Mark, I know. There are still a lot of them out there. But I used
to see a lot in my neighborhood and at work. But not any more.
I am in the Bay Area. I probably should have said that.

David

--- On Sat, 2/21/09, mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:

> From: mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net>
> Subject: Re: They're GIVING Vanagons away in San Diego!
> To: "David Kao" <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
> Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009, 5:18 PM
> 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).
> >
> > .................