NationStates Jolt Archive

Every now and then you may, in your day to day travels, find yourself sharing the road with a vintage VW Bus. I can understand that this might cause some anger and frustration, but if you remember a few things it might make your encounter a little easier to deal with.

First, it is important to remember-the VW Bus is powered by a 46hp four cylinder air cooled engine. That tiny powerplant pushes the whole van, which means that they average a 0-60 time of 'maybe.' The following things will not make the bus capable of going faster:

- Honking. Contrary to what many think, this in fact does not increase the power of any car, anywhere. At best the horn can convey that a)you've almost hit someone and it distresses you, or b)the light is green now and it is safe for you to proceed. But, again, it will not increase the VWs horsepower or make it any more capable of accelerating faster.

- Riding the bumper. The Bus, for what it is, is a fairly aerodynamic van. But it is still a van. However, despite what you have learned watching Days of Thunder or playing racing sim games, drafting the VW will not actually increase it's speed. Rather it will make it harder for the VW driver to figure out where the front of you car is. It's also important to keep in mind considering the * marked tip.

I can understand that it is a bother to be caught behind a VW Bus, but we do what we can. You know the lanes are collapsing into one, please act early so as not to force the VW onto the shoulder in your last ditch effort to get ahead of it.

Further, the blinking light on the side of the van does not mean 'hurry up, it's trying to get in front of us,' it in fact means that the Bus needs to get over. Likely to make a turn. The Bus will do the courtesy of only doing this when needed (mostly because it's such a pain in the ass to change lanes) so please understand that the Bus needs to get over.

Buses still follow the 'right has right of way' on four way stops. The Bus driver can wave you on so you won't have to be stuck behind them, but please remember that this is on their option and that they don't want to be stuck there forever while people rush through trying not to get behind the VW.

*Remember that this 'last ditch' phenomenon happens even if the Bus does not have a stop sign, meaning that often Buses will have to slam on brakes to allow for Johnny Can't Wait-so if you're tailgating a VW it is likely to slam on brakes without warning.

Should you indeed get stuck it is important to resolve yourself to the fact that you will be traveling close to the speed limit until the lanes widen. Remember, VW Buses are not the only thing that can slow up your travel-to manage the stress please plan ahead for this. Here you might want to take a tip from the VW Bus driver-they will get there when they get there, and always add half again to anyones time estimate for how long it will take to get somewhere.

On a final note-Bus owners are fully aware that they can go to Reggae on the River with them. In fact, I did some checking and it turns out that you can attend that festival with any vehicle. You can even hike. But thank you for the advice.

I hope this helps.

Do it the easy way and RUN THE DAMNED DIRTY HIPPIES OFF THE ROAD!

:p

Do it the easy way and RUN THE DAMNED DIRTY HIPPIES OFF THE ROAD!

:p
You see, we'll just set up camp there, grow little gardens, and when your plastic fantastic car becomes too much to maintain we will use some string and gum, re-fire the ol' VW and get back on the road and continue to be relaxed. Maybe even give all those people so stressed out by 'dirty hippies' rides to the hospital for their heart attacks and anurisms built up stressing out about hippies and buses...:D

You see, we'll just set up camp there, grow little gardens, and when your plastic fantastic car becomes too much to maintain we will use some string and gum, re-fire the ol' VW and get back on the road and continue to be relaxed. Maybe even give all those people so stressed out by 'dirty hippies' rides to the hospital for their heart attacks and anurisms built up stressing out about hippies and buses...:D
Not if I drive back by with a 55gallon drum of napalm. :D

Not if I drive back by with a 55gallon drum of napalm. :D
As long as their are beaches, you'll never get all of us ;)

As long as their are beaches, you'll never get all of us ;)
*releases the super secret anti-hippie virus into the water supply*

BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!

I hope this helps.
Last time I saw one of those things, I fixed it. Guy's alternator belt was broke, so I took him to the next gas station got the belt and put it back on. What a wonderfully simple engine. Had a '67 bug in college.

my friend has a hippy Bus, it is so great, and surprisingly runs ok...ish

Deadheads! w00t! :D

runs ok...ish
This accurately describes most of the aircooled VWs I know. Fortunately the 'ish' is relatively easy to overcome.

*releases the super secret anti-hippie virus into the water supply*

BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Unless that virus is transmitable by passing smoke through the water, I don't know what you hope it will do...;)

Are there no inexpensive ways to increase the hp of these engines? I would think that 46hp is actually a hazard to the occupants. I'm not saying you should drop a hemi in the van but maybe you could do something to get it up over at 100hp so you can safely travel.

Are there no inexpensive ways to increase the hp of these engines? I would think that 46hp is actually a hazard to the occupants. I'm not saying you should drop a hemi in the van but maybe you could do something to get it up over at 100hp so you can safely travel.
Anything above 46 wouldn't be safe. 65mph is about as fast as you want to go in one of those things. Maybe faster in a CalBus that is lowered, but trads-not something you want to go fast.

