Date:         Fri, 11 Feb 2000 20:27:33 -0700
Reply-To:     jbrush@AROS.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Brush <jbrush@AROS.NET>
Subject:      Re: OIL FILTERS? & lube guys
In-Reply-To:  <38A4CE58.B7366EA8@pop.albq.uswest.net>

>re:  The lowest cost out of pocket is to do it right yourself

This is especially true with a vanagon. I have suffered many years as a
mechanic, and can attest to the fact that the vanagon is just dying to let
you do it yourself. Just look at where her drain plug and filter are
located, and how high off the ground she is in the first place, then go
and peek under the hood of any other car and then look underneath!!!
Aaaaaugh! You don't want to go there :-)

Having spent countless hours under American cars cursing the idiot that
put the oil filter on a right angle, or on a 45 degree angle, I can tell
you that there is absolutely no reason to take a vanagon to a quickie lube
shop. Those folks are butchers, period. I wouldn't even take my miserable
Ford Taurus to them. Its less painful to have hot oil run down your arm
and all over the undercarriage than to watch them diddle with my car from
down in the pit, or up on a rack <shudder!>

Besides, there is nothing to lube, so just get a recycle container, drain
it, swap the filter, and do it yourself. Your vanagon will love you for
it! :-)

There, I said it!

Regards from Utah

John

P.S. Don't forget to fill the filter with oil before screwing it on.