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Volkswagen EuroVan

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Comments

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The auto parts stores should carry some "gasket" lube for the door seals. The Odyssey people use something for their sliding doors that are prone to sticking - shin-itzu grease or similar. It has a reputation for working so you may ask at your Honda dealer for some to try.

    Graphite works good for frozen cylinder locks, but I don't know if some spray graphite would do any good on the top mechanism.

    Steve, Host
  • mrnimmomrnimmo Member Posts: 271
    >>I thought some WD-40 on the locking mechanism of the camper top might help. Let me know. Thanks.

    WD40 stands for "water displacement 40" meaning 40th formula. It's a good cleaner and it certainly displaces water, but is not much of a lubricant regardless of what the bottle says. Like many guys who used to wear camoflauge, I used to think it was the berries. Even used it for mouthwash and deoderant occasionally. It's great for cleaning rifles, and keeping them from rusting, but it shouldn't be around your automobile much.

    I agree and would use graphite on the locking mechanism of the top and for that freezing sliding door lock mechanism.

    >>My MV Weekender's top creaks as well.

    Record cold makes funny things happen, like plastics creaking or stiff steering. If it's a new problem and it disappears when the temps return to 0 degrees or higher, I wouldn't be concerned unless I lived in Greenland.

    Understand that these vans have about 3/4 of their roofs cut off. The area around the incision is reinforced, but still not nearly as structurally rigid as a solid top van. It's very similar to a convertible in that it will always be less rigid and more likely to creak and have noises due to this lack of rigidity.

    >>coolent return hose mounted upside down so the cooling fan cuts a hole into the hose

    I assume VW fixed it. You have a Winnebago EV Camper, right? Maybe they had it off for some reason?

    >>stearing wheel rough on cold days

    Not uncommon, at least for the really cold days.

    >>-electric water pump leak

    Winnebago.

    >>-sliding door lock sticks when cold

    Graphite lube in the lock. For that matter, do all your locks. While you are at it, do all of the hinges on everything that moves (doors, hatch, hood, wiper arms, etc) with a good lube like spray silicone or just plain old grease. Get in the habit of doing this.

    >>-can't get trans into reverse

    Never heard of this. Major problem I would think, although it could be as simple as a sensor or shifter adjustment.

    VW hasn't produced quality vehicles for decades. The engines and trannies seem strong enough, but electrical and fit & finish issues aren't what they should be. Be persistent with the service dept and don't take no for an answer. You paid a lot for this van, I'm sure.
  • meed7meed7 Member Posts: 2
    As noted above, if you take a stout steel box and remove one side, you take away most of its torsional stiffness (try it with a cardboard box sometime), and the result is creaking and shuddering and general pusillanimity in response to bumps and blows on the highway. To me this is the single worst trait of my EV Weekender, in comparison to my old non-pop-top Vanagon, which was a brick (in nearly every way).

    I'm wondering if anyone has added any cross-bracing to their pop-top VW vans to try to counteract this problem. It seems to me that a couple of 1" alloy tubes, firmly anchored to the roof perimeter structure up by the B pillars and back at the rear, would add some stiffness back to the box, and add greatly to the van's road manners... as well as reducing all that stomach-turning creaking and shuddering that we have now.

    Ideas, anyone?

    regards,
    Ed
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It's amazing how much structural support is designed in with the roof. Convertibles are usually pointed to as the corollary since they require such heavy chassis mods to keep them rigid.

    That said, I think it'd be pretty hard to cobble on much cabin stiffness after the design stage.

    Have you thought about suspension mods, anti-sway bars and the like?

    Think how bad it'd be if you added a second slider like they did with my Quest. Crash test results went down when they did that!

    Steve, Host
  • meed7meed7 Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone with 215 tires on 15" rims (215/70 and 215/75) been able to fit chains or cables over them?

    Or for that matter has anyone running anything bigger than a 205 width been able to fit chains or cables? I know VW says its a no-no, but I'm wondering what the practical experience has been.

    I need chains for about one hour every three years, and I hate to compromise (downsize) my tires too much for the other 26,279 hours, just for that one hour of (highway-department-mandated) traction.

    regards,
    Ed
  • luby100luby100 Member Posts: 1
    The rear brakes on my 2002 where completely worn out about a year (approx. 18k mi.)after I purchased. I was told that I would need new rotors/discs and brake pads. It not cheap to replace these and am wondering am I going to have to do this every year or more?

