Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 07:49:51 -0700
Reply-To: wilden1@JUNO.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: Subject: Re: Used Van Need help
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I'm sure everybody thinks I'm crazy but I managed to drag my Westy around
by my gasoline credit card for about 200,000 miles without failures.
It was only in 2001 that I went crazy and replaced every bearing, brake
part and yada, yada.
---------------------------------
Dennis wrote:
We won't go into what I found in the brakes and suspension department. It
will soon be an $11K
camper.
---------------------------- Clip ------------------------------------
That goes back to exactly the comment I've been using for five years.
"If you don't spend the purchase price at least again on your newly
purchased Westy or Vanagon within a year of purchase it'll be a rare
thing".
Poll the list you'll find that I'm well over 75% correct on this
statement.
Many of these Vans would survive for several years as local drivers but
everybody wants to put them on the road and that requires a much higher
dependability factor.
Getting to the level of dependability or trustworthy is an expensive
proposition.
Most vans have gone through a long period of owner disappointment, rip
off repair bills and neglect sets in because the owner just can't face
another 'surprise' repair expense on his van.
Most people ........... and that means every car owner with very few
exceptions, never do the preventive maintenance items even if they are
capable, wealthy or mechanically inclined.
From many years of experience; It takes several hours of preparation,
general checks and appraisals and some maintenance before each extended
trip.
It is only the Vanagon / Bus owners that 'feel they have to take these
old dogs out on field trips'.
That long dissertation on the Porsche was to itemize the expense to check
out, catch up on preventive maintenance and show that one could easily
spend $1000.00 and never replace a broken or failed part.(I'm saying
1000$ based on $50.00 hour mechanic).
If the "Used Van Need help" guy (Robert) had all these things done by a
service facility before he hit the road he might have some chance of
making a trouble free trip from Florida to NYC.
I doubt he could get the listed repairs and this simple preventive list
done for less than 2K$ on a WB since the WB needs other services as well.
(Sound system / gauges excluded)
I am astounded than anybody could read the "Cry Baby" postings on the
Vanagon list and actually go out and buy one of these things.
Stan Wilder
On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 22:22:05 -0700 Mike Miller <mwmiller@cwnet.com>
writes:
> Come see us here in Sacramento. I have some things you could do on
> my van
> to keep busy. If you really wanted to, that is.
>
>
> On 6/30/03 11:31 PM, "Stan Wilder" <wilden1@JUNO.COM> wrote:
>
> > I repeat: Hot damn! Dennis choke that seller down to the last
> penny.
> > Wouldn't it wonderful if engines behaved the way engineers planned
> them
> > to?
> > Every used car is buyer beware .................
> > Every seller is a motivated seller .....................
> > Every buyer wants cheap ...............................
> > Few buyers would consider doing it my way: Buy it with a dead
> engine and
> > start with a fresh engine.
> > That normally doubles the investment in about ten days to a month
> and it
> > just isn't the way people think.
> > They want perfect for few bucks and bitch about not getting
> perfect.
> > I just bought a 58 K miles,1976 Porsche 912e (Type IV engine
> w/FI).
> > Lets just disregard the price, here's what I've done to it even
> before I
> > started driving it on a daily basis.
> > #1) changed oil /filter /cleaned strainer after about two hours of
> local
> > driving running MMO.
> > #2) ran MMO in the fuel tank.
> > #3) adjusted the lifters / new valve cover gaskets.
> > #4) changed transmission grease
> > #5) purged and cleaned brake system, installed all fresh fluid.
> > #6) adjusted all torsion bars to factory height specs
> > #7) set points, timing, dwell. already had new wire set, plugs,
> dist cap
> > & rotor, removed and cleaned distributor, found little spring
> under
> > distributor missing (had one, installed it).
> > #8) installed oil temp, oil pressure and volts gages. (yes it
> already had
> > a oil temp).
> > #9) cleaned / re packed CVs. already had recent new boots, re
> torqued
> > bolts.
> > #10) removed all wheels, inspected brake pads, lines and greased
> the
> > front wheel bearings.
> > #11) cleaned engine bay and everything under the car, removed built
> up
> > grease on engine case and tranny.
> > #12) installed new sound system
> > #13) installed new air / fuel / EGR filters.
> > #14) inspected all fuel lines
> > #15) tightened all possible vacuum leak on hoses, replaced a few
> short
> > hoses
> > #16) purchased and put carbon monoxide detector under passenger
> seat
> > #17) purchased nice sized fire extinguisher
> > #18) treated car cover with scotch guard water repellant
> > #19) adjusted the clutch several times
> > #20) pulled and lubricated throttle cable and clutch cable. Freed
> up
> > sticking throttle body.
> > #21) re torqued every engine, tranny case bolt I could get to
> > This car was a Sunday driver for the owner since new. I've known
> the guy
> > for 15 years and watched the car throughout those years. When it
> came up
> > for sale I had the money and paid very close to what the fellow
> was
> > asking.
> > I paid a California price for a near pristine Texas car.
> > This car was undercoated at the factory with some special German
> > rubberized material.
> > Only 2090 of the 912e was ever built and all have fully galvanized
> bodies
> > ........ everything, floorboards up.
> > His motivation in selling?
> > Simple.
> > The Porsche Dealer told him that they are no longer going to
> service any
> > Air Cooled Porsche.
> > I'm happy with my deal.
> > I paid too much but I got something I really wanted ..............
> it's
> > still buyer beware.
> > You know what this car needs now?
> > It needs a nice long road trip.
> >
> > Stan Wilder
> >
> >
> > ________________________________________________________________
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> >
>
>
>
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