Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 17:58:20 -0600
Reply-To: Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Trusting Your Machine
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
I agree with John. I've had these vans long enough to experience their
limitations, but just as true in my case, my limitations and ignorance. My
van has had enough upgrades and repairs now that I have a very good idea
what its strengths are and there are fewer possible weaknesses. I'd say
alternator is likely next??
Bob Stevens
'87 Westy Syncro
http://groups.msn.com/BobsPhotoShare
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tiico
----Original Message Follows----
From: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Trusting Your Machine
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 18:37:20 -0500
Each time I have a breakdown, I trust my Van more. Why?? Because it's
one more thing that I know that will not fail next time, because I saw
that it was fixed/repaired correctly. Sometimes by the Bentley,
sometimes better than the Bentley for my purposes. Nevertheless, each
malfunction results in one more step towards perfection. May never get
there, by my machines reliabiltiy increases with each breakdown because
that particular failure is not likely to happen again.
And you are right - it's the move towards a completely rebuit machine
that makes one feel more secure, and that becasue of your own knowledge
of what has broken, what has been fixed.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Michael Rule wrote:
>Hi Ya'll,
>
>Silly Question, but I thought it would be an interesting survey-
>and one that is simply opinion-based, so no one can accuse right
>or wrong answers- but hey- feel free to tell me not to post
>useless drivel like this if you're so inclined!
>
>This may apply more to the pre'86 models, but all years seem
>significantly quirky enough that anybody might "feel my pain"...
>
>Obviously there are plenty of brave Volks who travel all over in
>their Groovy Vans, accumulating fun times and memories... but I
>gotta tell ya, I'm a bit terrified!
>
>Reading the constant issues that seem to randomly arise in these
>machines makes me VERY hesitant to got much further than St.
>Augustine's or Tampa Beach (from Gainesville, 1-2.5hrs), for fear
>of some horrific random tranny/ head-gasket blow-out, faulty
>fuel-line-induced fire, silent coolant loss, lite-switch blow-out
>turning my dash into a brown puddle of goo... I mean, short of
>rebuilding EVERYTHING, when does one begin to feel comfy and
>cozy??
>
>Please bear in mind, this is sorta tongue-in-cheek griping! I am
>admittedly neurotic and anxiety-driven (hah!), altho I have
>already spent about $3K prepping the vehicle to Be Travel Worthy
>(thanks the The List, the Vendors, Vanagonauts, and more Listees
>personal communications than I can name)... but I'm wondering if
>the initial ownership has made anyone as batty and conflicted--
>
>"Sell and buy a newer one?"
>
>"Go back to my 66 Olds and hiking/camping equipment?"
>
>"Medication??"
>
>"Forget the motorized things, those Luddites had it good?!"
>
>--as I feel after 5wks of ownership of an 84 Westy?
>
>Cheers,
>Mike
>
>--------- <:3~ ---------
>
>Michael Rule
>UFL / UFSCC
>Transgenic Core Facility
>CB-033
>352.392.4210
>http://transgenics.ufscc.ufl.edu
>
>The trick is to listen to what the experiments tell you -
>and to not be fooled by the myths of authorities --
>Constantine Spyropoulos (1928-1984)
>
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