When I took over this business from a friend 10 yrs ago, I figured that I
had 5 good years and then things would taper off gradually due to the ages
of the vehicles. True to a point...I do very few air cooled trannys and a
portion of the local shop businesses have gone out of business or retired or
changed focus. What used to be a strictly wholesale gig now is at least 50%
retail mail order stuff thanks to the web site and to some extent, the
various lists. My business is now 30% greater than what it was 10 yrs ago...
 Now I am just waiting for the bubble to bust and slow down a bit so I can
Ski more and spend more time with the grandkids and be semi retired like I
thought I was going to be...
Daryl of AA Transaxle
----- Original Message -----
From: <JordanVw@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:02 AM
Subject: in the year 2015......

> 10 years from now, i predict that the only vanagons still existing will
> be
> late model campers..a few dokas, and some specialty custom vans.    the
> passenger vans will be long gone..  the aircooled vanagons will be gone.
> i predict
> that 99% of those vanagons still remaining in 10 years, will have engine
> conversions.  they wont be "daily drivers" anymore.. their owners having
> sunk so
> much money into them they are afraid to drive them down the street..
>
> Most of the major vendors here on the list will have gone out of
> business..
> or expanded their horizons to deal with newer passenger car models..
> Go Westy will be selling groud effect kits and cold air intakes for mk5
> jettas and golfs...  and the like..
> :<)
>
> what are some of your predictions?
>
> chris
>