I don't know about that. I spend almost 2 hours/day driving to and from
work. I recently acquired a 1992 Benz 600SEL. Yes V-12. I enjoy this car
so much that I look for excuses to drive it. Do I really need the power?
Heck no! But just normal acceleration is so smooth and that 5,000 pound
car actually feels nimble and I just smirk starting it up. And I often
enjoy not having to pedal it. Weekly gas impact is ~$20 if I do not do a
bunch of short trips as compared the Fox. Yes it is still wasteful but the
16 mpg is no different than my Vanagon anyway. Yes, I took the Benz to
Florida at turkey time and it averaged 16.33 mpg over almost 3,500 miles
of driving some of it at high speeds. Hopefully that V-10 TDI will shine
in the fuel economy department.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Kim Brennan
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2007 2:22 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: I did the ultimate upgrade for Christmas!

A V10 as a daily driver. Sad, that is.

On Dec 30, 2007, at 12:49 AM, David Marshall wrote:

> Actually Scott, notice I never said Westfalia or camper in my original
> statement.  We bought this for several reasons - mainly as a daily
> driver for my wife so cooking bacon isn't on the top list of my
> priorities
> with this one.
>
> I have one metal box that hold all my
> camping gear like stoves, pots, dishes, fuel etc, sort of my GOOD
> box sort
> of speak.  This could fit between the driver seat and rear seat if
> need be,
>
> We are getting a roof top tent for it for the few
> times we will be going camping in this car, when it isn't needed it
> will
> be at home.  No use taking everything including the kitchen sink when
> you need to drive the kids to school right?
>
> With 750Nm of
> torque, it able to tow even my LT 4x4 with ease!
>
> The
> Touareg has lots that we were looking for and it would be over my dead
> body that we were to purchase a Ford / Dodge / Chev - besides none
> of them
> can touch the Touareg TDI for fuel economy and HNV - the Touareg is
> very
> refined and enjoyable to drive.
>
> I'm not dissing the the Vanagon
> in any way - they lots happens in 20 years of development. I have just
> have broadened my horizons to include things beyond the Vanagon and
> stepping into the 21st century with automotive technology.  I'm still
> keeping my Westfalia Syncro and my LT 4x4 so I haven't totally jumped
> ship.
>
> Too bad that playground bully has to keep on
> turning up to throw sand in the sand box and try to turn everything
> into a
> pissing match.   Not sure if he is envious about what he can't
> have or just a little left over grinch left in him from the
> holidays.
>
> David Marshall
>
> http://www.hasenwerk.ca
> http://www.fastforward.ca
>
> Box
> 4153, Quesnel BC, Canada V2J 3J2
>
> On Sat, December 29, 2007
> 18:28, Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote:
>> Exactly, and how many
> burners does the stove have, and what's the water
>> tank
>>
> capacity ?
>> Can you spell 'expensive motel' or 'camping out'
> ??
>> !!
>> congrats though.  If something happens to it,
> like somebody hit it say,
>> you'll be talking about putting the
> engine into a syncro van or the LT
>> truck.
>> Scott
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
> From: Vanagon
> Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>> Jim
> Arnott
>> Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 5:49 PM
>> To:
> vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: I did the ultimate
> upgrade for Christmas!
>>
>> And it sleeps how many?
>>
>> <someone had to ask....>
>>
>>
> Jim
>>
>> On Dec 29, 2007, at 1:42 PM, David Marshall
> wrote:
>>
>>> it is a
>>> fine replacement for
> the Vanagon in many ways.
>>