I traveled a lot on business to Hong Kong and China in the late 1990's; typically the factory would have a Toyota Hiace to shuttle folks around.� They'd really pack us in.� But as a Vanagon owner, I was looking at the vehicle in a whole different light....was drooling how I'd convert it into a camper van.� With a nice diesel 6-cylinder and ice-cold A/C even during Hong Kong summers, that van would fly down the road, fully loaded, I think once we had 17 guys in there with fold-down jump seats utilized.� Alas, with California smog rules and all the USA import rules, I know that will probably never happen for me....� On the other hand, I'm reading more and more about the Mercedes Sprinter....seems like that is going to be my next roadtrip vehicle....would get a stripped one and transform it with all the goodies and comforts.� Talked with a delivery driver the other day who drove a Sprinter....says it FLIES!, great handling, plenty of power, sips
 diesel, reliable as all get out, and they are ALL over the place these days, so I guess plenty of service and repair facilities for the future.

Still....like the way my 85 Vanagon fits into my garage...guess I will need to get a bigger one someday to match the vehicle!

Rich
San Diego

--- On Tue, 1/18/11, HotelWestfalia <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET> wrote:

From: HotelWestfalia <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Subject: Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 5:27 PM

When I lived in South Africa, that Hiace was the most preferred taxi for the
locals.� More than twenty of them fit in at a time.� I would not be
surprised if it was thirty guys.� But it was well loved by all the
businesses for it's dependability, only it got stolen more often.� Many
drivers got killed in the process and it has not stopped yet.� I'm not sure,
the Vanagon would be as much sought after ever for it's dependability.
BTW there was no VW camper introduced in South Africa of the Vanagon kind.
Zoltan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 4:35 PM
Subject: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..

>I know it is not Friday but I saw a Nissan Hiace today, driving through
>town
> and it went past my parked Vanagon.���They could be Clones.���Same size
> and
> shape and this Nissan had a cool awning and it looked like a camping
> interior.� Right hand drive and diesel.���Good looking modern beastie.
> Didn't see the plates.� It looked to me like a modern Vanagon, but
> Japanese.���I suppose the US forbids them being owned and registered here,
> or we would all have them, I suppose.
>
>� I am going to do some research about those thingys...I owned a Nissan one
> time and it was so dependable I never even knew what kinda motor was in
> it...Gas and drive...change the oil...and a couple of hundered thousand
> miles later, it got smooshed without ever giving me one single problem.
> If
> I could have a Vanagon-like Nissan...I certainly would be all over it.
>
>���The Nissan Hiace drivers were checking out my Vanagon as they drove
> past.....wonder what they were saying to each other?
>
>� Don Hanson
>