All that political stuff aside...the Toyota HiAce Cruisin Cabin is still
around my area, as is that smaller even more square BC diesel 'sumpthin'
that I can never seem to corner to get a look at it..Both of these vehicles
are Canadian plates and both seem to be doing just about the same as my
Vanagon....Camping quite well in the desert.

   The HiAce is slightly longer than a westie...mabye a foot, and it looks
like the overhangs are shorter (wheelbase would be longer)  This particular
one is badged "Cruisin Cabin" and it seems like that may be an aftermarket
conversion or perhaps done by that company for Toyota...it looks much like a
Westphalia..from what I have been able to see in passing.   I am gonna try
to get some pics and have a chat with the owners, should we ever coincide
parked locations.  It looks to have more ground clearance than a
Vanagon...kinda Syncro-like...but this one has some skirts and steps like a
Carat...I have seen it on the highway doing 70+/- so even though it is
diesel, it looks to be adequate in cruising speed.

  Now my gummint rap:  Why shouldn't a vehicle that is safe and clean and
green enough for our Canadian neighbors be OK for us to own and use in the
US?  It seems like the Federal standards are a bunch of hooie!  They seem to
lose track of the fact that stuff that works fine everywhere else in the
world will also work fine here...and then they go insist that unless the
carmakers PAY...to have these things looked at and re-approved by our US
agencies..too...they can't sell em here and we can't go get them anywhere
else and bring them here on our own...Verbooten!

   Lottsa neat clean green efficient vehicles for sale out there that are
excluded for no reason except they haven't paid the US fee to be allowed
into the US...It would seem more in our national interest to let these more
fuel efficient and cleaner vehicles be easily owned and driven by everyone
in the US...

  OK...nuff a that...
  Don Hanson