EDIT: Something I forgot in the original list-
VW Buses are not the slowest thing on the road. On occasion they have even been known to pass other vehicles! It helps to remember that when dealing with a VW bus on the road.

I've never driven one but it sounds like they don't handle all that well. I'll try to be careful and courteous when I see one. ;)

I've never driven one but it sounds like they don't handle all that well. I'll try to be careful and courteous when I see one. ;)
We appriciate it :)

And yeah, I don't even know that you can call what they do 'handling.'

We appriciate it :)

And yeah, I don't even know that you can call what they do 'handling.'
Sounds like you have one that runs okay. Do you have heat in it? In the winter, I mean. With the windows up.

Sounds like you have one that runs okay. Do you have heat in it? In the winter, I mean. With the windows up.
No, but I do have closets for sweaters and coats. And I live on the California coast (North/Central), so it does get cold but nothing that can't be dealt with. The heater was disconnected and I never got around to reconnecting it.

these are good things to keep in mind.

sort of like when you are travelling on mountain roads behind a semi. yes they WILL go slow uphill and very fast downhill. they arent trying to drive you crazy; its a momentum thing.

No, but I do have closets for sweaters and coats. And I live on the California coast (North/Central), so it does get cold but nothing that can't be dealt with. The heater was disconnected and I never got around to reconnecting it.
I went to college in Ohio. The lousy heat exchangers provided a little bit of heat in the bug, but I can't imagine how the air would drift up to the front of a bus.

Don't know how mechanically inclined you are, but there is a "Zen and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance" that is a must-read, even if you don't plan on fixing the thing yourself. Don't know who else would fix it, though...

I went to college in Ohio. The lousy heat exchangers provided a little bit of heat in the bug, but I can't imagine how the air would drift up to the front of a bus.

Don't know how mechanically inclined you are, but there is a "Zen and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance" that is a must-read, even if you don't plan on fixing the thing yourself. Don't know who else would fix it, though...
There are a lot of shops here, the VW Bus is like an unofficial mascot of the town. Plus, a six pack or a bowl will get just about anybody around here to do any minor repairs that I can't figure out. I have two editions of that book, both in the van.

I had a 914 that if you turned the heater on it would really just fill the cabin with carbon monoxide, so I got out of the practice of turning the heater on...

There are a lot of shops here, the VW Bus is like an unofficial mascot of the town. Plus, a six pack or a bowl will get just about anybody around here to do any minor repairs that I can't figure out. I have two editions of that book, both in the van.

I had a 914 that if you turned the heater on it would really just fill the cabin with carbon monoxide, so I got out of the practice of turning the heater on...
Are you near Santa Cruz? Or farther north, towards San Francisco? I taught at the Naval Postgrad School in Monterey for a couple years. Lived up toward Ft Ord, in Marina.

A freind here has one. I always want to look for the "shovels and rakes and implements of destruction" when I see it.

:D

A freind here has one. I always want to look for the "shovels and rakes and implements of destruction" when I see it.

:D
Yay! Mine is a red and white VW micro bus-I always say that and hardly anybody gets it!! Yay!

Are you near Santa Cruz? Or farther north, towards San Francisco? I taught at the Naval Postgrad School in Monterey for a couple years. Lived up toward Ft Ord, in Marina.
Right on the first try. I'm in Santa Cruz.

Yay! Mine is a red and white VW micro bus-I always say that and hardly anybody gets it!! Yay!

I feel your pain. People just look at me funny when I say things about the 27 eight by ten color glossy photographs. :)

-snip-

I hope this helps.

Aww , VW Buses are cute!

So are old VW beetles. My beetle match-box car (or was it hotwheels? can't remember now) was my favorite one to play with. It wasn't really Herby.. but I thought of it as Herby. :p

It was my souped up Herby. Had big back wheels, and the engine sticking out of the trunk. lol

I almost wore the plastics wheels off that thing. Probably still have it parents house somewhere.

Brings back memories :)

I can appreciate your love for a cherished car, but Kombis are not for me. I prefer something newer, something that loves the corners.

I can appreciate your love for a cherished car, but Kombis are not for me. I prefer something newer, something that loves the corners.
I do to, which is why I own a bus. It came down to getting a car that can't zip around or lose my liscence. I had a big V8 and a little sports car before the Bus. With the V8 (Chevy Malibu Classic. That's Classic-not the muscle car, think the car from Say Anything but yellow-I inhereted it.*) I treated the gas pedal like an on off switch. With the sports car I was just an ass, really.

Once I got the bus and I couldn't do all that crazy fun I relaxed a great deal. I don't stress out when I drive, I get there when I get there. I think it has made me ready for a sports car again, really.

