I have a EUROVAN and nobody likes me.

[sbinkley]

I just sold my 4th Vanagon Westy and have driven a 71 Bay before that, one I bought for $500 and brought back to life. Every van I've had I've loved and made better. I now have an 03 Eurovan Westy Weekender and can't help but feel that I've reached nirvana. Soccer mom I'm not, though I'm a dad and play soccer...I'll be waving at bays and Vanagons all over the place.
_________________
Santa Fe, NM
87 Vanagon Wolfsburg GL, daily driver

[dplumtree]

just got waved at by a white eurovan by the zoo in Calgary. it was a first for sure but it was a welcome wave for this '90 vanagon owner.

[WandS]

Got three waves from different Eurovan owners on my way to Nova Scotia from Miami. All of these were from CT and higher. I don't know if that means anything at all.
_________________
85 Westy Weekender with a Bostig Conversion.

[BillWYellowstone]

Funny, here I am a newbie and didn't know any better, but have found much of this to be true. EV's seem to be afraid to wave back, like they will get rounded up in the net.

Having had older BMW's, we all waved at the others, but the new models, (318's and newer), ignored you. I had a 2002 and a Bavaria, and it was just exciting to see another. The Bav was fairly rare when I restored mine.

Motorcycles, had a metric, (C term for Jap bike), and in FL most all ikes would return waves. Of course we all ignored the sportbikes. Especially a sportbike with rider in sandals. Come on, there is a limit.

[FNGRUVN]

Official Tally from this past trip....saw five EV Westys and none waved back.
_________________
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin

[thummmper]

my hands are so full doing exotic shit to my van that I never cracked a manual on the euro--they are an engineering improvement in the following:
you dont pogo sitting on the front wheel-
front wheel drive and a smoother shape improve handling and aerodynamics-
the interior and body trim is improved as well--
quieter-
although they are still powered with a 4 or 5 cylinder.

they just look like every other minivan out there--they could only look worse by resembling an suv.[which they don't]
the euro is the generic copout of the last century. but if it gets you where you want to go, so what.
I'm just afraid of watercooled vw products-- the waboxer started that--and the rep of some of the audi stuff--plus, at the parts counter they are grossly overrated.

[PacificSticker]

For me and mine, we'll wave to every bus, save the Routan, which should have its emblem removed and replaced with a Dodge Caravan badge.
_________________
1989 Wolfsburg T3 Whitestar 2.1 WBX
Libelle

Damon in Ventura

[r39o]

[mpabegg]

Through the years I have owned quite a few buses/vans, from 1959 to 2002. I have loved them all. Though, I mostly settled on Vanagons. This forum is an amazing resource for me when ever I have a problem that I just can't figure out with the Bentley and for parts that were hard to find.

I also own a 2002 Eurovan MV Weekender (my wife's daily driver) and love the VR6 power. However, at this point have not had a problem that was not easily diagnosed. I think as time goes by and more issues start to arrise with the Eurovans, you'll find more on here. For the most part they are pretty much turn key machines. Besides the constant bake jobs and transmission issues. Mine is also WAY past due for a timing chain. Hoping to fit that one in real soon (like last week). We've put close to 130,000 mostly trouble free miles on it since we bought the van with a new transmission and about a 100,000 miles.

I waive at every bus, van, bug, thing, you name it that goes by. Who cares if they waive back. Even when I'm driving one of our charter buses (German made Setras I might add) I forget and waive at VW's. I'm just sharing the love and hoping it spreads. Smiles are contagious!
_________________
90 Syncro "Priscilla"

[1971BugGuy]

It's been 10 years since production of the EV and... I'll admit, I'm starting to like 'em. When they first arrived on the VW scene I was a hater.
_________________
Only a fool or a child would judge a project before it reaches its completion.


1971 Super Beetle
1986 Vanagon Westfalia Weekender

[CdnVWJunkie]

I'm sure baywindow bus owners were haters when the vanagon arrived. I believe most haters haven't owned nor even driven a T4. They don't drive like a T3 but VW never claimed they did. Different or not they're still a VW.

[mpabegg]

The Eurovan came out in 93. Getting close to 20 years!
_________________
90 Syncro "Priscilla"

[GBA 88West LA]

i got a wave and a beep beep from a eurovan this weekend also. i think the initial upper echelon owners who wanted to seperate themselves from the VW van mystique have sold the vans to people who appreciate the heritage involved with the splits, bays, vanagons OK and eurovan blood line ....well, except the vw town & country group those are the newest "euro snobs"...maybe in 20yrs we can bring them into the fold also
_________________
88 Westy GL Vanaru 07 2.5 EJ25/AA Trans/oiling plates, 1.14 3rd-.77-4th..solar powered cabin

[tds3pete]

[berkeleyjack]

A lot of people here are still massive snobs and nasty to EuroVan owners.

I hope we keep getting more EV drivers as time goes by. Maybe they can even get their own forum someday.
_________________
All-grain homebrewer with a 1990 Vanagon Carat.

[Zanza]

[thummmper]

I like you
your van is a great candidate for a 3.5L

[debbiej]

well, gotta say that the eurovan owners I've waved at ignored me.
sometimes people wave like crazy in other cars, and you have to assume they own a westy, vanagon or bus. but sorry, wouldn't assume their other car was a eurovan.

we owned an 93 eurovan and I liked it. If I found another in good shape for a good price, I'd probably buy it.

but I'd have a bumper sticker made that said "my other car is a vanagon westfalia"

[nemobuscaptain]

[vanagonewbie]

...but that's what I think I'm getting.

Actually, they don't suck, of course. They just have the personality of most vehicles of the past couple of decades. Nothing has the personality of a classic bus. When the Vanagons came, it sounds like the same thing happened. Vanagons were the new 'bland' VW and outcasts. But now that a few decades are past, it seems the Vanagons are now solidly in the 'classic' camp and people are loving them.

I'm new to the whole VW bus thing myself coming from the midwest (they don't exist much out there on the plains). But since moving to the PNW, I got hooked on them pretty quick. I really wanted a Vanagon, but the opportunity to get a Eurovan popped up and given that my kids want to camp...NOW...and that I don't have the time to get a project van, I'll have to be a Eurovan owner for a few years. But I'll still keep an eye out for a nice cheap project bus or Vanagon down the road.

The best advice I got when comparing the Eurovan to the Vanagon was someone telling me that the Eurovan is the SMART choice, but the Vanagon in the RIGHT choice.

Anyways, I hope there's enough Eurovan folks around here to keep up a few conversations. I do find it odd that Eurovan and Vanagons are lumped into the same group, but I guess on TheSamba, those will always be lumped as "the others" and I can appreciate that.