Hi Rob,

I think that report falls into the "I never wear a seatbelt and I'm
OK" category.

I have driven both vanagons and type2's with car tires and the same
vehicle after with proper tires. The difference in handling is
AMAZING. Understeer and windsway are dramatically reduced. Crosswinds
that would bring on white knuckles with car tires are no big deal
once you put a double-ply sidewall between the rim and the road. The
price difference is not all that great if you do your homework. But
yes, you will have to do your homework as there aren't many shops
that stock the tires are buses were born to run.

Passenger tires will fit the rims, yes. In the same way that your
engine will also "do the job" if you fill your gas tank with a blend
of toluene and paint thinner. Is it a good idea? Not in my book. But
as they say, "your mileage may vary".

Happy trails,

Greg Potts
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1973/74/79 Westfakia Conversion **Bob the Tomato**  LY3H
1977 Sunroof Automatic L63H/L90D
http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia
http://www.busesofthecorn.com

On 7-Oct-05, at 12:24 AM, Rob wrote:

> FWIW the only other Vanagon I owned was an '86 Syncro (there were a
> number of earlier type 2's). We bought it in Hawaii in 1990 and sold
> it in Michigan in 1997.
> We drove that sucker all over the place, freeways, dirt & gravel
> roads with a full load of people and 'stuff' (a real full load). All
> that time I never had anything on it besides passenger car tires, not
> top line ones either. I never had a tire problem.
> Not all of us can afford top of the line for our hobby, for some of
> us the Vanagon is "The" car rather than a hobby and we work at
> staying alive from day to day.
> Passenger tires will do the job and that's the best some of us can do.
> On a side note I REALLY appreciate the report on the tires, thank you.
>
>