Reply to:   RE: Clever! was: Check out this Westy



Volks,
I for one am quite content = with our Westy. However, 15 years down = the road when I hope to really get serious = about this travel thing, my Westy is gonna = be a little long in the tooth (as will I!) = and I'll be tiring of crawling underneath = it somewhere on I-80.

The things = that do appeal with the GTRV over the Sportsmobile = is the overall layout. Compare the window = size and amount: especially over the galley. = The sportsmobile layouts hardly give any = view from behind the driver because of the = cabinets. Entry into the side doors looks = much less encumbered on the GRTV. Compare = the rear passenger proximity: on some of = the Sportsmobile layouts the cabinetry hides = the driver in his own little cubicle and = would make communication nye on impossible = with rear passengers. The bed on the GRTV = definitely looks larger than the Sportsmobile = and for someone who's 6'4" thats a = serious consideration. Because my wife suffers = from MS, the air conditioning option is = a definite plus.

No clue on the quality = of finish but can it be any worse than a = Eurobago? (Not wanting to bash Winnebago, = as it is an Iowa company, but its no where = in the same league with my Westy!)

Basically, = GRTV ripped off the best features of our = Westys, and then added to it. That to me = is a bit disgusting but so is the fact that = VW seems to be kissing us all off. I prefer = the VW soul but if they don't do something = to improve on the Eurobago I doubt it will = seem as interesting to me in my golden years.

My = 2¢, and that's before taxes.....


Jim in Iowa
91 = Passat Wagon GL
89 Westy
66 Beetle


Bulley wrote:

>Now before everyone = goes stomping on this GTRV thing, has anyone = driven one
>or owned one? I think it = looks pretty clever. Everytime I see a big = Ford
>Econoline van, I think about = the unique possibilities in what this company
>has = achieved.
>
>Granted, I LOVE our = VW Westy, and this Econoline thing could = never replace
>it. But GTRV seems to = have cured many of the ills of the VW without = being
>substantially horrible. I would = like to see how well engineered/quality = of
>fit and finish before I drew hasty = conclusions. The base van, the ford
>Econoline = is rugged and solidly built. It looks like = the designers of the
>camping gear = did a good job of designing as a small yacht, = ala Westfalia,
>rather than as a small = house, ala Win-or-beg-o. Except that tacky = apartment
>style kitchen faucet and = the stupid microwave...what's up with that?
>
>If = it is built as durably as our Westy, and = costs in the "high $30's" as
>advertised, = I wouldn't be so quick to blow it off.
>
>Please = issue receipts for $.02.
>
>G. = Matthew Bulley
>Director
>Bulley-Hewlett = & Associates
>www.bulley-hewlett.com
>Cary, = NC USA
>888.468.4880 tollfree
>
>
>-----Original = Message-----
>From:
Steve@Schwenk-Law.com [SMTP:Steve@Schwenk-Law.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, August = 17, 1999 2:12 AM
>To:
vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: = Re: Fwd: Check out this Westy
>
>Obviously, = there are not 30 years of engineering tied
>up = in that thing like with the real westies...just
>baltant = copying of the concept. they got the concept,
>but = missed the soul. that van has no soul. = mine has
>lots! So does yours, of = course.
>
>Scott Davis wrote:
>>
>> = -------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> = Subject: Re: Check out this Westy
>> = Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 23:42:30 EDT
>> = From:
OuiSki1@= aol.com
>> To:
wjohnson@TCSN.NET<= FONT = FACE="Geneva" SIZE=1 COLOR="#000000">
>>
>> = In a message dated 8/16/99 9:19:28 PM Eastern = Daylight Time,
>> wjohnson@TCSN.NET writes:
>>
>> = <<
http://= www.gtrv.com/ >>
>> I = dunno, Wes, maybe it's just me, but somehow = drivin around in a
>fancied-up
>> = Econoline just doesn't seem enough like = "fahrfegnugen" to make the
>switch!
>>
>> = S.Davis