> Am I missing something here? > > These are old vehicles. Of course they need some parts replaced. > And > since there aren't many vanagons around, it's harder to find > mechanics > who can do the work. > > Am I just blinded by love?

sorta. :(

it's Old Car Disease. all the brit sports car owners have it. all the fiat sports car owners have it. old volvo owners have it. and many others. jay leno has it,but he has enough money to hire other people to chase down parts or even recreate them.

it's love/affection for an old car that is no longer made and its parts have been phased out of inventory by the manufacturer (if they are even still in business!). hard to find parts, cheaply made crap sold as replacement/replica parts, and nobody old enough to remember how to work on them. and sometimes, as in the case of very early brit cars, hard to find tools with which to work on them yourself!

there is no cure that i am aware of. and it's a disease the car companies would like to spread ... they don't make money off old cars, only selling new ones and servicing them. their attitude is that you should get a new car every three to five years ... for your own safety. cause we all know how auto technology changes so rapidly and safety is an important issue and you wouldn't want your car to be that far out of style, would you?

just imagine if everyone kept their cars ten years. they'd actually be able to pay off the loans to the banks and credit unions and lending institutions! and then they'd get to liking the not-having-car-payment status with their paycheck. and it would make them LESS anxious to go get new cars. and the car companies would lose money. as would the banks.

the only one who makes money, if any, on old cars is the mechanic who knows how and is willing to work on them. trouble is, it doesn't really make much difference if they are any good ... some owners can't tell the difference.

but dealers have become like doctors ... turn you away if they don't want your business.

so what to do?

what we're doing ... group together and share ideas and information. that's about all we can do. :(

unca joel