* Nothing takes the joy out of your first car like inhereting it. "Yay! I got a car! My aunt is dead...but I got a car..!...my dead aunt's car...that she bought a year before being diagnosed with cancer...so it was only driven by family visiting her at the hospital...so that's all they think about when they see it...y-yay? It did make me respect the car more than I would if it didn't have 'conditions,' but I still spent a lot of time doing the 'Dukes of Hazzard' thing at the abandoned mobile home park on the edge of town...

I feel your pain. People just look at me funny when I say things about the 27 eight by ten color glossy photographs. :)
Every year at the record store I worked at we would play that song constantly on Thanksgiving. I dig the hell out of it.

Aww , VW Buses are cute!

So are old VW beetles. My beetle match-box car (or was it hotwheels? can't remember now) was my favorite one to play with. It wasn't really Herby.. but I thought of it as Herby. :p

It was my souped up Herby. Had big back wheels, and the engine sticking out of the trunk. lol

I almost wore the plastics wheels off that thing. Probably still have it parents house somewhere.

Brings back memories :)
Mine's named Veronica. She's the bestest girlfriend ever. (well, except one obvious aspect...)

I do to, which is why I own a bus. It came down to getting a car that can't zip around or lose my liscence. I had a big V8 and a little sports car before the Bus. With the V8 (Chevy Malibu Classic. That's Classic-not the muscle car, think the car from Say Anything but yellow-I inhereted it.*) I treated the gas pedal like an on off switch. With the sports car I was just an ass, really.

Once I got the bus and I couldn't do all that crazy fun I relaxed a great deal. I don't stress out when I drive, I get there when I get there. I think it has made me ready for a sports car again, really.

* Nothing takes the joy out of your first car like inhereting it. "Yay! I got a car! My aunt is dead...but I got a car..!...my dead aunt's car...that she bought a year before being diagnosed with cancer...so it was only driven by family visiting her at the hospital...so that's all they think about when they see it...y-yay? It did make me respect the car more than I would if it didn't have 'conditions,' but I still spent a lot of time doing the 'Dukes of Hazzard' thing at the abandoned mobile home park on the edge of town...

Being an Aussie, the Chev Malibu reference is lost on me. I know what you mean about inheriting a car though. My dad died when I was 16, just as I was learning to drive. By default, my first car was originally his. I loved that car though & was really pissed off when someone wrote it off by rear-ending it when it was parked. I only had 3rd party insurance, so it got towed to the car recyclers. A sad end.

I've got enough good, twisty roads near me that I don't need to exceed the speed limit to enjoy my current car. Nailing it through hairpins & sweepers in 2nd & 3rd gear is just a hoot. With the windows down, listening to the exhaust note bounce off the cliff faces & trees is just a bonus.

Being an Aussie, the Chev Malibu reference is lost on me. I know what you mean about inheriting a car though. My dad died when I was 16, just as I was learning to drive. By default, my first car was originally his. I loved that car though & was really pissed off when someone wrote it off by rear-ending it when it was parked. I only had 3rd party insurance, so it got towed to the car recyclers. A sad end.

I've got enough good, twisty roads near me that I don't need to exceed the speed limit to enjoy my current car. Nailing it through hairpins & sweepers in 2nd & 3rd gear is just a hoot. With the windows down, listening to the exhaust note bounce off the cliff faces & trees is just a bonus.
That sucks about your dads car. The Malibu (http://www.westol.com/~blcars/images/sale3031a.jpg) (mine was yellow, but thats the exact model and year it looks like) was abandoned when I didn't have the money to tow it from where it broke down. The Porsche met a similar undignified end, that would be a whole long post unto itself.

Right now I literally live just off Highway 1 on the coast of California, which is part of whats making me start to think it's time to own a sports car again. I mean, Highway 1...the Pacific Highway...and I'm near the sweet spot. I kinda want the old Porsche back...(914, I have a thing for cars that are an aquired taste...)

That sucks about your dads car. The Malibu (http://www.westol.com/~blcars/images/sale3031a.jpg) (mine was yellow, but thats the exact model and year it looks like) was abandoned when I didn't have the money to tow it from where it broke down. The Porsche met a similar undignified end, that would be a whole long post unto itself.

Right now I literally live just off Highway 1 on the coast of California, which is part of whats making me start to think it's time to own a sports car again. I mean, Highway 1...the Pacific Highway...and I'm near the sweet spot. I kinda want the old Porsche back...(914, I have a thing for cars that are an aquired taste...)

Bloody hell, that thing's a boat. I love the huge American cars for what they are, but I would never own one. If it it's not at home in the corners, it's pretty much laugable to me. Was that thing front wheel drive? My California geography's not too flash, but I reckon the Pacific Hwy is the one that follows the coast, yes? I think I'd enjoy that drive. Porsche never sold the 914 in Aus, not a big enough market I 'spose. I've seen imports here, but what was it actually like to drive? Did you have the 4 or 6 cylinder version?

