Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 19:53:30 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: clutch shudder
Content-Type: text/plain
I haven't had anything but bad experiences with auto repair shops in the
last ten years.
War stories that nobody wants to hear but I was simply forced to read the
books and fix things myself.
I've seen expanding folders with every Vanagon or Westy that I've bought
and I've even got one myself and boy have they been taken to the
cleaners.
I still operate a Ford and an Oldsmobile and you can't even get an AC
(brand) fuel pump or a waterpump of anykind that is US made.
After spending about $360.00 on AC repairs on my Olds I had to take the
new (not rebuilt) compressor off and turn it in for warranty myself
because the repair shop said it was OK and the NAPA store where they got
it said it was bad.
I've got to quit this right now, I'm starting to grind my teeth.
Stan Wilder
On Mon, 27 Aug 2001 16:43:20 -0700 Coby Smolens <cobys5@HOME.COM> writes:
> Makes me wonder what parts they did replace, since the bearing comes
> with
> the clutch kit... Did they order the parts a la carte? They're more
> expensive that way, so I doubt it - unless they don't do much VW
> work and
> hence don't know what's usual. Maybe they just did the disk? We did
> a clutch
> job for a customer who had it done on the road at shop in New
> Mexico, where
> they were too busy, so they subbed the work out to one of their
> mechanics
> who did it after hours - it arrived by tow truck with a broken
> finger on the
> release lever shaft, and the only part that had been replaced was
> the disk -
> although they charged for the whole kit.
>
> Coby Smolens
> Valley Wagonworks
> VW Bus and Vanagon Specialists
> "Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"
>
> 1535 SF Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, CA 94960
> 415-457-5628
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TinkerMan [mailto:tinkerman007@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2001 10:43 PM
> To: Coby Smolens
> Cc: Vanagon mailing list
> Subject: Re: clutch shudder
>
>
> Thanks for the in-depth and professional response...
>
> No, I haven't asked them to keep costs absolutely down
> - on the contrary: I even asked them specifically to
> replace the pilot bearing but the mechanic said there
> was no need to (although I tried to insist, I didn't
> have the exact P.N. so somehow it wasn't done).
>
> thanks,
>
> T-man
>
> More comments embedded within your response:
>
> --- Coby Smolens <cobys5@HOME.COM> wrote:
> > Pilot Bearing: Also included in our estimate - it
> > comes in the clutch kit
> > from Sachs
>
> I've specifically requested the other, better quality
> (as mentioned on the list) company which I can't
> recall right now.
>
> > If this was the
> > original pilot bearing
> > it certainly should be replaced.
>
> I'm not sure, but I'm checking with the PO. The van
> has 173K Km on it's dial, and I've owned it for 6
> years and +90K, so the clutch has held for at least
> this long.
>
> > Because of
> > these "extra" items, and
> > the additional time to replace them, a complete
> > clutch job can be a $800
>
> Mine cost around $400 for the two clutch parts and
> R&R.
>
> > again. It might be acceptable for them to charge you
> > for removing and
> > installing flywheel, seal and o-ring, & pilot
> > bearing, since their price
>
> Do you have the exact VW parts I need to replace (I
> still haven't found a way to get an EKTA CD...:-)?
>
> > would have possibly have been higher if they had
> > done these things in the
> > beginning. They should absorb the tranny R&R,
> > though.
>
> That's what I thought too.
>
>
>
> =====
> Cheers,
> TinkerMan
>
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