    Several mechanics have told me that they believe that VW under-engineered the brakes and discs for this vehicle. Has anyone else experiences this?
  • mlfranzmlfranz Member Posts: 7
    I just had all the brakes replaced on my 2001 Eurovan, at approx 28K miles. It cost me just shy of $1,000 (included a brake fluid change.) I've read elsewhere the brakes do wear out more quickly on the 2001+ Eurovans but I suppose it depends on your driving habits.
  • gentlegiantgentlegiant Member Posts: 12
    greetings, all. i have had a life-long love affair with the vw van. my love for the vehicle started when i was in third grade--while friends dreamed of camaros and 911s, i poured over the microbus (and later eurovan) sales brochures my beloved dad picked up for me (with raised eyebrow, i might add).

    i'm now 30-something, i still really want a new eurovan camper, and the wife says it's ok. and so my question: is now the time to buy new, or should i wait for the (maybe) upcoming microbus? i'd purchase the long-wheelbase, full-featured camper (sadly w/o the syncro or TDI options). from what i've read on the internet and heard from a few owners, the eurovan--while now fast and roomy--seems to have serious issues with reliability, durability, and crashworthiness. i've owned acura, toyota, and nissan with virtually no reliability issues. could you all give me your advice? should i buy new, should i buy used, or should i wait for the next redo (presumably the microbus)?

    thanks in advance for your kind advice.
    tim, gentlegiant
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I had a '69 bus and fond memories, even though it had head gasket problems and wasn't around all that long.

    I'd wait for the new one if you can, but it's not coming until 2005 it seems. I looked into Eurovans in '99 but their reputation is all over the map. Hopefully the new Microbus will sell significant numbers and make the parts cheaper and more easily found.

    Current owners (or other shoppers), please weigh in.

    And a moment of silence for the soon to be extinct old Beetle :-)

    Steve, Host
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Almost $ 1000 for new brakes at 28K miles? Let me guess: they replaced all rotors, installed new pads and changed the fluid. Ridiculously high for a VW. I have an 83 Mercedes 300 SD and I can buy four rotors and two sets of brake pads from thebenzbin.com for about $ 250. And these are brand name German made parts! Changing the brake fluid is an inexpensive service, usually only $ 50 on any car. And brake rotor/pad replacement should not be more than two hours labor even if the mechanic is really slow.

    I am surprised that a vehicle should need new brakes after only 28 K miles. I would not bother replacing the rotors every times unless they are deeply gouged warped. The sad thing is, today's rotors are made deliberately thin so that very little or no extra metal thickness is left to be able to turn them and reuse them.
  • zavfejzavfej Member Posts: 13
    I just finished picking up my '01 Weekender at VW for a complete brake job - 4 rotors and pads. It has 38K miles, so I had the 40K tune up done as well. $1500.
    I almost dropped dead when I got the bill. It would not be so bad, but this is the 2nd set of rotors and 4th set of pads in 38K miles - ridiculous. I called VWoA and gopt absolutely no satisfaction from them as, 6 months ago, when I had the rear pads changed, the dealer told me to replace the rotors and I declined - just could not afford it at the time.
    VWoA said that becuase it was recommended and I declined, they were under no obligation to take responsibility for the excessive brake wear - its sick how much I spent on brakes ion this VDub.
    Otherwise, we love the vehicle, it is different and comfortable and utilitarian. Plenty of power, decent handling. Just these stinking brakes...
    Does anyone recommend any other vehicle in place of this one?
  • mlfranzmlfranz Member Posts: 7
    No, the rotors were not replaced but the all 4 pads were and the fluid was flushed.

    Pads are dealer-only for now; no aftermarket yet for the 2001's.

    28000 is about average for this model Eurovan, from what I've heard. The vehicle is driven mostly in the suburbs of Chicago, primarily stop-and-go.
  • mlfranzmlfranz Member Posts: 7
    I feel your pain! The work on my '01 was performed by an independant mechanic and I still paid about $1000.

    What was done at the 40k service other than the brakes?
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    $ 1000 for 4 sets of brake pads and brake fluid replacement? Are these characters using Space Shuttle brake pads on this van? I have owned a lot of cars, including foreign cars, in my life. Never heard of brake pads that expensive. Something is wrong here. Somebody said that VW underengineered the brakes for this van. Yes, on purpose! This must be a killer money maker for them.
  • libertycatlibertycat Member Posts: 593
    Here is my minivan ranking-
    1)'04+ Sienna
    2)'00+ MPV
    3)'01+ T&C & GC
    4)'96+ Chevy Venture, Pontiac Montana/Trans Sport, and Olds Silhouette long wheelbase
    5)'04+ Quest
    6)'00+ Windstar
    7)'99+ Odyssey
    8)'01+ Caravan/Voyager
    9)'96+ short wheelbase Chevy Venture and Pontiac Montana/Trans Sport
    10)Volkswagen Euro Van
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    This forum is really boring. One or two messages a month?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    What did VW sell in the US last year - ~750 Eurovans? Not a big pool of owners to pull from.

