I've had some difficult situations trying to get onto busy 65 mph two lane highways at graded crossings.  Zero to 60 time is about 30 seconds, and sometimes I wait for 5 or 10 minutes before I can get a big enough gap in traffic to pull into, and then I use my hazard flashers.  If the road is uphill, I won't ever make it to 60.

That's what I mean by dangerous.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Haynes [mailto:d23haynes57@hotmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2015 2:12 PM
To: 'Stuart MacMillan'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: VW of Canada Remanufactured Diesel Engines?

Yea its Friday.
I think saying these horsepower ranges are dangerous is a bit up to the person driving. Yes the 48HP Diesel in a vanagon is slow and to me can be frustrating especially on highways that have 70-75 mph traffic. For WB Vanagons there are many truck and bus type vehicles that have power to weight ratios that are much lower.

Dennis 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Stuart MacMillan
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2015 2:39 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: VW of Canada Remanufactured Diesel Engines?

According to Bentley, power on a good day:

Diesel: 48hp, 97 ft-lbs
Air cooled: 67hp, 101 ft-lbs
1.9 WBX: 82hp, 105 ft-lbs
2.1 WBX: 90hp, 117 ft-lbs

All are dangerously underpowered for modern driving situations, but the diesel is in a class by itself.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----

Neil and others thinking of a normal diesel vanagon....I would certainly suggest a test drive before you consider getting one to drive daily.  In my opinion, based on the one and only ride I've had...in a very well-maintaned one a Canadian friend used to own, they aren't powerful enough to take on public roads without real danger to you and all the other traffic, especially on two lanes, where the others can't just go past

On divided highways you're going to be passed by Big Rigs with their hazard lights going...

The diesel engine is durable, but it is very very slow in a vanagon...I was appalled, and scared riding in one.