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Sat Dec 08, 2018 8:30 pm

My wife and daughters and mom etc are asking what I want for Christmas. Ive asked for a 12v jack but otherwise Im at a loss. What ideas do the sambanistas have? Whats on your 2018 wish list thats under $200.

Happy Holidays.

Sat Dec 08, 2018 8:58 pm

Sat Dec 08, 2018 8:58 pm

Im adding AAA premium to the list. Used up my last membership with my last vanagon and then buying this one. Gonna need a tow. Guarantee it.

I could deff use better visibility in the brake light department. Might even be down to 1 BL now :shock: .

Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:32 pm

Steve M. wrote: Stocking Stuffer for 20 bucks at Pep Boys!

Let us know how these perform.

Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:39 pm

Water tank level sensor 🎅

Sun Dec 09, 2018 5:38 am

Similarly to Steve, third brake light kit made my list.

https://www.gowesty.com/product/exterior-lighting/23669/third-brake-light-kit-led-?v=

Sun Dec 09, 2018 6:20 am

I installed GoWesty's third brake light and it is a huge improvement over just the stock brake lights.

As an additional feature, I added a brake flasher into its circuitry to enhance visibility. (And probably annoy the vehicle behind me in stop and go traffic situations.....)

Other ideas.....
Cup holders
Step for upstairs bed access
Interior lighting
12 volt refrigerator
Propane heater
Seat upgrade
New seat belts
Ram air shut off (10cent if you want the easy kit)
Driver "A" Pillar grab handle
New, better, bigger mountable fire extinguisher
Sliding door entry step
Mud flaps
Improved head lights (many options are now available from DIY to kits)

How many ideas do you want?

Dave

Sun Dec 09, 2018 8:00 am

There are stock brake lights??

New Top of the list
New, better, bigger mountable fire extinguisher

Then theres.....
LED light strips.
Floor mats
Door speakers (mine are gone)
iphone holder.
magnetic bullet lights as suggested by one fella a wile back.

The list is building. =D>

Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:48 am

GW rain fly. Been out of stock for about a year now....

Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:57 am

Steve M. wrote: Stocking Stuffer for 20 bucks at Pep Boys!

I hate these bulbs so much, these are super annoying when stuck in traffic, and the car in front has these. They flash every time you step on the brakes, Mercedes, and others cars factory equipped with flashing brake lights use the cars computers to detect speed and pedal pressure to determine if the flashing lights will be utilized, with these in bumper to bumper traffic if you move 3 feet
Then step on the brakes again they will flash move three feet more step on the brakes and they flash again. I vote a strong no on these, but fully encourage a good third brake light, or even brighter brake light bulbs.

Sun Dec 09, 2018 11:07 am

foodeater wrote: Steve M. wrote: Stocking Stuffer for 20 bucks at Pep Boys!

I hate these bulbs so much, these are super annoying when stuck in traffic, and the car in front has these. They flash every time you step on the brakes, Mercedes, and others cars factory equipped with flashing brake lights use the cars computers to detect speed and pedal pressure to determine if the flashing lights will be utilized, with these in bumper to bumper traffic if you move 3 feet
Then step on the brakes again they will flash move three feet more step on the brakes and they flash again. I vote a strong no on these, but fully encourage a good third brake light, or even brighter brake light bulbs.

I agree, I'm not sold on these... The blinking effect is even more confusing with the North America specs for rear lights, where a blinking brake light indicates the direction you want to turn.

Sun Dec 09, 2018 3:16 pm

I want a Blaze Cut fire extinlgluisher!

Sun Dec 23, 2018 8:25 am

Saw this today called the magic creeper. basically a pad with bot end sown together to be a circle. On the inside of the circle is a low friction material so that when you lay it out flat it will slide on itself. Lay down on it and you can slip in and out under the car instead of doing the inchworm crawl to move around under there.
60 Bucks here at:

www.magicreeper.com

Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:20 am

Haha oh man it looks like a magic carpet creeper!