Are there no inexpensive ways to increase the hp of these engines? I would think that 46hp is actually a hazard to the occupants. I'm not saying you should drop a hemi in the van but maybe you could do something to get it up over at 100hp so you can safely travel.

100Hp to travel safely?!?

I'm gonna disagree here, my old Nissan Micra 1.0L 5 door (inherited) was plenty safe. That had 50Hp, but I safely did about 80mph. It also did between 45-50 mpg. Perfect :D

Even my car (inherited as well :D ) now, a Volvo 440 1.8Li Auto 5dr only has 89Hp yet does a respectable 100+mph and accelerates well through its single variable gear up to about 75mph, after that it gets a little stretched but you don't really need to go much faster. And its a volvo, so its built like a tank. Its a good motorway car. Plus it does about 40mpg if you don't thrash it....if.... ;)

Bloody hell, that thing's a boat. I love the huge American cars for what they are, but I would never own one. If it it's not at home in the corners, it's pretty much laugable to me. Was that thing front wheel drive? My California geography's not too flash, but I reckon the Pacific Hwy is the one that follows the coast, yes? I think I'd enjoy that drive. Porsche never sold the 914 in Aus, not a big enough market I 'spose. I've seen imports here, but what was it actually like to drive? Did you have the 4 or 6 cylinder version?
Oh yes, it was very much a boat. It accelerated like a boat (front end lifting and then gently bobbing for a mile or so...) Same thing if I went over a bump.

But...let loose on that abandoned mobile home park, I was able to learn all those 70s/80s car chase moves and do all these dirty slides around. Great fun, until I had to find ways to explain to my dad how the fuel filter kept getting clogged with dirt...

It was rear wheel drive with a 302 V8. Fairly powerful, but easily bitched so I didn't go picking any fights.

The 914 was a 4 cylinder, I'm waaaaaay to poor for a 914-6. Truth be told I was way too poor to own the 914, but it was $900 bucks and I was 19, so I figured "What could go wrong..." yeah....

When it did work, it was fan-fucking-tastic. All of it's power is in the mid-range and so it was ready to launch at any moment and yanked itself out of turns. It was mid-engine and well balanced so it really held until it didn't, then it didn't like a mid-engine car. It actually managed to discipline my driving, as it would put up with no nonsense. Drive right or don't drive at all was it's message.

If you drove right it was like someone let you run a go-cart on the street. Sort of contributed to me being an ass-it felt so much like a go cart that I felt like I was playing around in a lot rather than driving on the road.

There where only a few draw backs. Comments:
"That's the poor mans Porsche." What, am I Daddy Warbucks? Meet the poor man, have you seen my Porsche?
"It's the worst Porsche." (not true, 924...) You're right. Your Porsche is much bet-Oh! I'm sorry, thats right. You drive a Hyundai. Right. But look, hey...I'm sure it's one of the better Hyundais, really. I'll, uh, I'll just drive this lesser Porsche here...

The ride-Like a hammer on your ass. Which, if you're into sports cars that is expected. But it was also so low that you where head level with a lot of headlights. Someone riding the bumper with their brights on could be extra annoying. Fortunately I had a chrome rear bumper with a dimple that would actually nail the trailing driver with his brights as I bounced down the road. So that worked itself out.

Poor fuel pump placement meant that the car could be easily sidelined on a hot day. (vapor lock) Living in Sacramento's 110 degree (F) summers made that a real drag.

But I'd buy another in a second. (After watching over my buddies 73 2.0 I'm while he was at sea I'm aaaaaaaalllll about it. Though he just picked up a '89 944 Turbo and says that's where it's at.) Or, if I get a cool new job maybe a TR-3 or MG-TC, those would be great coast cars. Or a Tiger, I've always wanted a Tiger.

This is the view (http://www.bluejake.com/images03/misc/2003_8_pch3_12.jpg) from the Pacific Highway section I live near. It's a coastal freeway that is two lanes and twisty most of the time.

100Hp to travel safely?!?

I'm gonna disagree here, my old Nissan Micra 1.0L 5 door (inherited) was plenty safe. That had 50Hp, but I safely did about 80mph. It also did between 45-50 mpg. Perfect :D

Even my car (inherited as well :D ) now, a Volvo 440 1.8Li Auto 5dr only has 89Hp yet does a respectable 100+mph and accelerates well through its single variable gear up to about 75mph, after that it gets a little stretched but you don't really need to go much faster. And its a volvo, so its built like a tank. Its a good motorway car. Plus it does about 40mpg if you don't thrash it....if.... ;)
Yeah, see?

I can do 80 mph (eventually) but you just don't want to. 65 turns out to be an okay cruising speed, it's the limit, and as long as I keep right and keep an eye on the on-ramps (which, by the way, you see me coming, help me out and get goin' so I don't have to slow allll the way down just so you don't get stuck behind me right as you hit the highway...) It's just the acceleration thing that really holds up everything, but we manage.

