Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for July 04, 2023

Here comes Brad to the rescue!

I wonder what it all needs to be road worthy? I’m shocked the guy would tryto sell the van and not bother to at least hose it down. For it to be that heavily coated with grime and dust.. it’s likely sat for years and years.

If it was me, I’d be on my way to another van.. maybe a big GMC van conversion?

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Since when does Bets have Millions of fans??

Does this mean Brad and Toni will be part of a regular arc again, and not just a Sunday one-off? I can’t even remember the last time we saw that. Happy Independence Day, everybody!

Thank you for being smart, Gunther.

OMG, I was thinking that Gunther needed to take the van to a reputable mechanic, and in lieu of that, Brad, and he’s need to call Luann for Brad’s number! But Toni is the better mechanic.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Gunther is smart to call Brad. Bets is smart to ask the seller on camera about the van.

Well somebody suggested Brad should get into this episode. Very astute!

It’s interesting that we may see Gunther interact with Luann here. It has been a long time!

Well, it’ll take Brad all summer to fix it.

I need to get some sleep so I can join my fellow retirees tomorrow to watch fireworks later on, from our windows (without falling asleep…)

this will not end well…

It won’t break until you’re in the middle of the desert and it’s 114…then it will quit running. OR you are going through the rainstorm of the century and you are in rush hour traffic…then it’ll break.

Thank God for Gunther and his common sense. If it were up to Bets, she’d buy it and try to drive it out of Pittsville only to have it break down on the first stoplight off the lot. THEN she would not have any money left to fix the van and would not be able to sell it because her nearly a million fans will be witnesses to the fact that the van doesn’t run. She might be able to sell it for $100, though. Just for the body, coated in burgundy colored dust, apparently.

Now that Gunther’s calling Brad, I don’t think I’m going very far out on a limb by guessing that Toni will get involved, too. I expect that by the time they’re done with it, Bets and Gunther will end up with a good vehicle for the price.

Meanwhile, will the van be habitable while it’s being made road ready? If so, where will they park it? If not, where will Bets sleep? Will she move to the Farrell mansion for a while, and if so will she have some interesting interaction with Tiff and/or Kip? Will she stay with her family, even though they can get on her nerves, and if so will her parents throw a fit when they find out she’s planning a road trip in a camper van with her boyfriend? Will she make other arrangements? Or will we never find out because the strip fast forwards to Bets and Gunther thanking Brad and Toni for their help and hopping into the van ready to hit the open road?

She’s going to pull you under with her

Keep in touch with the experts.

Toni should be the one to call she is a much better mechanic.

Yes, Gunther, you certainly do need Brad and Toni to look at that van before you buy it.

The first time Brad’s done ANYTHING in months in the main story. Or even in the blank unceasing void that is the sundays.

Brad and Toni are a car couple.

I am glad to see that Gunther has a cool mind, he checks the vehicle first before buying it and when in doubt he calls an expert!

Bets is an adrenaline seeker?

Greg sneaked his name onto the bearded one’s t-shirt.

That van needs an all points inspection. After sitting out collecting dust for so long, some of those parts have worn with age. Would it even pass smog?

Mr. Van seller is going to get a work over. Notice I didn’t say the van?

Solution. Go home, get rich, don’t knock up, or be knocked up. Come back when you can afford to be in control.

Smart move, glad to see Brad, possibly Toni. I think there is significance in the only married couple are asked to help another, who have that potential, as well. President, or dumb. Time will tell.

‘It only needs a couple of things. Like the engine, transmission, brakes, tires an it has bad Feng Shui. It’s totally messing up my karma so its gotta go’

Actually, Gunther needs Luann more. Didn’t she repair Jack’s car once?

Will Bets’ millions of fans actually have any effect on the final sale?? I doubt it.

Silly me, I pictured something that would be the same size from panel to panel.

If there’s that much dust on it, it means that it’s been there a long time without anyone buying it. You might want to stop and think why that might be.

