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Date:         Thu, 6 Jul 2006 09:43:13 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mechanic had to pull transmission again, what would you do?
In-Reply-To:  <11dcddf80607060829p3714e106yb15a0932f361322b@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

All the more reason to bake a pie, have a slice with a cup of coffee.

I say if you can bake a pie, you can work on your VW. And then have a slice and a cup affter you're finished.

My first repair was fixed the rear brakes on a British Hillman. I had no tools, and borrowed the Chilton's from the library.

Now days it cost so much to have work done that may not be as thorough , that it pays to do your own work.

And , just like ABC, with a good manual and a few tools, you the everyday people can do it. I don't even own a roll around tool box, or air compressor. Just basic Sear's tools.

I'm replacing a automatic trans in an 85 GL./ Local shop rate is $75.00 hour, and they don't clean or paint it.

The last time I had a shop do work for me, they went $500.00 over the estimate. Since that day, I am my own mechanic. I would'nt own a car if I could'nt fix it myself.

Mechanics tend to be stubborn and like to do things their way. I just can't stand that when you are paying all that money.

After a while you become as knowledgable or more than your mechanic. They are'nt rocket scientists you know !

The basic rule for clutches and TO bearings is always replace NEW. The expense of the parts is far cheaper than labour.

These are parts that normally last a long time and cost a lot in labour to replace, so the wisdom is put new parts where it's not going to be looked at for a long time.

Changing out a manual Vanagon trans is easy. It's more complicated with the Syncro, and a real bear in a automatic.

I make one concession- If I found someone to replace the automatic trans for 1,000, and the Vanagon was worth several thousand, like a camper, I say- yes.

But this is just a Passenger for 2,500.

I have to remember to pick up those pie crusts and a can of coffee at the store.

Drop in for a slice and coffee anytime.

Robert

1982 Westfalia

--- Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> I should have mentioned, after all that, he > replaced the first dead > bearing with ANOTHER USED BEARING from the > other transmission. Despite > me saying "Are you sure that is a good idea > after the first one > failed?" his reply was something like "Well it > is a used transmission, > used flywheel and a used clutch". > > Honestly I think he re-used the first bearing > because he was in a bit > of a hurry to get me out of his shop and did > not want to order one, > and same again with the second bearing. He was > going on holidays for > two weeks and wanted this off his plate. > > I'm going to give him the $200, but if the > second used bearing fails > its all on him. > > Chris > > On 7/6/06, John Bange <jbange@gmail.com> wrote: > > > I did SORT OF sanction the use of used > parts > > > (indeed the whole transmission was used. > When he suggested a new > > > clutch and flywheel I said: "Can you look > at the old ones and see if > > > it is OK to reuse them? But if its not then > order a new one". That > > > said, whenever he sugested a new part I > said "no problem". The message > > > could have been unclear, but was intended > to be really "just to try to > > > reuse what was pricy if it still seemed > OK". Indeed I replaced the > > > perfectly functional starter at the same > time because of the ease of > > > access during transmission removal. I would > not have blinked if he > > > said we should get a new $17.82 release > bearing. > > > > > > Yeah, that's kind of a tough spot to be in, > for both y'all. We run into > > similar things all the time at work > (locksmith/access control in > > particular). My boss calls it "last man > buys". No matter what fool > > originally installed the system you're > repairing, and no matter how terrible > > a job he did, if you come to fix part A and > then a week later part B craps > > out too, they look at YOU! Normally we follow > the policy of "when in doubt, > > change it out", but sometimes the client is > cost conscious (usually property > > managers with a limited budget) and asks us > to reuse as much as we can. When > > that happens, it turns into a bit of a crap > shoot. We have to then start > > gauging the DEGREE of doubt about the > serviceability of a part. Generally, > > we end up leaving in expensive parts and only > replace the cheap ones, but > > the mindset of "save money" is already there. > Sometimes we'll leave a crappy > > low voltage transformer that would only cost > $20 to replace, and sure > > enough, that's the next part to die. Usually, > if they're a decent client, > > we'll just replace it for the price of the > part if it's not too hard to get > > to, but nowadays we always HEAVILY disclaim > (in writing) all work where the > > client asked us to save money because > otherwise we'd spend half our time on > > non-paying callbacks. Really, if you make > cost is the bottom line, you'll > > pretty much always end up with a compromise > job and something, somewhere is > > probably going to die early. I think the best > way to get a "max quality" job > > done is to say "change whatever you would > change if this was your own". If > > you've got an honest technician, you'll pay a > little more, but the system > > will be less likely to fail, and if it does > happen to fail, he'll be more > > likely to stand behind his work and fix it. > > In the case of your crapped out bearing, It > seems like the mechanic feels > > really bad because he knows he probably > should have just replaced it when he > > had the chance because it's a cheap part > that's hard to get at, but at the > > same time, you DID ask him only to replace > parts that looked unserviceable. > > Personally, I'd pay him the $200. I don't > have a lot to go by, but he sounds > > like an honest guy who knows what he's doing, > but got the poopy end of the > > stick on a tough judgement call and had to > eat a whole bunch of labor on it. > > 200 samoleans seems like a fair compromise. > > -- > > John Bange > > '90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger" > > >

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