Yeah, see?

I can do 80 mph (eventually) but you just don't want to. 65 turns out to be an okay cruising speed, it's the limit, and as long as I keep right and keep an eye on the on-ramps (which, by the way, you see me coming, help me out and get goin' so I don't have to slow allll the way down just so you don't get stuck behind me right as you hit the highway...) It's just the acceleration thing that really holds up everything, but we manage.

Yeah, both cars I have owned have cruised well at about 65 - 70mph (70 is the limit in the UK) so its fine, but if i need to I can get them moving. The nissan can take all sorts of pain and just keeps running. I have done 65mph in 2nd gear in a 1.0L car, sure it made a lot of noise but the engine just kept going. Great machine.

Yeah, both cars I have owned have cruised well at about 65 - 70mph (70 is the limit in the UK) so its fine, but if i need to I can get them moving. The nissan can take all sorts of pain and just keeps running. I have done 65mph in 2nd gear in a 1.0L car, sure it made a lot of noise but the engine just kept going. Great machine.
The 914's transmission ate it in Beverly Hills (the only place that car sidelined and no one stopped to see if they could help) and I only had first and third, wound up limping it to my aunts in Long Beach by winding it up in each of those gears. Since it had a muffler bought by a 19 year old on it it got pretty loud. WAAAAYYYY loud. Ugh. One thing that goes on the next one, much quieter muffler...

Generally, when I'm sharing the road with a VW Bus, I reach into my backpack, and lend the poor bastard under the rear end a wrench-the air-cooled horizontal 4 isn't what you might call "Reliable" by any rational stretch of the imagination, and the Van body weighs too much for the power it produces.

Every now and then you may, in your day to day travels, find yourself sharing the road with a vintage VW Bus. I can understand that this might cause some anger and frustration, but if you remember a few things it might make your encounter a little easier to deal with.
-sniped-

I hope this helps.

Stop being an inconsiderate --- and buy a car that can do speeds over 80ish and have decent stopping and cornering abilities. And drive in the damn slow lane. Contrary to popular thought, it is a law that fast drives left and slow drives right. Indeed there are signs along every major freeway in California reminding you of that fact. Sure you may not be in Calfiornia. But I'd hazard a guess that a LARGE percentage of VW Buses are.

Also a VW Bus behind me is a major problem If I need to slam my brakes to avoid an accident. Even worse for you is if I need to swerve out of the way of an accident and YOU end up smacking into them because A) you can't turn out of the way quickly enough and B) you don't stand a chance in hell of out braking the car. VW Buses (and a host of other cars) need to be taken off the road for these reasons alone.

Stop being an inconsiderate --- and buy a car that can do speeds over 80ish and have decent stopping and cornering abilities. And drive in the damn slow lane. Contrary to popular thought, it is a law that fast drives left and slow drives right. Indeed there are signs along every major freeway in California reminding you of that fact. Sure you may not be in Calfiornia. But I'd hazard a guess that a LARGE percentage of VW Buses are.

Also a VW Bus behind me is a major problem If I need to slam my brakes to avoid an accident. Even worse for you is if I need to swerve out of the way of an accident and YOU end up smacking into them because A) you can't turn out of the way quickly enough and B) you don't stand a chance in hell of out braking the car. VW Buses (and a host of other cars) need to be taken off the road for these reasons alone.
If you read the rest of the thread you would have noted that I do in fact ride in the slow lane (I don't know where you got the impression that I didn't, as I even implied that I hang in the slow lane to let cars past when the lanes sinch up) and I am in fact in California.

Oddly enough, being in the car and having driven it before I can drive with awarness of my cars stopping power and adjust how far back I should stay from other cars and how fast I should be going so I can move if I need to. Most safe drivers do this for all of their cars regardless of age and ability, so I thought it went without saying...

Oh yes, it was very much a boat. It accelerated like a boat (front end lifting and then gently bobbing for a mile or so...) Same thing if I went over a bump.

But...let loose on that abandoned mobile home park, I was able to learn all those 70s/80s car chase moves and do all these dirty slides around. Great fun, until I had to find ways to explain to my dad how the fuel filter kept getting clogged with dirt...

It was rear wheel drive with a 302 V8. Fairly powerful, but easily bitched so I didn't go picking any fights.

The 914 was a 4 cylinder, I'm waaaaaay to poor for a 914-6. Truth be told I was way too poor to own the 914, but it was $900 bucks and I was 19, so I figured "What could go wrong..." yeah....

When it did work, it was fan-fucking-tastic. All of it's power is in the mid-range and so it was ready to launch at any moment and yanked itself out of turns. It was mid-engine and well balanced so it really held until it didn't, then it didn't like a mid-engine car. It actually managed to discipline my driving, as it would put up with no nonsense. Drive right or don't drive at all was it's message.

