Hello Listers,

Where From and Who:  I'm 5'3", 40+ years old and slightly overweight.
Since I'm so short, my current Westy Syncro came with a roof rack.  I
can't reach the mounts, let along get anything on the rack.  My 1987 Westy
Syncro is my third bus.  Previously there was a 1971 non-poptop Westy
followed by a 1983 full camper.  There are two young children living in my
house which I may, or may not, acknowledge responsibility for depending on
their behavior.

Rust:  I ran a VW shop while in college.  In Colorado, we don't see a lot
of rust because it is a very dry climate.  The DOT does use salt on the
roads to combat ice, but we generally have days of warm weather between
storms when  you can wash the bad stuff off of the car.  The cars with the
most serious rust problems are usually either undercoated or kept in a
heated garage.  Undercoating, no matter how well initally applied, will
eventually loosen due to vibration or physical damage, trapping moisture
and road grit between the coatihg and the metal.  After a car has been
driven in snow and slush conditions, and has a layer of ice build up on
it, is parked in a heated garage, the heat from the car melts the layer of
ice and crud next to the car, and it is held in place by the ice blocks
still on the car.  This enables the saltwater to creep into places where
it ought not be;  IMHO, this is the primary cause for "seam rust" in my
part of the country.

Regards,
Jon