>All this talk has got me wondering about the pro's and con's of alloy
rather
>than steel rims.

Alloys are usually stiffer (yep I'm not lying, although aluminum is a third
the modulus, typically you got much more cross section, and moment of
inertia of the cross section), and are often, but not always (I've never
weighed a Vanagon rim) lighter which reduces unsprung weight making your
suspension work less, and more efficiently.  When it comes to the Vanagon
OEM alloy versus steel rim, I'd guess them about equally prone to being bent
as the alloy is a monstrous thing, not always true, early Corrado alloys
bend if they sit in the sun too long (well nearly).  Alloys look real cool
and trendy, but when you gouge one, it looks like crap and is hard to fix,
when you scratch a hub cap, who cares (it's a hub cap), alloys are generally
expensive, and require care (not hard to care for, just require some care,
washing, waxing, etc to keep them looking good.)  Alloys are available in
many sizes and fitments, even quite a few aftermarket for the Vanagon.  And
the OEM vanagon is a bit wider? than the steel rim, so perhaps a teeny tad
better at supporting a wider tire against rolling, but that is likely
trivial.  So there you have it, is one better than the other, probably not
as far as origional Vanagon fare goes, despite what people may like to
believe, it ususally comes down to looks and cost.  I wouldn't go running
out killing yourself to find a set, now if you want a bigger diameter via
Audi or aftermarket, that's another issue altogether.

John
vwbus@mindspring.com