Date:         Wed, 28 Nov 2001 00:48:56 -0700
Reply-To:     John Andrew <johna@TELLURIDECOLORADO.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Andrew <johna@TELLURIDECOLORADO.NET>
Subject:      Why you NEVER loan out your Vanagon!!
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

Hi,
 
This is a story of why you NEVER loan out your van!!  At least not to someone who does not know the first thing about Vanagons!!
 
My bosses have a 1987 Syncro Westy I had been trying to buy at one time when they blew the engine.  They wanted what I thought was too much so they ended up having a factory rebuilt engine installed in it.
 
They have had it back about six months and it had just been sitting.  It had been plagued with a symptom of dying while driving down the road.  

They loaned it to some friends to take out to the desert for a few days.  They were out on the road somewhere and the thing dies on them.  Not being able to start it again, they call the tow truck.
 
The guy shows up with the cradle truck.  The borrower of the van pulls out the owners manual and reads the first few sentences about towing and it says it is OK to tow.(?)  I have never seen a Syncro owners manual so I am not sure what she was reading.   So the tow driver pops the front of the van on the cradle and off they go!  He has no idea the thing is a SYNCRO!!
 
So they get on down the road and they are travelling along.  The friend happens to glance back towards the van and there is black smoke pouring out from under the van!!!  Pull over and the tow driver finally realizes the things a four wheel drive!  How the guy can not feel the thing pulling behind the truck is beyond me. They call a flatbed out to haul it in the rest of the way.
 
Get it to the tow shop and they get a good look at the van. The front tires, which were new as well, had big grooves worn in them where they were turning in the restraint!  There was no oil left in the engine!!!  Probably a big hole in the side of the case!! 
 
Tow driver keeps claiming that they should have told him it was a Syncro.  The friends claim they can smell alcohol on the guys breath and that he is drunk!  Meanwhile, the owners are 100+ miles away.
 
Finally find another tow company to haul it to the owners mechanic at the cost of $500.  He is now in the process of assessing the carnage.  Meanwhile, the owners are trying to sort out what the Tow Companys insurance company will cover.
 
Does this sound like a nightmare or what.  Probably trashed the tranny, differential, and/or the viscous coupling as well is my guess.
 
Do I sense a frontrunner in the Schmoo Award for this year?  Or at least Bonehead(s) of the year?
 
John Andrew 1984 "Westiico"

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