Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 10:16:31 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: Tim's Great Exit....... at last!
Max,
Different folks use this list for different reasons, and it can't be all
things to all people. All we can do is try to cut down on the personal
vendettas and totally unnecessary junk which occasionally overwhelms the
meat and potatoes that binds this stew together.
If it weren't for the "social" aspect of this list, we wouldn't be tuning in
to this "soap opera" every day; simply assembling a CD of our collective
experiences and the wisdom gleaned from those experiences would be all that
we could ever want.
I, for one, enjoy the friendly banter and trip reports (to say nothing of
the "Vendors are still there pimping as hard as ever") that are thrown in
with the pleas for assistance. I even like the tire threads.
Do I feel Mr. Smith's pain? Yes, of course. I do, however, find it
unfortunate that he is of a mind to not be able to "smell the roses" on the
path to VW maintenance. I would value the contributions that he could make
to our group IQ, and feel unfortunate to have lost his input. Perhaps our
loss will be a reminder to keep our more vitriolic comments to each other at
a somewhat lower (and more private) level in the future.
Incidentally, Tim, there is no longer any "spam" on this list since Tom
closed it. The fine folks who let us know of what they have in stock or
what is becoming available are here by invitation, and we feel lucky to have
those updates available to us. If your "mecchie" friend can pass along
parts to you at little or no profit to himself, that's good for you. Most
of us know that Ken and Ron and the others are running businesses and have
overhead to contend with. They need to pay for things like insurance and
roofs over their heads (they probably like to have some coffee money in
their pockets at the end of the week, too). We have to pay that or we will
lose those vendors to bankruptcy pretty darned quickly.
Karl Wolz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Max Wellhouse" <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: Tim's Great Exit....... at last!
> Uhhh, don't let the door hit you on the way out, Mr. Smith.
>
> Personally, I WANT to know when Ron or Kern get a new shipment of stuff
and
> what's in the cargo hoppers.
>
> I've gotten to where I can cut through 100 messages in 10-15 minutes and
> since you're off the list now, I guess you'll be spared the lengthy review
> of the July 4th N'SYNC concert held in Little Rock last night. Yeah, I
> drove my Vanagon there.
>
> This list has helped me out many times over the number of spam licks that
> have come around. And as my van ages, I can watch for the problems other
> owners are having 20-30,000 miles ahead of me and set a plan to prepare
for
> it.
>
> Nobody's getting rich off this list, we all just love our Vanagons(as much
> as you can love a vehicle, I guess) and want to keep them running as best
we
> can.
>
> Geez, I didn't need this today!!
>
> Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rod Smith" <rodwreck@SE-TEL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 9:17 AM
> Subject: Re: My Great Exit....... at last!
>
>
> > Gee, you will be soooo missed!
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Tim Smith" <smithtj@NBNET.NB.CA>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 9:43 AM
> > Subject: My Great Exit....... at last!
> >
> >
> > > Well folks,
> > >
> > > It's been a slice, but after postponing my departure
> > > by a month and lurking in digest mode/P-mail reply
> > > I can't justify staying on this list. I can't remember
> > > when I signed on first, early enough that Unca Joel and
> > > I used to battle for 'most posts in a month' title, long
> > > before the original list split into aircooled and water
> > > cooleds. I signed on again recently just to find a copy of
> > > the digijet FI manual, which I didn't get.
> > >
> > > I bailed 2-3 years back because the list technical content
> > > dropped waaaay off, while the spam content gained momentum
> > > as more vendors discovered a captive and willing group with
> > > free advertising. Neither of these conditions has changed.
> > > In fact recent list content has been so far off VW content it wasn't
> > > worth even scanning a digest. Vendors are still there pimping
> > > as hard as ever. Case in point, the recent quote for a temp sensor
> > > at $31US, while I buy them for $21Cdn ($15US) from a wizened up
> > > VW factory mechanic who gets them from the local FLAPS wholesaler.
> > >
> > > But I think what finally made me realize how futile this whole
> > > scene has become was yesterdays post from "a 4 year VW employee, in
> parts
> > > dept"
> > > who had to ask if his vanagon had a sway bar. D'oh! Plus the fact that
> > someone
> > > with full access to a VW service techies/manuals has to ask why his
> > vanagon
> > > is running rich. I dare you to post the name of the dealership where
you
> > work,
> > > no way would my wheels ever roll across that dooryard. This speaks
> volumes
> > > about why the dealership network sucks so badly, total lack of
knowledge
> > > and little motivation to learn. And it shows me why the vendors can
> > > make a killing off this list, the consequences of going elsewhere are
> > > ignorance
> > > and money. Sorry Dave, don't take this as a personal comment, it's
more
> > > a generalization ;)
> > >
> > > Last time on here I made a pitch for the list community to get
together
> > and
> > > produce 'our own' digital Bentley, based on the cumulative work and
> wisdom
> > of
> > > listmembers. I also suggested that a full blown FAQ be set up and new
> > > members informed of it's location. It is easier to simply ask the
list,
> > so
> > > the minimal effort approach rules. Shame. And like Bob Hoovers
sermons,
> > freely
> > > published on V@L, some vendor will burn them onto a CD and start
> charging
> > > for what was free originally. I won't even try to suggest that this
> list
> > > organises into a cooperative unit, with suitable incorporation and tax
> > numbers
> > > to allow buying directly from wholesalers like Overland or in Canada,
> > Altrom.
> > > Or from KYB,Bosch,Mann,BFG/etc/etc. Want to guess what the wizened up
> > mechie
> > > pays Altrom for the temp sensors he sells to me for $15? Think about
> this
> > > next
> > > time a list vendors price seems so great compared to the dealers.
> > >
> > > A few names amongst the din stand out, Frank Grunthauer (sorry, if
> > misspelled)
> > > for his technical posts, ditto Bob Lilley. For reassurance that there
> > > is still a 'community' out there, Phaedra's efforts have been great,
> wish
> > > I was near enough to enjoy her get togethers. That leaves about 99%
> wasted
> > > bandwidth that I delete daily. The list has fragmented in 'focus
> groups',
> > > where those with common interests, TDI, Subaru conversions, Syncro's,
> can
> > > pick up a far higher amount of content. This explains the dropoff of
> tech
> > > content on this list, members driven out to find their own groups, and
> > > representing I suspect the more knowledgeable and resourceful members
> too.
> > >
> > > And now that my $0.02 worth of non-technical (but somehow appropriate)
> > > wasted bandwidth is over, so am I. List Meister Tom C..... thanks.
> > >
> > > Tim
> > > a bus driver since '71
> > >
>
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