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I don’t post to the forum very often. I joined around 2004. I’m on my third Vanagon which is an ‘85 tin top with a 2.5 Subie engine. The information and support I have received from the members on this list have made a person with average, at best, mechanical skills feel confident to drive these older vehicles on big road trips. Thanks to you all.   Doug Elledge  Northeast Washington state
> On Jun 15, 2019, at 8:26 AM, Maynard Southard <echomhs@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I've also been on gerry.vanagon.com for a long time. Not sure when I joined,
> but it was probably just before 1998 when I got my second diesel vanagon, a
> 1982 Westy. I had been on a VW Diesel listserve for a couple of years before
> that and a few members there had cross-posted to Gerry. I joined and started
> researching diesel Westies before buying. The archives were great!
> 
> I've owned 5 Vanagons (all diesel). I have great memories from all 5! This
> ListServ, and its members, have been constant companions to me on my travels
> and travails. Thank you for always being there.
> 
> Maynard
> 1982 Westfalia 1.9L TD (2012 - present)
> 1986 DoubleCab Transporter 1.6L D (2001 - 2017)
> 1982 Vanagon GL 1.6L D (2001 - 2007)
> 1982 Westfalia 1.6L D (1998 - 2004)
> 1982 Vanagon L 1.6L D (1988 - 1992)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> Date:    Wed, 12 Jun 2019 10:49:43 -0700
> From:    Jennifer Rabbitt <yoursocialconcierge@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Re: For Ben T - Where has everyone gone?
> 
> Here, here Mister Salmon
> Jen Rabbitt
> =E2=80=9990 Veuve Tintop
> 
> On Jun 11, 2019, at 1:07 PM, Mark Belanger <mbelanger@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Got my '91 Westy Full Camper in 2000 after coveting one since '91 and
> joined this list soon after. As a result, I discovered Bus Depot, =
> Vanagain,
> GoWesty and just about every other vendor I've used. Frankly, I'm not =
> sure
> old POKSWGN would still be running without this list and the wisdom
> surfaced.
> 
> Thank you all for you varied contributions.
> 
> I'm not going anywhere.
> 
> 
> -MB
> 
> On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 7:28 AM The Bus Depot <vanagon@busdepot.com> =
> wrote:
> 
>>> We=E2=80=99ve had a good run.
>> =20
>> I can literally say that the Vanagon List changed my life completely.
>> When I joined the list 25 years ago shortly after it started, I was =
> "just"
>> a Vanagon owner hoping to learn/share tips on maintaining and enjoying =
> my
>> Westy.   I was astounded by the internet's power to bring like-minded
>> people together all over the world and made many friends in no time.  =
> We
>> had a real community!  Of course today with social media that's =
> nothing,
>> but 25 years ago it was not as common. In the process, I learned =
> pretty
>> quickly that I wasn't the only one who was frustrated with the =
> scarcity of
>> parts for my Westy and the prices/quality when I could find them.  =
> Before
>> long I was leveraging my experience as a buyer (in a different field,
>> high-end audio) to facilitate group buys for list members (poptop =
> seals,
>> Bentley manuals), and it kind of snowballed from there.  The Vanagon =
> List
>> was a game changer. Until then the few retailers selling Vanagon parts
>> marked them up 200 or 300% because they could.  Having a large =
> community
>> under one roof gave us instant clout. There were no advertising =
> expenses
>> and enough volume to negotiate with suppliers, so prices dropped
>> tremendously. This in turn pressured existing parts suppliers to =
> compete,
>> resulting in better prices and quality throughout all channels.  Today
>> Vanagons are affordable to keep on the road due in large part to the =
> fact
>> that the Vanagon List existed decades ago.  Even more instrumental, to =
> me,
>> was the tremendous support and encouragement that I got from the List
>> Members (some of whom are still here today), without which I might not =
> have
>> made the decision to give up a safe paycheck and take the plunge in =
> the
>> first place.
>> =20
>> If on the day I joined the Vanagon List I could have looked ahead 25
>> years, I would not believe how such a seemingly inconsequential act =
> could
>> impact my life. Of course no one thing determines the path you take, =
> but
>> the Vanagon List certainly played a large part. My family has seen =
> much of
>> this country and Europe from the windows and poptops of VW campers.  =
> My
>> children are more worldly for it and have a deep rooted love of travel =
> and
>> exploration.  I have met so many incredible people along the way and =
> made
>> many friends, both through my business and my travels.   I spend my =
> days
>> doing something I love, having turned my hobby into my livelihood - =
> not to
>> mention a dozen or so employees' families (some of whom have been with =
> me
>> for 20+ years) which are sustained by a business that might not have
>> existed or succeeded were it not for the Vanagon List.
>> =20
>> I am also active on the Samba, the Vanagon Owners Group on Facebook, =
> etc.
>> But none of them will ever have the impact on my life that the Vanagon =
> List
>> did.  If the day comes that the Vanagon List has whittled down to just =
> one
>> remaining member, it will be me.  :-)
>> =20
>> Ron Salmon
>> The Bus Depot, Inc.
>> www.busdepot.com
>> =20
> 
> 
> --=20
> ________________________________________________________________________
> Mark Belanger - mbelanger@gmail.com