I don't call my Vanagon a "hobby"   I don't even consider it old, though
I guess 25yrs + is pretty old the way cars are judged now.........It is my
vehicle of choice, picked, with a lot of personal consideration, from every
vehicle available....though price was a consideration when I 'passed' on
some of the modern vans, it wasn't THE consideration.. Simplicity was

.I require being able to fix my own vehicles rather than be dependent on
dealers, towing insurance, warranties, and all that goes along with a
modern 'modular' OBD-whatever vehicle....Yes, newer vehicles don't break as
often, but when they do, it is often major!   You don't often, with a
complex modern vehicle,  just pull over to the shoulder and go..."Hey, I
know what that might be"... then.take out your Bently and the onboard tools
and fix the problem with a couple of hand tools and a spare part, like I
usually can in a Vanagon........No, you call the flat bed to haul you to
the nearest brand specific mechanic that might have all the proper
diagnostic machines and the skill to use them.   Then you often have to
wait for whatever parts he tells you are faulty...you have to take his word
for it, often times, because that part is probably buried under twenty
other parts or hidden in the wiring loom somewhere...I often find my
travels take me far far from any tow service...and multiple hundreds of
miles from say a Sprinter or a Scion or even a Ford, Subie
mechanic......heck....from civilization at all....With a simpler older rig
like my vanagon I can usually 'self-rescue'...

   It's too bad the Vanagon is becoming a 'Hobby Vehicle' in my opinion.
When trendy people start 'collecting' things, like seems to be starting to
happen with Westies, the prices go up and they become too valuable to use,
day to day...The vanagon really works for me as my main ride...but I do
live rural and I do travel with a lot of dry camping involved and haul
fancy stuff in a rainy area...Probably wouldn't choose one if I did a daily
freeway city commute.....

   I do have a few hobby cars and motorcycles around...88 Porsche 951 (944
turbo) a Beetle project, a couple of track bikes (CBR 600rr)  I'm working
on getting the beetle changed to a Baja bug, which I plan to tow to the
desert maybe next winter...Poor Man's Syncro...

   Don Hanson

On Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 4:46 PM, Jason <uberhare@gmail.com> wrote:

> Funny I'm reading this at the side of the road waiting for a tow....2006
> Jetta TDI.
>
> Jason
>  On 2012-12-07 7:38 PM, "J Stewart" <fonman4277@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > <sniff,sniff> Yup, those were the days when VW still made good cars! Jeff
> > Stewart ----- Original Message -----
> > > I miss my 87 VW Fox.
> > > On Dec 7, 2012, at 6:17 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
> > > > Miss my 79 Beetle and 81 Rabbit convertibles.
> >
>