Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 17:57:59 -0400
Reply-To: Tom and Dana Cates <dcates1@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tom and Dana Cates <dcates1@HOME.COM>
Subject: Re: White Smoke
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
You are WRONG.
AVP did the rebuild on my 2.0 Aircooled.
I did extensive research before I chose AVP based soley on their reputation.
After I installed my engine, I had the opportunity to visit their facility.
Leonard is the only man there that does final engine assembly. His wife Erin
handles the phone and preps for assembly. He has one other young man who
does cores and machining.
I have had no problems with my engine, except by my own ineptitude (first
time to swap an engine). It has survived all of my mistakes and seems to
drive better every day.
See attached.
Tom
I ordered an AVP engine in October of last year and installed it in
November. I now have 3,200 miles on it without any AVP related difficulties.
It still does not run perfectly, but through trial and error and the
technical assistance (and entertainment!) of the list I truly believe that I
will achieve mastery over my vehicle, an 83 air-cooled Westfalia,
"Hammurabi."
I was in Sacramento the last part of last week and on behalf of myself and
the list I paid AVP a visit, unannounced.
They are not easy to find, as the listed address in the phone book does not
correspond to the actual physical location of the business. I drove
earnestly up and down the boulevard in vain several times before I intuited
that the numbers go down, then up again to the place where they are not.
But, at the Harley shop at the listed address they knew where the shop is
located and the gentleman behind the counter there scurried out, gave me
directions and had me out of the shop before the resident Hells Angels
(Sacramento, you know) could get their dander up sufficiently to kick my
a**. I really did not want to hang out there anyway.
I drove up the shop, big sign AVP International, and went inside. Leonard
greeted me and gave me a kindly smile. The waiting area is a stand up space
of approx 8 square feet. The reception (Office) area is where he and only he
apparently assembles engines. We talked for a while, and he recalled that I
had called in need of a specific piece of engine tin. He said, 'This is the
good part of owning your own business, come with me.' He locked the door and
we mounted up in his old Dodge 4WD Diesel Simon and Simon Truck and took off
for his Private Junkyard. We poked around there for about twenty minutes
looking unsuccessfully for the piece that I needed. We came back to the shop
and he showed me around the entire operation.
AVP is smaller in scope than I might have anticipated, but I was happily
surprised. It is a true cottage operation run by a fellow who knows what he
is doing, and does it himself. He had a young assistant there that I did not
have the opportunity to speak to, but appeared to be a very intelligent
young man. The young assistant does all of the prep work, limited machine
work, and core evaluation. Erin collates all of the pieces of the engines,
and Leonard does the final assembly. I did not witness the final steps of
engine dyno testing at the facility, so this must be performed at another
location. It was apparent that my specific engine had been tested, so I feel
confident that this must be the case. I did not ask.
I believe, after visiting his shop that he is a competent rebuilder and
worthy of the money I spent on my engine.
Tom Cates
83 Air-cooled, Air-Conditioned, Automatic Westfalia "Hammurabi"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart MacMillan" <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 10:56 AM
Subject: Re: White Smoke
> Many list members have been satisfied with AVP in Sacramento,
> http://www.sacbiz.com/avp/index1.html, some have not. There is also the
> infamous Fast German Auto in LA, http://fastgermanauto.com. They both
> do what I call "anonymous" rebuilds (you don't know who did the work) as
> opposed to the personal care and craftsmanship of of a one man operation
> like Bob Donald's Boston Engine (or Daryl at AA Transaxle).
>
> You always have choices!
> --
> Stuart MacMillan
> Manager, Case Program
> 800-909-8244 ext. 8208
> Fax: 206-269-6360
>
> Getting your share of the Net yet?
> http://cobaltgroup.com
> http://UsedEquipNet.com
