Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Sun, 11 Mar 2001 12:21:53 -0500
Reply-To:     John <johnpatt@WARWICK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John <johnpatt@WARWICK.NET>
Organization: PattonSystems International
Subject:      Are Vanagons more trouble than they're worth?(long but worth it)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi List,

Once again it seems some whiners are expecting far more from these well designed and uniquely useful vehicles. Please note the following:

1) Since the Vanagon is now out of production 10 years, most of the existing Vanagons are at or approaching the limit of their useful service life. This means that to enjoy their original reliability, the Vanagon must be reconditioned to "original" VW specifications.

All too often at 100,000+ miles, a 2nd, 3rd or 4th owner will replace only one part when the system really requires disassembly & overhaul or they try other "money saving" great ideas. This sets the stage for future repeated down time & repairs, sometimes catastrophic & expensive. It's unrealistic to expect indefinite reliability when the original and previous owners have driven the useful life out of the Vanagon.

2) The quality of usual Vanagon diagnosis & repairs is typically terrible and border-line fraud! Even repair shops claiming to be European car experts do lousy Vanagon work and cover it up with fantasy explanations that would rival Walt Disney. Apparently VWoA did a very poor job of training their technicians in Vanagon technology and consequently today guesswork is wide-spread. A "try this or that" repair at a cheap price that fails again or causes collateral damage is actually quite expensive. Vanagons are not simple air-cooled machines from the 60s that could be "figured out". Thank God! I enjoy the reliability of digital fuel injection, A/C, heat in winter, power steering and all the other things that make the Vanagon unique. However all repairs must be COMPLETE repairs, performed to factory specifications by COMPETENT technicians using appropriate special tools when required -- nothing less will provide the relability inherent in the Vanagon design.

Conclusion: There is hope. Performing repairs yourself using factory tools and methods is the most reliable. This requires that you become familiar NOW with all the Vanagon Protraining materials and the Bentley manual. Don't wait until you're in the middle of a complicated procedure to "go to school". Also it will be necessary to invest in some special equipment. If you're not inclined to do repairs then find a repair shop that really knows the Vanagon and follow their recommendations as to what to do and when. The Vanagon really is a reliable vehicle WHEN serviced correctly.

Regards, John


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