Date:         Tue, 10 Dec 2002 00:04:14 -0600
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Wasserboxer Reputation  . long
Comments: To: jeff@TSSGI.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

All I was trying to say, is that a "correctly" rebuilt and maintained WBX
motor will not experience any problems that couldn't be expected on other
water-cooled engines during the course of the engines lifetime.
--------------------- Clip ---------------------
No automobile manufacturer ever intender or wanted their cars on the road
after ten years.
It is a term you've all heard; planned obsolescence.
Mercedes and BMW may feel differently about their cars manufactured for
European markets.
It is only the added utility and the perceived charm of VW Busses and
Vanagons / Westies that inspire the owners to invest the price of an
engine or preventive maintenance to keep their vans on the road.
I for one would have dumped my Van long ago if it didn't have the Westy
package.
When I look around me going down the highway I see mostly newer cars less
than ten years old.
It is rare to see anything twenty years old on the roads in Texas other
than Chevy, Ford pickup trucks.
Dodge just recently got a foothold in the Texas market on their pickup
trucks so I see fewer of them, like none unless they are 92 and up.
Consider that newer Asian cars need timing belts replaced at 60K
intervals.
The timing belt replacement on my Brothers 94 Lexus is a scheduled item
at 80K, the job and parts are $1400.00 ............ NO Bull.
Mercedes on the other hand uses a roller chain to drive their cams and
the slider feet replacement is at 100,000 miles, and its not necessary
unless they are getting noisy.
My other Brother is driving a 89 Mercedes 300sd injected Diesel with over
320K on it and is planning a $6000.00 engine replacement next year. That
is an out of the crate engine not a rebuild.
I'm of the opinion that Asian cars are designed to suck American bucks
and self destruct if you go against the scheduled maintenance program.
I freely acknowledge that there are many Asian cars and trucks that have
achieved extraordinary number of miles ................ but I can back
that with Chevy trucks that have done just as well with 1950s technology.
Since I spend a considerable amount of time in Auto Wrecking Yards I can
flatly state that Asian and German vehicles arrive there because of
extreme repair cost to the engine and running gear, but still having good
bodies.
Napa Auto parts stores does a brisk business in rebuilt cylinder heads
for all vehicles with aluminum heads.


Stan Wilder

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