It’s nice to see Gunther doing the right thing and wanting to ask Brad for advice. Bers is so enthusiastic about Irma’s idea that she can’t see or hear anything. Just seeing how dirty the van is should make her reconsider about buying it, but this whole van thing has completely gotten into her head. I fear the tension between them will increase more and more. Let’s hope Brad can give them some extra advice. Not just about the van, but about their relationship.

Like this. She’s using her social media prowess to make sure the seller doesn’t cheat them. Gunther’s using real space connections the same way. She’s overconfident as hell, he as always is full of doubts, but willing to try.

They’re a good team.

Characters in this strip always seem to come across junk vehicles. Sleazy dealer had a Safari frame Brad n Toni were lookin’ at. Not sure, but isn’t Toni the auto mechanically inclined?

“Peace and Greg”

Bets, who the F cares about your GD fans. put the effing phone down and get some common sense for once in your life. i still say gunther needs to dump her.

A little sawdust in the transmission makes it run like new.

Millions of fans??

Only in her mind

Gunther does the proper thing to call the professionals to fix this car instead of looking for subscribers.

Bets just wiped off the top paint. That’s the primer showing.

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, Ruby, Ruby, I’m-a want yaLike a ghost I’m-a gonna haunt yaRuby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine, sometime

Tune in next time when we hear Brad say, “I remember this van! Our fire department responded to ____________ and found ___________”I’ll say ‘a fire at abandoned house’ and ‘it in a garage’.

you can’t guarantee even a well maintained care won’t break. in college my roommate sold a mutual friend a car that his dad owned. Both my roommate and his father were mechanics who maintained their cars. Less than a month after he sold it, it blew a head gasket. We did fix it for her, but still he had no idea that the head gasket was about to blow when he sold it.

The ONLY way this trip works is the combination of Bets’ whimsy and Gunther’s pragmatism. If both were whimsical that camper would never get repaired. If both were pragmatic, it would never get bought.

Gunther is easily led.

A van is not the same as a camper van.

Betts is being the romantic here. Gunther? The practical one. Oh, BTW Gunther, Toni is as much, or, more a “gearhead” as Brad.

The van appears to be a VW Vanagon. It’s not an original VW Bug camper van. That said I’ve just got done rebuilding/upgrading an old Chevy camper. Those things run $20K, used, in fair shape.

Actually, the wife was also pretty handy with a wrench…

So will Brad, Toni and the entire FD shift show up code 3 to check out the van?

Good to see that Gunther is smart enough to have a mechanic check that van out. If it were up to Bets, they would have already bought it just to find out it won’t start. When did she get so stupid?

In this corner, Pleasure Principle. In the other corner, Reality Principle. Ready? Fight!

Well at least Gunther is thinking here, and being honest that he doesn’t know anything about vehicles.

And if Gunny is truly lucky, Toni as well as Brad may chime in about what to look for in a used car. (Just don’t ask for old Smiley’s imput. His trucks have a tendency to EXPLODE)

One more thing. Gunth? If you ever marry Bets, don’t take her when you go car shopping.

If the sell admits it needs a couple things fixed, that means it will break down before it gets on the freeway. Do NOT buy this clunker, Gunther. You are too smart for that. Hopefully Brad and Toni will back him up and talk some sense into Bets.

They do need help….bad!

Both the van and the comic strip have seen better days.

HAPPY 4TH !!!Go stuff yourselves with hot dogs and burgers. We’re going to grill up some Wagyu burgers to try. :-)

I wonder if Irma has even seen the van. How did she find out about it? I believe Irma might put Bets into this unsafe van, but not her precious Gunther. Maybe Irma knew they would fight over even buying the van and that might break them up.

Not listening to anything gunther has to say its just about her and her streaming to her “millions” of fans. For the love of all that is good Gunther dump this ditz and move on.

