Date:         Fri, 2 Nov 2007 00:13:40 -0400
Reply-To:     John Reddick <svyolo@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Reddick <svyolo@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: That recent post bashing Tiico..one on Yahoo subaru too.

99% of the people on this list like Vanagons on their own merits,
including me.  TIICO came out with their kit in the late 90's, at about the
time I bought my much traveled Westy.  It sounded like a great idea and the
price was very reasonable.  Very quickly, massive problems ensued.  It
turned out to be worse than a WBXer in many respects.
    I would have bought a TIICO if it was reliable and would have never done
a Subaru conversion or started East Coast Vanagon.  TIICO could have owned
the whole market, and are still the biggest because of great marketing.
Their product is still seriously flawed, and sold mostly because TIICO
installs are very profitable for shops.
    Any engine is only as good as the engineering that went into the
installation, as well as the job the mechanics did installing it.  This
includes another Waterboxer.  TIICO's are junk.  Some shops have learned how
to install them really well, and alleviate the basic mechanical defects to a
great extent.  Except that the base engines are junk, mass market rebuilt
blocks, with a huge failure rate.
    I would be driving a TIICO if it was reliable.

    John