My son and I had a discussion about this fairly recently.  My position is
that Americans do not want an affordable vehicle.

In Europe, there is a large market for cheap to own and cheap to operate
little tiny cars.  I don't believe they would sell here even if Big Brother
wasn't watching out for our best interests.  Cars are status symbols to
Americans.  We identify ourselves with what we drive; be it a Honda Accord
or a Ford F-350 with dual rear wheels.The last vehicle that was available to
us which fit into that category was that marvel of Serbo-Croatian
engineering, the Yugo, and we all know what your friends and neighbors
thought of you if you drove a Yugo!

I used to drive a '59 Ford Ranch Wagon, which I bought from a friend's dad.
He apologized when I was looking at it, saying that the only option he had
purchased with the car was the heater.  Can you imagine a heater being an
options in today's market?

I, for one, would love to see more affordable, but well built cars on the
road, but I really don't believe that it is something that's likely to
happen, unless we go into a steep recession AND gas prices go through the
roof.

Karl Wolz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Kay" <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: New Microbus Website

> Steve,
> Here's a question for you.
> What do you deem affordable?
> I really can't think of anything affordable lately!
> I think, the "peoples car" is basically on the lower end of the scale,
> for an reasonably priced vehicle.
> It just eludes my mind, to even think of a reasonable car in today's rip
> off market!
> Have you heard, or does anyone know what the new bus is going to cost?
>
>   ______________
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> Terry 85 GL
>