Pete,

I've been "kicking the tires" on Honda Elements for years. I think they are
a well planned and useful vehicle - not a Vanagon - but a bit of the same
spirit. You could throuw a matress in the back - or all four seats fold flat
into a bed - and yes I have seen a pop top conversion for them.

I've heard pros and cons to them but right now if I were to buy a new
vehicle - that would be it.

According to the response I finally received from VWOA - the appreciated the
letters sent but "do not have any plans to build a new bus/camper at this
time". Shame - they really could have a huge hit if they designed it right.

Thanks for the article.

On Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 5:15 PM, Peter T. Owsianowski <
pnoceanwesty@gmail.com> wrote:

> Agreed.  Was checking a Honda Element today.  Rubber floors, boxy,
> versatile.  You could throw a mattress in there and sleep.  I think
> there is  even a Poptop conversion kit for those things.
> The new Beetle worked - VW seems never to miss an opportunity to miss
> an opportunity here in the US.
>
>
>
> On 7/27/08, Scott Daniel  - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> > thanks for posting this link.
> > nice to see VW is the 3rd largest auto maker in the world after GM and
> > Toyota.
> > You'd never know it here, as VW is pretty small in the US market,
> > numbers-wise.
> > 231,000 cars total sold in the US in 2007 isn't very much at all.
> >
> > Well I hope they do well.  Persoanlly, I just do not see any way to make
> a
> > quality product in the US with US workers..........and often the UAW
> Union
> > gets in .............Toyota is turning into GM .........with union
> workers
> > in their US plants now.   Quality just goes down. Toyota's are stil good,
> > but not the 'just will never die and so reliable it's boring' that they
> once
> > were, close still, but not like they once were quite.
> >
> > I'm actually rather offended, as a consumer, that VW is hanging their
> badge
> > on what is really a Chrysler Van.
> > You know.............they *invented* a genre ..............and they
> should
> > stick with it !
> >
> > I figured out what a Vanagon really is - it's a 'sporty not-quite-truck'
> > ..........
> > good ground clearance, great versility .........even the boxy aspect is
> all
> > right.  Like an upright and proud all around do anything van.   Whether
> > hauling people, semi-off roading, camping, or hauling stuff.........does
> it
> > all.
> >
> > THAT is what they should make.  Something that's not a 'me-too low to the
> > ground, soccer mom and grocery hauler' like this van that they will be
> > comong out with.
> > We shall see.
> > one thing for sure .........their products better get good fuel mileage !
> > why don't we start a letter campaign to VW of America explaining that
> we're
> > not interested in a soccer mom mini-van, but we'd go nuts over a modern ,
> > and NOT too modern ( ! ) , interpretation of the Vanagon.
> > scott
> > www.turbovans.com
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Peter T. Owsianowski" <pnoceanwesty@GMAIL.COM>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 7:13 AM
> > Subject: VW's New Chattanooga Plant
> >
> >
> >> http://www.star-telegram.com/102/story/785205.html
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Pete
> >> '79 Westy "Aardvark"
> >> '87 Westy "Joe's Van"
> >> WWW.Busesbythebeach.com <http://www.busesbythebeach.com/>
> >
> >
>
> --
> Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com
>
> Pete
> '79 Westy "Aardvark"
> '87 Westy "Joe's Van"
> WWW.Busesbythebeach.com <http://www.busesbythebeach.com/>
>

--
Thanks,

Jeff
'90 Carat (Grover)
'86 (We call this one Parts)
'78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus