Would like to endear my wife to my Vanagon and she seems to think that it's
>prehistoric! ?

Well I don't think that any coaxing will do the trick if she doesn't like
being on the road in our
unique vehicles. I agree with what others have said about different
interests. I enjoy the road trips
that I take with my wife and I enjoy the road trips I take alone.
We both need a fair amount of private time so we have found a good balance.
But I think you really have to like being on the road and living in the
moment and accepting
"what is".
Sometimes "what is" isn't so hot and sometimes it's fantastic.
Some people are much more at home well at "home" for others of us we are
most at home when rolling down
a highway, music playing a bit too loud , and having no idea where we will
be camping tonight.
We were at a campground last year and this guy down the way was traveling in
35ft + huge RV and he kept
looking at us.
Finally later in the day he was walking by and he said he owned a Westy and,
in fact, owned a shop that worked
on them till he retired but his wife wanted all the goodies so the Westy had
to go.
He looked miserable!
She had bought a RV site in Arizona and they were on their way there to park
this big thing there.
That is something for somebody but it ain't for this cowboy.
The Westies appeal to a different kind spirit and they don't appeal to
everyone.
Travel I guess is personnel thing and some folks like 300 dollar a night
hotels and  some of us are happy
with a westy, a full tank of gas, water, rations, music and a lot of open
road with no schedule and no deadline.
Perhaps we are simple folk and easily pleased I don't know.
Before  I bought my westy I inherited a motorhome with all the goodies.
I drove it around the block and it confirmed what I already knew this was
not a reflection of who I was
or something that I wanted to be identified with on any level.
Back to the original question can you coax someone into a westy and the
westy experience I don't think so.
Maybe it's a calling!
If one short road triip  doesn't at least stir the embers deep within the
soul of the potential vagabond then
I don't think anything will.

Bernie
Vancouver, BC