Date:         Tue, 1 Feb 2000 20:14:37 -0500
Reply-To:     Karl Mullendore <thewestyman@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Karl Mullendore <thewestyman@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Dealer ripoffs
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I started looking over a customer's '85 Westy today, to see what repairs
were in order to bring it up to good working condition. In the van was a
'Vehicle Repair Estimate' from a local MD (I'll tell you where only if you
insist) VW dealer. I almost fell over when I read what they wanted to charge
for some very routine Vanagon work, thought you all might find it amusing:

Replace PS belt, labor $35  (a 5 minute job)

Power steering rack, parts and labor, $1029 (! WHAT?)

One inner CV boot, p&l, $145 (huh?)

Lower ball joints, p&l, $565

coolant temp sensor, p&l $78

Two hatch struts, installed, $105 (let's see, $40 for the struts, $65 for
the 10 minutes?)

Rear shocks, installed, $295 ($145 of which is labor, what, a 15 minute
job?)

Radiator, installed, $689 ($400 radiator, $289 labor?)

Insane, aren't they? Now bow to your parts suppliers on the list, and be
thankful! If I was not a mechanic, and needed work done to my van by this
dealer, I would be broke in short order! How do these folks sleep at night,
I wonder?

Karl M