Date:         Thu, 24 May 2001 14:34:24 -0500
Reply-To:     Budd Premack <bpremack@WAVETECH.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Budd Premack <bpremack@WAVETECH.NET>
Subject:      No Brakes in New York City
Comments: cc: Ken Wilford <KENWILFY@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

So there we were, my son and I, enjoying our newly purchased (from Syracuse)
88 Wolfsburg, en route
to NYC to visit relatives.  All was well until we hit the outskirts of the
metro when an agonizing metallic scraping eminated from the front brakes
every time they were applied.

With a great reluctance to try a VW dealer, and only limited $ available,
the Vanagon List came to the rescue.  Long Island Listee/hitch
supplier/repairer Dennis Haynes offered to take care of us, but his kind
offer was some hours after a similar one by Ken Wilford of VanAgain in
southern NJ.

We opted to to drive CAREFULLY through 150 miles of NY/NJ traffic to reach
Ken's.  (Have you ever hoped for a traffic jam so that your speeds would not
be very high?)  With good rear brakes, we became quite adept at stopping for
traffic, toll booths, etc. by using the e-brake (and developed a stronger
right bicep in the process).

Ken was super!  He had on hand discs and pads, plus one caliper.  You
guessed it: We needed both calipers and all of the rest, including bearings.
UPS overnight took care of the needed caliper and we were done the next day.
Ken also checked out and fixed a coolant light problem, the crise control,
and a few misc. other items.  Additionally, he lent us one of his vans so
that we could drive to a motel in nearby Atlantic City (where we lost under
$10).  BTW, Ken's van was the peppiest I have ever driven with the original
motor.

The moral of the story is that if you ever break (or is that brake?) down on
an eastern trip, go see Ken and you will be well taken care of.  Thanks also
to Ken, Sr. who obviously provided substantial training to his
Vanagon-oriented son.


Budd Premack
86 Syncro, 73 Super
Minneapolis, MN (Land of Sky-Blue Waters)