Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 22:48:07 -0700
Reply-To: warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Frusterated Vanagon owner
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Well it's a 16 year old car and the main thing is you can't expect it to run flawlessly on old parts, assuming most of it is all at the end of it's service life.
186,000 is good mileage for a starter. An alternator. ECU. Etc.
Belts? These rarely get that kind of mileage before snapping.
But these all should be worn out by now so the best way to avoid more if you want to keep it is to replace all the main components all at once. Otherwise, you go thru this never ending procession of repairs as the power steering rack goes out which after you fix the pump goes out and then the transmission needs work.
Consider it a restoration- I am doing this on a 1987 Wolfsburg with over 160,000 miles .
Robert
1982 Westfalia
1987 Wolfsburg
----- Original Message -----
Wrom: RCLBDXRQBGJSNB
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 1:13 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Frusterated Vanagon owner
I am new to the list and need some advice. I bought a 1986 vanagon last
August. It had 186,000 miles on it with a rebuilt(heads)engine. Since I
bought it I've put about 4,000 miles on it. It broke down once immediately
requiring $2,000 worth of work, alternator, all new wiring, new ECU. It was
an electrical grounding problem, plus a couple things that were fixed that
weren't right. I didn't drive it for most of the fall thinking I would sell
it, that the karma was bad. As it turns out I reregistered it in January and
have driven it since. Last week one of the belts snapped and pulled the
dipstick housing and twisted it down under the engine. So that needed to be
fixed. Another $230. Yesterday I was driving along and there was a pop, a
cloud of grey smoke and it died. I got it towed again, it needs a starter,
just to get it started and who know what else. Luckily it has broken down
close to reputable repair shops who do only VW work. It's frustrating as I
bought it from a reputable source and it keeps leaving me stranded. I love
the van but worry it's going to continue to let me down. Any ideas?Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com
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