trip report on Germany

[HOTGTX@aol.com]

Hey all,

Just got back from Germany.  I had a blast over there.  I was fortunate enough
to have my 16-year-old son visit with me. I flew on a brand new United
Airline's Boeing 777.  Talk about cramming people into an airplane.  It was
more like a cattle car! We visited Frankfurt and Trier Germany, and everywhere
in between.  We spent a day touring Luxembourg and visiting the war memorial
to U S soldiers.  General Patton was buried there.  (Now the educational stuff
for the trip and this message is complied with)  We also toured a castle in
Cochem along the Mosel River.  Stunning!  And the BEER is awesome.

I was really surprised at the cars.  I saw only one car that I would classify
as anywhere near old.  Most cars were less than five years old.  We put 3000
km on our rental Mercedes.  It was a 1999.  For a four-cylinder, 5-speed auto,
the car sure moved.  We had it up to 210 kph for a while.  I was most
impressed with the car.  It had the most amazing single windshield wiper
system I have every seen.  It covered 96 % of the window.  Driving on the
Autobahn is a blast!!!  Every one stays in the proper lane.  If you pass, you
get right back into the right lane staying out of the way of the other cars.
I was cruising at 160 kph (100 mph) on a long stretch.  I looked in the rear
view mirror.  There was a set of headlights coming up fast.  It was a BMW.
That is all I can tell you about the car.  It went screaming past me.  Well
over 220 kph.  I actually felt his rush of air against my Mercedes.  

Now on to the good stuff.  VOLKSWAGENS! 

The whole time I was there (16 days) I saw only 6 Sciroccos.  All of them were
in great shape minus one (front end smashed).  I never saw a GTX.  Someone the
list has a picture of a Mars red Scirocco with black ground effects on it.  I
saw one of these but it had Scirocco GT on its hatch back.  This particular
Scirocco was in what I would call mint condition.  I never got the opportunity
to see a Scirocco on the Autobahn.  That would have been sweet.  One other
Scirocco was British.  They still haven't figured out that the drive on the
wrong side of the road. 

Every time we stopped some where I would look at the parked cars.  They were
always clean.  Inside and out.  I would say the Germans definitely have us
beat in the car up keep arena.  Except those of us on the list.  I know we all
take care of our cars.

Everywhere I went I looked for a wrecking yard.  After a while I finally asked
a coworker (who spoke German) why.  In the area where I was located (and I
presume in all of Germany) they don't have the traditional American wrecking
yards.  I visited one place in Bitburg Germany.  They receive the car then
completely strip and catalog the car.  The yard is more like a traditional
(used) auto parts store.  And let me tell you expensive is the understatement.

The new A4 Golf is all over the place.  You can even get a GTI that is TDI.
There are a lot of TDI cars.  I saw only 3 new Beetles. As for other
Volkswagens, there is an array of them that are not available here.   The
Sharan van is smaller than I expected.  Smaller than the Dodge Caravan.  They
also share this chassis with a Ford.  I got the ride in a 1.0 litre VW Polo.
It was a gutless wonder.  But it probably gets great mileage.  I wouldn't want
to ride in it on the Autobahn.  I also thought the Polo was the smallest car
VW produced.  I was wrong!   VW also has a car called the LUPO.  It is
noticeably smaller than the Polo.  I took a picture of it at a VW dealer.  So
I have proof.  I actually saw some new Eurovans hauling ass.  Amazing.  

I did do some serious Scirocco shopping.  I got a set of Euro headlights and
bumpers for my car.  I hope to have this installed this weekend.  I'll need a
kitchen pass to work on my car this weekend.  For the headlights I had to hit
three different places to get a complete set.  The bumpers need some work
(repainted).  As for the 50-mm intakes a few of the group members wanted me to
check out.  It wasn't as good.  Only two of the places had intakes.  I'm not
sure if they were 50-mm intakes.  It really didn't matter though.  They would
not part them out.  Only if I purchased the engine.  I really didn't have the
cash for an engine and I would have been pressing my luck getting an engine
back to the states.

Hope ya enjoyed this report.

Later 
Dave
85 Scirocco GTX
 
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