If you drove right it was like someone let you run a go-cart on the street. Sort of contributed to me being an ass-it felt so much like a go cart that I felt like I was playing around in a lot rather than driving on the road.

There where only a few draw backs. Comments:
"That's the poor mans Porsche." What, am I Daddy Warbucks? Meet the poor man, have you seen my Porsche?
"It's the worst Porsche." (not true, 924...) You're right. Your Porsche is much bet-Oh! I'm sorry, thats right. You drive a Hyundai. Right. But look, hey...I'm sure it's one of the better Hyundais, really. I'll, uh, I'll just drive this lesser Porsche here...

The ride-Like a hammer on your ass. Which, if you're into sports cars that is expected. But it was also so low that you where head level with a lot of headlights. Someone riding the bumper with their brights on could be extra annoying. Fortunately I had a chrome rear bumper with a dimple that would actually nail the trailing driver with his brights as I bounced down the road. So that worked itself out.

Poor fuel pump placement meant that the car could be easily sidelined on a hot day. (vapor lock) Living in Sacramento's 110 degree (F) summers made that a real drag.

But I'd buy another in a second. (After watching over my buddies 73 2.0 I'm while he was at sea I'm aaaaaaaalllll about it. Though he just picked up a '89 944 Turbo and says that's where it's at.) Or, if I get a cool new job maybe a TR-3 or MG-TC, those would be great coast cars. Or a Tiger, I've always wanted a Tiger.

This is the view (http://www.bluejake.com/images03/misc/2003_8_pch3_12.jpg) from the Pacific Highway section I live near. It's a coastal freeway that is two lanes and twisty most of the time.

I had a big, rear wheel drive (4.1L -250ci- straight six) that was great for doughnuts & cruising, but not much else. Someone knocked it off though, so it was back to the tram.

My current car's a sweet little nimble hot hatch. Great in the city & down the Great Ocean Road. It's also really comfortable over long distances. I drove a scenic route to Ayers Rock last year (6500km in 9 days) & it was fantastic over the long stretches.

I've never driven a mid engined car (except in GT :( ) & I'm not really into retro cars like the TR3 & MGs, but I would love to have a crack at a 911 one day. I know what you mean about a flawed good car as opposed to an ordinary, mundane one. There's just nothing about a Hyundai to get interested about, let alone excited.

If you read the rest of the thread you would have noted that I do in fact ride in the slow lane (I don't know where you got the impression that I didn't, as I even implied that I hang in the slow lane to let cars past when the lanes sinch up) and I am in fact in California.

I did indeed read the rest of the thread. The post is both general and directed at you. Especially given that the slow lane it self routinely travels at speeds in excess of 65 mph. Further I will state categorically that I will behave as if I do not believe your ‘I travel in the slow lane’, because virtually no one actually does except when getting ready for an exit. Whether you do indeed do so or not is moot when talking about VW Bugs as a whole.

Oddly enough, being in the car and having driven it before I can drive with awarness of my cars stopping power and adjust how far back I should stay from other cars and how fast I should be going so I can move if I need to.

While you can, I will operate based on the numbers and assume that you don't. Everyone can. (virtually) No one does. Doesn't help me much when there's an idiot behind me 5 feet off my bumper in a 30 year old rust bucket with drums all around. But hey, maybe I’m biased because I have had to swerve out of the way of accidents both in front of me and behind me. It is quite an interesting sight to be mildly on my brakes and need to move over lanes to and watch a car skid past me.

Most safe drivers do this for all of their cars regardless of age and ability, so I thought it went without saying...

:rolleyes: Reality seems to be very different from your perception of such. There are virtually no safe drivers.

Right on the first try. I'm in Santa Cruz.
Cool. I loved going to Santa Cruz. Surfing was fun there, too. I was never much good, but I had a colleague that went all the time. We did a lot of wind-surfing, too. What a great place to live. :) :)

I had a big, rear wheel drive (4.1L -250ci- straight six) that was great for doughnuts & cruising, but not much else. Someone knocked it off though, so it was back to the tram.

My current car's a sweet little nimble hot hatch. Great in the city & down the Great Ocean Road. It's also really comfortable over long distances. I drove a scenic route to Ayers Rock last year (6500km in 9 days) & it was fantastic over the long stretches.

I've never driven a mid engined car (except in GT :( ) & I'm not really into retro cars like the TR3 & MGs, but I would love to have a crack at a 911 one day. I know what you mean about a flawed good car as opposed to an ordinary, mundane one. There's just nothing about a Hyundai to get interested about, let alone excited.
Yeah, it would take something special to get me in a muscle car again(ish, the Malibu doesn't really qualify), but there is a little part of me that wants a 65 Barracuda (I think it's the 5 year old that thought he might get his dads 'Cuda...I'm gonna guess that's the part...)

