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VANGUARD VAN

I lived in my '64 classic blue-and-white VW van for over a year back in the early 70's as I traveled the United States, stopping in splendorous places (Mt. Desert Island, Big Sur, Zion, Yosemite, Olympia, you name it) to spend the nights in my snug traveling home, so I needless to say I fell in love with vans. Yesterday we received delivery of our new van, a spiffy little candy apple red number by Honda. The old van, a sturdy Daihatsu, had done much and valiant duty hauling family and groceries and wood and soil and rocks and what not, and had done it very well with no complaint, started every time, winter or summer for 8 years, but its differential was beginning to universalize. Mountain driving will do that. We probably would have gotten another Daihatsu, but Honda was willing to give us on trade-in three times what Daihatsu would (for their own vehicle!) so we went with Honda. But my point here (I do have a point) is that this van (and the previous one) is what they call in Japan a K car, it has a 660 cc engine, size of a mid-range motorcycle, yet it's built and geared strong enough to handle the abovementioned chores, has lots of headroom, 4WD, is big enough for two of me (what a thought) to sleep in. It gets great mileage too, has excellent visibility etc. and the license tax and insurance is very low. I asked the salesman if K cars were sold in America or anywhere else, he said no, the laws in most countries don't allow auto motors less than 1000 cc. But I believe that will change soon, likely first in China. This type of car is ideal for singles, couples, new families, travelers, elderly folks (just about anybody except the 8-member Wide family), especially when fuel prices go up, as they will any time now; then the laws will change, and folks anywhere will be able to get one of these easy-to-drive, easy-to-park, easy-to-insure, easy-to-fuel, easy-on-the-pocketbook, easy-on-the-atmosphere little vans. You folks in the rest of the world, lobby your Honda dealer today!

[Despite the aforegoing, I do not own Daihatsu or Honda, or any part of said companies other than this vehicle; news re new car forthcoming as and when such may occur, beauty marks, warts and all. RB]