Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 23:51:33 -0600
Reply-To: Owen <olists@THEBRANDS.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Owen <olists@THEBRANDS.ORG>
Subject: Re: Yesterday's Engine Fire in Rockefeller Center NYC
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Robert Stewart wrote
>I learned some lessons, but now my girlfriend tells me she
>does not want me to buy another one cause of the fire so I will look for
>something else, not sure what. Maybe one day I will get another and next
>time put on steel braided fuel lines (if thatıs possible).>
That was one heart breaking story. The whole experience must still be
incredibly difficult.
I know this is no consolation but I will say it anyway since I think the
passion for these vans is common among us.
For years I talked myself out of buying a Vanagon because I heard all the
horror stories too. They overheat. They catch on fire. The engine is just
flawed. Famously unreliable. For at least the last 15 years or so the idea
of owning one kept resurfacing. Each time I would squash it back hearing
stories like the wrecker driver's.
Then I started reading websites documenting the fixes for these problems. I
found this list and my confidence grew. I finally found my dream van in Utah
and drove it home a year and a half ago. I did the list recommended
maintenance work on it. I changed the fuel lines even though they didn't
look too bad. This was hammered into my head by list members. I flushed out
the coolant and put in known proper phosphate free in. I replaced a temp
sensor and the 02 sensor. There is other stuff I know I am overlooking right
now. My point is know I will do this again in 2 years since it doesn't cost
much and the Van runs great with it.
I learned that I can own and enjoy one of these vans from the fantastic
community that is this list. Without the community I would probably be one
of the stories the wrecker driver tells. He never sees the other vanagons.
The ones like mine; an 84 with 220,000 miles on a rebuilt engine and tranny
that runs and drives excellently now. Agreed it has taken work to get it
here but it is well worth it for the enjoyment I get out of it. I hope you
can remember the joy your van provided you and not give up on dreams that
encounter brutal setbacks like this.
Owen
84 Westy
Sugar Land Texas