    Maybe in '05 when the Microbus hits the showrooms you'll see some activity.

    Steve, Host
  • big_guybig_guy Member Posts: 372
    What VW needs to do is get away from the gas hog VR6 engine in the EuroVan and put in a much more efficient TDI of some sort (maybe the 2.5L V6 TDI or even the new 2.0L TDI that is supposed to be introduced in the Passat). I think the poor fuel economy ratings are one of the major reasons people steer clear of the EuroVan.
  • tlriiitlriii Member Posts: 3
    I have a 1999 Eurovan, MVP. We just recently passed the 30,000 mi. mark and took it in for the required maintenance. Nothing major except some minor brake work required. However, the check engine light recently illuminated, and stayed on for about a day or two. It finally went off after I had called a mechanic to schedule it for a check up. It seems to drive fine so I cancelled the appointment. Any one else have a similar experience? Any advice on what to watch for with this van? Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the van. It hasn't cost me too much to maintain and is rather reliable.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Fingers usually point at a loose gas cap when the check engine light illuminates. Hopefully that's all it was and the light went off when the condition cleared itself.

    Some auto parts stores will pull the codes for free and you could see if any codes are stored in the van's computer.

    Steve, Host
  • sregan99sregan99 Member Posts: 1
    We've had the 2003 eurovan weekender since Thanksgiving and like it pretty well. It's not our primary vehicle so it mostly does short trips around town and tailgates every chance we get. So far we love it. The poptop is great and we've fit 2 adults, 2 kids under age three, and 2 dogs in it for a half-dozen weekend camping trips. Gets kind of funky in there by Sunday night, but it's been a great camping rig.
    Our question is about roof racks. We both whitewater kayak and have always put the boats on thule or yakima roof racks on the other cars we have had. But can we install a rack on the poptop? Boats can't go on a hitch-mounted rack like bikes do. I'm worried that wind resistance at highway speeds would pull the top up, and I don't think thule recommends using a roof rack with the weekender Eurovan. I've started noticing other Eurovan campers and think I see three different options:
    1)Mount a rack to the poptop using the bolted-on gutter mounts that thule recommends for pickup truck campers. I've seen a few of these but haven't been able to talk to the owners. Downside could be leaking through the boltholes, poptop not made to be bolted into, and perhaps a need to unlaod the boats before opening the top (not a big deal). Maybe beef up the poptop latch so it does not blow open.
    2) Mount the rack to the actual van gutters and straddle the poptop (I saw a guy on I-95 who had done this). Seems more structurally sound, but you would have to remove the entire rack just to open the top. Pretty inconvenient, and I don't trust myself to properly install the rack each and every time.
    3) Forget the rack idea and get a small tow-behind trailer. Several manufacturers make them and advertise them for small-car use. They are maybe four feet wide by six feet long, and the top is about four feet off of the ground. Gear goes in the trailer; bikes and boats can go on top. Some of them have a rack built into the top, and other accept a thule or yakima rack. Upside is that less of the gear has to be crammed into the van. Downside is cost ($3,000 - $4,000) and the need to keep, maintain, insure, and store the trailer. Plus the minor hassles of towing a trailer on our boating trips.

    Does anybody have any experience with these options? I know that vw does not sell many Eurovan weekenders in the states, but since the people who buy them are probably the camping type, somebody must have run into this problem before.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Aw, come on. Playboats are so short these days you can carry them inside now. I saw one last week strapped to the top of a Wrangler... sideways!

    My Yak rack towers pop off pretty quickly but it would be a pain to do every night, but I prefer having my canoe/kayak on top instead of having to pull a trailer.

    I don't know what I'd do in your case although mounting the rack brackets to the popup itself has a lot of appeal, and your boats plus rack may be light enough that you may get by with popping the top without having to remove the boats.

    You may want to check rec.boats.paddle on Usenet (search google groups) and see what other Weekender owners are doing. Hmmm, maybe not; only got a few hits there, and none helpful. (Edit - here's a link suitable only for canoes/sea kayaks, but maybe it'll trigger an idea).

