Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
VanagonEuroVan
Subject:Fwd: Re: Re: OT: Eurovan forum information?
From:David Bjorkman
Date:Thu, 18 Oct 2012 08:18:43 -0500

<div style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 24px"><DIV>&nbsp;<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12px">From: ddbjorkman@verizon.net<BR>Date: Oct 18, 2012 9:17:37 AM<BR>Subject: Re: Re: OT: Eurovan forum information?<BR>To: mcperdue@GMAIL.COM<BR></SPAN>&nbsp;<BR></DIV><DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 24px"><DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>That chicken tax has been around since the 70's and is the reason more Vanagons, especially Westys, were not sold in the USA.&nbsp; It is why Chrysler (Dodge? someone) lays claim to&nbsp;lie that they created the minivan (my '59 Westy was a "minivan", as was my '55 barn door).&nbsp; That tax greatly inflated the price of the Volkswagen Transporter and so reduced their sales to the point where they&nbsp;said to h**l with the USA market.</FONT></DIV><DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Dave B.</FONT></DIV><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV>&nbsp;<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12px">On 10/17/12, <SPAN>Marc Perdue&lt;mcperdue@GMAIL.COM&gt;</SPAN> wrote:</SPAN></DIV><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12px">I found the answer to my 2nd question already on Wikipedia: "The U.S.<BR>market does not receive the T5 Transporter range due to it being classed as<BR>a light truck, which thereby automatically includes a 25% extra tax (known<BR>as the chicken tax &lt;<A class=parsedLink href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax" target=_blank>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax</A>&gt;) on<BR>importation into the US. The passenger vans were the worst selling vans in<BR>the North American market in 2003, when VW North America sold the last<BR>Eurovans in the United States." Darn chicken tax!!! Y'all know darn well<BR>Perdue's don't like chicken taxes . . .<BR><BR>Marc<BR><BR>On Wed, Oct 17, 2012 at 3:07 PM, Marc Perdue &lt;<A class=parsedEmailparsedEmail href="mailto:mcperdue@gmail.com" target=_blank>mcperdue@gmail.com</A>&gt; wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Is there a Eurovan forum like there is a Vanagon forum? Did VW stop making<BR>&gt; Eurovan campers after 2003?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; The point of these questions is that I'm highly frustrated with my van<BR>&gt; right now and thinking about getting a newer van. Yes, I said it. After<BR>&gt; coming home last night to work on cleaning grounds to fix the idle problem,<BR>&gt; before I could replace the blown paper speakers, fix the hazard light<BR>&gt; switch, and fix the potable water pump, I found a pool of coolant under the<BR>&gt; van, for something like the 20th time. Don't get me started on ill-fitting<BR>&gt; exhaust pipes. I worked on fixing the coolant leak till 10 PM last night so<BR>&gt; that I'd have a way to get to work this morning. Grrr... Try shoving a 1/4"<BR>&gt; fuel line on a 7 mm fitting with hot coolant spraying out sometime; you'll<BR>&gt; understand some of my frustration. Local, quick parts sourcing is a MAJOR<BR>&gt; problem with this van anymore.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Anyway, if anybody on the list has experience with Eurovans and could fill<BR>&gt; me in, off-list, on some of the fun issues I may be looking at there, I'd<BR>&gt; love to hear about it. It might make me take my van to the body shop after<BR>&gt; all . . .<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; On a positive note, my new iPhone is coming tomorrow!!!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Sigh...<BR>&gt; Marc<BR>&gt;<BR></DIV></DIV><BR></div>

Have something to add on this topic today? Revive this thread in the forum »