Are 1990 Vanagan-Multivans "crash safe" in front e

[tharmon]

My friend wants to sell me her 1990 Multivan.... great van, only 75,000 miles and in great condition. I can't aford it. So I convinced my brother and his wife to buy it... well almost... He has cold feet never having owned a VW van. He thinks the rear engine VW vans are dangerous in head on collisions.

Does anyone know what the argument are, pros and cons, for VW Vans (1990) and what there "crash worthiness" is?

Thanks for your thoughts... Tom

[[email protected]]

on vanagon.com in the 'info" section there is some safety stuff.

[jeremysmithatshawdotca]

Show him this:
http://www.vanagon.com/info/safety/volvo-crash/

[weinerwagen]

On March 2, 04, on Hiway 54 south of Dalhart Texas, I rolled a 88 Vanagon towing a tow dolly with a 88 Fox Wagen on the dolly. We had 50-70mph cross winds. I was running about 65 mph. A cattle truck, (fellow driver) rolled past me, screamed on the radio about some "hippy wagen", pulled quickly back in and hooked the front of the van with his cattle trailer. You could see the cow poop on the front bumper!

We rolled three times. Tore the dolly and Fox off the back of the van. The Fox was all tore up. The dolly survived with slightly bent wheels.

The Vanagon lost its front windshield. I got hit in the back of the head by stuff in the back of the van, but the van was driveable, and didnt look like it rolled, three times. While it was a total, the Texas Highway Patrol was shocked at how good the van survived. The roof was slightly bent to the south from rolling three times. I drove it 12 miles back to Dahlart to get help.

After this experience I feel 100 times safer in my Vanagons than I do in a big rig....forget the air bags, side curtains, and other junk, just give me a good structure.

The mentality that VW vans are dangerous is plain stupid. VW over built the Vanagon. If you saw the Fox wagen, and then the Vanagon...give me a Vanagon any day of the week, in fact...after 22, an 88-91 Carat is in the future.....now ask Karl about his experience with his 65 13 window....
:-#
_________________
Retired attorney--Tort King.

[sbclayton]

Tom,

The '91 Vanagon was crash rated as #1 (the best) in the country in the van category for frontal collisions and frontal-offset collisions, and the '90 is the same body, built by Steyr-Daimler-Puch, who also built the military Mercedes Gelandwagens. Tales of its structural strength are near-legendary - they're tough little vans!

Rear end collisions are okay, too - I got rear-ended in my '91 Camper in '94 by a guy doing 45 in a Ford 3/4-ton pickup. The rear bumper cracked and the sheet metal got bent, but the collision never even touched the engine or even the exhaust system and the rear window was undamaged. It should mention my foot was jammed on the brake at the time of impact, so I didn't "get off lucky" by rolling after the hit.

I did my research on this because my wife is Brazilian, and VW vans there are for the very poorest drivers - their nickname is "Chama Deus" ("Call God" - sort of a Brazilian "Bend over and kiss...") and they're widely held in contempt.

She was shopping around, looking at other vans, including the EuroVan, but once she saw the safety facts she won't part with the critter! This despite the fact that she is currently driving it in 95 degree heat without a/c. She is even planning for an engine transplant (the Golf inline-4), tranny replacement and whatever it takes to keep the thing running. I figger she'll part with it about ten minutes after she dies....

And as I'm the original owner, I figger I'll hang on to it about 5 minutes longer than that!

IMO, he Vanagon is a great deal safer than many vehicles on the road today. As a professional vehicle transporter, logging up to 2500 miles per week, I should know.

Steve
Largo, FL