    Steve, Host
  • whitestickwhitestick Member Posts: 1
    My '02 Eurovan has been plagued with a noisy front end since the day I took delivery. Knocks, rattles, squeaks. The ball joints, shock absorbers, and related nuts, rings, and seats have been replaced on the left and right side. This was an improvement, but now there's a knock/rattle coming from the passenger side/right side again. Has anyone had a similar experience, or does anyone have any suggestions? Its driving me crazy ...Thanks.
  • sclark900sclark900 Member Posts: 4
    Ok... I've read all the reviews, good and bad, on the Eurovan MV and have decided that the MV Weekender holds top rank for what we want w/ a new vehicle. Trusty edmunds.com tells me that invoice on this model is 29,030 and there is a manuf. to dealer incentive of 1,000 until the end of Sept. Just curious to know how much luck folks have had working from invoice on up on these vehicles. Visit #1 to the dealer (just check out the interior without a serious intent to buy) and the salesperson said they'd knock off a grand off MSRP... not what I was looking for. If we can get it for 500 over invoice, I'm sold. Possible? I figure since it's been sitting on the lot for a while (when were 03's released to dealers?), I may have some leverage, but who knows. I cringe at the thought of dealing w/ the sales process in general!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Excellent question, if a tough one.

    Eurovans and Weekenders hold a bit of fascination for me but, like the '69 VW bus I had, I worry about repair expense and parts costs. VW sells so few Eurovans here you'd think the dealers would love to dump them off their lot as quickly as they could.

    Apparently it doesn't work that way, and there's evidently a pool of die-hard VW fans who pay a lot of money for these vans. And the fans of the Weekenders, like Westfalias of old, are even more die-hard and forgiving of gremlins and break-downs.

    I think I'd try a blast email and/or fax and not limit my search all that close to home. It'd be great fun to pick it up 1500 miles away and camp all the way back home.

    And VW, bring on the new Microbus!

    Steve, Host
  • sclark900sclark900 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the reply Steve. Well... here's the scoop. My local VW dealer has the only MV pop-top in the state of Oregon. I called every single dealer in the state in search of another, but came up short. And from the sounds of it, dealers from all over the state have tried to get their hands on this one, but the local dealer has chosen to keep the sale local and have held on to it as such (or so they say). Needless to say, they wouldn't budge on price except to knock 1k off MSRP as originally said, and they get that back through their incentive. So, I'm just gonna sit back and wait for a bit and see how the cookie crumbles.
  • sanfrandansanfrandan Member Posts: 20
    Sclark900 -
    I'd do the blast-fax. Or try an online-purchaser like carsdirect.com. You might save enough to pay for the trip, and it would make for a hell of a story after you've had it for ten years.

    Why let yourself be mugged by this one dealer? Wouldn't a camper from any other state drive as sweet?

    -SanFranDan
  • scmike1scmike1 Member Posts: 10
    I just bought an 03 MV. Not the weekender or camper. Got it at Bob Lewis VW in San Jose, CA. They had a few poptops on the lot. A used 02 and one or two new ones. Might be worth giving them a call. Not that far a drive from Oregon. One good long day. Got mine for $26,700 plus TTL.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    I've always liked odd duck vehicles, which is why I've driven Saabs for so many years. Now that my family is growing I'm looking for a van type vehicle and find the EuroVan interesting. I like the looks and the fact that you don't see them parked in everyones driveway.

    I've read through all of the discussions on this list and get the idea that the EuroVan is a lot like Saab in the fact that one often has a love/hate relationship with them. One loves the vehicle but hates the fact that things tend to break more often than one would like and getting parts and people who know how to work on them is difficult and expensive. I understand that.

    The one aspect of the EuroVan discussions that seems to be lacking is safety. Even edmunds.com doesn't list any crash testing results, but that is because they weren't done. I'm sure it isn't worth it to crash test such a low volume vehicle in the U.S., but I'm sure crash tests have been done in Europe, and there obviously must be a history of real life crashes.

    Does anyone have any information on this? A poor showing in crash tests would be the only thing that would keep me from buying a EuroVan, that and I have to convince my wife that a second sliding door isn't really necessary. :)

    Thanks,

    Chad
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    there was another site which used to compile US, Euro , Aussie and Japanese crash tests results but seem sto be gone now
  • mtd1952mtd1952 Member Posts: 1
    Greets to the group from this new member.

    I've leased a 2003 EV MV Weekender, and I'm enjoying it a great deal, even though I was formerly a "lifetime" Toyota Tacoma truck owner (4 Tacoma trucks over 8 years).

