Two thoughts:

An auto can have some advantages off road-like you can use all of your
limited power at crawling speed-no more clutch-burning starts up hill.  This
makes a huge difference in full-size diesel highway coach busses.  Don't
know if it's that important in a vanagon, although I have been forced to do
my share of clutch burning in my syncro.  But only to get into or out of
somewhere I really shouldn't go.

My Mercedes 300D will roll start at about 10MPH, in low gear.  I just put it
in low, turn on the key and get my friend to tow me a bit.

I've started cars by doing crazy things like winding rope around the pulley
and yanking on it.  Lot's of opportunities to break something (of mine or
the car's), but it works.

But I'd rather drive my 5 speed.

Ray

On 6/21/07, Wesley Pegden <wes@cs.uchicago.edu> wrote:
>
> I was just reading some old threads and came across this: "I think if
> you can get an auto up to say 20-30 in neutral then drop into driver you
> can "jump" start it".
>
> Has anyone tried this with an automatic Vanagon?  If not a "push" start,
> maybe a "hill" start?  I know of someone who said they got this to work
> with an older Volvo station wagon they had.
>
> Just curious.
>
> -Wes
>
> TC wrote:
> >> " You can't push-start an automatic"
> >>
> >> That's the deal killer right there.  Fifteen miles up a logging road in
> BC
> >> with a dead battery you most definitely do not want an automatic.
> >>
> > how do you kill both the 2nd & the primary :) ?
> > also I think if you can get an auto up to say 20-30 in neutral then drop
> > into driver
> > you can "jump" start it ... :)
> >
> >
>