On Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 7:47 AM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

>  I relax, traveling in my van because if it does have any problems during a
> trip I can fix it.  Vanagons are simple systems, especially the one I have
> without any power accessories, a 5sp manual tranny and an inline gas VW
> motor.
>

I feel much the same way. On day trips, I much prefer driving the van, as I
am more relaxed and like the much better visibility, along with the built in
amenities to make coffee, tee, or use the potty. We can go anywhere and have
whatever we need. The sign of a really good day trip is the pang of regret
at having to leave, instead of just pulling out the bed for the night. :-)

On longer trips, I usually take enough tools to do an engine rebuild, if
necessary, so as a result, the need to do so has never arisen. One of the
reasons I swapped in a 1.6TD was my comfort level with this engine and it's
simple design. Although the 2.1 WBX was pretty trouble-free during the 9
years I drove it, I always worried about a failure I could not diagnose or
fix somewhere deep in the back country. Yes, I do watch my gauges on long
climbs, but the most recent trip over some of the steepest passes in the PNW
loaded up with upsized tires still presented no problems; in fact, the
engine ran cooler than the last time over the Rockies.

About the only time I am not relaxed is between Hope, BC and the ferry
terminal(s), but I'm getting better at planning trips to avoid worrying
about delays on this nasty bit of road, so I can just sit back and not worry
about traffic.

--
Shawn Wright