    I had a bad "creak" noise coming from the pop-top latch, and at high speed (about 75 mph) with a window open, whistling from the heater/air vents.

    The cure: I greased the pointy latch pole that pokes through the latch on the roof with a long-life typewriter grease. This stuff never dries out, and the squeaking from the bouncing roof has never returned.

    As to the wind whistles, I was surprised to note that the air direction settings don't include "face AND feet", but rather you can select the upper vents, or the lower. However, by setting the knob halfway between the two vent settings, I now get air from both upper and lower vents, and the whistling has stopped.

    Hope this helps any others out there.

    PS.... I chased a "rattle" for about a week, then remembered the 3 St. Pauli Girl brewskies stowed in the fridge. lol! That's a rattle I can live with!
  • sclark900sclark900 Member Posts: 4
    Hey there folks. I just brought my newly purchased '01 eurovan in to the local dealership for it's 25k oil change. I just about died when I got the bill... $69 for an oil change! They charged 33 for labor, 16 for the filter, 12 for the oil (at 2/quart), couple bucks for a filter gasket, and a 7% mandatory charge on labor for "misc shop supplies". Now... I know the Eurovan's are a quirky beast and might be a little more tricky than the typical oil change, but this just seems crazy! I'm curious to know where other Euro owners are taking their rigs for oil changes and if I'm in the typical cost range at the dealer. I hesitate to take it to a quick lube, but really don't know specifically if there would be a true negative for doing so, but who knows. Any thoughts/comments?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The Edmunds Maintenance Guide shows that oil changes are a bit pricy for the VW; but more gets done than oil.

    Ouch!

    Steve, Host
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Looks like they charged $ 69 for oil change alone - and gouged him on the price of the oil and oil filter too. Typically dealerships buy oil in large quantities and if they buy it in a 55 gallon drum, they get it for less than $ 1 a quart. The Edmunds maintenance guide lists additional inspections such as brake inspection which would probably take another one hour of labor at least.

    Our local Mazda delership recently advertised $ 10.99 oil change special. This includes up to 5 quarts of Castrol GTX oil and a genuine Mazda oil filter. I cannot beat this price even if I buy the oil on sale and the filter with 20% discount from Mazda and do the work myself. This should convicne you that $ 69 oil change charge is outrageous. Of course, I do not believe that the dealership is making any money on this special, so a $ 20 or 25 charge would be reasonable to pay for labor. The special is designed to attract new customers and buy the cars from this dealership.

    Advice: Do your own oil changes. You can also perform other simple maintenance tasks such as checking the fluid level and tire pressure, drive belt tension, and battery connections on their vehicle. Buying a shop manual for your vehicle is always helpful.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I see posts all the time around Town Hall about cars that require 5w20 or other non-typical weight oil.

    When they take their car in to the dealer for an oil change, they wind up with 5w30 and the service desk tells them it makes no difference.

    The real reason of course, is that it's lots cheaper for the dealer to get the 5w30 in bulk and use it for every car that comes in the door.

    Yet another reason to d-i-y.

    Steve, Host
  • icec97icec97 Member Posts: 17
    My first VW was a 1981 Vanagon and loved it. Drove it in 1986 from Virginia to California taking I-40 and I-80 coming back. Encountered no problem at all. The only set back was, under powered but very reliable. Sold it in 1987 and bought me a 1987 Wolsburg edition Vanagon. I'm still driving it. I don't know the mystic about it but I intend to keep it until it falls apart. The only major repairs I had were changing the heads twice. 1st in 1994 and 2nd in 2001.And also having to rebuilt the tranny in 1997 for $850.00. Minor repairs were changing the brakes. To me I think this is a solid vehicle. It has the same power as before and starts every time except one time when it needed a new computer power box which I was able to find one in a junk yard for $80.00. This is just my input to this vehicle.
  • joey913joey913 Member Posts: 4
    Please, please... I want a Microbus NOW!
  • 58vw58vw Member Posts: 12
    My dear wife loves God, then her children, then our 2002 eurovan then me...

    absolutely delightful vehicle, stout v-6.

    To the guy who changed oil at the dealer: my jiffy guy said it has to go onto a hoist, i bought filters at the dealer took it to a guy with ahoist, asked him to avoid smashing my pop-top into the ceiling, he changed the oil, apparenlty the filter is hard to reach. But no excessive charge. Good luck ps using mobil 1.
  • 2wagonhos2wagonhos Member Posts: 3
    Hello. I have been a Westy fan for years. I didn't know this was coming to the US when I saw it, but according to people on this board, it is.

