I'm cranky because I got called a liar by one guy and an imbecile by
another. I don't react well to that.

You didn't say " Really Jake? Are you sure? " You compared me to a liar, and
then Drillock implied that I wasn't smart enough to calculate mileage and
was a dangerous driver! You would react badly too!

Ask about my background, Google me, run a check on my licence, ask me about
my volunteer work, but don't just reject my knowledge because it is
different from yours.
I didn't even know that my experience wasn't the same, but it is my
experience.

One of my first posts on this lists was regarding the 4.57 R & P in my 84,
and Mr Drillock's reply was most emphatic- there is no such thing. I could
have said that I didn't want to call him a liar but,  but I didn't. My 84
has a much taller rear end ratio than my 86. That's a fact. I'm sure that
someday I'll pull the box and rebuild it, and then I'll send Mr Drillock a
photo that he might accept as proof.

Until then I'll think of him as knowledgeable but arrogant, something I have
been accused of in the past.  When I was 35 I was probably insufferable too,
but at 50 I realise that I don't know everything.

Seeya,

On 4/1/06, robert shawn feller <feller@carboncow.com> wrote:
>
>  I have always enjoyed your posts and knowledge so I'm rather dismayed how
> cranky you are on this topic. Why my inquiry really that offensive as I nor
> others don't see it.
>
>
>
> Shawn
>
>
>  ------------------------------
>
> *From:* Jake de Villiers [mailto:crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Friday, March 31, 2006 7:01 PM
> *To:* feller@carboncow.com
> *Cc:* vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> *Subject:* Re: MPG Question
>
>
>
> I hate to call someone a moron, but I am too am skeptical. Why don't you
> read my initial post on the subject again Feller. If you got the number of
> Vanagons wrong, maybe you got  the rest of what I said wrong too!
>
> On 3/31/06, *robert shawn feller* <feller@carboncow.com> wrote:
>
> Wow far too defensive, I specifically said I don't want to call someone a
> liar due to my skepticism. Sorry to offend my disclaimer was intentional.
>
> How do you get three vans to do so well when 90% of us would agree that
> 16-17mpg is our best average experience? I'm quite sure with the
> engineering
> experience you have in the family you are far more knowledgeable then me
> (and I'm not be facetious) that is why I stated I would love to know what
> I'm doing so wrong!
>
> I think we would all love to know better driving techniques that get us
> 30%
> more miles per gallon, just not me! I'd love to improve as I already think
> my habits are better then average. With current gas prices it all helps.
>
> Shawn
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Jake de Villiers
> Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 4:15 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: MPG Question
>
> Go ahead and call me a liar if you want to feller! Just because YOU can't
> do
> something, I can't either ? I'd bet there are a bunch of things that I can
>
> do that you can't, and a bunch of things that YOU can do that I can't!
> Just
> because I can't weld for beans doesn't mean that I don't believe that
> someone else can.
>
> I've been driving for 35 years and learned  how to calculate mileage from
> my
> engineer grandfather at age 5. He also taught me how to get great mileage.
> This was in the heyday of the Mobil Economy Run, when many folks were more
> interested in efficiency than power, and the same techniques still apply.
> On road trips as a younger man I would always get better mileage on my
> driving stints than my co-drivers, though we didn't always make the best
> time when I was driving!
>
> If you want to know how it is done, send me an email.
>
> Seeya, Jake
>
> On 3/31/06, robert shawn feller <feller@carboncow.com> wrote:
> >
> > I hate to call anyone a liar but I'm so skeptical!
> >
> > I've been driving Saabs, Volvo and Vw for 10 years. Every bulletin board
>
> > I'm
> > on there is a certain percentage of members who post very impressive MPG
> > numbers. I am an enthusiast which means I keep my cars in great
> mechanical
> > shape, I drive conservatively (my wife will tell you) and I live Ohio
> with
> > moderate hill at best and I'm 80% on the freeway. I never come close to
> > these guys who IMHO are off the charts with their numbers (not off their
> > rocker). I often wonder if they are doing calculations wrong, or if I'm
> > doing them wrong of something else.
> >
> > I'm fascinated by guys claiming numbers (especially on three vans?) that
> > are
> > way over what the federal sticker has on them when new (and it great
> > running
> > shape). We all know that federal sticker MPG are rated high then real
> > world
> > numbers often.
> >
> > I'm most amazed with my fellow Saab owners driving turbos claiming close
> > to
> > 38mpg on the 9000 Turbo with a 200hp engine. My onboard computers and
> > calculations tell me I'm lucky to get 26mpg and some are claiming 35%
> > bette
> > fuel econmoney!
> >
> > Everything must be downhill in some of these states and they drive
> 55mph.
> >
> > Shawn
> > Ohio
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of
> > Anthony Egeln
> > Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 3:31 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Re: MPG Question
> >
> > Wow!  Is that with a 2.1L wasserboxer?   That is way, way high.  Do you
> > have
> > some secret?   I've been very satisfied with my Syncro GL consistently
> > 18-19
> > (US) city and 21 highway.   Are you in Canada?  If so, maybe you have
> much
> > better gas there.  Anthony
> > '89 Syncro GL (Hidalgo)
> >
> > Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM> wrote: Our 86 gets only
> > 28
> > mpg HWY (24 US) but our 84 GL with the 4.57 gears still gets over 30 (26
> > US), both at 55-60 mph. The GL gets  26 (22 US) around town, stuffed
> with
> > tools and materials for work.
> >
> > On 3/31/06, chris  wrote:
> > >
> > > in my 81 aircooled van, if I run at only 55mph and don't have to do
> > > too much climbing, I'll pull around 20-22 MPG.
> > >
> > > That having been said, I live in Northern California with nothing but
> > > climbing to do, so my usual MPG is closer to 17 average.
> > >
> > > The PO had electronic ignition which may have helped, but im back to
> > > the points setup now for ease of repair when travelling. (the unit was
> > > really old and hard to get setup properly.)
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jake
> > 1984 Vanagon GL
> > 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> > www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > New Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and
> save
> > big.
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Jake
> 1984 Vanagon GL
> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>
>
>
>
> --
> Jake
> 1984 Vanagon GL
> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com