fwiw,
an aftermarket add-on device to prevent overheating in air-cooled VW's...
like say a VW Bug , did exist i the 70's and may still.

a little cirucit wired to the igntion with a temp sensor on the engine ..
if the engine got WAY too hot, say cooling fan v-belt fell off,
the ignition would go into a limb mode ..
it would run, but just enough for you to get off the freeway at half
power , for example.

I had some friends tow to me  a modern Passat...
the one with the fore-aft mounted inline gas engine ..
that's known for sludging up oil passages.

they had it towed because a huge Red Light in the middle of the
speedometer said STOP !

and lots of modern cars can go into a limb mode ..
so it's not totally dead, but it can't hurt itself quite so much.

a engine temp limb mode system could be made to work on a vanagon ..
like say coolant level, coolant temp, and oil pressure ,
and it goes into a limb mode.

the ignition based circuit above,  was not complicated..
small box, 4 or 5 wires, under $ 50.

Yeah..I think there's a lot of risk in renting out vanagons.
they're not idiot=proof vehicles at all.

guy i know rents them out on Oahu, Hawaii..
at least they can't get too far away there !   ..like 2 hour drive max
to rescue the thing.

Scott

On 05/09/2016 02:43 PM, Jim Felder wrote:
> An immobilizer that prevented restarting would not work at all on a
> Vanagon. It would have to shut the car down at 230 degrees or thereabouts.
> It's going to immobilize at some point, why not before the fatal damage
> sets in?
>
> Jim
>
> On Mon, May 9, 2016 at 5:07 PM kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <
> kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> My brother just rented a new Chevy Suburban the other day that has a rumble
>> pack under the driver's seat when you do something it doesn't like, it
>> vibrates.  Maybe something like that to scare them?  I know it would scare
>> me.  :-)
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> On Mon, May 9, 2016 at 6:03 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I thought about that too, but you need to be able to get to a safe place
>>> to stop.  An immobilizer to prevent restarting?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Stuart
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Jim Felder [mailto:jim.felder@gmail.com]
>>> Sent: Monday, May 09, 2016 12:52 PM
>>> To: Stuart MacMillan; vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
>>> Subject: Re: Vanagon rentals are catching on
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> It would have to have an immobilizer feature to work with the non-vanagon
>>> crowd.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, May 9, 2016 at 2:50 PM Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I would not rent or even loan my van. But if I did, I'd install a coolant
>>> alarm: http://www.gowesty.com/product-details.php?v= <
>>> http://www.gowesty.com/product-details.php?v=&id=24196> &id=24196
>>>
>>> Stuart
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>>> Of kenneth wilford (Van-Again)
>>> Sent: Monday, May 09, 2016 10:49 AM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: Vanagon rentals are catching on
>>>
>>> Scott, we were learning to be more picky with who we rented to, but it
>> was
>>> a painful process.  People wanted to rent vans to go to Prince Edward
>>> Island from NJ (nope sorry), people wanted to rent them to go to music
>>> festivals (unfortunately that didn't end well either as alcohol was
>>> involved along with domestic violence).  As you said, we tended to think
>> of
>>> these vans as our babies as well.  Would you hand you children over to
>> just
>>> anyone?  Some people do, but I don't.  :-)
>>>
>>> Ken
>>>
>>> On Mon, May 9, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Scott Quinnett <dragonflyvans@gmail.com
>>>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> This thread was just brought to my attention.  I have been doing this
>>>> business for almost 10 yrs now.  When I started there were two places
>>>> in California and one in Hawaii(Maybe two) that, in my humble opinion,
>>>> were basically making average VW campers available. Nothing more with
>> one
>>>> exception. VSWagons.   I have been contacted by many attempted "start
>>>> ups" over the past few years and a particular spike in attention in
>>>> the last two years. They are looking for insurance, feedback,
>>>> experience, revenue, etc. etc. Admittedly I haven't been very open or
>>>> friendly, I've got a lot to do daily and I'm a Mechanic/Technician
>>>> first, and social butterfly with a cool business concept in a far far
>>>> second.  In order for renting to make sense and be profitable you have
>>>> to ask big money.  That concept doesn't translate until your customers
>>>> have actually used the van and returning with that "ah ha" moment of
>>>> understanding the value.  Also,  I probably turn away as many people
>>>> as I rent to.  I litterally research everyone who I intend to rent to.
>>>> If your familiar with the TV show Seinfeld, my friends call me the
>>>> "van nazi".  "NO VAN FOR YOU!" as I am very stick about who and how my
>>>> campers are being used.  I am a self made person and I've built
>>>> everyone of these vans with my own hands and they are mine, my
>>>> daughters if you will. They are not for everybody.  blah blah
>>>> blah......but I'm 9 years into with only one failure that needed
>>>> roadside attention.(chest
>>>> pounding)  In any case,  I'd love anyone to chime in with opinions
>>>> about this.  More I'd love to hear the horror stories of others having
>>>> done the same thing.  In fact, that might be the whole purpose of my
>>>> participating.  It may be a "misery love company" thing.   No one can
>>>> empathize with this kind of thing, but can sympathize with the concept
>>>> of morons f'n up your vans.  errrrr.....  Looking forward to hearing
>>>> from folks.  One day I intend on producing a coffee table book
>>>> regarding the horror stories.  I believe on VW Van owners will
>>> appreciate it.
>>>> Peace.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thanks,
>>> Ken Wilford
>>> John 3:16
>>> www.vanagain.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Thanks,
>> Ken Wilford
>> John 3:16
>> www.vanagain.com
>>