Date:         Sat, 16 Dec 2000 14:58:37 EST
Reply-To:     Sersote@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Paul M. Hillbish" <Sersote@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: new vanagon owner
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 12/16/00 5:27:40 AM Eastern Standard Time,
rompu@MHONLINE.NET writes:

<< It's in pretty excellant condition - barely any rust on it and it's
 clear that someone really took good care of it for the better part of
 its existence.  I'd like to keep it in as good shape as possible but am
 sadly completely ignorant of automotive mechanics, so if any of you have
 any advice on how to best care for my new baby, I am eager to learn. >>

    The first step to take would be to get a few manuals. The Bentley manual
is the most important in my opinion, but if you have lack of mechanical
experience, you may want to start with the Haynes. It's a good idea to have
both on hand, but the Haynes is a bit more user friendly and is designed more
for the backyard mechanic, whereas the Bentley, is an actual shop manual.
There is also the Peter Russek Pocket Mechanics manual, which is pretty much
a smaller version of the Bentley. You can pick all of these up at The Bus
Depot, or pretty much any of the list vendors.

<<The guy who I bought it from reccommended using Stopleak, but I
was told that that was a bad idea and that it would just gum up the
engine.>>

    I was just recently told by a very trusted VW mechanic that stop leak
would be a nightmare for you. I would make an effort to replace whatever is
leaking.

--Paul--