Come on now, mostly disappeared? I see them every day and I don't mean
just the same few ones or any of mine either. I can show you where at
least 15 different ones are within a 2 mile radius of my house. Almost
any time I go to a major store I see one or more.

Mark
San Diego

David Kao wrote:
> These days most cars in California are muscle monsters and speedy
> sporty imports. In the South Bay Area unofficial freeway commuting
> speed is 80 MPH. When I commute in my 2001 V6 30V Passat I definitely
> need to yield and move to 2nd lane from the first if I coast at 80 MPH.
> If I drive my Vanagon I won't consider moving from the 3rd lane into
> the 2nd even if I can cruise at 75 MPH. The 4th lane belongs to big
> rigs and old people (probably including unca joel if he comes to
> California). There is a 5th lane in sections of freeway where there is
> major ramp out to or from another major freeway. It is frequently used
> for speedy passing when people get frustrated by the cars ahead of them.
>
> I believe this is a factor why Vanagons have mostly disappeared from
> California. Maybe they have moved out to the country or near state
> or national parks. Some of them do end up in the junk yard even they
> look like the one on the ad in San Diego. It is not unusual that there
> is rarely any rust on them. Most of them have damaged bumpers and
> perhaps some repairable dents on the chassis. Whenever the engine
> or the tranny quits the owner tends to unload it for $500 in exahnge
> of a free tow to the junk yard. Price rarely goes below $500 or above
> that (I may be flamed by this).
>
> .................