Date:         Mon, 12 Jul 1999 10:31:44 -0400
Reply-To:     Gerald Rees <GMREES@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Gerald Rees <GMREES@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject:      on "upgrading" to Eurovan
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Our '89 Wolfsburg Edition Weekender has been a treasured member of the
family for ten years and is still in good shape, but we decided to replace
it with a new Eurovan.  We want to drive to Alaska again, and at age 75 I

just didn't feel like facing the possible hassles of mechanical troubles
along the way.  (On our last trip, the water pump gave out at Dawson Creek,
1500 miles from the nearest VW dealer.)  After three weeks, we have mixed

feelings about the change.  There are many good things about the Eurovan
such as front-wheel drive, quiet, accessible and powerful engine with more
speed than I will ever use, some welcome engineering changes and a
generally more solid feel.  But there just isn't the living space.  Why did
they make the huge storage space under the back seat accessible only
through a tiny opening in a useless plastic cover?  (Can I get that cover

off without destroying it?)  Why no access to the spaces under the front
seats?  Why make the table so you can't put it up when the bed is made?  (I
fixed that by removing the leg and improvising a support bracket.)  Why is
that ugly heater vent sticking up behind the right front seat?  (Can I
remove that and block the vent without something overheating?)

I was shocked when the local dealer offered me $300 for the vanagon. 

Although it has 150,00 miles on it, it looks like new.  It is probably
about due for head gaskets, but that's the only problem I'm aware of. 

Maybe I should have put a couple thousand dollars into repairs and not
bought the new one.    gmrees@compuserve.com