Date:         Mon, 16 May 2005 08:54:37 -0600
Reply-To:     Aaron Pearson <Aaron.Pearson@GXT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Aaron Pearson <Aaron.Pearson@GXT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Help me order rubber and window bits
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

gowesty claims that removing the "chrome" trim does not affect
water-sealing (they even say "contrary to popular belief" in their
write-up).  has anyone atually had the opposite experience on their own
van?  i've already yanked the molding out of one of the windows.  i'm
saving the others for a rainy day.

http://www.gowesty.com/ChromeMoldingStory.html

aaron
'87 syncro gl

-----Original Message-----
From: The Bus Depot [mailto:vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM] 
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 8:24 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Help me order rubber and window bits

> Thanks, Bob - you're not the only one that has suggested I let Ron at 
> BD sort this out. It must be good advice!


A few words of advice here.

First of all, be sure to avail yourself of the Information pages that
can be accessed by clicking on the 'i" icons throughout BusDepot.com.
For example, the following page shows a diagram of the rubber for your
Vanagon, along with part numbers and prices:

https://pointer.webappcabaret.net/busdepot/details/vanagonrubber.jsp

(Note, we will be changing this URL to a busdepot domain URL within a
few weeks as part of our server upgrade, so if you bookmark it it will
be a dead link then. But you can always get there by choosing your
Vanagon year, and then clicking the green "i" icon next to the Body
Rubber category.)  

Other diagrams are found throughout the site by clicking on those "i"
icons, such as exhaust, sheet metal, and coolant hose diagrams. I think
that many people overlook these useful sources of information.

Secondly, should you have further questions, I generally recommend
emailing rather than calling if time allows, as the luxury of time will
allow the rep to spend more time sorting through and accurately
answering your questions.
We generally reply to email same or next working day. I'd suggest
mentioning that you already looked at the diagram page noted above but
still have questions (assuming that you do), just so the rep does not
merely direct you to the diagram. :-)

As for the yellowed plastic strips, while it is possible to buy new
rubber that will accommodate these strips (and new strips to match), I
recommend against it. The "plain" rubber that does not take the strips
is much cheaper, plus you won't have to buy new strips (which themselves
will start to yellow within a few years and look like crap again). The
reason for the price difference is that most of the world other than the
U.S. (as well as most U.S. models after 1987) did not get the plastic
trim strips. This leaves the rubber that accepts the strips as somewhat
of a "niche" item almost exclusively for the U.S. market ... hence the
higher price.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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