Date:         Thu, 19 Aug 1999 22:09:50 -0500
Reply-To:     "Melissa E. Mourkas" <legacy@JAVANET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Melissa E. Mourkas" <legacy@JAVANET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon Traction
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Well, traction stories abound...

I got stuck three times in six years of ownership in my 85 Westfalia, but
none of them in SNOW!  I had no trouble doing the 'crab-walk', a classic
sideways winter-time ascent, up very snowy hills in Massachusetts during
the winter of 93-94(record snowfall, 120"): I always made it home!

But, the three times I got stuck were A) pulling my jet-ski trailer out
of the water on soft sand(I had to be rescued by a puny Nissan 4x4 pickup
and and a six-pack of beer for the effort); B). In soft sandy, dirt next
to a greenhouse, almost toppled onto it, had to call a AAA tow-truck; and
C). I discovered what they meant by mud-season in New England after the
aforementioned winter glory: got stuck in the mud in my front yard and
had to be towed out. AAA, again, highly recommended.

My thoughts overall?  The rear-wheel drive Vanagon is as good as many FWD
cars in its handling on slippery surfaces like snow, but it sure doesn't
compare to my AWD Subaru!

Melissa Mourkas
81 Westy 'Hildie'
97 Subaru Outback Sport 'Nori'