    It's not in English, so I am not quite sure what it says.

     http://www.mobycampers.ch/Deutsch/California_Comfortline_T5.htm
  • johnj62johnj62 Member Posts: 10
    It appears that '03 is the last year for the EV here in the states. Does anyone have any information on importing a Multivan from Germany? I assume that it has to be easier than it once was back in the '80's. Does anyone think that the Multivan will come here or is VW putting all their eggs into the Micro. My family of 6 stretches the limits of conventional mini vans and would love to get a used EV or a new Multivan.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Most of the future vehicle talk I've seen has revolved around the new Microbus. (VW Microbus 2005)

    But most all the other North American minivans have grown, and the Microbus would buck that trend.

    Steve, Host
  • swarner7777swarner7777 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone had a problem with their 2002 Eurovan having paint chipping? I have 4 or 5 paint chips about the size of an eraser head (maybe some smaller) on the front of my van. Also, my van frequently "surges" when I start from a stop (like at a stop sign) and even when driving on the freeway. My van is Colorado Red and behind the chips of paint it is white.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Any luck Swarner7777?

    In the news, the retro design has been thrown out <sigh>.

    2005 Volkswagen Microbus

    Steve, Host
  • mrnimmomrnimmo Member Posts: 271
    the retro design has been thrown out

    Maybe because it isn't retro at all. It could have been retro, maybe with round headlights and a little more flat nose. I don't know where those squinty eyed looking headlights came from.... maybe from a Chevy truck parts bin somewhere.

    Overall, it looks more like the Previa sitting in my driveway and than the microbus sitting in my driveway. I don't understand VW's incompetence vis a vis vans. VW thinks it needs to compete with the Chevy Astro by offering a V6 with a slushbox that gets 17 mpg. For some reason, VW chose Astro as the target of the now departed EV and the New Microbus Concept. Why? I don't know. They don't use Cavalier as the target for the Golf. Or Grand Prix as the target for the Passat. They bring over something distinctly European with a nice engine and tranny offerings.

    Someone at VW was smoking too much of that stuff that used to be smoked in microbuses.

    Maybe as we approach Al Gore's dream of $3.00/gallon gasoline, they'll open their eyes and start shipping over TDi EV's with manual trannies. That's what VW customers want. They should pay less attention to their Kalifornicated design studios and more attention to VW customers.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Another version of the story:

    No Microbus for VW Until '07

    Steve, Host
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    when it is George Bush's War in Iraq and back scratching of BIG OIL that are the causes for skyrocketing gas prices.
        Back to the Eurovan: Volkswagen has NEVER produced a powerful minivan with decent gas mileage like the Astro.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Let's just stick to the vans please.

    And a diesel would be popular:

    "Right now, we are seeing probably three times the number of people coming in the doors asking for the diesel products than we used to see," Momentum VW Sales Director Dustin King."

    News24 Houston

    Steve, Host
  • champ203champ203 Member Posts: 4
    Told my wife that her Eurovan would be history when gas got to $2.00/gallon. She's driving 04 Passat TDI now. Eurovan was basic transportation that she liked - high driving postition, lots of room for kids/luggage, cool looking (in her eyes), decent performance for a big vehicle. My complaints - too many days in the shop, recall, a/c had to be replaced, no tilt steering, too much like driving a bus seating position, not half the vehicle that the Jetta was that we traded, very lousy gas mileage (avg 14 mpg), and the first set of tires lasted 22K.

    For the same money there a lot better choices on the market.

    Peace,
    Don<><
  • mrnimmomrnimmo Member Posts: 271
    >too many days in the shop, recall, a/c had to be replaced... very lousy gas mileage (avg 14 mpg),

    The a/c and electrical component problems wouldn't be solved by a TDI EV. VW just can't seem to get those things right. However, I think a lot of people would overlook some of those issues for a van that gets excellent MPG.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    The reason the Eurovan does not get fuel economy is simple: small engine that has to be geared down considerably to produce good power, aerodynamics of a refrigerator, and high curb weight (over 4000 lbs). The auto transmission does nothing to help the fuel economy either.

    For comparison, some vans get batter fuel economy when cruising due to low engine RPM in top gear, which can be easily achieved with a larger displacement engine with higher torque capability.

    One way to get decent fuel economy out of Eurovan is to use a turbodiesel engine with a manual transmission. Unfortunately, this combination is not sold in the US, and until it is, I will not even consider buying this vehicle.
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