Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 01:14:02 +0000
Reply-To: Justin Pentecost <justin@KRASS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Justin Pentecost <justin@KRASS.COM>
Subject: Oh no I think this is the end ....
In-Reply-To: <004601bf9528$41a499c0$e731a2d1@dell>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Hello Everyone ...
I think my Transporter has come to the end of the line (with me anyway).
The wierd thing is that having been a curse on my life for the last couple
of years the realisation that I really will have to get rid of it acctually
scares me and I don't know how to do it :(
Basically I bought the van three years ago from my (at the time) neighbour
who had bought it from one of his employees who had owned it from new. It
had 60,000 miles on the clock and (allegedly) a new waterboxer from VW and
a new clutch in the last two years. I paid £1000 for it (it's an 86).
My neighbour then moved away :)
I thought it would be a cheap van I could move my camera equipment around
in so as not to wreak my new car. This was not to be :)
First thing that went was the clutch ... £300
Next thing that happened was the big end's went at speed on the motorway.
Now faced with the loss of £1500 if I scraped the van balanced against
£3500 for new waterboxer (£200 tyres and general bits). The studs on the
old engine were gone so it was not repairable (the "New engine" thing was
patently a lie) I got a second hand Waterboxer from a scrapyard and had it
rebuilt ... or so i thought for which I paid £1500. Then the big ends
went again ... To which the rebuilder said "Ah but you didn't tell me to
replace those" so I opened the checkbook for another £1200. Then all the
front brakes £500 including the bearing's. So deep was I now that I had
to make a desicion ... Get rid of it at a £3700 loss (as I had in fact only
got what I was sold in the first place) or go the whole hog on basis that I
was going to keep it for a LONG time. So I decided to keep it I had it
painted (£250) not the best job but looked ok. I converted the inside as
a camera truck Shelves, Split charge system invertor's, 400AH of battery ..
mains charger etc etc this cost about another £1000. Then I got letter
for Direct line insurance to say they were cancelling my insurance and
refunding the remainder of my money because they no longer insured people
in my "High Risk" group. I'm 29 years old, been driving for 11 years,
never made a claim, never had even as much a speeding ticket. The vehicle
was in locked yard shared with the local nick. However they said that
because of my occupation they would not insure me. Finally I managed to
get third party insurance for £1600 a year. (This may confuse British
people I will point out I already had all my NCB on the other car). Now I
used this bus for wark for a long time it went to Ireland, France, Germany,
Czech Republic Etc etc. However I have never come close to making even
the cost of insurance and servicing back on it.
I drove to Cadiz a month ago and the exhaust went. The local VW dealer
could not have been less helpfull if he tried. I drove 3000 miles with
the exhaust knackered and as a consequence the van did about 12 MPG. I
can't deal with it any longer. I can't deal with the fact VW dealer's
don't want to know me, I can't deal with the fact that there are minor
things wrong with the bus (Cracked grill, Struts etc) that I just can't pay
VW prices to get fixed.
The situation at the moment is that the van has a couple of small bits of
dammage and has a knackered exhaust it also 80,000 miles on the clock.
What should I do ? Should I get the exhaust repaired then try and sell it
for £1000 ? Should I scrap it ? Should I sell it as is ?
Justin Pentecost
Justin Pentecost Focus Puller
Email:-justin@krass.com Tel:- +44 (0)20 85-58-10-14
Fax:- +44 (0)20 85-56-70-40 Mobile:- +44 (0)973 317 241
