>------------------------------
>
>Date:    Thu, 16 Dec 2004 07:20:10 -0800
>From:    Dave Chameides <docproteus@EARTHLINK.NET>
>Subject: HELP My wife thiks the van is unsafe
>
>Hey All,
>So now that I=B9ve got the van all fixed up and have put time and money into
>it, my wife is telling me that she is concerned that the van is unsafe for
>our kids to ride in it.  Now before I go on I should note that it=B9s and 83
>diesel 1.6 and I have personally checked all seatbelts and seat tracks, etc=
>.
>to assure her (and me) that it=B9s safe.  She=B9s mainly worried about tipping
>over.  Any thoughts on any studies on this so I can allay her fears?
>
>Dave
>
>
>
Hi Dave,

I do not know what kind of van you have (oh yeah! 1.6 diesel...), but
there are few thing that can improve the handling and make it feel safer:
the most important one IMO is tire! get the excellent tires, designed
for trick (reinforced ones), with smooth ride, good performance in
different weather (if you have lot of snow, hum... a vanagon, is not the
best tool, a syncro with excellent winter tires would help (Hi Hans!). 2
set of tires might become compulsary here in Qc.

 It makes a great difference, mostly for wind. Winter really puts the
beast uneasy!

Another danger is lack of power, I can understand that. my 2.1l is just
ok (ok, not right now, Hi Ben!), so imagine a diesel or 1.9 on a
ramp.... (why not do a 1.9TD?)

better/new shocks improve the handling too. recent brakes too.
As other said, improved seatbelt are a good thing to do.

My westy is fine, but it is not my daily driver. To me, it might not be
safe enough,  if I had kids, and because of the snow mostly, + mpg. Too
easy to lose the back on slippery road. love my passat syncro for that!

To me, roll over is not really an issue. it's not a jeep or those kind
of SUV, those have way higher gravity center. I don't remember the
vanagon being at a high risk of RO.
and the westy is big and strong, it's a truck, lots of steel. I am not
afraid in it. But it has no airbag, abs, etc. and it's a old design.

Get a recent syncro, fully equipped! new shocks, absorbers, winter and
tires!
or park the westy for the daily driving and get medium car for cheap.
good mpg.
but for a big enough (familly) and safe one (ex: volvo), not an SUV,
it's going to be expensive.
or get a cheap minivan.

HTH,

JP