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Re: Eurovan, 1999, Test Drive

Nakamura, Roy M
 

Okay EV/EVC owners... Please don't "Flame Me..."

Let me open by telling you that I LOVE my 99 EVC.

I've owned 68 Bug, 76 & 80 Rabbit, 84 Scirrocco, 84 Westy and a 99 EVC... so
I don't intend to bash VWs. The EVC is great for camping and cost only a
few bucks more than the GLS.

I bought the EVC for it versatility and uniqueness... and NOT because of
it's reputation as being "reliable" and the quality "Dealer" support. Heck,
my new 99 EVC's has spent more time in the VW Dealer's service bays (getting
warranty repairs) than all of my Hondas and Toyotas I've ever owned in the
last 25 years combined! Basically... the EVC quality is fair (but for
$38,000... who wants "fair") and Winnie's conversion is pretty good. The
several VW dealers I spoke with prior to buying my EVC had no clue about
EVs... or just told me misinformation... they couldn't even provide me with
a Sales Brochure for the EVC (only the MV). When my EVC broke down last
July during our vacation in Yosemite National Park, I used the "Trip
Interruption Reimbursement Program"... I "STILL" haven't heard anything
thing from VWof A.

As a group... we all know the VWof A/Dealers really don't give us EV/EVC
owners the proper respect... if any. We're a small tight group that has no
significant impact to VWofA total sales... and we would by another EV/EVC
despite it's quirkiness.

As far as the
Online Test Drive write-up is concerned... IT'S TRUE!! IT'S ALL TRUE!
First... we need to get past the anger and denial mode and realize that if
we were going to recommend a "great people carrying, reliable, comfortable
and economical to operate" minivan to our own Mom... it would NOT be the EV.
My choice... the Honda Odyssey. My ex-wife drives a 2000 Odyssey... and
that thing puts the EV to shame. After I remove my middle seats out of my
EVC... my next task is to take 1200MG of Motrin and stay off my feet. The
extra seat in the Honda "effortlessly" disappears under the floor.

I don't want to belabor the point... but I shuttle my kids and their soccer
friends all over town.. and most of their mom's have Mopar and Honda Vans...
but whenever new kids try to open the door.... I ALWAYS have to show them
where the latch is. They think that big black bumper thing is the handle...
terrible design... terrible.

I'm short... 5';6"... and yes the front wheel well gets in the way too.

The front seats are comfortable now... since I installed sheep skin seat
covers... but before that... the EVC fabric was slippery, too firm and had a
cheap look and feel. This is also true for the center and rear seat... very
uncomfortable (compared to the Honda).

Price... $32,000. ... well, if the EV had all the features that are
available on a $28,000 Honda... the EV would cost over $38,000!.

When my co-worker find out how much the EVC cost... they look shocked...
almost dumb founded (some even break a smile and start to snicker). I
remember crossing the border to Mexico in my EVC.. and the Insurance Agent
asked me what the replacement cost of the EVC was. I told him $35,000...
and then he looked at me like I didn't understand the question... now here's
a guy who appraises vehicles for a living! He didn't believe me... so he
referred to the Kelly's Blue Book... then shook his head in disbelief.

If Honda made an Odyssey Camper... I might "consider" it. For the time
being... VW is the only game in town for "mini-van Campers". As a loyal VW
owner... I find myself also questioning why anyone would pay so much for an
EV GLS or MV since there are soooooo many alternatives. Oh Well so that's
my .02.

I guess how "I" justify paying so much for the EVC is that I remember
selling my 84 Westy after five years of ownership back to the dealer for
close to what I paid for it. I've also looked for used EVC and they seem to
hold their high resale... I also like to "wave" at other EV/EVC drivers as
we pass.... since they usually wave back. I guess we EV/EVC owners are a
unique and quirky breed.

Roy Nakamura
99 EVC
84 Scirrocco

-----Original Message-----
From: Sea2river@... [SMTP:Sea2river@...]
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2000 11:29 AM
To: ev_update@...
Subject: [ev_update] Eurovan, 1999, Test Drive

This is A test drive report from Fortune City website to which Dirk van
Ulden
referred us. The report is quoted below and is also published at


QUOTE
The 1999 Volkswagen EuroVan
Base Price Range: $31,300 - 32,800
* (One Star -- Substandard.)

If the new Beetle has made you fall in love with Volkswagen, the EuroVan
will make you want a divorce!

Volkswagen will only sell 1400 of the EuroVan's in the U.S. this year, and

that's good. Because if they sold any more, it may be considered an act of

war.

I thought the whole purpose of a minivan was to have the utility of a van,
in
a vehicle that drives like a car. The EuroVan has few amenities. You sit
high, with cupholders on the floor that are almost out of my reach--and
I'm
6'4". The drive is very trucklike. The seats are uncomfortable.

I couldn't figure out how to open the one sliding door from the inside.
And,
despite the additional room, the basic EuroVan only seats seven, just like

your average minivan.

Controls are pretty basic, with one exception, the gear shift lever. It
sits
on the floor, and has no light, so you have to guess which gear you are in
at
night.

I never did get comfortable in the EuroVan. Because of the wheel well's
location, there's really no place to put your left foot. The seats just
weren't comfortable.

The EuroVan has a slight resemblance to the early Chrysler minivans. It's
very boxy, but a little higher and a little skinnier, which makes it feel
unstable in corners. The steering and the brakes were very rough. The
engine
was adequate.

I know Volkswagen's have a nice following, and I know I'm going to get
angry
e-mails from EuroVan owners saying I don't understand. You're right, I
don't
understand. I don't understand why people would pay 32,000 dollars for a
vehicle that rides rough, is a menace in parking lots, and has
uncomfortable
cloth seats.

There are a lot of good things happening at Volkswagen. The new Beetle is
a
runaway hit. The Jetta is cute. The Passat is practical. The EuroVan needs
to
be re-done, into a 21st century version of a Microbus. That would work.
This
vehicle doesn't, with one exception.

There are customized versions of the EuroVan that are said to be very
nice,
especially the limited edition camping version. If you camp a lot, you may

want to check out the EuroVan. But for all of the other uses that people
find
for minivans these days, the EuroVan comes up short.

About that price...it's not a misprint. I did a survey with other
reporters
who cover the auto industry who hadn't driven a EuroVan. I asked them to
guess the price. They fainted when they saw the sticker. Thirty-two
thousand
dollars would buy a lot of comfort in a competitors minivan.

You can get the EuroVan is three trims, GLS, MV and Camper. Standard
equipment includes air conditioning, cruise control, rear window
defroster,
etc. The MV gives you some extras like a folding table, florescent light
over
the rear seat, and seats that fold down into beds. The camper adds a
refrigerator, a gas stove, sink countertop, screened windows, furnace and
a
pop up roof with an overhead full-size bed.

While the camper sounds pretty neat, I drove the basic EuroVan, with a 32
thousand dollar sticker price. It was far from adequate, and nowhere close
to
the competition.

Let's pray for the return of the Microbus, and give the EuroVan a 1 on our
1
to 5 scale.
END QUOTE


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