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Subject:Re: '99 SA Vanagon pics
From:Bob Stevens
Date:Sat, 22 Feb 2003 23:33:03 -0700

...and since they don't seem to want to spend the $$ to upgrade safety
features on the Vanagon so it would comply, then maybe it is simply that
they don't want to compete with themselves: The Eurovan vs the Vanagon.

Bob

It's very wishful thinking. It isn't a matter of getting them crash
tested or emissions tested. Frankly they simply won't pass current
safety requirements. A lot of new safety requirments have been
instituted since 1992. Among them are air bags (they ain't in the SA
ones from the pictures I've seen), 5 mph bumpers on "cars" (I'm not
sure the Vanagon's are even 2.5mph approved ones.) I believe the
engines would also have to be OBD compliant (probably OBD II since
1997). While the inline 4 and 5 cylinder engines could meet this last
with little effort by VW, it is highly unlikely (due to expense) that
VW would ever see a profit in making the Wasserboxer OBD compliant.

On Saturday, February 22, 2003, at 01:01 PM, Jerry wrote:

>They say money talks. With somewhere around 1,000 people on this list
>alone, and 100's
>of them spending thousands of dollars to maintain or upgrade our old
>vans, and a large
>enough number of them (me included) were willing to put down a sizable
>deposit, that
>VWOA could be persuaded to convert some to left-hand drive in SA where
>labor costs are
>lower and then import them? Wishful thinking, I guess.

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