Date:         Tue, 9 Mar 2004 15:33:22 -0800
Reply-To:     Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Subject:      Re: coolant hoses (Cost, it the only issue)
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Below you will find my "2 cents worth" on this thread.


     RE: "My Volvo's owner's manual suggests, when replacing the fan belts, to carry
     the old ones in the trunk as spares.
     That seems like good advice for a lot of wear parts like belts and hoses.
     If you buy a new one, put it on, and if the old one still looks servicable
     carry it along."

Those that think they are in remote wilderness because they have not seen a McDonalds in 30 minutes and their cell phone is registering 3 bars of reception instead of the normal 4 do not need to follow this advice. The rest of us know better. When you are 100 miles from the nearest highway and another 250 miles down that highway from the nearest place likely to even know what a vanagon even is, a spare part, even used, is better then nothing.

     RE: "If I knew a part was on the way out, I would replace it before I left on a trip, not carry it along as a 'spare'. It's a lot easier to do 'preventive' maintenance in my garage then to do 'corrective' maintenance when I am on the road with my wife, kids and pets. That being said, I carry no spare parts; I drive the van everyday and keep good track of maintenance I have done and what I maintenance I will need to do in the future. I do carry a full set of tools but have been fortunate and never had to use them on the road yet."

This is great advice, but it does not take into account unexpected failures, having the tools will only get you so far without the parts. Driving home from California last August our clutch failed in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada on a Friday evening. It gave no warning in 3000 miles of driving the California/Oregon coast and the Cassiar Highway in Canada. We were there for 3 days while I found a clutch kit and had it installed, and would have been there longer were it not for my 20 years of experience in parts and service. Now, nobody is going to carry a spare clutch everywhere they go, but belts, fluids, and other misc. small parts may save your trip from becoming an unexpected adventure.

RE: "This is just all around bad advice.  If cost is no issue just wait till you break down. Call a cab, fly home, and have a truck get the vanagon tow it, fix it, and ship it home....."

Again, this only works for those close enough to civilization(using the term loosely), or exceedingly wealthy, the rest of us have to be more self sufficient.

 "Cost, it the only issue, there is no place your going that you see on TV from years ago.  Ever hear of a cell phone? Lets get with the picture. This is the year 2004!!!"

See response above("this only works for those close enough to civilization") I can be out of cell  service in less time then it takes you to drive across town. Yes, this is 2004, but that does not mean anything when it comes to a broken vehicle in a remote area or hostile environment. While it is rare, people have died after becoming stranded in the wrong place and time. Even if your life is not endangered, your trip is no longer what you had planned, and you may spend it just trying to get home again.

The most important thing that any of us can take with them is a creative mind and positive attitude, but tools and spare parts will be a close second.

Mark in AK - Never a road trip without tools and supplies