In a message dated 10/14/99 2:29:34 PM, you wrote:

<<Hi all. This was a last minute trip. I'm headed to Germany (Frankfurt) for

the next week and will sign off the list while I'm gone.

Anyhow, I'd like to go tour the plant/Museum if somewhere can tell me if

this is an option. Where is it? Anything special I need to know? Do you need

a group or reservations? Anything cool to buy there that I can't get here?

I fly tonight so please post any suggestions today!

Thanks again!

Mikey

Falls Church, VA

`87 Westy>>

Mikey,
The Museum is in Wolfsburg, which is a couple of hours from Frankfurt.  You
can get there by rail, but a rental car would be a better bet.

I didn't take the factory tour, but I believe it takes up to 3 hours.  The
Museum is just down the road from the factory and is open until 5pm weekdays.
 I went on a Wednessday, so I don't know about the weekends.

I was a little disapointed with the museum.  Some of the cars were not in the
greatest shape, and all of the information is in German.

There is no real gift shop there, but you can buy some stuff at the cashier
on the way in or out.  No one spoke english so it was difficult to even ask
for any of the items.  Even when I translated my request in German, the
cashier just stared at me and shook her head.  Seems like a little game she
plays when she doesn't want to bother with American tourists.

The interesting part of the Museum is the parts center.  Down the main hall
on the left is an office and small warehouse full of obsolete parts.  There
is one gentleman there that speaks a little english and is happy to help you
find parts.  He will even accept a request by fax with part numbers, or your
VIN number and part description.

VW is building a new visitor center in Wolfsburg.  You will be able to see
this under construction.  There was a mention of this in Hot VWs.  I've been
in so many assembly plants, that I didn't want to spend the 3 hours for the
tour.

Try to make time to visit a VW dealer and check out their accessory books.  I
didn't have the time to look through the Vanagon books, but did look over the
EuroVan stuff, and was amazed at all the stuff you can get there that the US
dealers don't carry.

Good luck.

Steve Lashley
'66 Westy
'74 Campmobile
'93 EV MV
<A HREF="http://eurocampers.com/">http://EuroCampers.com</A>
Importing German Side Tents, Carver Propane Heaters and other Accessories for
Bus, Vanagon and EuroVan