As someone mentioned a few thousand messages ago, we the enthusiasts are not buying many new VWs, so VWoA isn't making much money from us. I just replaced the starter in my '90. I paid roughly $140 for a PPR rebuild of a Bosch starter (plus core charge). I got it the day I needed it, from BAP/Geon, one of the FLAPS in Houston. I called the dealer who had my Eurovan up on a lift for the price on that starter and nearly gagged: $500 and I'd have to wait for one to be shipped in from Dallas. How much profit does the dealer make on repairs? I saved roughly $400 by doing it myself, and I didn't get the wholesale price on the part. There are times when I wish I could be driving my beloved Bozobus again. Easy to fix, and even the hard-to-find parts were cheaper than those on the Vanagon and Eurovan. But something breaks nearly every time I drive him, he's so tired. And I don't have the time to do it all myself anymore, and with only two seats I can't carry my daughters anywhere in him. *sigh* The starter at VW would have bought 2.5 Bozobuses, at the price that we paid for him in '78 ($200, with 13,000 miles). Time for front rotors, rear brakes and CV joint boots (and likely the CV joints), tranny oil seals, power steering pump and AC work on the '90. I want a TDI Jetta Wagon daily driver and I'll trade my '90 and '93 toward a Vanagon Carat for hauling big stuff and lots of bodies... Maybe next year... bcnu - grungy Pearland (Houston area), Texas '60 dddPanel (The Bozobus), '69 Beetle (Bertha), '90 Vanagon, '93 Eurovan |
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