I dig hot hatches from when the first hot hatch was born. If I could buy a new car it would likely be one (probably sticking with my first loyalty and getting a VW GTI VR6, because as far as I know they don't sell R32s here...sniffle. Or, one I could afford. Either way...)

Mid-engines are fun. I have a big soft spot for vintage cars. I think only recently people have been making cars that appeal to me again. The US (sort of) is producing two that intrest me, the Pontiac Solstice and the (gasp) Saturn SKY (which is a Vauxhall Speedster with a diffent name) It's odd to look at new american cars and go, "Hmm." But, no where near the market for a new car, so I might as well be dreaming about a 911 GT3, ooooh baby...

Cool. I loved going to Santa Cruz. Surfing was fun there, too. I was never much good, but I had a colleague that went all the time. We did a lot of wind-surfing, too. What a great place to live. :) :)
I love it. I don't go to the beach that much, for shame. It's just important that it's there.

I did indeed read the rest of the thread. The post is both general and directed at you. Especially given that the slow lane it self routinely travels at speeds in excess of 65 mph. Further I will state categorically that I will behave as if I do not believe your ‘I travel in the slow lane’, because virtually no one actually does except when getting ready for an exit. Whether you do indeed do so or not is moot when talking about VW Bugs as a whole.
Bus.



While you can, I will operate based on the numbers and assume that you don't. Everyone can. (virtually) No one does. Doesn't help me much when there's an idiot behind me 5 feet off my bumper in a 30 year old rust bucket with drums all around. But hey, maybe I’m biased because I have had to swerve out of the way of accidents both in front of me and behind me. It is quite an interesting sight to be mildly on my brakes and need to move over lanes to and watch a car skid past me.
You've got some study of air-cooled VW driving patterns? I love the things and don't have that. This might be an obsession with you...



:rolleyes: Reality seems to be very different from your perception of such. There are virtually no safe drivers.
You seem uptight. You need to relax. You know what's great for that? Driving a VW Bus.:D

You've got some study of air-cooled VW driving patterns? I love the things and don't have that. This might be an obsession with you...

Where did I specificy air cooled VWs? ALL drivers. Fortunately for me my sample size is more than large enough to be accurate and repersents about 20 states and 4 european nations.

But hey, this can proved by simply driving between the hours of 6am and 4am in Los Angeles.

You seem uptight. You need to relax. You know what's great for that? Driving a VW Bus.:D

I prefer the air cooled Porsche thanks.

Where did I specificy air cooled VWs? ALL drivers. Fortunately for me my sample size is more than large enough to be accurate and repersents about 20 states and 4 european nations.

But hey, this can proved by simply driving between the hours of 6am and 4am in Los Angeles.
See, thats your problem-you're in Southern California...since you're uptight I'll leave out my usual neighborly barb.



I prefer the air cooled Porsche thanks.
No need to decide, really. I can go for both (as noted in this thread previously)

See, thats your problem-you're in Southern California...since you're uptight I'll leave out my usual neighborly barb.
I don't happen to live in LA, and the noted sample size is 20 states, 4 additional nations. That happens to include Northern California. This can also be proved by driving between the hours of 0600 and 0400 in San Francisco.

No need to decide, really. I can go for both (as noted in this thread previously)

A 914-4 is a VW. Not a Porsche. The badge be damned.

I don't happen to live in LA, and the noted sample size is 20 states, 4 additional nations. That happens to include Northern California. This can also be proved by driving between the hours of 0600 and 0400 in San Francisco.

And yet I've managed to drive all these years and have only a minor list of things for concideration. I'm tellin' ya-I used to get all uptight about traffic and other drivers until I stepped up to the bus. It may be the only thing that saves you.


A 914-4 is a VW. Not a Porsche. The badge be damned.
Pff. This has been adressed.

In the late nineties, Porsche modified a VW Bus for their Paris-Dakar-rallye team as a support vehicle. That means, they modified it to keep up with the 911-Porsche on a racetrack.4x4 and 3.6 turbo boxer engine.
Hopefully you'll never get stuck *in front of it*.

I've seen interesting aerial acrobatics by a VW bus when it loses a rear tire.

The nose goes up in the air, and if it's going fast enough, and people are in the back, it catches the air and does a great flip.

My advice - shoot out one of the rear tires, but make sure you're well clear when you do, or the bus will land on you.

Generally, when I'm sharing the road with a VW Bus, I reach into my backpack, and lend the poor bastard under the rear end a wrench-the air-cooled horizontal 4 isn't what you might call "Reliable" by any rational stretch of the imagination, and the Van body weighs too much for the power it produces.

So true, what I loved was when it was decided to make it a camper, adding more weight to the roof. These things were turtles on wheels. Once they flipped upside down you were dead...

