> David - You're quite perceptive, although I really do believe that one
> could have purchased any new VW, manufactured during ANY year and gotten
> as good of service out of it as any other vehicle, AS LONG AS THEY
> UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE MAINTENANCE INTERVALS, OIL LEVELS, RPMs, WATER
> TEMPERATURE, OIL PRESSURE AND THE ELUSIVE VW "KARMA"!
>
> BOB
>

Well, I will disagree on this one.  I have both a Toyota and an Acura, along
with my four running Vanagons.  I used to think the Toyota was the epitome
of a perfect running machine, but the Acura is far better.  Both make the VWs
seem like lemons.

The Acura has not gotten much maintence in 170k miles -- lacking even most
routine maintenence since there is no Acura dealer withing a hundred miles
(Acura sold me the story that Honda dealers could service them, but the local
Honda dealer won't touch it).

We don't drive the Acura all that much -- mostly we drive the Vanagons.  They
are not bad cars, but they are not maintence-free nor problem-free like the
Acura.  The Acura does not go camping like my Westy, does not tote the family
and dogs like the Vanagon GL and does a crappy job of taking the trash to the
dump -- the Vanagon Doublecab excels.

So if you want stunning reliability, get an Acura (or a Honda).  They have
no class, and certainly don't do the job of the Vanagon line, but they are
never a hobby.  I do have the shop manuals for all my cars, but I keep the
Vanagon one handy -- the others never seen to get used.  I doubt anybody
loves their Honda like VW owners love their buses.  I am certainly not on any
Honda lists!  Are there problems like head leaks or FI quirks on the Acura?
I don't know.  My tachometer never worked quite right, but otherwise you could
weld the hood closed, like the TV ad.  I don't even know much about the FI on
the Acura, but can almost draw the diagrams for the VW from memory.

I only really drive the Doublecab.

Malcolm