It's not Friday and it's not like the first thing me you have expressed your opinion about your non-Vanagon vehicle. Please keep these sort of comments on Fridays, if you must.

This is, afterall, the Vanagon List.

BenT
Co-Mod

> On Aug 7, 2017, at 8:59 AM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> My 97 Safari AWD van... I call it my poor man's Syncro...just turned
> 300,000 miles yesterday.
>  I got this Safari a few years ago for $1800, very nice, leather inside
> auto tranny, fancy fancy... but surprisingly, nothing much has broken or
> worn out in the ~60k miles I've added to the original owner's​ miles.
>  I really wanted a Syncro but I guess the Safari AWD van, at about 1/28th
> of the going price of Synchros, it'll do.
>   I got the Safari as a work vehicle, needing something capable of moving
> on NW US winter roads... but it's now getting a LOT of use.
>   I've tracked my gas in both vans, the Safari AWD costs me ~$.13/ mile,
> the inline ABA Vanagon, ~$.12/mile... (Fuelly app)
>   I've learned to live with the automatic transmission...The AWD in this
> year's van?, full time and very effective... Towing rated at 5000lbs with
> it's V 6 motor...a shortened version of the venerable 350 Chevy V8...
>   OK, the downside?
> Awful to work on the motor, it being crammed into what they call "the
> doghouse".  The handling is inferior to my tintop.  The inside roof is too
> low.  When driving the Safari, you get more scowls than grins from other
> drivers, Downtown...These NLA midsized GM vans are what many of our
> farmworkers seem to drive... Not "cool" like the Vanagon.  Out in the
> country, I get more love in the GM...
>  The upside?  I guess I could make this into a real Super Van if I
> invested a Syncro's purchase price into a few mods on this van.
>   Or maybe just get 20 or so "spares" for backup with the money I didn't
> spend on that Synchro.
>  I love my 5sp tintop...but the Safari has really been impressive! I
> expected...."blah! It's just gotta get me and my tools to work.. I don't
> have to like it". but Jeeze!   I think now I like it.