Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2003, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 14 Jan 2003 19:20:47 -0800
Reply-To:     zampano <matthias.k@ATTBI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         zampano <matthias.k@ATTBI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fast German ruined my dash, now what?
Comments: To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <1bc.1b4d6879.2b561bad@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Jeff,

The chain of events were almost the same in my case, as was their behavior, confusing contradictory statements etc. Seems definitely like a shop to avoid, and take it off any list of recommended/reputable shops anywhere on the internet.

If the problem on the rebuild was corroded, leaking head gaskets after 10k miles, then why did I get 0 (ZERO) compression on all cylinders??? And why would they take the entire engine apart, remove the crankshaft and cam, etc. if it is only because of a leaky head gasket???

They were trying to make excuses and blame it all on me, the backyard mechanic, which is an easy one and probably scares a lot of us vanagophiles away in case of a dispute. They told me I used the wrong coolant, didn't flush the system, blabla. All of which isn't true. I even replaced the radiator. Then their tech went on and said that somebody tinkered with the valve clearance, another infamous b.s.

As I find out more and more, I get more outraged at their flat out lies. I will take them to small claims court if they don't fix it now. I have enough evidence. Tomorrow they'll get a letter from me stating my demands,

Same with me, I live in Venice and it's a trip down there. Maybe we can carpool next time...

Thanks for the story!

Matt

On Tuesday, January 14, 2003, at 06:04 PM, Jeff Oxroad wrote:

> I had Fast German Auto in Santa Ana, CA put a clutch and pressure > plate in my > 83.5 Westy. The total was $325 with parts and labor which I paid in > full via > American Express. > > When I checked my bus the rear deck was greasy and the rear bed > cushion was > not reinstalled over the engine door. When I went into the cockpit for > a rag > to whipe down the back I found heavy grease smuges on the door. I > considered > neither of these a big issue. Evidence of sloppyness certainly, but > maybe an > oversight and forgivable at that. (I mention all this so you get an > idea of > the whole situation.) > > But now when I looked in the cockpit I saw the black face plate to the > instrument pod--the one that housing the headlight and hazard switches > and > insturments-- was cracked in the area of the headlight switch. Also > the black > textured finish on the face plate of the instrument cluster had been > eaten > away by some chemical or solvent where there was evidence of a spill > and a > splash. In fact some of the solution was still wet where it had > obviously > splashed on the instrument face plate. > > I then noticed fluid on the rubber floor mat and on the steering > column, and > theorized it was brake fluid. I immediatly got the sales rep. who I > had just > paid and he got the mechanic to come out to my bus. > > The sales rep. asked if the mechanic had cracked the dash or spilled > anything > in the bus, and the mechanic replied something like, "No. We'd have no > reason > to be in here." > > I whiped up some of the fluid with my finger and noted it seemed to be > brake > fluid. The mechanic then "remembered" and said he had filled the > resevoir but > had not spilled any fluid. The fluid I saw, according to the mechanic, > was > Simple Green which they use for clean up. (Simple Green by the way is > a mild > soapy solution) > > The mechanic went on to say that brake fluid always spills when you > fill up > the resevoir because of where the resevoir is placed. This is another > contradiction to earlier statements, first that he had not been in the > cockpit and second that wehn in fact he was nothing spilled. > > Then,with the mechanic and sale rep present, I took of the cover from > the > instrument pod exposing the brake fluid resevoir. The underside of the > instrument pod cover had spots of brake fluid where it had obviously > spilled > when the cover was off and most likely upside down on the floor or > dash. And > then I noticed fluid sitting inside the clear plastic over the > speedo--meaning there was a pooling in the bottom of the speedo behind > the > glass where the fluid had obviously seeped. The small "shelf" under the > speedo also had the finish removed where some solvent or the brake > fluid had > obviously spilled. And of course there was brake fluid around the > resevoir in > the recesses and the like. > > The instument pod by the way was brand new from the Bus Depot a few > years > ago--not a used unit, but brand new. At that time I had bought the new > unit > after rejecting several instrument pods I pulled from junk yards > because the > face plates and the clear plastic were scratched as a junk yard find is > likely to be. > > I am meticulous about my bus and am 100% certain the instrument pod > faceplate > was not cracked and 100% certain the finish was not compromised and > there was > no fluid in the speedo or on the steering column or the floor mat. And > as I > mentioned the mechanic at first denied he was near the instrument > cluster > then denied a spill and then denied the crack--all in the presence of > the > sales rep. > > After the mechanic returned inside I spoke further with the sales rep > who > said there was nothing he could really do as he was "in the middle." > To the > best of my knowledge there was no one else from Fast German on the > property. > I had thought the sales rep was a manager in my dealings with him > until he > came up with the "in the middle" comment. The sales rep stated he > would call > me when they got a wreck with an instrument pod face plate and would > have the > mechanic swap my instruments into it. (Having installed the later > model pod > into my 83 I know it is not a simple swap depending on year. Also the > old > speedo, my original speedo is quite brittle as are some other > components--but > not the brand new face plate.) > > The shop is 50 miles from my home which makes the trip difficult and > about 2 > hours long each way in LA traffic. Today I parked my other car at the > train > station in LA for $10, took the train to Santa Ana for $9.50, and > walked 4 > miles to the shop from the train to pick up the bus as bothering > another > friend to put 100 miles on his car to drop me in Santa Ana seemed like > a > little much. > > Now I have to take out the instrument cluster and find exactly where > the > brake fluid went down in the dash and clean it up as it is a corrosive > agent. > > I called Am EX and they said I would have to wait till the charge > appeared on > my statement to contest the $325 charge with no adjustment for damage. > The Am > Ex rep. Then tried to sell me travel insurance at $19.95 per trip by > plane. I > declined. > > I called a VW dealer and it seems a new face plate goes for $251. (I'd > have > to double check.) > > Needless to say I am not comfortable returning to Fast German Auto and > having > hammer hands reinstall my brittle speedo and components in a used, > more than > likely well-used, instrument pod face plate. > > I turn to you all in you wisdom and understanding of Vanagons to help > me > understand what would be a fair solution to my dilemma. And how I might > proceed. > > I sure appreciate your time. > TIA > > Jeff > 83.5 Westy > LA,CA >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.