In the UK its not buses being the problem but the dreaded "high blood-pressure maker"(caravan) but it can be sorted with a dose o road rage :sniper: :mp5: :headbang: :upyours: :mad:

Generally, when I'm sharing the road with a VW Bus, I reach into my backpack, and lend the poor bastard under the rear end a wrench-the air-cooled horizontal 4 isn't what you might call "Reliable" by any rational stretch of the imagination, and the Van body weighs too much for the power it produces.
I don't know, I've found the engine to not only be a trooper in comparison to engines of equal age (American manufacturers initial tried to block/add fees to VW imports because the cars where designed to run for ten years instead of three). Not only that, but when it does break it takes very little to get it to a point to where at least I can get it home. It's been on the hook a lot less than the Chevy and I've owned it longer.

And as long as you don't suffer under the delusion that you're in anything that's gonna put you back in your seat, it doesn't really strain to push the bus around. Hell, I've pushed the bus around (and mine is, in fact, a Westfalia) and it's no big deal.
So true, what I loved was when it was decided to make it a camper, adding more weight to the roof. These things were turtles on wheels. Once they flipped upside down you were dead...
I've seen interesting aerial acrobatics by a VW bus when it loses a rear tire.

The nose goes up in the air, and if it's going fast enough, and people are in the back, it catches the air and does a great flip.

My advice - shoot out one of the rear tires, but make sure you're well clear when you do, or the bus will land on you.
Such hostility. You guys are really going to stress yourselves out. Thats not healthy. You know what I recomend? A VW Bus.

...

Such hostility. You guys are really going to stress yourselves out. Thats not healthy. You know what I recomend? A VW Bus.

When I was a younger fellow I stuck to my Chevy van...

Now that I'm much older I'll stick to my very decrepit 1984 Dodge Ramcharger. It's engine by the way is quite strong after 140,000 miles on it. It's been around a bit more than ten years and it's less likely to turn turtle... :p

When I was a younger fellow I stuck to my Chevy van...

Now that I'm much older I'll stick to my very decrepit 1984 Dodge Ramcharger. It's engine by the way is quite strong after 140,000 miles on it. It's been around a bit more than ten years and it's less likely to turn turtle... :p
Huh. I found that in my youth I was concerned about 'power' and in my later years I found that even with 'power' I still 'get there when I get there' and needn't stress myself or others out about it.

I guess people age differently.

Huh. I found that in my youth I was concerned about 'power' and in my later years I found that even with 'power' I still 'get there when I get there' and needn't stress myself or others out about it.

I guess people age differently.

Shoulda' been more clear...in my youth trhe only power I was concerned about was what was felt with a female rolling around on the bed in my Chevy van.

Now The Dodge makes up for what's lacking in that power 25 years later... :D

I feel your pain. People just look at me funny when I say things about the 27 eight by ten color glossy photographs. :)
just a half a mile from the railroad tracks

...Well, we shot the line, we went for broke
With a thousand screamin' trucks
And eleven long-haired friends of Jesus
In a chartreuse microbus

Ah, Rubber Duck, this is Sodbuster. C'mon here. Yeah, ten-four, Sodbuster. Listen, ya wanna put that microbus in behind that suicide-jockey? Yeah, he's haulin' dynamite and he needs all the help he can get.

Well, we laid a strip for the Jersey Shore
Prepared to cross the line
I could see the bridge was lined with bears
But I didn't have a doggone dime
I says "Pigpen, this here's the Rubber Duck
We just ain't a-gonna pay no toll"
So we crashed the gate doin' ninety-eight
I says, "Let them truckers roll, ten-four"

'Cause we got a mighty convoy rockin' thru the night
Yeah, we got a mighty convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight
Come on and join our convoy, ain't nothin' gonna get in our way
We gonna roll this truckin' convoy 'cross the USA
Connnnvoooooyyyyy...

10-4...

there should be, at least on all interstates, a "minivan lane"... for all the sub-speed-limit-driving soccer moms and VW vans that might otherwise block traffic in the faster lanes.

semis could also use the lane... nothing pisses me off quite like seeing both lanes plugged ahead by side-by-side semis going exactly the same speed, about 15 mph slower than i'm going.

-snip-
:rolleyes: Reality seems to be very different from your perception of such. There are virtually no safe drivers.
Try going to oregon sometime, you might be pleasently surprised

there should be, at least on all interstates, a "minivan lane"... for all the sub-speed-limit-driving soccer moms and VW vans that might otherwise block traffic in the faster lanes.

semis could also use the lane... nothing pisses me off quite like seeing both lanes plugged ahead by side-by-side semis going exactly the same speed, about 15 mph slower than i'm going.
Well, most of us use the far right lane, thats where the slow cars are supposed to go. I tend to hold off passing slower cars in that lane until all is clear behind me, but sometimes I just got to get around that thing and it's gonna take me a little bit...