Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 19:01:04 -0600
Reply-To: Sean Solowiej <sean@ORIGINALIDIOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Sean Solowiej <sean@ORIGINALIDIOT.COM>
Subject: Re: Wasserboxer reputation (Long)
In-Reply-To: <F160GWyp5Z7EiAh6dN900038f15@hotmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
John,
I started watching this list four days ago and so I'm not familiar with the
politics. However, I feel that making personal attacks against other list
members based on engine preference is unnecessary and destructive.
This list is a marvel in its open sharing of knowledge and experience, and
everyone's experience is going to be a little different. That's why we
communicate.
Stan's comment was:
... "The air cooled engines (in my opinion) represent the best of simplicity
in design and function
Even the injection system is simple.
I'd never consider a Waser boxer or conversion engine van.
I go as fast as I require and life is simple."
makes no assault at those who chose to drive or repair WBX engines. He's
putting forth his philosophy that an engine that is simple to understand,
troubleshoot, and repair and that will perform all the necessary functions
of moving one across the country is ideal for self-reliance and
reliablility.
Your comment:
... "Further the old air-cooled "points & plugs VW mechanic(P&P)" is unfit
to diagnose and repair a 2.1L WBX."
is arguable. Saying that a person who can repair an air-cooled engine is
necessarily unfit to repair a water-cooled engine is ludicrous. A person
who is familiar with engine repair, able to sensitively consider diagnoses,
and is comfortable applying them can help me out any day.
Your following statement that:
"The WBX technology requires a VW technician
with factory training and Digifant diagnostic skills."
is largely correct and helps to further the point that Stan and many others
hold to, which is that when stranded at the Walmart parking lot in Boise it
is much nicer to be able to diagnose and repair using one's nose, ears,
eyes, and a screwdriver than to use up another call to AAA and hope there's
a good, honest VW dealer nearby.
Stan's statement (as I read it) was for a preference in lifestyle - that of
liberation from the system of commercial dependence that is, in effect,
keeping people isolated in their homes, afraid to leave their comfort zones
less they should stray beyond the range of reliable "big-brother" bail-out
facilities.
Please be more respectful than to sling derogatory names at people for
expressing their love for their favorite vehilces.
Thank you, and no hard feelings,
Sean Solowiej
on 12/7/02 4:57 PM, Jfp w/2 WBXs at jfp7@HOTMAIL.COM wrote:
> Hi list,
>
> Whenever I read a disparaging remark about the WBX, quite frequently it's
> from Stan Wilder. While I respect his undying affection for the
> air-cooled boxer, the 2.1L WBX is far superior to any air-cooled motor.
> Unfortunately the last new WBX was sold 12 years ago so in engineering
> terms, the WBX powertrain is now at the end of it's service life. In other
> words, the original & previous owners have enjoyed all the reliability &
> service designed into the WBX and then they cleverly sold them to us, the
> Vanagon list members. That's OK since a worn out 2.1L WBX can be a diamond
> in the rough............However.........
>
> The reconditioning of a tired 2.1L WBX powertrain must be 100% complete &
> professional or disappointment will surely follow. Replacing of only one
> coolant hose when 6 need renewal sets the stage for untimely failure.
> Further the old air-cooled "points & plugs VW mechanic(P&P)" is unfit to
> diagnose and repair a 2.1L WBX. The WBX technology requires a VW technician
> with factory training and Digifant diagnostic skills.
>
> Incomplete(half-assed)reconditioning and air-cooled "P&P mechanics"
> performing "replace this and see what happens" diagnosis have clearly
> Demolished the 2.1L WBX's reputation. First by generating high repair costs
> due to unnecessary component replacement and secondly by failing to diagnose
> critical mechanical shortcomings in time to avoid a major mechanical
> failure. When catastrophic failure occurs, the untrained P&P mechanic is not
> likely to take an ad out in the newspaper to announce that they clearly
> missed a critical diagnosis. More often than not, the incompetent mechanic
> simply condemns the WBX and/or the Digifant system as a poorly designed
> loser technology and waxes romantically back to the reliability of the
> air-cooled days.
>
> Sadly when layman Vanagon owners(and Stan Wilder)encounter this result of
> poor & incomplete diagnosis, they readily adopt the dumb ass opinion that
> The WBX technology is useless junk and and the simplistic former air-cooled
> technology is the way to go.
>
> Regards, John
>
>
>
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