There goes Bets again not addressing Gunther talking to her, instead being in her own little world high off her e-celeb status and faceless fans. It’s not endearing, she comes off as obnoxious making a vlog while filming every moment of her life. Even obsessive vloggers would wait till after purchasing the car to vlog, especially since she didn’t ask this guy permission to put him in front of “millions” of viewers.

Also I’m kind of surprised that they hadn’t considered just renting an actually good one, rather than buying a rusted out dump they will use once and then forget about after. They’d prefer to buy it when they most likely won’t be able to go on a lot of road trips while attending college.

Asking a mechanic and making a sound purchase does not make compelling content. This isn’t the “used minibus challenge”

Gunther is pragmatic and the voice of reason. Bets is impulsive, carefree, and unable or unwilling to foresee the consequences of her impulsiveness. Do either one of these two have a reliable source of income? I imagine Bets may have some cashflow from what appears to be her blogging, but cannot imagine Gunther just uprooting and wandering around with Bets on a fast train to no where without a plan.

I can’t remember, just how did these two get together? I wonder what is it that keeps them together?

She’s like a total ding-a-ling.

Very smart move, have Brad check it out very carefully.

Asking for Brad’s advice is a surprisingly good idea…

I see vanagon, I say run.

Odd -Gunther and Bets are both dressed in black clothes.

Millions of fans? And she wonders how Gun’s mom found out she was sneaking in?

Looks like they found a van. Everyone can relax. It needs some suspension work, and shocks, and brakes, brake pads, linings, steering box, transmission, rear end, maybe new rings, new muffler, a little wiring…. It’ll be fine.

I’m thinking she is just trying to get the truth out of seller by exposing him to her followers and it looks like she got his attention

Gunther, stop. Pull Bets aside and tell her to listen to your views first. She needs to have a grown up conversation about this. This a good example of why communication in relationships are very important. My husband was pulling Bets behavior you’d better believe I’d be taking a big step back.

Gunther is making a smart call (pun intended). I do want to see him and Bets on the road. He went all the way to Peru with Rosa, why not a road trip with his current girlfriend? Too bad Gunther doesn’t know Charlene Glover from Jumpstart; she is quite adept at fixing old cars.

Bets is annoying with constantly vloging and now intimidating Mr. “Greg” Seller. Always good to get a second opinion. I’m glad Gunther is planning on having Brad check out the van. Hope Toni comes with him. IF they pass on the van, I’m sure there’s room at the mansion! ;-D

Threats Bets? Was that a polite threat? “Will it break? It’s a machine, all machines break it’s just a matter of when…”

Now back to discussing a used car deal with millions of fans … “put the phone away and we can talk, or thanks for your interest and good luck.”

Even if it is just sold for parts it should be at least $10k. The average 1989 Volkswagen Vanagon costs about $23,842.01. The average price has decreased by 0% since last year. The 7 for sale on CarGurus range from $8,995 to $49,900 in price.The Vanagon is in demand because one was featured in Stranger Things-pizza van.

If Bets has that many followers she should have a significant income/bank balance so she should be able to afford a nice condo near campus.

Brad to the rescue! And look, Gun is talking to his dear old friend, Luann. Warms my heart to see this. Hopefully Brad will talk them out of buying this van or at least advise them about what needs fixing. Maybe once they see the repairs cost they will decide to stay home and summer at the manse with Tiffany.

Bets might be annoying but she can be clever…in those “millions” of followers, I’m sure there is good advice in there somewhere, if she cares to look for it… meanwhile, Guenther is making his own smart move

Bets is a pain in the butt. I don’t know how Gunth can put up with her!?

I’m not sure anyone’s mentioned this, but if I were buying a car I wouldn’t be talking about millions of followers because that could translate to a higher purchase price. Gunther did the right thing by asking for Brad’s number. I also hope Toni is who shows up.

Oh Boy! Bets is just a bit too impulsive.

