Geza -

It's called MONEY.  To save on production costs,VAG goes with the least
expensive (read: cheapest) method of performing the same thing with plastic
and neoprene instead of metal lines, compression fittings, etc., that the
more expensive manufacturers (ie: Saab, Volvo, Mercedes, etc.,) choose to go
with. Up until the mid 70s, VW did use metal lines (with short hose ends) on
some vacuum lines on the Beetle.  And some people wonder why VW's quality
control went down the tubes after the mid 70s.  Again it's called MONEY (or
in their view "cost cutting" which more often than not translates into
"quality cutting" in my opinion).
--
Jim Thompson
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
*Have a Happy & SAFE Holiday*
**********************************
On 12/28/06, Geza Polony <gezapolony@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> On a related note: isn't there some way the the VAG engineers could have
> put
> in metal fuel lines, as are found in Saabs and probably a lot of other
> cars?
> And how about the vacuum lines? Why not 1/8" ID copper or even steel, with
> compression fittings? With parts this important, why mess around with
> rubber
> hoses and cheesy little clamps? Anybody ever tried a conversion?