You forgot one C in the link,

https://magiccreeper.com/

Mon Dec 24, 2018 6:44 am

UM---Nice concept on the creeper, but---Anything on the ground , water dirt, oil, is going to get picked up by the caterpillar track action and wind up on the back of your shirt and pants. Why not just keep a piece of heavy builder's poly in some storage area and toss it under. This stuff is slippery enough so you can slide around on it all day. If you need a pad because of the princess-and-the-pea issue, a section of a mover's blanket should fix that. If you want to get super fancy paste some of the poly to the bottom of the mover's pad and it will be super slippery. There used to be a time in 'Merica where we invented things ourselves and cobbed up solutions. We won WWII with that kind of backyard engineering and it's still a good way today.

Afraid this sounds a bit like Terry Kay, so disregard. I always wanted Andy Rooney's job as where else an you get paid 6 figures for 5 minutes of being a curmudgeon a week. I'm a curmudgeon 24/7 and don't get paid anything.

Mon Dec 24, 2018 6:51 am

DuncanS wrote: UM---Nice concept on the creeper, but---Anything on the ground , water dirt, oil, is going to get picked up by the caterpillar track action and wind up on the back of your shirt and pants. Why not just keep a piece of heavy builder's poly in some storage area and toss it under. This stuff is slippery enough so you can slide around on it all day. If you need a pad because of the princess-and-the-pea issue, a section of a mover's blanket should fix that. If you want to get super fancy paste some of the poly to the bottom of the mover's pad and it will be super slippery. There used to be a time in 'Merica where we invented things ourselves and cobbed up solutions. We won WWII with that kind of backyard engineering and it's still a good way today.

Afraid this sounds a bit like Terry Kay, so disregard. I always wanted Andy Rooney's job as where else an you get paid 6 figures for 5 minutes of being a curmudgeon a week. I'm a curmudgeon 24/7 and don't get paid anything.

I always kept a chunk of glossy printed cardboard (mine came from an office chair box) folded double on top of the engine access under the rear foam pad.

Always at hand for those situations where the ground is wet or uncomfortable.

You can fold the soiled side (non glossy, glossy side is great for sliding in and out on) against each other and lay it out in the sun to dry when stopped.

Total cost? Zero.

Who knows? You might get one free tomorrow containing one of your other Christmas Presents!

Like a Child, the empty box could be the best part of the gift!

Dave

Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:40 am

Regarding the magic Creeper.
I've always had a gray foam floor mat I bought at Home Depot that just happens to fit under the foam bed pad over the engine cover so I would have that level of comfort unobtainable with a rock sticking up into my back on the bare ground while out on the road. I also have a 4x6" blue tarp folded and laying flat under the foam bed pad.
It also gives a bit more soundproofing to the engine noise.

As far as it picking up dirt on the friction side it is not really a problem if you keep a 4x6' blue tarp folded up to lay down if it is muddy ground or on dirt.
Really though if you are out on the road having a set bit of work clothes, (old T-shirt and shorts), you can get dirty in if you have to do any major work. It's not like don't have a place to change clothes so you don't ruin your seats with dirty clothes.

Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:46 am

Ive got some dickies coveralls tucked under the bench seat. But I was also thinking about that thing rolling across my dirty ass garage floor. Transferring everything down there to my backside. Just yesterday I had to scruh the floor after a passenger side CV and wheel bearing service. Damn grease and brake fluid all over kingdom come. Had to toss out some precious card board, a pair of jeans, an old t-shirt, 37lbs of paper towels etc. Blue tarps are nice to have but a good piece of cardboard is absorbent.

I hope I get cardboard for Christmas.

Mon Dec 24, 2018 8:09 am

Mon Dec 24, 2018 8:21 am

markswagen wrote: I mean no disrespect, but this seems a dumb idea to me, because the DOT feels using the brake lights as turn signals is a good idea, I don't see this one ending well.
Yes, when you brake both will flash, as they would if your 4 way flashers were on, and seeing some of 'the dumb' driving around, I think it's a bad move.
Happy holidays.

Steve M. wrote: Stocking Stuffer for 20 bucks at Pep Boys!

It's not disrespect, it's just your valid opinion.
However, these lights have stirred up enough negative statements that I am going to try to delete the postings on here and open the topic up in it's own thread because it's taking away from the cheerful positive atmosphere of spending hard earned cash for what should be a happy experience.
It's bad enough we all destroy threads by going off topic and the target of this thread is just putting up ideas and not going off topic.