Bets is certainly NOT a “look before you leap” type of gal, is she?!?!?

At least Gunther is thinking rationally.

Whatever happened to ‘shop around’ to get the best deal. Also, the van didn’t have a layer of dust obscuring the van’s true colour.

I’m confused….Gun’s mom owns the van but this dude is selling it? Did I miss something?

HA!!! Love how Bets is putting the seller on the spot! Also, good call (literally) on Gunther on finding a solution instead of finding an excuse.

An OLD (1980’s) Volkswagon Vanagon will likely need a fair amount of work to get it to be reasonably reliable. Probably in the neighborhood of around one or two thousand dollars. So, that would need to be factored into the equation of the purchase price.

If the Vanagon is a true Westfalia (the camper variety with the pop-up roof…. look here…. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2014/03/16/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1982-volkswagen-vanagon-westfalia-camper ) then they will also likely have to investigate what works and what does not in the camper items as well.

If the Vanagon is not a Westfalia, they will have to figure out how they plan to jury-rig a bed, storage, cooking supplies, etc into a regular Vanagon.

The reality is…. IF THEY WANT to have a traveling experience of living together, the Vanagon is a decent way to go….. not necessarily cheap, but it can be affordable enough if they want. It could be a helluva lot of fun.

I had always personally wanted to take a Summer and be like Steinbeck like he wrote about in “Travels With Charlie”. I would like to have a slide in camper for a pickup truck. I love that book and I love the adventure that Steinbeck wrote about in it.

In regards to Bets and Gunther…. I am not sure if this experience would be a positive for them as a couple or a negative. It WILL, however, bring their differing personalities into focus for both of them. Bets SEEMS most focused on documenting a “bohemian, care-free existence” which in theory seems wonderful, but is more of a “highly edited” version of such travels. Gunther SEEMS more focused on the details, perhaps even the minutia… and may have trouble seeing the “bigger picture”. These differences suggest clashes ahead for the duo.

And…. of course…. this does not even look at…. what about when Fall Semester starts? Living in a van may be romantic, but when you are enrolled in classes, it would be more a pain in the butt than anything else.

Thinking about it a bit more…. I am predicting that the dynamic duo will have their Summer VanFest and travel around a lot…. and we will see plenty of ups in their relationship as well as downs in their relationship.

In the end, however…. I suspect that the Summer of extreme VanCloseness will help them to realize that until they can AFFORD to live on their own in a reasonable apartment type living arrangement, it is best for the two of them to live apart…. Gunther in the Gulag, and Bets in the dorm. Just because they live apart does not mean they cannot be a couple or that they cannot “couple” together when desired either. Lots of folks have that sort of relationship.

That’s ugly, Betts.

At least Gunther is putting some thought into this potential fiasco.

Bets is pretty smart, she just put the seller on the spot (he doesn’t know she doesn’t have millions of followers) and he is going to now lower the price and very likely tell them everything that is wrong with the van.

Nothing about Independence Day?

Seller is not looking happy in the last panel.

Bets is lying about her fans like the guy is lying about only needing a ‘couple’ things fixed.

I am THIS close to mentally changing Bets’ name to “Meghan” … self-absorbed, mind on vacation jerkette.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDwKQOgdSSg

Bets seems to be a little out of touch with reality.

Vanagons are super easy to work on

https://78.media.tumblr.com/153aa1b4857f07c6160b7a5aa0acd06a/tumblr_pu46bul9Sn1uqocdjo1_1280.gif

Not related to a particular post, but the next time somebody says that these characters need to move to because they are over 18? If you did this to your kid or think it is ok, you are scum.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/boy-spends-first-day-streets-101500374.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=fb&tsrc=fb

Bets is a little too eager to get on the road and attain some fictive independence! Gunther is properly cautious.

Let me just say it: don’t buy this lemon!

The van’s body shape reminds me of a VW Vanagon.