Just a guess, but could it be the maximum speed to downshift into 2nd gear
on a hill?

I have the same markings on my speedo in a 4spd, but that seems to mean
little, as it could have been installed by a previous owner.

Karl

----- Original Message -----
From: "86 Westfalia" <scotiawesty@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: red mark on metric odometer

> Good idea, but ours is an automatic!  And, 50-55km is the only speed that
is
> highlighted, so it's probably not for
> shifting.........hmmmmmmmm..................
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Samuel L. Walters <slwalters@earthlink.net>
> To: 86 Westfalia <scotiawesty@ns.sympatico.ca>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 5:54 PM
> Subject: Re: red mark on metric odometer
>
>
> > These marks, if like the ones on my 84, which has no tachometer,
> > are approximations of when you should be shifting gears for fear of
> > overreving the engine.  Somewhat like the redline idea with a tach.  Of
> > course you usually would shift sooner than that.
> >
> > Mine has one red mark somewhere around 20 or so, two red marks at about
> > 35 or so, and three red marks around 50 or 55.  Is this what you have?
> >
> > Sam Walters
> > 84 Vanagon - no tach red speedometer marks
> > 89 Syncro - tachometer
> >
>