
Now don't give me this thing of they are so much fun,and nice looking and we
as Vanagonites identify soo much with the really cool look - I am sure
everybody has their own little story to it,
"it is so great to haul the kids,kids love it" "I love the outdoors and
camping" "It drives like a truck that I dreamt of since I am foour years old
but I can't afford a caterpillar" "I am a sixties guy and it reminds me of
my hippie-youth" "I love off-road activities and take my synchro through the
mud..." whatever it is, it is silly.
And the key is, to admit to this sillyness and have some humour about it.And
no comments here on the 80's Volkwagens being on the lower end of the
foodchain : I bet if I would to offer every Vanagon owner a free new
different car they would grab it :
Cruising at 85 miles per hour in a Vanagon produces bothering noise to your
ears,is dangerous and produces an exponetially increased amount of
pollution(never mind the Cat).How does this sit with
"I love nature" ? There are people driving into the state parks with old
Vanagons that only get 15 mpg and have emissions that we all know are
yesteryears standards.
Assuming there is no speedlimit and the roads are really nice and well paved
would you really want to take out the Vanagon and test its limits - what's
the fun about it, Granpa's Deville would be so much nicer.
Ever wonder why you rarely see Vanagons anymore in Germany ?
A Roadsystem that doesn't know a speedlimit and is in very good shape....
Oh boy did I forget to mention safety - no airbags and side impact, no
shoulder straps in the back etc in all a pretty dangerous car for our kids.
So the defintion of Vanagon in its limits must be something different and
lets all admit money is one half of it the other is that special
"individuality"
Years ago I thought the object of my desire to drive through New Yorks
Potholes would be a Citroen DS and believe me I have spent years and nights
with these cars but after I sat in New York traffic with an overheating
engine I gave up that idea, to be beat in NY it was just making more sense
to drive a Detroit product,
I still like the Vanagon which I keep around my house and I love it, within
its limits
no racing, no rpm above 2000 when cold etc. - pretty much what the manual
and common sense/knowledge dictates.
Onkel Max
PS My last 2.1 Liter had a Audi 5000 3-speed auto trans in it (N90?) and
had about 30K on the engine I could go 100 (real speed) with ease,
sold the thing though and it was no fun.
